New Zealand embassy - continued

*opens eyes sleepily, closes eyes and dozes off again*

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

whole household is already up and awake (quite surprising because it is still vacation time for the kids). i felt my cousin stir and carefully inched her way down the double-deck bed. i decided it's time to get up and start my day (excitedly but sleepily), finish what i came there to do and go home. home where my bed is.

my cousin left to work early so i was left to do my morning business. i decided to skip breakfast. sa labas na lang kasi magpapabarya naman ako. dog decided i'm not a baddy and left me alone (finally!).

i went out prepared to have several cutting trips before arriving to my destination but it must be my lucky day - an FX taxi to cubao saved me from going up the LRT station. with my big Pooh On-The-Go bag, i was seated comfortably making plans. carrying the heavy OTG bag would be a problem. so where can i leave it? mum suggested i leave it at the amihan booking office saying that i already have a ticket leaving at 4pm. unfortunately, the booking officer wanted to see my ticket so i said, "oh, i don't have it here. my friend has it." but she's not easily fooled. she asked, "under what name were the tickets reserved" damn.

i had no choice but to carry the bag. i walked from cubao bus terminal to the cubao MRT station. by that time i was already tired and sweaty. i bought some donuts to go. i wasn't able to eat it though.

Buendia station.

That’s me. I got off the coach and walked out of the station. Good thing i only have to ask for direction once and I was on a jeepney, on my way to the embassy (we’re on a taxi the first time). And I also remembered where to get off. Yey!

By now, I know the routine at the lobby so it wasn’t so amusing anymore. Since I have my traveling bag with me, the guard has to inspect my bag especially since the inspection thingy went off a couple of times. I told him it must be the buckles of my belt. And so it was. He recognized me from the day before and wished me good luck. A nice guy.

The waiting area was full of hopeful visa applicants:

Four friends. One was a winner of “Go to NZ to watch Lord of the Rings” (or something) contest. They will go there to apply for a job once they’re there.

Three follow-ups.

Two work permit applicants. They took so long!

One family. Mum eager to experience skiing.

Me.

I was praying to get the same visa officer whom I talked to the first time. She seemed junior to the other one but at least she was nice and friendly. So I did but she didn’t even remember me. How many applicants do they get and how much thought does she give to each application?

I told her I was the one she told to give letters and pictures the other day.

Visa officer: Are you angela?
Mermaid: nope.
Visa officer: ohh.
Mermaid: you told me to show letters and pictures.

*shuffles through the papers*
*sees this one*

Visa officer: I’ve seen this one.

*duh! That’s coz you saw that yesterday!*

Visa officer: and I said I knew where this is.. *tries to remember*
Mermaid: Sagada.
Visa Officer: Yesss.. I remember. Are these all of the pictures?
Mermaid: Yes.

*shuffles again*

Visa Officer: don’t you have a more recent letter?

*duh! In case you haven’t noticed, that’s chronologically arranged. Maybe you would notice if you start actually reading and less just shuffling it*

Visa Officer: ahh.. this is for partnership. That’s why I asked you for the letters and pictures.
Mermaid: nope, it’s not. I just want to visit him.
Visa Officer: who is this Martian?
Mermaid: my boyfriend.
Visa Officer: so it’s partnership.
Mermaid: but I am not applying on the basis of partnership.

*getting confused*

Visa Officer: Who’s paying for the airfare?
Mermaid: he is.
Visa Officer: We need a sponsorship form like this one. *shows sponsorship form*
Mermaid: But he can’t sponsor me coz he’s not yet a NZ citizen or resident
Visa Officer: where is he based now?
Mermaid: in NZ
Visa Officer: what’s his nationality?
Mermaid: British.

*looks at the seemingly senior (or just knows more) visa officer*

Visa Officer: What should I do with this?

*tells her the story but another visa officer is talking on the phone*

Visa Officer: Just a moment, ma’am.
Visa Officer 2: He still has to fill up the sponsorship form.
Visa Officer: There ma’am. He has to fill up the sponsorship form, have it duly signed by the proper authority. He can download it from the website, www.imm *looks at the computer or paper, writes down the website address*

*doesn’t even know their website address!*

Mermaid: but ma’am….
Visa Officer: we need the sponsorship form especially since you have an open-dated reservation.
Mermaid: what open-dated?
Visa Officer: you want to stay in NZ for 2 months.
Mermaid: I’m only applying for 34 days, ma’am.
Visa Officer: then you have to change the date you’re leaving NZ. You placed here September 2 but *shows booking certificate* you’re leaving here September 3.

*frowning and tries to remember if she’s mistaken. Sees that she wrote the correct date*

Visa Officer: Oh, this one is from Singapore. I thought…

*gets a pentel pen and ticks the dates of entry and departure to and from NZ*

Visa Officer: but we still need the sponsorship form because he’s paying for the airfare.
Mermaid: Ma'am can I just sumbit the form to follow?
Visa Offer: *shows me a portion on the supplementary questionnaire* you see ma'am i can't accept your papers now because you don't have a "good travel history"

Mermaid: but can I just post it. I live in Sorsogon.
Visa Officer: Ok, you can post it to us and if you have the sponsorship form, I’ll accept your application. *saying these as if she’s doing me a big favor*

Confused.
Frustrated.
Irritated.
Angry.
Tired.

Cried.