Morjes!

Welcome to my blog. I write about fitting in, sticking out, and missing the motherland as a serial foreigner.

The youngest bureaucrat

I had to go to the Center of All Bureaucracy this morning to complete Sterling's Emirates ID process (having them scan his now-obtained residency visa to link it to the ID card). I jumped the queue (because baby) and was offered assistance by an off-duty employee. She's a young woman who I've known for a couple of years now, due to the fact that she works at the Center of All Bureaucracy and has therefore been witness to several of my major life events. Or at least the ones that require reams of paperwork, such as sponsoring a nanny, renewing our residency visas, and having a baby.

This young Emirati woman took one look at Sterling and reached across the counter for him. She then proceeded to hold him in the crook of one arm as she typed and shuffled documents with the other. It was a truly impressive show of efficiency. During any lull in the process, she took the opportunity to show off Sterling to her coworkers.

When the documents were complete, she handed them, and Sterling, back over to me. I hope he enjoyed his time as an honorary bureaucrat, behind the desk at the Center of All Bureaucracy, taking part in the processing of his own documents.


Books 2013 + Book Stats

My best books of 2013 (and other distinctions)