Gem 2 DONE: Apply for my S.A. Passport

Department of Home Affairs, I apologise!

This is how it all went down:

• Yesterday, I discovered on their website that Home Affairs has a toll-free hot line # and behold, my questions were quickly answered!

http://www.dha.gov.za/   0800 60 11 90 

• Last night, I did all of my anxiety motivated survival kit preparation (downloaded forms, 4 pens, photos, an exam pad, American passport(?), ID book, copy of ID book, tissues, lip ice, hairband(?), a bottle of water, double the amount of cash needed, and a pashmina). I also packed myself a breakfast and extensive amounts of reading material for the expected HOURS of waiiiiting......
• At 7:30 this morning with trepidation, a very heavy bag, and a phone call of support from my mother, I made my way to Umgeni Road and the scene of Passport Application. I walked in the door and thought that I'd arrived at the wrong place BECAUSE the room was almost EMPTY!! But no, a very kind lady who apologised for keeping me waiting for a few minutes verified the location and handed me a form and ticket number.





Friendly Ticket Lady (and I love the fact that
passport agents don't get special favours!)


• I waited only 5 minutes before my ticket number was called. I moved on to the cashier. 2 minutes later I was having my official "on premises" photo taken. And then I was done.. but not before being informed that my passport would be ready in 2 WEEKS!
• The whole process took me 20 minutes people!! Much respect and thanks, Department of Home Affairs!

Short line & very efficient service!! Yebo!       

So for people wanting to apply, this is what you actually need:

1. 2 Colour Passport photos (can be taken at almost any photo print shop & they will know the correct size - ears don't need to be showing)
2. A black pen
3. ID book + one photocopy of ID book
4. R400
5. Original BI-73 (yellow) Application form received on arrival (CANNOT BE DOWNLOADED from website).

& don't waste money on a Passport Agent!

By law, YOU have to make the physical application anyway so

you'd have to go to the office for the procedure, even with an agent.





Gem 2: Apply for my S.A. Passport

 Aargh..the idea gives me heartburn. I don't know why (1) I've put this off for sooo long and (2) it fills me with such extreme ANXIETY. Lets consider the Monkey:

 

EMBRACING THE SYSTEM

"The culture [of civilization] as a whole and most of its members are insane."
                                                                                           Endgame - Derrick Jensen

I don't really like to pay attention to stuff like this. Especially when a phone call to Home Affairs results in an endless ringing during which you can't help but imagine an old telephone on an empty old desk in a big empty old room behind a very locked door. At least with S.A.R.S, there's the consolation of a rather friendly answering machine. Home Affairs however is a long drawn out silence. Frustration. Oh, and did I mention that I have an official warning stamped into my American passport?! As said, I don't really pay enough attention. I left the country to go on holiday with a foreign passport and my SA ID book assuming the combination of documents would be adequate. Oh Noooo...I'm ALMOST a criminal now. If I try to leave the country again without a South African passport, I'll be denied exit and possibly arrested. Mmm.

 YA GOTTA DO WHAT YA GOTTA DO

 I downloaded the application form in July (then discarded it because I'm convinced that a printed version of the "Yellow Form" will not be allowed..originals only...although I haven't read this anywhere and the form is made available on the DHA website). In August I had passport photos taken (they're somewhere in my wallet I think). Now, after a dream last night that I was trying to leave the country but couldn't, I am experiencing immense anxiety about having postponed this process for so long. I've been half-heartedly attempting for months to accomplish what will in hindsight be a rather painless procedure I'm sure if I can just FOCUS on getting it DONE! So...

APPLY FOR SA PASSPORT

Today:

1. Get cash
2. Visit Home Affairs office to see if I can get a form to fill in tonight/find out when office opens tomorrow morning.
3. Find photos and put ALL necessities in one folder
4. Photocopy my ID book

Tomorrow:

1.  Get there EARLY and GET IT DONE BABY!!!

Gem 1: Start a BLOG

It starts! I'm already thinking about a cup of coffee...the distraction monster bites. Ok, no coffee. So. Do I consider one of my unfinished "to do"s or do I start afresh with a brand new "do"?

"How many "dos" do you need to screw in a light bulb?"
"To"     ...eek, the distraction monster has a lame sense of humour.

Seriously. Starting a blog was high on my "to do" list and here it is. So my first GEM is going to be a little ahead of itself as I've already overcome the MONKEY (from "monkey on my back" - as in a burden of self-doubt that provides ample reasons for failure) and accomplished it. Good way to start! So here we go:

START A BLOG

I don't have the time. I don't know how. I don't have the discipline to actually DO it. It'll be complicated. It won't be interesting enough. No one will pay attention. I'll fail at it and have more reason to feel like a procrastinator. Blah blah blah..

It's done and it wasn't at all difficult. Thank you http://www.blogger.com/! And somehow I'm not so worried about whether other people follow this or not. I'm feeling inspired and besides, I'm used to talking to myself.