Maina: NOW I will become Spanish....

After 11 years in this country I have taken the big step to become Spanish. I feel very integrated and love my new homeland, my husband, family and friends. So I thought it was time. Of course I will not lose my Swedish nationality!! I can have both.

So after first speaking to the Swedish embassy in Madrid and then the consulate in Barcelona I began my pilgrimage to have all documents ready. I took Frank as a very expert helper and we went to a lot of trouble telephoning and going to get the required papers of which Frank made about 40 photocopies. FINALLY we went to the "Oficina del Registro Civil". There we waited for a while and at last we were shown in to a room where God himself sat and looked critical at my appearance. We gave him all the papers, one by one, until he exclaimed: "photocopy of the passport". Oh yes, said Frank, but in a very short tune the man said "We need photocopies of ALL THE PAGES OF THE PASSPORT even the empty ones". As there were no chance to make them there and my Swedish passport has 32 pages, all we had to do was to go back home and come back another day.

So we did and thought everything was over, but just when we had left all the documents, he said to Frank to go outside and leave me alone with him. Oh boy! Then came the interrogation of a lot of things. Why do I want to be Spanish, the name of the regions in Spain, the prime minister name, the national and regional days and dates, the election date and how the Parliament was made up, etc. etc. With some luck I knew a lot until he asked for the name of Spanish rivers. At the moment I could only think of one: Ebro... Well, finally he said that in some months I would be called again, this time to the police who would put similar questions and that I have to study a little better. Then if I passed I would have the Spanish nationality in about 2 years (!!). Well, well, so much for Spanish bureaucracy. I will let you know how it will all end up and show you my Spanish passport.