A copy of this, a copy of that and your left kidney

Part of the joy of living in the Middle East is the paperwork {dripping with sarcasm}. As part of our move, we have to do all the usual stuff - electric, water, phone, internet blah blah blah. To get anything turned on, here's a sample list of documents I have to provide (plus don't forget deposits! Some can be close to $1,000.) For my readers in western countries, this list may look rather foreign. But here, it's totally the norm.

• Passport photocopy (husband's and wife's)
• Visa photocopy (husband's and wife's)
• Lease agreement/tenancy contract
• Signed paperwork from landlord/owner giving permission to have thing hooked up
• Landlord/owner's passport photocopy
• Landlord/owner's visa photocopy (if applicable)
• Paperwork proving landlord/owner owns the property
• Passport photo(s)
• Letter from husband's company with all kinds of pretty inked stamps giving permission to hook stuff up for our villa (must be signed by the top boss at the company which is some cases is very strange if company is run by the husband)
• Copy of company's trade/business license saying that the company the husband works for is a real/legal company and has thus paid all their appropriate fees - again nice to have all the pretty inked stamps
• Letter of no objection from the husband saying that I may sign grown-up adult paperwork (yes, really)
• Deposit (may have to use a credit card from a local bank, but remember that cash is always king)
• And of course, your left kidney {sarcasm is going drip drip drip}

Now, you have all the documents ready. You get to go stand/wait to deal with a human being who can actually assist you. FORGET about doing ANYTHING over the phone or the internet - that would be simple and easy. It is so much more fun to stand/wait {drip drip drip}. Finally get to speak with a human being. "So sorry madam. You need to have the kidney authenticated by our embassy in your home country and stamped by your consolate." {drip drip drip}

Peace.

[Postscript: Just read this blog post. The comments are also interesting reading. Enjoy.]
http://www.muscatmutterings.com/2011/03/some-thoughts-on-protests.html