Tuesday, November 15th: Being an organized person, I asked the citizens' Service Dept. of the Ministry of Interior about the required documents to renew and replace my country's driving license with a Kuwaiti one, two weeks ahead of time to be prepared. They gladly informed me of a list of requirements (which turned out to be not complete).
Saturday, November 26th: 5 days before expiry date, I went with all the required documents to the above mentioned Department, they typed in the form for me (with a smile) and then told me that they couldn't do more for me…I should go to the General Directorate of Traffic…. No, not today, I don't where the place is and it's late anyway… I'll give it to the "Mandoub" (messenger) tomorrow.
Sunday, November 27th: 4 days before expiry date: The mandoub came back at the end of the work day (all sweaty and out of breath): Sorry couldn't do much. They kept on transferring me from one place to another, just to tell me at the end that your papers are missing the "Shahadat Themma" (certificate from my country's Traffic Dept stating that I don't have any traffic fines pending) hummmm. It makes sense, but they could have told me about it 2 weeks ago when I asked. I am running out of time (I started panicking, so I quickly called my Embassy, which gladly offered help but the formalities it would take me about 2 weeks to get the original certificate, that should be send by Diplomatic pouch and so I called my uncle back home and asked him to get me this certificate, he couldn't do it because he had more urgent things to do but he promised to do it as soon as he is free, which was on…Wednesday, November 30th, one day before expiry date (OH MY GOD!!!).
Thursday, Friday (did not drive just in case)
Saturday, December 3rd, 2 days after expiry date: I woke up really early and went to the General Directorate of Traffic…got lost couple of times, but reached there finally…. The parking was a disaster….people just parked randomly in a big muddy yard, jumped off my car quickly, stepping on the mud (Thank God I wore my tennis shoes!), went around asking drivers where the main entrance was, because all I could see from the road was: The Police Cooperative Supermarket. (well, it was the same entrance) went in…amazing… people are like ants running around everywhere…all kind of people…no signs…no indications…where the hell should I go? I went to the first window….skipping people who were waiting in turn (excusing myself) to ask for directions…just go there (waving with his left hand)… there where? There….there….yeh but where is there? Look just ask that guy with the yellow T. Shirt…ok… excuse me… I went around asking for the right place to get a signature that turned out to be more than one… I then found myself going up, down, left, right…like a bee…collecting signatures…done, but not really…go back to the same Citizens' Service Dept….oh, ok…almost done…went back there waiting in the queue for my turn...be patient!…you have to get the signature of the Director, first office to the right in that corridor…sorry can't help you…you are in the wrong place. You should go to Hawalli Traffic Department. But I was told by your main directorate to come here! I'm sorry can't help you…right (or he didn't want to because he was too busy having his tea with a friend!!) took my car, struggled in the traffic jam, which is a daily horror in Kuwait lately, went there…waited in line…sorry mam…your documents are not complete…what? What are you talking about? I brought everything they asked for in the first Office and in the Second one...take it easy…go to next door, pay them and ask for the form, then come back here…As a good girl I did what he asked me to do (they asked for 2 more picture, other than the four pictures they had on the papers, I wonder why they need so many photos??) went back to the first guy… good, now you have to go to the Director.. Where is his office? In the 5th floor in that building, oh! And don't take the elevator it will take you ages…great! Went running up stairs, 5 floors, I needed the exercise, but that was a bit too much for one day…waited in line to get to the secretary, who kept on asking me what I wanted 5 TIMES, and I kept on repeating the same simple answer 5 TIMES…went in got the signature, went back to the first guy who told me: sorry but you have to go to another area, get a signature and then come back here…rushed to the other area, took a number (meanwhile listening to lousy jokes and comments about my accent, and I was supposed to laugh along…WAS NOT FUNNY!...went inside for the signature, while signing he was asking me personal questions (I was staring helplessly at that man's hand waiting for him to put on the damn signature) grasped the paper from his hand and flee to the car, which was parked miles away because I couldn't find the building driving (I wonder why they had the sign on the side of the building not in the front?)
I went back…good, now all you are missing is 30 KD stamps…thank God I had enough money, didn't know that it was that expensive…here you are…ok now just take a seat, it will only take a minute (liar!)…after a long while… here you are (giving me a file) what should I do with this file? Just get the signature of the Head of this Department… great another signature…excuse me (handing over the file)…Oh! I thought you were English (I wonder why? Is it because of my black hair, black eyes or my dark complexion?) No I'm not, can I get your signature… here you are….You know my Dad was born in your country, I'm not joking…what am I suppose to reply to that? Congratulations? Good for him? So I just gave a tired smile…and he finally handed over the temporal Kuwaiti Driving License…come back after a month to get the real one…why not now?...these are the rules…No way…If you think that I'll ever come back here you are mistaken…I'm never, ever, coming back…next time I'm sending the Mandoub, God Bless Him.
