EXIT India!

Just a little recap to elaborate what happened on this day;
I spoke to the First Secretary eventually after alot of hassle and he told me to wait again till friday!!! Is he mad?! I told him i had been waiting long enough already and i thought that this was getting nowhere and that i atleast want an answer...he told me that things don't always go his way either (as if that would make me feel better:s), and why must i pursee go to India?... and that the Dutch Embassy treats the Indians badly too in Delhi! What strange things to say being a representative of a country! How unprofessional!
Well this just totally did it for me...because i wasn't going to wait for another friday! I had already been waiting 5 weeks for a stupid sticker and a stamp which is meant to only have taken one day to apply!!!
I bought a ticket to my next destination on this evening!
To find out where i ended up check out my new weblog: http://sameenainireland.blogspot.com

'Something' must happen...!

I know, i know...i said i was done with India...but it's not done with me yet...keeps sneaking up on me somehow! I still have the chance that this week the Indian High Commissioner of the Netherlands will be 'hopefully' contacted (if he's back in the country) by the Deputy HC of Kenya...to 'convince' him! haha...I'm actually turning out to be an important person here with all these diplomatic people involved!;) Too bad the Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende didn't sneak me in with his delegation and left to India without me;)...only worried about economic interests!

Anyway, jokes aside...my research plan has really been 'suffering' through this unnecessary delay unfortunately. I must really be on a given location next week if i want to make it on time this year!
So if you want to find out which alternate 'surprise' location i am currently arranging...then stick around to find out...!

p.s. I'm still open to last minute crazy suggestions!;)

Back to square one!

Nothing is working! The Indian Ambassader hasn't been contacted yet...he is out of the country at the moment! Just my luck!:s And the videotheek guy hasn't even called yet! By the way, when i asked the visa guy what i could do best in this situation he said, "you're like my daughter....go next year!!!" Ya right...good advice sir...ahum! Ministry of Foriegn Affairs will give it ago again for me atleast. Otherwise i've decided not to spend anymore energy into this bottomless pit! I'm slowly crawling back out and will let it be now!
India is now officially a myth...and has left a very bitter taste in my mouth! Sorry Gandhijee...I tried!

Have been searching frantically for the new plan and research destination! I'm trying to stay as close to my topic as possible. It's still a slow process though, as i have to wait for people to reply back etc and start the whole process of arrangements again....very frustrating!

Sorry guys...i haven't been able to put any exciting entries in this whole 'trip to India'! I certainly didn't expect things to turn out so hopelessly! I feel bad that its all just been a whole account of my struggle to get into India instead! I guess it's only been a good example for unnecessary discrimination and ongoing political issues and vendettas between India and Pakistan who are only on 'better terms' in the media and reality unfortunately proves otherwise! Maybe i was just too naive to think i would get into India without problems with my Dutch nationality!

• Tip of the month for future India visitors: "If you have any links with Pakistan or a muslim name then apply a year in advance...or otherwise just don't even bother!!!"

Last attempts...

Had a relaxing weekend and started looking further for new alternatives for my research destination! I'm slowly trying to let the idea sink in that the India story may not happen, although on the otherhand i'm still keeping some secret hope on my last attempts.
I still have two options on hand; one is the Kenyan contact and my new one is at an Indian Videotheek/Travel agency where the owner 'appears' to have contacts at the embassy...who knows eh?! Gotto try everything and anything ;)

I did call the Embassy again today and he said that they will 'may' 'consider' me for 40 days (only)!!! He has said so earlier in the past but again doesn't want to promise anything! I will for sure consider this, although the time is too short ofcourse and risky not knowing if i can re-enter the country again or not...and one can't buy one-way tickets to India.

Still unlucky...

Was hoping to prove Friday the 13th very wrong...but unfortunately couldn't!:s Had my share of 'unluckiness' again today! Having problems with my ticket refund too, to make matters worse!
One positive highlight though...A new contact has sprung up via my Kenyan channels (my parents;) who 'may' have influence on the Indian Embassy somehow! Please please!
One last shot before i have to let go of India....

Mixed feelings!

I feel myself being torn from both sides. One side says..."keep it up", "don't give up!", "go to India" and the other "just let it go", "it's not worth it", "change your destination"!!! I feel really torn inbetween and it's hard to know what is the right decision to make! All i know is that time is slowly ticking by.....and i don't know what to do!

Armchair Anthropology...

I'm feeling very helpless sitting here whilst i'd rather be in the 'field' ofcourse. Can't imagine that some anthropologists actually carried out their research without ever leaving their 'armchair'! I couldn't imagine doing a literature research! (no i'm not considering that;) ...I want to go into the field!!!

