The Culture Shock Continues.....

The culture shock and, at times, outward rage towards this culture continues from last night. Before you read this understand that it is coming from one who is venting. I am just blowing off steam.

Once upon a time, in a country far, far away, there were two foreigners. These two foreigners loved their host country and thought good thoughts about it all the time. Until one day the evil, evil minister of tourism required them to renew their visas.

Okay, now that you have the background. B and I are both sick. A little head cold in these damp, freezing conditions can last for quite a while. Both of us missed school today and didn't feel good, but because today was the last day to take care of this visa thing before we got deported or fined, I got dressed and headed out the door to the police station. Two things happened on the way to the station. One, I noticed that while it was sunny outside the wind was chilling to the bone. I should have worn more. Two, I noticed off to the west some dark rain clouds. I thought, "oh, that will be nice, some more rain. Good thing I will be back home before that hits."

I arrive at the station frozen and sniffling. I walk into the office that I usually go to and sit down. The guy comes in and I hand him our passports. He then says, "Who is this? This your girlfriend?" He is referring to my pregnant wife's passport. I told him that she wasn't my girlfriend, but my wife. He then asks why she isn't here. I told him that she was pregnant and sick so she couldn't make it. He then proceeded to tell me that she has to be present for this to happen, but he had to take a break from that to allow the guy behind him with 8 passports to get all of his stuff taken care of. That's right. One guy with 8 passports. So Joe Arab is getting his family taken care of without them being there, but me...no way! My sick, pregnant wife has to walk through the cold to be present for this!

I went off on him. I told him, "She is my wife, not my girlfriend. I am the head of that house and she falls under my authority, so I can get her visa renewed and if you want I will bring her sick body up here if you want her to throw up on your desk!" He smiled a little uneasily and then we went on from there.

He then wanted our blood tests so I gave them the ones that we got when we entered the country. He then told me that they were no good because they were old. I told him that the last time I was here he told me to hold on to it because it was good for a year. You know what he said, "Well, yes, but only if you do not leave the country!" Well, then how is it good for a year if you require me to leave the country every six months!!! On top of that, no one else has had to get a blood test.

So I am ticked. I get my passport and my "girlfriend's" passport and head out the door. The rain that wasn't going to come till I got done had hit. I decided to head over to another place that was less strict that alot of the other foreigners use. I grabbed a cab and headed over there.

Once there I read all the signs in Arabic and finally find the right office, but it's shut and locked. I ask the guy next to it and he says, "He will be back later. Go ahead and wait." So I waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, another guy comes and asks the same questions I did and the guy tell him that the officer I needed left for the day and would be back tomorrow. Inshallah! So I asked him again, and then he tells me, "Well the guy went home and won't be back today!" I could have been there for hours and no one would have told me!

I walk back outside with no other options but to go home and go through this process again tomorrow, but by then we will be overdue and have to pay a fine as well as go to yet another station to sit and listen to more excuses why I have to go to some where else.

So I arrive home, mad, wet, and cold only to find that we've run out of gas. No gas means no heat. So I am writing this post still wet, still cold and still mad. I love this country!!!