Getting What I Wished For :
G-d Help Me--The ETC Said YES

This really is me, by the way. Or it would be me if I was blonde and had that body and those nice arms.
Tonight I was forced by a couple of good Expat friends to drink down two Bailey's (glasses, not bottles) to celebrate that my work permit was granted.
I found out on Monday via a surprise email from my contact at the ETC. Just two words: "permit ready" with a smiley face. Well, I didn't know what that meant--was it physically ready--or was it "just" approved? I had been told it would take at least another week to hear and then at least another week to be ready to pick up (for another 48 Euros, of course).
So I wrote to another contact at the ETC who has felt very sorry for me ever since I cried on the phone to her after the second application was turned down.
So she wrote back and said, "Sorry, there's been a mistake. It's not ready." I was about to s_____ in my pants at the McDonald's cafe in St. Julian's ( I was using the free WI-fi there, not eating). And then I scrolled down the email and I found in large letters:
ONLY JOKING YES IT'S READY I HAVE IT IN MY HANDS
You can come for it tomorrow morning between 8 and 12
