Last two years we have been at several governmental agencies. Last year March my passport renewed for my art shows trip to Holland. After we came back my drivers license renewal. This year, green card renewal – every 10 years (a legal alien needs that to legally work in the US – don’t lead me into temptation to talk about the other aliens). The first phase is on line and pay $600 (really!) and the next step of the digital fingerprinting and picture taking is done at one of the INS (International Naturalization Services) offices. And a week ago for Social Security and Medicare (now I’m receiving money:) ).
Coming through the door, strict security rules followed. No cell phones allowed. Spouses and children who are US citizens are sent away once you enter into the office. One cannot stand waiting. One has to sit – until certain numbers are up. These people have to stand – till it’s their turn. “Sit here. Place your bag in the seat next to you.”
You get the picture.
Talking about pics …
This Pic …
Happy 4th of July! Taken by hubby at Disneyland on one of the assignments of his photography class.
Didn’t see that once coming!
The sun reflected the ironwork on the opposite end of the hall way (behind him you see the same pattern)
Always viewed himself as noncreative, but 6 years ago he became interested in cameras, after he bought one for me (so I could take pics of my paintings and print them). After he enrolled in his first photography class, he was a goner. Some asked him to be their model (to get their assignment done, lol). One of my kids wrote me, “staunch must be in vogue.”
Hibiscus. So much for him being non-creative…
The “class” is more like a club, because they all keep retaking the same class,
go on trips, and some of the members make their living with photography.
The areas of interests vary from sports games to fashion, to weddings,
but for every semester they all need to do a class assignment in groups.
Back to the Green Card story –
… I didn’t see this one coming either …
Went in with the same mood as to renew one’s driver’s license. Cooperate and smile:) After a long time in line, I was directed to sit with an INS agent, who typed the info of my card on the computer. When we went to a specific computer to do the fingerprinting,
the INS lady (50ties) turned to me and said in Dutch (since she now knew my info), “Are you an Indish girl?” (Indish means a person having a Dutch as well as Indonesian heritage – since Indonesia once was a colony of Holland before it became an independent country and Islamic).
“So you are too,” I responded.
“How do you know?” the INS person wanted to know.
“Because you said it in Dutch to me!” I smiled.
Then she told me from which part of Indon. she was (Indonesia has many islands).
To my big surprise, … next came the stories about herself, about her family, about her health, asking if I was going to the yearly Dutch festival, while she was doing the digital fingerprinting
as if she had known me for years. (Was I really at the INS office? I pinched myself!)
This though is typically how Indonesian people relate. When they like you (often a first impression), they REALLY like you and you can ask the shirt of their back, even though you maybe strangers. When they don’t like you – good luck!
In this strict office she left me with “Well see you in ten years, if I’m still alive.” I assured her she would be!
She said goodbye to us with, “See you at the Dutch festival!”
One of the other (American) INS officers faintly smiled as I walked passed him.
My thought was, hm, he has watched this whole thing unfold.
Walking out of this feared (by some) government office, I was blown away when I realized what just had happened.
I came to renew my green card, but I left a friend. I didn’t see this one coming!
These kinds of things normally happen to hubby, not to me! I guess today was “my turn.”
Realizing on Friday of this week it’s Independence day for the Americans, and since I live in California …
probably one of our stops we’ll make on the 4th of July (this one is in Santa Inez, close to Solvang)
And who knows the sky itself will give us this weekend a firework sky like this one at the end of the day!
HAVE A GREAT FOURTH OF JULY
or just a great weekend!
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