Sent a fax to his Excellency again today! You know they actually know me by my first name now at the Embassy!;) The Visa guy actually said yesterday..."Sameena, don't worry I will call you personally as soon as you can get it!" (i call this guy almost everyday...he must be soo fed up now;)
So there goes my 'low profile image' entering into India;) It's all become a much bigger deal than i would have ever wanted it to be...

No word yet...

Had a good and relaxing weekend and somewhat 'recovered' from my stress and frustrations of last week;) .
Called the Embassy again....and as usual no word from New Delhi! Comon New Delhi...speed it up!...I don't have all the time in the world!

Developments...

So my contact from my organization was in Delhi and contacted the Dutch Embassy there, who in turn contacted the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs in The Hague, who i in turn was allowed to speak to, who in turn called the Indian Embassy for me....who in turn said nothing again!!!Aaaaaah! What does one have to do to get through them?! ....zucht! I've pulled out all the stops i can. I guess all i can do now is wait....and try have a nice weekend:)

p.s. my 'comments' thingi should be working now without u having to register etc.

Recuperating.....

Caught up on some sleep atlast (woke up at 15:30;). I guess it wouldn't have been such a good idea to travel in the state i was in yesterday (though i still would have rather ofcourse;).
What an anticlimax!
I'm now going to have to consider new stategies and bring up new energy from somewhere, because remember, i didn't get a "Rejection" stamp atleast! Though I still cannot get over why they're picking on my case....i'm no threat to them and they have nothing to loose by granting it to me......

Not meant to be.....!

No...I didn't get a visa!:( Can u believe it?! It's ridiculous! I was at the embassy from 10 till 5 just waiting and hoping to get a reaction....but nada! I even had a long chat again with the visa guy again but he seems to be like a tape recorder just repeating the same old story and not giving me any new indications or insights! I don't know why but they apparently have some strange reason which they don't care to share with me! They're just playing with me i feel. How do they ever expect the Pakistan-India issue to get resolved by treating people like this. I'm now left clueless to their thinking patterns......
So i had to cancel my ticket and will hopefully will get a refund.
The problem now is....how long can i wait for this? What if they keep playing this game and enjoy watching me suffer? Or am i being paranoid? Well i am pretty upset thats for sure and staying 'cool' hasn't been that easy for me lately either! (sorry for all my recent mood swings guys;)

If anyone has any tips...or even better... contacts at any Indian Embassy anywhere (the Prime Minister will do too ;) then please let me know...ASAP!

Unfortunately all the 'luck', 'prayers', 'success', 'duimen', 'luckycharms' everyone so kindly wished for me then didn't work this time....But i certainly appreciate everyones support!:) Thank you soo much! And hopefully i can take them all along to another day when it will help ......cause i'm not giving up yet!!!

Uncertainty...

Called to the embassy today many times without being helped at all. Finally at the end of the afternoon I was told to send contacts adresses etc. I went around like a mad woman to be able to arrange it all (embassy closes at 5,30). I then asked if they'd recieved all my faxes....which they then denied to have...(very strange as they all went through)...not good.
Anyway I'm going thereagain tomorrow. I'm really fed up of this all and am really tired and stressed. Did do some packing atlast (a bit optimistic;) and will hope for the best now. Tomorrow is the last day to make this happen....otherwise i miss my flight (which is unchangeable)!
Wish me luck!

Vagueness....

On my way to Den Hague i read my horoscoop in the train (i know i know;) which stated something positive like " you will recieve what you wish for etc. etc."... I was thus secretly hoping they were right this time! Well to be honest it's hard to say if they were...

There was a lot of waiting and talking and pleading again at the embassy today (as usual). This time I was interogated (really) in a side room...which wasn't fun (though did give me somewhat hope that at least 'some action' was being taken for once) . This didn't result to anything though as i was told that having a Pakistani father etc. my visa application could take one to two months ...or even six!!!

After making me wait again (ofcourse) i eventually was able to talk to his Superior who was a bit more friendly atleast. I also made sure he saw how upset i was and how unfair i thought the situation was! He kept insisting that it was all in "Delhi's" hands. I was told then to call on the 4th (my flight leaves on the 5th...ahum) so they could see 'what they could do!' Well i left feeling very unsatisfied ofcourse with only two days left before my planned departure.

...will i stay or will i go now?

"Happy 2006!!!"

So i woke up this morning and realised i had dreamt about the Indian Embassy! What a way to start the New Year!;) I was imagining how i would approach them this time. I'm going to Den Hague again tomorrow...but this time i'm taking Jero with me (hopefully that'll make a difference;). The people at the Indian Embassy are soo non-communicative so i'm expecting the worst! Hopefully i'm wrong!
Tune in tomorrow for the next episode of ..."Onderweg naar het visum!".....