Attawie is Back from Jordan
After writing several posts that I wasn't able to publish either there was no internet connection or the occasion of the post passed and it became uninteresting; I decided to write and publish later and state the date in the end of each post. First let me say I've been in Jordan for more than two months now and a lot of things were going on while I was offline. Probably most of people who pass by my blog are bored with Doomed "my previous post", and probably most of you stopped viewing the blog but anyway I'm writing this hoping somebody still passes by and read this nonsense.
The main reason why I couldn't post something was and still that we have moved into a new apartment and it still has no telephone cables. I don't know the new area so I was and still a bit lazy to go out and check for an internet café. The other reasons were being busy with the new apartment and my sister's apartment, who got married last week. Then I was busy meeting some bloggers. Yes, yes. A bit old news for the Iraqi blogsphere. I met Anarki, The Kid and Ziad and Hala S, but most importantly I got the chance to meet my best friend and fellow blogger Morbido. Then I met Baghdad Treasure and 24 Steps to Liberty and Nabil, "I was there" and the German blogger Melantrys.
I promised I would post all about The Meetings and here it comes
I went to Petra, Wadi Ram and the Dead Sea. They were lovely trips though I wasn't feeling good in Petra. I took a lot of photos and I'll post about this too.
My sister's wedding was awesome and everybody was satisfied and happy about it. We are still waiting for the photos. I hope there will some photos that I can post here.
Stupid Computer Mistake!
When I entered Jordan, I was given a visit visa for a month which was renewable up to three months. Before the first month was over I went to renew my visa and I was given another month. Now my second month is about to end so I went to get another month and bam! The computer refused to give me another month. Why? Because I overstayed the allowed period of time in Amman! Dah! I left four months before my visa ends. That was September 2005. And I entered the country and was given a month and then was given another month and no computer detected any factual error in my entrance or visa. But now, the problem is when I departed Jordan, this information was not added to the data base. That would mean, legally I did not leave Amman since September 2005.
I was the only young girl alone with my sister in the police department on this sunny, burning, breezeless day. I saw a couple of criminals behind bars. And then two young women were brought after causing a car accident. Then a couple of Egyptian men were brought because they were illegal workers. About tens of Iraqis were there to renew their visas but most of them were men in their forties or fifties.
The officer was a nice man who noticed that I was in UAE since September 2005 and that I didn't exceeded the allowed time and all the dates on the passport were right. He said "Stupid computer mistake" and laughed. The officer next to him smiled and said "They will put you on the Iraqi boarder".
The former officer was merciful. He looked at me and said " you look like a very fragile girl. I won't send you in this summer day to the ministry. I'll gave you another month on my own personal responsibility" and he told me to contact him the next day to see if he can help or send me to a certain officer to help me out in this problem.
My grandmother was shocked to hear this little story about the stupid computer mistake so she called our lawyer to tell him all about it. He said we'll see what this officer can do about it and if not we'll go to the residency and boarder office on Thursday to fix everything.
Just a thought popped into my head about the "Doomed" post. Some friends hated the title and asked me to write something and forget all about the "doomed" thing. So tell me now what shall I call this one now. I'm thinking of another post under the title "Doomed".
We called the officer this morning and he said everything is fine now. They have up dated the data base.
And like some of friends say:
Cheers.
The main reason why I couldn't post something was and still that we have moved into a new apartment and it still has no telephone cables. I don't know the new area so I was and still a bit lazy to go out and check for an internet café. The other reasons were being busy with the new apartment and my sister's apartment, who got married last week. Then I was busy meeting some bloggers. Yes, yes. A bit old news for the Iraqi blogsphere. I met Anarki, The Kid and Ziad and Hala S, but most importantly I got the chance to meet my best friend and fellow blogger Morbido. Then I met Baghdad Treasure and 24 Steps to Liberty and Nabil, "I was there" and the German blogger Melantrys.
I promised I would post all about The Meetings and here it comes
I went to Petra, Wadi Ram and the Dead Sea. They were lovely trips though I wasn't feeling good in Petra. I took a lot of photos and I'll post about this too.
My sister's wedding was awesome and everybody was satisfied and happy about it. We are still waiting for the photos. I hope there will some photos that I can post here.
Stupid Computer Mistake!
When I entered Jordan, I was given a visit visa for a month which was renewable up to three months. Before the first month was over I went to renew my visa and I was given another month. Now my second month is about to end so I went to get another month and bam! The computer refused to give me another month. Why? Because I overstayed the allowed period of time in Amman! Dah! I left four months before my visa ends. That was September 2005. And I entered the country and was given a month and then was given another month and no computer detected any factual error in my entrance or visa. But now, the problem is when I departed Jordan, this information was not added to the data base. That would mean, legally I did not leave Amman since September 2005.
I was the only young girl alone with my sister in the police department on this sunny, burning, breezeless day. I saw a couple of criminals behind bars. And then two young women were brought after causing a car accident. Then a couple of Egyptian men were brought because they were illegal workers. About tens of Iraqis were there to renew their visas but most of them were men in their forties or fifties.
The officer was a nice man who noticed that I was in UAE since September 2005 and that I didn't exceeded the allowed time and all the dates on the passport were right. He said "Stupid computer mistake" and laughed. The officer next to him smiled and said "They will put you on the Iraqi boarder".
