Second Interview for Verblijvsdocument

Today I rushed to get to my 2:00 appointment. I brought a copy of my resume and all my papers, ready to argue my case. When my number came on the board, I went to the right room and the door was locked. I knocked, nothing. I looked in the little window. Empty room. I waited and then went to another room. The woman said, immediately, "I didn't call you. I can't help you. You have to go."

"But I..."

"I didn't call you. You need another room."

"I have a question." I asked who knew what to do. The room I was called to was empty.

She gave some stupid answer which was just another way of saying, "I didn't call you. Get out of my crumby little office."

I went to the next room. Same response. I said, "I need room 25."

"This is room 24."

I said, "Er zit nieman in de kamer." (There is no one in the room.)

A woman walked behind the first one and said, "Ik zit in de kamer nu." (I'm in the room now.)

It was the same woman as last week, but this week with answers. And this week, instead of going on about "Everyone has to do it. It's a new law," she asked if I had higher education. When I showed her I did, she said, "You can ask for exception." Suddenly she could answer my questions. Suddenly she was a LITTLE helpful. She made me an appointment for two weeks from today where I can go and see what they have to offer and if I don't like it, I can ask for exception. We'll see. I'm not completely against taking classes if they're not basic stuff. And I could take university level courses, which would be nice.

This process is more drawn out than it needs to be. I've been here eleven months now. These two interveiws could have been done as one. It's just a photocopy here and a stamp there and a paper shuffle. We'll see.