Say what you want, but I am impressed with official Austria.

Despite Austria being considered the dumbo of the German speaking lot (Switzerland being the rich one, Germany the big and Austria the slow-witted, according to all the jokes), their administration is very well organised and service-orientated.

It took less than two hours, to get all the information needed, to apply for financial help to pay for my dad’s care home. With all the documents, explanation sheets and so on e-mailed to me and appointments already booked with all four official institutions involved (the local city government, the district’s administration, the health insurance and the retirement pension insurance), for the time, I am flying out to sort this together with my mom. And I haven’t been at their doorstep, I just phoned. Everyone I had to deal with, was extremly helpful and friendly. This was a great and unexpected experience.