Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Here's one for you...try not to die while visiting a foreign embassy when in your own country. Your body will need to be 'repatriated', apparently, a lengthy procedure.

Perpetual Traveller · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 651 Location: In the Kak, Japan

I went with Canada, figured that since it's part of the Commonwealth the procedure might be expedited a little.

Speaking of all things embassy (ok a little off track but I find it amusing) some German friends of mine got caught in a political uprising in Bolivia a couple of years ago. They were stuck in the airport and on phoning their embassy were told there wasn't much that the embassy could do. However, there were also two Australians stuck in the airport with them and when they phoned their embassy the people there bent over backwards to help them and offer reassurance. Hilde tells me that I needn't worry if I'm ever in a similar situation and that she'd considered pretending to be Australian too! She tells me that she's sure she'd still be stuck there if the German embassy hadn't discovered a party of German school children were stuck there also, since that's the kind of thing that could lead to bad press! Laughing

PT

RyanS · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 356

I went with the Vatican, I assume they will go all crazy when theres a dead body in their embassy, and name me a saint.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

This happened today at the US embassy in Mexico City. They had to cancel all the visa appointments after a poor woman had a heart attack and died. My wife happened to be next in line and now has her appointment rescheduled.

Not sure what happened next with the woman's body though.

Perpetual Traveller · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 651 Location: In the Kak, Japan

I guess it would complicate matters if she was in the middle of applying for citizenship! Razz

PT

Pennypacker1 · Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Posts: 23 Location: Caracas, Venezuela!

Yeah, speaking of Australian Embassies, I am surprised it didn't make the list!

Alot of Aussies have this funny notion that if something happens to them while travelling abroad, it's their divine right to be whisked away to safety by a crack recue squad.

You should have seen the wailing and gnashing of teeth in the aftermaths of the recent Carribean hurricanes.. apparently if something goes wrong on your holiday all you have to do is pull the cord and you're magically transported back to Australia at taxpayer's expense..