Waiting, waiting patiently

Two days ago, I checked the tracking status of my Fedex package to the Consulate General of Malaysia and it provided me with the status I had been waiting for and expected: Delivered.  The package I had sent the Friday before contained forms and documents for the process of registering Hannah’s birth in the US and also an application for her restricted travel document (one-way passport) to return to Malaysia.

The entire application process had been a lengthy, arduous and not-so-cheap one, and I can’t deny that I have learnt a LOT from it, but the status Delivered meant that now all we need to do is to sit and wait for the return of our documents.

Although the package has been sent and the application is now in process, I still can’t help feeling a flurry of different emotions.

Apprehension, because both my hubby and I have to send in all our original certificates, like our birth certificates, passports, identity cards and marriage certificates.  These will all be returned (safely) via Fedex once the application is complete, but we still can’t help feeling a tinge of fear and “What if?”

Excitement, in eager anticipation of receiving Hannah’s birth certificate (Borang W in this case, as she is born in the US) and travel document.  The receipt of these also means that we would be heading for home very soon!

Relief, because I do not need to deal with the Consulate General folks anymore.  Although the email communication with the Consular had been quite informative and pleasant, I have also had to make several phone calls to the Consulate General, and most of them had resulted in frustration on my part.  Sometimes the call would get disconnected for no reason, and I also found out that apparently the Consular works only Mondays – Fridays 9:30a.m. – 12:00noon!  On one occasion where I had to talk to the person in charge of the Birth Registration department, a very bored and tired voice greeted me, sounding very much like a disgruntled employee, and sighing with increasing impatience as she answered my questions. (…and all I could think of was that they had exported the infamous “gahmen service” to the US as well!)

…ah well, I expect the waiting process to end in about two months’ time…until then, I am praying hard that all our documents will be in order…