After failing to obtain our Burma visas in Singapore and being informed that the process is quicker in Kuala Lumpur (shout-out to Jake Izenberg!), Lia and I arrived at the Burma/Myanmar embassy in KL at 8:30am, thinking the embassy opened at 9. Turns out the embassy "opens" at 9:30.
The guy shows up at about 10.
A crowd of 6 people have gathered by this point. The crowd does not respect the idea of a "line." A small Malaysian woman pushes in front of us. An Indian man does the same, but gives way when I pipe up and inform him of our 1-hour wait.
We fill out the forms, get copies of the necessary documents and our passports, and return to the window expecting a smooth process.
We are naifs. We are fools.
The guy scans our applications, then asks for my student ID. Oh crap. "I left it in the US." "I cannot process this without your ID. How do I know you are truly a student," he asks. "Why would I lie about that?" I respond. He says nothing regarding the proof of Lia's "Teacher" status.
He hands my forms and passport back to me. I'm freaking out a little inside at this point, but maintain my calm.
Lia saves the day. She pipes up and says "we're traveling together; I can't go if he can't get a visa." His resolve wavers, and he takes my forms back.
We see him filling out a receipt form, and i get hopeful.
He stamps lia's application documents. I'm getting very hopeful.
He stares at my forms. He inks the stamp. My certainty peeks through the clouds. He stares at my forms. His stamp-laden hand hovers over my forms, the pulls away.
My heart sinks.
He re-inks the stamp! My hope swells. His hand again hovers over my forms, seems to dip down as if to stamp them . . . then retreats.
My heart sinks to my shoes. "i'm not gonna get it, I think.
Lia leans over the counter in her tanktop (not sure if this is intentional, but i LOVE this girl regardless).
He stamps the forms.
HE STAMPS THE FORMS!!!!
Success!
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Leaning over the counter...sounds like how lia got us on a plane leaving South America :) Miss you two lots!
ReplyDeleteHAHA. Except Matt does not remember that I was wearing an ugly gray high necked t-shirt and was not leaning anywwhere. I think South America was all Natalie??
ReplyDeleteWe woman gotta do what we gotta do! You can quote me on that. It worked! Sounds like you 2 are having the best time. I love reading this. You could keep all these notes and pics and write a travel book.
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