Well the fucking Belgian bureaucracy has decided to bless me, once again, with a striking portrayal of its ineptitude. I had a police office come to the house today, where he gave me a letter saying that I needed to go to the districthuis with a passport photo, €3.75, my passport, and my temporary Belgian ID. I was rather excited. I figured that I had received approval for my permanent ID card. Well I get there, and the nightmare ensues. They tell me that for some inane reason they're going to extend the temporary ID card until the 28th of March 2009, and that I can come pick up the permanent ID on the 29th.
"What?" I said with more than a little incredulity. "I was told that it would be 5 months from when I FIRST received the temp ID. Now you're telling me that I need to wait an additional 3 months?" You know what her response was? "I'm just doing what Brussels says to do. They said to issue you a temporary ID card."
"I already have one," I almost yelled "and now your making it for even longer!"
"I can only do what Brussels tells me to do," was this person's response. I guess here in Belgium they do not raise people to think for themselves, because clearly there is a lack of cognitive thought processes there.
So we've decided that we're going to hire an attorney to deal with Brussels. I don't have the patience to deal with these retards (no offense to the mentally challenged) any more.
That's where things stand with me. More to come from the continuing story...or melodrama.
"What?" I said with more than a little incredulity. "I was told that it would be 5 months from when I FIRST received the temp ID. Now you're telling me that I need to wait an additional 3 months?" You know what her response was? "I'm just doing what Brussels says to do. They said to issue you a temporary ID card."
"I already have one," I almost yelled "and now your making it for even longer!"
"I can only do what Brussels tells me to do," was this person's response. I guess here in Belgium they do not raise people to think for themselves, because clearly there is a lack of cognitive thought processes there.
So we've decided that we're going to hire an attorney to deal with Brussels. I don't have the patience to deal with these retards (no offense to the mentally challenged) any more.
That's where things stand with me. More to come from the continuing story...or melodrama.
