A woman without a country

I was never one of those who dreamed of living in a land far far away - like where Shrek lives...

But then I grew up, and I got married, and my husband decided to move to Canada. And then it all began.

I visited South Africa as often as I could - although I am the worst air traveller you've ever come across. I am a nightmare even to myself while in an airplane, airport, in transit, through customs, at baggage claim, even on my way to the airport I am no fun. My point is, my husband did not always accompany me - he does not share my love for the country (yes, he was also born in the RSA, but you would never be able to tell this if you didn't know better- he was even born on a farm there, and maybe this is why he does not share my sentiment). The other reason why he didn't always make the trip with me is the inconvenience of having a job. Just a joke - relax, but yes, he had to work mostly always.

I managed to accumulate enough "indoor" days somehow to become a permanent resident of Canada - the step before you can apply for Canadian citizenship. This was already marvelous enough for me but it meant that I still had to travel with my South African passport which usually meant I had to apply for visas whenever we wanted to travel to Europe, and mostly everywhere else. Thank goodness for a 10 year US visa I had because we travel quite frequently to Las Vegas since it is the shortest trip from our home to get some real sun. Why else would you think I go there? Applying for a visa is quite inconvenient if you apply from a country other than your country of birth.

As a result of my travels to the southern tip of Africa, my husband qualified for Canadian citizenship long before I did. I was always a few months short of the required number of days spent IN Canada to qualify for this. After accumulating said days and mailing your application, it takes at least another year for the process to be completed.

Opting for a sun filled holiday (and skipping Las Vegas this time) we boarded the plane for Mexico, like we've done so many times before, with passport in hand as well as my Canadian permanent resident card. My husband, the Canadian citizen by now, is travelling with his Canadian passport. And off we go.

Arriving in Mexico, we stand in line in customs, already seeing the mojito and margarita waiting for us at the hotel. Not so fast, the customs official says, you are travelling with expired passport senorita, please come with me. My husband utters a few choice words to me for not being more diligent in the task of keeping my passport valid. I mean, how many times do you check your passport expiration date - not even the girl at the airport checking me in, realised this calamity, and it's her job! I'm just an innocent bystander...While waiting for a supervisor to decide my fate, we are bracing ourselves to be deported and to catch the same airplane back from where we just came. I would have thought after so many visits to Mexico that I can almost qualify for Mexican citizenship too. I should look into this...

Long story short, the Mexican government doesn't view me as a threat after all and are so kind to let me enjoy their beaches and drinks for the week. For the next few days of my holiday I wonder if Canada will be this lenient and let me back into their country without a passport. I figure that an expired passport is as good as no passport to them and hope that they will keep in mind that I am now married to a Canadian citizen after all.

Anyway, I was let back into Canada - thank heavens I was a permanent resident otherwise I really don't know where I would be today. Maybe working the beaches of Mexico serving drinks and earning tax free tips having a marvelous golden skin colour.

My next problem was to apply for a new South African passport from within Canada. So at this stage I can't even enter South Africa! Go figure! I can't go out and I can't get in either. My dad has a birthday coming up and they have a family trip planned for all of us when I come all the way from Canada for this occasion, but no, it will have to be cancelled. In the end my Mom and sister come and visit me for my Dad's birthday and he stays home. Some birthday he had...I feel so bad!

It then dawned on me: I am a woman without a country.

Things have changed since then. Three months after receiving my new South African passport, I became a Canadian citizen, and although I am now a citizen of both, with two passports, I still feel like a woman without a country most days...