Actually, what I really wanted to say is that sometimes I hate being a Filipino. I hate the fact that, except when going to South East Asia or Hong Kong, being a Filipino means having to get a visa for just about any other country in the world. It has gotten to be such a nuisance that I think its preventing me from getting more exposure and more plum projects in the office. This week, I was supposed to go to France for a kickoff meeting for a big project and I wasn't able to join because my Schengen visa is still in processing. And to think that this is already my second Schengen visa in four months. I can't figure out why the folks in the French Embassy keep giving me three month valid visas when I had very clearly stated in the application form that I need a one year visa. I can only guess that it has something to do with what's boldly emblazoned across the cover of my passport.
And last Friday, my boss told me that I'll also take the lead in supplier selection for the big nuclear plant project in the US. No problems there, I already have a US visa and it won't be expiring until 2010. But the thing is, the major suppliers for this project are based in the UK. And the UK is not part of Schengen. So that means another visa application, another day getting interviewed for a UK visa, and another round of explaining why I need one. This is getting so very frustrating.
I know that nationality is an accident by birth. I hope that in a couple of years, I can finally undo this accident.
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