Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Relief

Jia and I made the trip to Guangzhou for her interview at the consulate to get a tourist visa for Spring Festival. After going through the trouble of finding a real hotel for a decent price, we settled in and tried to relax. The first place we went to was a family that converted apartments next to the consulate into hotel rooms. We decided against staying because it was expensive for a room with a shared toilet. We also didn't like the guy who owned the place after he told Jia to lie to the consulate because he thought they'd never give her a visa. Well, he was wrong.

This morning was the appointment. I quickly discovered that I couldn't even wait with her in the consulate office (I knew I couldn't go to the interview). So, I sat in the coffee shop nearby in the building. After about 40 minutes, I was told to buy something or get out--I sure wasn't going to spend 40 kuai on a small cup of coffee. So, I stood by the consulate exit to wait. The guard told me to wait in the coffee shop. Well, since I couldn't do that, I walked in a circle for the next twenty minutes. I was really nervous. But, it all worked out in the end. Jia's passport and visa will be mailed in a couple days and we'll book our flights to Newark just as soon as we get that.

There's a lot more to the whole story, but I'll have to write that tomorrow when I have more time.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

If I'd known you were going to Guangzhou I would have push my ex into the river for me...

Or maybe just get my engagement ring back.

Anonymous said...

er... I mean to say: "I would have had you"...

Anonymous said...

Um... and I meant to say "meant" not "mean" in that last one...

Geez! What's wrong with me today?

Matthew said...

Sorry Stuart, you have to do your own dirty work. Besides, I don't really like going near the Pearl River.