Foreigners

I'd almost forgotten that's what we are. Until last week.

Every year we must renew our Belgian residency permit because it's only temporary and lasts for only one year. We start this process months in advance because things usually move at a snail's pace here and if you miss the expiration date . . . well, you don't want to miss that.

So we were summoned to the City Hall last week to retrieve the "status letter" for Ross's Belgian residency permit and were blindsided by the revelation that is was denied.

That's right. You are no longer welcome in Belgium.

Despite the fact that his parents live here, work here, and pay taxes here. Despite the fact that it's only for a few months until he enters the U. S. Peace Corps. Despite the fact that this. Is. Our. Home.

I wasn't sure whether to cry or pick up a chair and throw it across the room. Instead we just walked out and I just wanted to go home.

Like I said, it was so easy to almost forget we are foreigners.

The lawyer says all countries have these same rules. In Belgium, for example, once a resident graduates from a university, he/she waits 100 days and can begin drawing unemployment benefits from that day until they begin receiving a pension. Sweet deal, huh? Assuming you really don't want to work for 40+ years. After getting your university degree.

The lawyer says there is such a thing as a waiver (so we don't try to milk the system, I assume), but he says it would take months - maybe even a year. Since things move at a v-e-r-y slowwwww pace around here - moot point.

So, in an effort to work the system, we figured we'd just put him on a plane, stamp the passport, stay a few weeks, return as a tourist. Then do it all again. Well, not so fast. Here's something you may not know. I sure didn't.

You can visit Europe for 90 days out of every six months. That's right. If you come here, when the 90 days are up, don't even try to come back within the next 90 days. And worse, if you overstay your welcome, you get on the "black" list which lasts for 5 years!

Rules are rules and I'm a rule follower so we'll figure something out, but I kinda wish I'd thrown a chair.