Stateless
Renewing my passport is a somewhat traumatic experience for me. I’m happily reminded that the Netherlands is becoming much more concerned about issuing the damned things to people who actually want to be Dutch. Aside from tests on all things Dutch (a la the US Green Card tests), they’ve decided to code the renewal forms in lovely technical Dutch that takes some getting used to reading.
Apparently, I need to let them know where I lived last in the Netherlands (wonder if 6 months in a freezing cold Amsterdam count), and where and when I uitschrijved myself. I think I had to tell them I was planning to leave the country or something. Well, if my horrible bastardization of Dutch in the previous sentences hasn’t completely put them off renewing it, I might try my luck at the South African embassy.
Funny thing is that I know when I go to the consulate, the desk jockey behind the counter probably won’t speak a word of the Mother tongue and I’ll happily be forced to ask about my renewal in English.
Incidentally, for those who are keeping score, there’s a cute little number on the 24/F of the Immigration Department. Wonder if I can get my friend (who might be employed there) to wrangle her name and number.
