OVER IT!

Precisely the reason I keep this blog to friends and family in the States is because of mornings like this! Sometimes I just need to scream about the differences in other countries without offending my friends and family here. Today is one of those days!!!

I have been trying to convert my drivers license since February. It currently being July you can just imagine this has not been an easy or speedy process. I have just left their version of DMV for the 7th time!!! WITH NO LICENSE YET AGAIN!!! It's amazing how stress can affect me and how learning to handle stress and emotions this last few months has helped a ton. Lucky agent today that I was talking to! It has been a mission to prove that I not only have been driving for more than 2 years in the states, due to the fact I got a FL drivers license. The license was issued when we arrived but that does not show that I have been driving two years since only a little over a year ago did we arrive in FL. I had a copy of my CA drivers license...because my mom has taught me to always make and have copies of things. YET THAT DIDN'T WORK. UGH!!!! After having an incredible mom and auntie help me get through to DMV in CA which is a mission in and of itself I was able to get my driving record. More than once I wanted to scream at the agent here and tell them that America is a VERY big country and you don't just gain these documents easily...seeing NZ isn't even the size of one of our large cities in CA. I must confess I did say that once to a lady as tears of stress were streaming down my face.

This go around they would no accept my marriage license from FL showing my maiden name that is still on my passport because in the transition I wasn't able to change in time to be able to have it for my immigration processes. Evidently FL gives a certified copy of your license stating that they hold the original...even signed and dated in blue ink showing it is not a copy. YET THAT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!! UGH!!! Today I wanted to scream at the lady when she said, "Well your state shouldn't do that." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! Your small country which is just going to make a copy of this marriage license is telling me how a HUGE country should and should not do their processes. AYE YA YAE!!!

I had to then talk to New Zealand Transport which is the higher up of their version of DMV. Their customer service is SHOCKING in NZ on a regular day but evidently this organization is the worst in NZ. YEP I VOUCH FOR THAT. They had me fax everything to them...though they can't see the signed blue ink, but whatever! And now I have to wait to see if "management" will approve it. Their response was you will receive our decision, no discussion but our decision!

AYE YA YAE!!! So while I understand that my frustration is not the WHOLE of NZ's fault it sure feels like it today. The process to move, live and have a child in a new country is ALWAYS an adventure...some parts are treacherous though!!!! But, mom, yes they still are always an adventure!!!

My little boy will be a legal citizen of both countries that is FOR SURE!

Until next time!! Hopefully the license isn't too far away....