As mentioned in other posts, the
reason for my stay here has been to allow me to send my passport back to the UK
for renewal. According to the Passport
Office website this should take around four weeks. They warned not to chase applications until
after that. So, I called on the four
week anniversary. To my horror I was
told that the waiting time had increased to eight weeks. Bear in mind that my visa for Uganda is only
for two months and I would need my passport to get a new visa. I was worried about remaining illegally. Also, financially it would be a problem as I
am paying for my accommodation at the Grail, even though not at hotel
rates.
Then, while looking at the shrine, I
had a phone call from the Passport Office.
A very dipsy woman asked if I could collect my passport from
Khartoum! I had to explain to her that
Khartoum is the capital of the Republic of Sudan. I live in South Sudan (a separate country
since 2011), the capital of which is Juba.
I was now in Uganda as the situation in South Sudan was not stable
enough to remain without a passport.
Also, I would have been unable to fetch it as there is no local post. The nearest DHL is in Juba, 193 kms away from
Nimule. There are ever increasing
numbers of road blocks on the way to Juba which would have required sight of my
passport to allow me through, and very likely bribes as well. I had explained this situation in my original
application, but clearly she hadn’t read it. I don’t know what training the Foreign
Office gives their staff, but it clearly doesn’t include either geography or
current international affairs which might affect their work.
She asked me to send proof of my
address in Kampala and said that she had sent an email asking for this but it
had bounced back. I agreed to ask the
Grail for a letter. It seems to me a
very insecure way of checking that I am genuine. Anybody could forge such a letter. However, never mind. There is such a thing as being too security
conscious. To complain might be the same as stabbing myself and others in my positino in the foot.
I was left feeling that I might have
difficulties ever getting my passport back.
However, when I checked my emails the next day, the email had come. The Grail produced a letter for me which I
photographed with my mobile and emailed back to the Passport Office
straightaway. Today I received another email from
the Passport Office confirming that my passport is ready and has been sent to
Kampala. I will be called by the British
High Commission when it arrives.
Hurray! All my worries were groundless. I will be heading back to Nimule as soon as I
get my passport. I have felt very guilty
about not being there for the beginning of the school term, and also for the
children at Cornerstone, who I have been told are missing me very much. I will only be a couple of weeks later than
hoped. I am so glad that the eight week
backlog was a pessimistic prediction.
The last few weeks of my stay in
Kampala have been a rest cure. The Grail
has been a great place to stay. The
community has been feeding me up, particularly with fruit. I am well rested and well fed ready to go
back. I have
managed to have internet access put on my phone (remarkably cheaply), so I will
be able to access the internet regularly when I get to South Sudan unlike
before. I am hopeful that one of my new
friends (mentioned in the previous post) will be able to give me some used
textbooks to take with me.
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