The former officer was merciful. He looked at me and said " you look like a very fragile girl. I won't send you in this summer day to the ministry. I'll gave you another month on my own personal responsibility" and he told me to contact him the next day to see if he can help or send me to a certain officer to help me out in this problem.
My grandmother was shocked to hear this little story about the stupid computer mistake so she called our lawyer to tell him all about it. He said we'll see what this officer can do about it and if not we'll go to the residency and boarder office on Thursday to fix everything.
Just a thought popped into my head about the "Doomed" post. Some friends hated the title and asked me to write something and forget all about the "doomed" thing. So tell me now what shall I call this one now. I'm thinking of another post under the title "Doomed".
We called the officer this morning and he said everything is fine now. They have up dated the data base.
And like some of friends say:
Cheers.
posted by attawie at Saturday, September 02, 2006
10 Comments:
at laaaaaaaaaast, a new post!
sent u a THANK YOU to YOU and H this evening, didnt get delivered. i dont have enough credits to reply, so, am leaving this here, hoping you might catch it!
hope to meet you both soon..
i'll read your post now!
Hello Attawie, I am glad to read your new post! :) I would really like to see some of your pictures, so I hope you can post them soon. Congratulations to your sister for her wedding! The computer mistake about your visa must have been very scary for you! It is a good thing that you found an understanding and helpful policeman. So, you can stay in Amman for another month now. But, what will you do after this next month is over? Can you go back to U.A.E. then, or will you have to return to Iraq? I really hope you can find a place that will welcome you for an extended stay. It is hard for me to imagine being uprooted every few months and made to feel unwelcome! I would like you to be able to title a post "Promising Future" sometime soon! :)
hehehe
Of course we are all still coming by to see if you have posted! We have been waiting and waiting and waiting!
I look forward to these next posts!
I want some more of your wonderfull poetry tooooooooooo
I have put up a lot of poetry lately at the poetry blog (which YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE A PART OF REMEMBER?) :P
http://obpoetry.blogspot.com
I don't think you should change the title, it's best not to revise anything and just leave it, as it states your intended viewpoint at that time, don't be ashamed...doomed is quite cool. you never played Doom?
at last, a new post. we thought you lost it.
Iraq is hot, and not in a good way.
just writing this after i finished my last exam an hour ago.
I have to be honest! I'm vvery glad I don't have to see "DOOMED" at the top of the screen anymore when I load your blog :)
Glad you got the visa thing straitened out, at least for now! If things get messed up again, maybe you could make a post called "this is such BULLS#$&%!!!" instead of "DOOMED" please? Your readers need some variety ! :P
hey Attawie, me again, just letting you know that I am cross-posting this in two seperate posts to the Olivebranch Network :)
Luke(y)
Cbox says, "You cannot post - you are banned from this cbox!" :( What's up with this? Bad cbox!! *spanks the cbox* as Mel would say. ;) I was just wondering how you are doing Attawie?
Wow "Welcome 2 Jordan"
I am sorry to hear this .I should tell someone we know what happen and show him how bad Jordan is :) I believe he will kill me in the end loooool
Nice to have you back my dear.
Replying comments
Dear all, I'm leaving Amman on Sep 28th, though my residency in Jordan ends the 27th. until then I'll be searching for a university to take MA study. Still not sure what the subject will be but it depends on the university and if it gives residency. I would love to take a master in English literature but, I believe, it would be a waste of time and money to study English in an Arab country.
s.o.mebody:
First of all, you are welcomed to my blog. I think this is your first comment here.
Second, Iraq used to give visa to any nationality except Israeli. Later, when we will have a stable self-government, I think Iraqi people will tend to treat others the way they were treated by them.
I guess time will show us later.
Anarki,
I received your thank you sms when I was with H but a couple of hours late, because my cell phone battery was low. I'm out of credit too. As you read she spent only a few hours. We went out for a hot chocolate. And that was it.
Take care and mabrook again.
David,
Thanks to the police man he was so kind but he couldn't do a favor without giving a poison word. He said "I know you Iraqi people; you can't keep your mouth shut. You'll tell everyone you know about the kind officer who gave you visa"
I believe this Cbox is just playing on and off. Do I need a new one???
I couldn't say a word. So I smiled to him.
Luke,
I know I've been away for a while but I'm keeping my eyes on the O.B.net.
I wrote a couple of lines yesterday. Lately, I've been writing Arabic poems, actually funny poems, with my sister. Maybe someday when you master Arabic you would read them.
Anonymous,
I feel like I know you. I don't know if you are someone I know who forgot to write the name, or do you sound familiar??
I don't play doom because I have motion sickness. I used to watch my sis playing it. Though never liked it.
Craig,
I am happy too that "doomed" is no longer on the top of the screen. I'll try my best to be more optimistic than to write about the empty half.
About the variety, I'll be back to UAE soon and will have daily internet access. I'll have time to post my new photos and maybe some of my ceramic work I left there. Or I'll post some lines from my diary.
Ghada,
It's great to hear from you? I'm so sorry about the CV thing. Do you still need it. I read it and there's nothing to add. take care
"when we will have a stable self-government, I think Iraqi people will tend to treat others the way they were treated by them.
I guess time will show us later"
First people I will enjoy kicking their ass are UAE people for what they did and still doing to many iraqis including myself.
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