Being Dutch is normally quite an advantage for getting
visa for whichever country you want to travel to. The Netherlands is probably
too small and too unknown. Although our politicians might dream of our country
as a place that really matters in the world, in my experience people often
think the Netherlands is the capital of Berlin. The only thing people usually
know is that we play football.
Getting a visa for Nigeria seems to be quite a hassle
though. I need to submit a lot of documents, like a proof of the Nigerian
Immigration Office that I am allowed to go, several letters from VSO Nigeria
and my future employer, an airplane ticket and so on.
On the one hand, I feel frustrated when I have to wait
for weeks for one document to arrive from Nigerian government. I am sad my
departure is postponed with two weeks because of this. I feel annoyed to realise
that I have to pay about two year salaries of an average Nigerian in order to
get a stamp on my university degree.
At the same time, I think they are right in doing it
like this. Just imagine how difficult it is for Nigerians to enter the
Netherlands. Is it bad that their government is also putting up strict rules
for Dutch people to enter their country? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth!
For now, all my documents are sent to apply for the
visa and the only thing I can do is keeping my fingers crossed that they will
not ask for more documents and will just give me my visa.
One of the positive sides of waiting for my visa is that I had more time to spend on some PR. I gave two interviews with newspapers, sent a press message which was published in quite a few local and regional papers in Enschede and around Veeningen. You can find some examples at the links page of this blog. And from the beginning of March I will write a monthly column for the Huis aan Huis Enschede. These columns (in Dutch of course) will also be published on this blog.
I hope, next time I will write from Nigeria!
