Sedula Saga

As you may recall, we were approved for residency on Bonaire. We got the official letter, we think.  The letter was written in Dutch.  We went to our next door neighbors who translated it for us.

The next step is to get an identification card which is called a Sedula. We head off to yet another government office.  This office gives out drivers licenses, passports and identification cards. We stand in line. It's just like the drivers license bureaus in the states;  only two people working and 50 people sitting in chairs waiting to get their documents.

We stand in line outside the building because only 9 people at a time are allowed in the waiting area. We get up to the receptionist, hand her all our paperwork and ask for our Sedula.  She made an appointment for us to come back in one month to get our card.

The day of our appointment, the entire island had a power blackout, and all government offices closed.  The following day, we arrive at the license bureau, only to be told that our appointment was moved to Saturday.  The government actually was going to open on Saturday to make up for being closed during the blackout.

We arrive Saturday to no crowds, no lines, no people waiting.  This was going to be slam dunk. We walk up to the service window and handed  in all our paperwork.  It was copied for the 6th time. We were handed a business card with a website on it and told to schedule yet another appointment to get our Sedula photo and card. 

We come home, get on the web site and schedule an appointment.  It is another month out.  We got an appointment for September.

It's not like we need this card for anything. We have all the benefits without having the card.  It's just a check the box thing for me.  I like to finish things to their conclusion.  However, I am much calmer about the long process than I was 6 months ago.  Island life is making us stress less and accept things we can't change. We go with the flow even though its a small trickle in Bonaire.