Sunday, September 23, 2007

Hello Hungary!!!

Visa

To those who said prayers with me, I thank you because tonight,I have once again laid my eyes on my passports! I sent two because my older visa has the valid US visa. Apparently, Hungary uses it as basis too because if you have one, your application has a bigger chance of getting approved. It's even on their website.

Consulate
I was not able to send a self-addressed envelope (something my mom told me about two days ago, this is required for US visas) because it was not stated as part of the requirements in the website I viewed. Then again, that website was assuming I live in Jakarta and that I will be applying from Jakarta and not the Philippines. I do not know if they have to walk in or send their documents as well. In any case, it was the Hungarian Consulate Office of the Philippines' job to inform applicants of requirements. In fact, they should be the one sending the documents to Jakarta in behalf of the applicants. Sadly though, when you call them up all they tell you are fragments of what you need to know plus the lady who takes care of these things are as friendly as a plywood. Well there are days when she is even irritable. I had to ask myself if I was annoying and if I have asked my questions several times in my past life because I definitely asked them for the first time in this particular lifetime!

The first time I called, she said that I should just put in 35 Euros in the package. I was going to send it already but my fiance stopped me and asked me to check with the consulate again just in case I am forgetting anything. So I did.

The second time I called, she said that I should just put in 35 Euros in the package. I had to ask this time around about how my documents will get sent back. She paused for a while and told me to put in 20 more Euros for the shipping. Darn! It was a good thing my fiance stopped me from sending the package lest I would never see my documents again! Doesn't she have a list or something?

Obviously, this lady in the consulate (I do not want to generalize everybody working in this firm), does not understand how important these documents and this application are. She does not take her task seriously and she should be assigned to do some other task that she will hold in high esteem. Maybe this is just committee work in their firm, I wouldn't know, but if you agreed to do it, you should do it right.

Pagkamulat

In introspect, I think I should apply this for myself too. I have been Pagkamulat coordinator in the past three years and so far, I think I am doing okay. I mean the Computer Literacy program has won the Harvest of Winners award and this year it was nominated for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations or at least the two orgs I have been working with, LSCS and CLAY. But these past few months have been terrible, I have been less responsive, partly because of all the work that I had to take care of. I realized now, that this has to change. I have agreed to be the coordinator so I should do my task with fervor and passion. I will start by soliciting books for the MACE Learning Center.

I guess deep down, I understand where the lady is coming from, but then again, the documents she is taking care of are really important so I do hope that she be careful with the instructions she gives out.

Mix of Rants and Raves

In the meantime, I should start reading on what to expect of Budapest because I am going there this Saturday! :) I better not binge while I am there! Most of my extra pounds are courtesy of all my other trips! :)

Oh and yeah...

I might be going to Taiwan this November for a kick-off meeting of the approved FP7 project. :) The French Embassy is sending me. They said they'll take care of my air fare. I am not going if they do not take care of my accommodations because that will be too much strain on my budget already, and the project has been approved already anyway. :D

After I get back, it will be hectic again... I will be teaching Sem 2 of Cisco every Saturday and then I will be taking my Cisco 3 and 4 starting October 15 to October 29! Yikes! And then, November 19, I will be off to Taiwan if all things fall into place. I have to finish my incomplete dissertation proposal and my URCO research is due this term as well... Oh my! Thank goodness the wedding is not until July of next year hehe!

I swam three times this week! Heard mass thrice too, next week I plan to make it five. I am falling back into my old routine, and I am just happy to be back! :) I have also started attending bible studies again, had two sessions already and it was refreshing!

Thank you Lord for sending my passport back to me. I was so stressed the entire week. Thanks for sending me my loving fiance who kept me sane the entire week! For never forsaking me Father, thank you!

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