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[moneyoriented]

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Well, it's understandable why they sometimes can't intervene in some circumstances...they're supposed to be diplomats. But even here, that's where the diffference lies. The foot soldiers in the embassy more than likely are career diplomats, but the AMBASSADORS...more likely are political hacks and appointees. I mean, just look at how the U.S. government does it on the domestic front! Who was are first Secretary of Homeland "Security"? Tom Ridge, a Pennsylvania political hack! Many of them are monied campaign contributors. Now, on the other hand, most other countries use career diplomats for these most inportant of posts, not those interested in self promotion and making themselves oh so much more richer.

I think the thing that gets so stuck in my craw is the arrogance of it all!

Finally, the thing that I found so appalling in Riyadh, was the sucking up to those ladies who worked at the embassy (and I lived on compounds with MANY of them) as local hires. They had RAW POWER instilled in them just because they could put you on the list to go out there for some function and have a 'real' beer. If you sucked up to them and played oh so nicy nice, then you were in like Flynn, but if you just acted "normal"...for example, "I'm not better that you are and you're no better than me"...you can stay at home and drink your own brew. Can you guess which avenue I chose to take?

NCTBA

[Marcoregano]

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

[just_a_mirage]

Shortly after I arrived in Ecuador, my passport was stolen on the bus. I went to the consulate to replace it. At the time, my Spanish wasnt so great. I went to the U.S. citizens section of the consulate, and to my surprise, the person at the counter couldn`t speak English. I knew enough Spanish to get my application submitted, but wondered what would happen to a tourist who needed help and didnt speak any Spanish at all. The other thing was that I was told to go pick up my new passport in eight days. When I arrived they told me they had forgotten to have me swear that my information was correct, so I had to swear to it then, and wait another eight days to get my passport.

[Mike_2007]

I've had a few dealings with the British Embassy/Consulate over the last decade and I've always found them to be polite and efficient. When I got married in Turkey they were very useful and gave me a list of all the necessary documents which I got together and it all went through swimmingly (especially compared to the Turkish side of things!).

When I had my wallet pinched in Bucharest I informed them and they called me back within two hours and said I could collect my driving licence, which had been handed in. A day later they called me again to say another card had appeared.

When I had to renew my passport they were very good too and they were also quite helpful when I wanted to apply for a residence permit for Romania. Typcially, the Romanian office that issues the permits had no list of necessary documents whereas the British Embassy did (even though it's not really their business).

The consul in Istanbul was killed whilst I was there (bomb). By a stroke of luck (for me at least) I was due to visit the embassy at exactly the time the bomb went off, but had cancelled that morning for no particular reason except that I wasn't really in the mood. I've met the consul in Bucharest as he came and umpired a cricket match for us and lent me his tube of sun screen - good chap.

Obviously there are going to be good embassies and bad ones, but so far I haven't found a reason to be negative about them.

Best,
Mike

[ntropy]

My country hasn't even had embassies in two of the last three countries I've worked in.

[arioch36]

OK, my horror story. Perhaps arrogance is a prerequisite to work in the embassy (as opposed to a smaller consulate. .
Last summer went with my Chinese wife to Beijing to apply for a tourist visa. She has no use of her legs, can't walk, is in a wheelchairs, and has some othr problems. Anyone who has been to China, been on a train, imagine making this trip. No seat toilets, narrow doors .etc.
Well we enter into the Beijing building for Chinese applying for visas. As per U"S law, Americans with disabilites act, I have the right to accompany my wife inside, as her attendant, or whatever the term is. Big sign next to the door says this. The CHinese guards who work ther balked at first letting me in with my wife (normally, u can not go in with your wife), we showed them the rules at the door, a guard called his supervisor, said sorry, and let us in together. Very disappointing interview, she couldn't speak to an American worker, and the CHinese person who questioned her did not listen to anything she had to say, attitude of "I am from Beijing, you are form Henan" (think a Washington DC insider looking down on a cripple from Alabama, or a Whitehall rep looking down on a nonfavoured social group)
Interview ends, I help my wife to the bathroom for the disabled. The supervisor , Mr. Knoll, comes in the building screaming and swearing, really cursing, at the CHinese staff who let us in. I walk out of the bathroom, and he starts in on me, demanding who let me in, cursing at me. He finally settles down enough to listen to the CHinese guard explain that it is the law, I can accompany my disabled wife. Let's me go, no apology. I come back in the afternoon with my wife, their is an afternoon time for US citizens to speak directly with a rep. Guess what, now my wife is refused entry. We just settled that this is the law, and that is posted on the door.
DAmned SOB staff make me mad to be an American. What the Chinese workers there must think of us, and our big speech about protecting the rights of indviduals etc

[Guy Courchesne]

[curioustraveler]

When I was in Singapore I needed to get my US passport replaced. Big headache. The people were very rude. Not one American in the American embassy!!!

I think it is the person at the counter, and possibly the country. I haven't had enough experience dealing with the embassies around the world to say, but they are probably the same.

[moneyoriented]