Counting the months

It took a bit of getting used to, when I first moved here, that the date is written day.month.year, instead of month.day.year, but I managed well enough, I thought. Then today I discovered that when the car registration sticker says 08 and then 2008, that does not mean that the car inspection is due in August of 2008, as it would in California. Rather, 08 is just a repetition of 2008, and the month of the inspection is determined by the last two digits of the license plate number (in my case, 02). This plus realizing I need new windshield wipers, front headlight, and possibly breaks makes me wish I did not have a car.

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