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The Pain of hodling an African Passport
Lolest!
#1 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 8:09:55 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 3/18/2011
Posts: 12,069
Location: Kianjokoma
Quote:
“Are you holding a valid visa for USA, UK, Germany… Chile, South Africa?”
Uhhmm. No. I am generally issued 10-day visas, two-week visas, one-month visas for certain countries if I am very lucky.

The next message on the screen read, “Unfortunately you are not eligible for a transit visa.” Just like that, I realized that my Turkey experience would be lived at the airport. I got back to the information counter sad at the realization that a valid Chilean visa was more readily accepted than my Kenyan passport.

I was led to a huge football stadium of a bedroom—filled with other black people, brown people, and some Arabs – those of us passport undesirables. I was shown my makeshift bed, given a pillow and a thin blanket. “You can stay here ’til your flight, tomorrow.”

http://qz.com/790671/afr...outh-america-and-the-us/
Laughing out loudly smile Applause d'oh! Sad Drool Liar Shame on you Pray
Obi 1 Kanobi
#2 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 8:36:41 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 7/23/2008
Posts: 3,017
Really powerful piece.
"The purpose of bureaucracy is to compensate for incompetence and lack of discipline." James Collins
KulaRaha
#3 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 8:50:06 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 7/26/2007
Posts: 6,514
Quite factual.
Business opportunities are like buses,there's always another one coming
kaka2za
#4 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 8:59:15 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 10/3/2008
Posts: 4,057
Location: Gwitu
This happens in Africa too.Visit any Francophone countries and you will have myriad of problems while Westerners are welcomed with open arms.
Truth forever on the scaffold
Wrong forever on the throne
(James Russell Rowell)
masukuma
#5 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 9:31:33 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,822
Location: Nairobi
for a guy who has to get a visa to feed my family - it's true! i once took 2 months to get a 3 months visa. it's crazy!!
the statement “A good African traveler is one who returns. One who leaves Europe or America quickly. The embassies love them. Good African doesn’t move.”
is the reason Embassies behave the way they do
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
Swenani
#6 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 10:10:14 AM
Rank: User


Joined: 8/15/2013
Posts: 13,237
Location: Vacuum
masukuma wrote:
for a guy who has to get a visa to feed my family - it's true! i once took 2 months to get a 3 months visa. it's crazy!!
the statement “A good African traveler is one who returns. One who leaves Europe or America quickly. The embassies love them. Good African doesn’t move.”
is the reason Embassies behave the way they do


How can an "African passport" be respected when the Africans do not respect African visas?

It took me 3 months to get a one month visa to Khartoum, I can't get a visa on arrival in SA, I have to leave Mozambique to renew my visa.

Why do we expect Europeans, Americans, Arabs etc to trust us if our fellow Africans can't trust us?

If Obiero did it, Who Am I?
masukuma
#7 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 10:22:37 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,822
Location: Nairobi
Swenani wrote:
masukuma wrote:
for a guy who has to get a visa to feed my family - it's true! i once took 2 months to get a 3 months visa. it's crazy!!
the statement “A good African traveler is one who returns. One who leaves Europe or America quickly. The embassies love them. Good African doesn’t move.”
is the reason Embassies behave the way they do


How can an "African passport" be respected when the Africans do not respect African visas?

It took me 3 months to get a one month visa to Khartoum, I can't get a visa on arrival in SA, I have to leave Mozambique to renew my visa.

Why do we expect Europeans, Americans, Arabs etc to trust us if our fellow Africans can't trust us?


I had an episode of SA that was a stinger.. I could not TRANSIT to Lesotho (which does not require a visa for Kenyans) through SA without a SA transit visa.... I once heard a story about a Nigerian who went to SA and a white man at immigration they was giving him grief about visas... he being a nigerian decided... I have had enough and shouted
Quote:
Between you and me - who should be asking the other for a visa on African soil
Laughing out loudly Laughing out loudly Laughing out loudly

Truth be told - all african countries are @Hardwood Countries - enforcing what was left behind by the white people. I have seen some crazy crazy stuff....in west africa. that said - countries like Rwanda have bitten the bullet

how are you a foreigner in a country that if you listened carefully you will get the gist of the conversation in your mother tongue?
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
kaka2za
#8 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 12:13:06 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 10/3/2008
Posts: 4,057
Location: Gwitu
Has anybody been to any of those East European cities with funny names and virtually no black population?
Did they gaze at you like you had just descended from Mars?
Truth forever on the scaffold
Wrong forever on the throne
(James Russell Rowell)
Wamunyota
#9 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 12:19:07 PM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 6/23/2014
Posts: 1,652
Na venye makufuri anatusumbua hapa.NKT.
Hutia Mundu!!
harrydre
#10 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 12:20:39 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 7/10/2008
Posts: 9,131
Location: Kanjo
Always be careful when booking those connecting flights. I learnt my lesson once while transiting through Jeddah. Never ever again. Hata unipatie free ticket, kaa nayo. Avoid those Arab nations apart from dubai and doha.
i.am.back!!!!
Angelica _ann
#11 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 12:28:29 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 12/7/2012
Posts: 11,929
harrydre wrote:
Always be careful when booking those connecting flights. I learnt my lesson once while transiting through Jeddah. Never ever again. Hata unipatie free ticket, kaa nayo. Avoid those Arab nations apart from dubai and doha.

For ladies, it is even worse .... Sad
In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins - cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later - H Geneen
masukuma
#12 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 12:53:02 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,822
Location: Nairobi
kaka2za wrote:
Has anybody been to any of those East European cities with funny names and virtually no black population?
Did they gaze at you like you had just descended from Mars?

Been to the balkans and they literally detained my passport and kept asking questions like "what are you here to do?", "where did you get this visa from"? over and over like over a period of 40-45 minutes. Some small airports zinakaa ile ya Malindi. everyone left... even some guy who looked like he was vacuuming the plane. but I kept my cool... but that drama started kabla kupanda hiyo ndege when everyone gets processed and the check in staff looks at your passport in a puzzle manner. But nimepata a thick skin... sikuhizi hizo vitu zao huwa zinaslide off my shoulders - I have the answers rehersed.
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
Fullykenyan
#13 Posted : Tuesday, September 27, 2016 1:51:27 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 7/27/2014
Posts: 560
Location: Eastlando
In Bangkok on a transit to Australia, We were only two black dudes in that plane to Melbourne. During boarding, The other black dude, was the first to present his passport. He was aked to step aside. When my turn came, i was told to step aside too. All the whites boarded except one, who was waiting to see what will happen with us. When i raised my voice, the guy at the counter told me, i should keep quiet lest he says am a Terrorist. When the White lady stepped forward and demanded to know why i was not boarding the plane yet we had booked together, the Counter dude was so nervous and apologetic to her. He allowed me without further ado to proceed with boarding. However, i protested demanding that the other dude boards too. They caved in to our demands. Had my partner not be there i susoect they would have disturbed me alot
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