Don’t leave home without your VISA requirements
September 5, 2006Bambi D., the events officer for the Japan Foundation, told me months ago to apply for a Japan visa only a few weeks before the actual trip. She also said to line up at 12 noon, even though the processing started at 2pm. I didn’t ask why, but 50 days before the trip, I reserved my entire afternoon to my visa application.
After collecting my book revenues from National Bookstore early in the morning, I headed onwards to the Japan Embassy. I had all the requirements, which included,
- 2 copies of the application form
- passport
- Income Tax Statement
- DTI documents
- 2 Japan visa pics (the requirements list was very strict about the size of this)
- the letter of recommendation from the Japan Foundation
- the original letter of invitation
Chompy suggested I wear my choco brown slacks, flashy button-down polo shirt, and sleek leather shoes for my application. She made sense; it wouldn’t hurt to look my best. If Sam Milby was my application officer, he’d approve me in a flash.
11:30am
I needed to make a quick pitstop at PBCOM Bank in Ayala Ave to deposit my NBS check. From there, I took another bus to Roxas Blvd., where I knew the embassy was generally located.
The problem was I didn’t know its exact location. I had an address : 2627 Roxas Blvd, but Roxas is a long stretch. My friend Kicks mentioned that EDSA-Roxas was already past the embassy, so starting from Buendia would be a good idea. My personal Oracle (a Batman reference), Chompy, finally texted me the exact position from her Watchtower in Pacific Star Bldg. She texted that the embassy lies 5 minutes away from Hyatt Hotel. I should avoid going up the flyover in EDSA-Roxas unless I wanted to walk a kilometer back to the embassy.
I got her message while my bus was going up the said flyover.
One kilometer later…
12:30nn
I finally arrived outside the steel-barred embassy gates. The whole embassy looked like a Japanese temple, but with a fortress-y feel to it. Upon being magnetically scanned and felt up by the guards, I found myself to be fifth in line behind a couple of indentically-uniformed Visa applicants.
This looked promising, I told myself.
There was a second, longer line on the opposite side of the open waiting area. I think they were commercial travellers.
Upon checking on my requirements, I realized I forgot to bring the photocopies of each requirement. And the sign in the embassy said INCOMPLETE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DENIED.
And no photocopiers in sight.
Ouch.
With more applicants piling up behind me, I took a chance and hoped that the clerks have photocopiers inside.
1:00pm
During the long wait, I entertained myself by reading articles transferred to my PDA. The big annoying thing I experienced at this time was a fat, middle-aged, yellow-shirted guy who smoked right across me, sending waves of second-hand fumes my way. He kept talking to someone on his mobile phone about some car dealership.
At intermittent times, provocatively-clad ladies walked up to the front of the lines and the guards casually let them inside the building. I cursed Chompy for her fashion advice; I didn’t have to bear the smoke and the waiting if only I’d worn my low-cut top, instead.
2:00pm
The guards finally let everyone in. Inside were rows and rows of plastic chairs patiently waited in front of 6 transaction windows. My number displayed 6011; the red display flashed 6001.
Another hour crept by. I wanted to change from my sweaty morning polo to my slick button-down but the rest rooms were closed. Argh.
The display ticked away to 6011. I stepped up and slid my documents under the glass. The officer looked at them and asked my name, date of birth, and purpose of visit. As I responded to the last question, the clerk looked up.
“So cartoonist ka?”
“Yes.”
“Magaling pala ang kamay mo.”
“Hindi lang sa drawing.”
The clerk and I exchanged a silent understanding that only perverts can share.
I found out that have to be back after one week, between 10-11am, to verify my VISA. As I stepped out into the sunlight, I saw two operating restrooms in the courtyard.
Nice timing.
Grammar rules
September 1, 2006I’ve memorized hiragana and katakana.
I’ve taken to heart the japanese names for apple (ringo), pepper (gosho), and vinegar (su), and egg (tamago).
I’ve image-associated the varous question headers: who = dare, how much = ikura, where = doko…
I’ve encountered choice kanji and daily phrases.
Now it’s time for grammar.
My whole approach to the japanese language (and to future languages) is learning the basic rules and a whole lot of memorization.
And memorization in this case is learning four writing systems and one spoken system.
Until I start to think in japanese.
The thing with learning grammar all the stuff I’ve ignored about it (definitions of future perfect, particles, etc.) are coing back into play a big way.
I suppose I could learn japanese the same way I learned english: imersion in practical applications.
