Danke Schoen und Achtes Fenster

I never thought I'd have something to write about only hours after my first blog but here I am. After having spent the better part of my day trying to decipher the patterns behind Guyguy's banging on my Korg Trinity, I have at last my peace and quiet. And, surprise, surprise, a couple of things to write about!

Let's begin with the thank yous. I would like to thank Andrelinas (see links section and click on "Jeline" for background info) for helping me out with my blog template. After a little tweaking here and there, Madame Anjeline and I have finally figured out how to put up a LINKS SECTION. Yaaaay. I'm surprised to find out that blogger.com does not boast a "blogger wizard" of some sort that spits out a spanking new blog at the users' click of a mouse. At the very least something that will not require me to tinker with the CODE. Oh well. Maybe it's God telling me I'm too lazy. I would also like to thank KFC for my dinner. One thing to look forward to once I land on American soil: cheap but tasty fast food. Jolegs even told me about this restaurant with TAKE OUT BUFFET. Sanamagan.

Anyhoo, here's the bulk of my second blog. It's actually taken from an email I sent to our egroup. I'm being risky by posting it here. If Monsieur Consul from WINDOW 8 (Achtes Fenster) of the U.S. Embassy receives RSS feeds, I'm toast. Anyway, here goes:

Rainy Monday Blues

Hola everyone. I'm back, still reeling from my interesting day at theembassy. Before anything else, I'd like to announce that I've beenwhat you might call SEMI-APPROVED. Here's the story.

My day started at 1:30 AM. My restful slumber was disturbed by a phonecall. I answer:

GP: "hheello?"
ROBIN: "Hi Geefeeeh!"
GP: "o?"
ROBIN: "AY TULOG KA BA?! BAT ANG AGA MO NAMAN MATULOG?!"
GP: "visa interview ko mamaya lola"
ROBIN: "AH! Ehehehihihihi. Okaaaaaaay tulog na uliiiiit goodniiiiight..."

Something like that. Tawa ako nang tawa after that conversation.Anyway, as I started to go back to sleep I saw, invitingly perched onthe bedside table, this book that Sir Jojo lent me. PREY by Michael Crichton. Sabihin na lang natin na sobrang galing ni Michael Crichton magsulat. I read the book until I finished it. And when I did, it was already just a few minutes before I had to wake up. Wunderbar.

I left the house at around 5ish am for my 730ish am appointment. As I leisurely drove along Buendia I noticed that the sky was BLACK ahead of me (which gave me book-related jitters... you really should read the book). Wunderbar. So anyway I parked in front of Starbucks Padre Faura and walked to the embassy, armed with my folderful of documents (perfectly arranged for easy access and organization), my white jacketand my orange umbrella. To be greeted by what seemed to be a mile worth of people in line for their interviews. So there I was standing in line with around 200 or so people on thesidewalk of Roxas Boulevard, with a black cloud above me and highly enterprising Pinoys hawking everything you might need, from ways to take 2x2 pictures to ballpens, to folders, to UMBRELLAS. They made a killing that day because, as promised by said black sky, it rained.And it poured. They must have sold 50 umbrellas. At one hundred each that's not bad at all. At that point I figured: this must happen a lot (rainy day on roofless sidewalk in front of American Embassy) for these Pinoys to be ready for it. And at THAT point I started thinking: at 5,600 pesos per application, these two hundred people soaking in the rain are worth 1, 120, 000 pesos! MORE THAN ENOUGH to to cover the expenses of putting a simple roof along the sidewalk.

After a few more minutes of America-bashing in my mind, I entered the embassy and walked towards the side of the Pavillion marked 7:30.There was a guy shouting: "O PILA NA DITO ANG STUDENT VISA APPLICANTS." I was right in front of him. So I managed to be second in line. I was given a stub with "1001" written on it. Apparently, the first number they give out there is 1000. So things were looking up. When we got to the "documents check" section, the man in front of me (mister1000) realized that he lacked the pink thingie that the bank gave out when you pay for the application. He was faced with no other option but to step aside, wonder where in CAGAYAN DE ORO he might have placed his pink thingie, and just settle for another visa interview.

So here I was first in line and, I figure, first to be interviewed as well, right? It was not to be the case. After this lady with long pink fingernails (what is it with the Embassy and the color pink anyway?) told me that everything about my application was in order she told me to go ahead inside and wait for my turn. I entered the "interview area" and sat down to wait.

A couple of hours later, and after having had a front row view of people getting denied one after the other, Istarted to fear window eight. The window 8 consul was much worse than the notorious Korean girl, I kid you not. He listened intently to the person he was interviewing, showing no signs whatsoever that he was bent on denying said kawawa person's application. And then he'd say "Actually, based on the new laws of the United States of America you are ineligible.Thank you." Bi@@@tch! So, anyway, I was glad I was just seeing this. And then the screen in front of me flashed: "1001 ----- WINDOW EIGHT."I felt like I was just flushed down the toilet. And after saying to myself: "CONFIDENCE... CONFIDENCE..." I walked up to him.

CONSUL: "Hi how is your day?"
ME: "A little wet but otherwise fine" (REAL ME: "Not so good now thatI'm in front of your window."

We launch into a conversation about my application.

CONSUL: "I see youve been denied a visa once"
ME: "Yes."
CONSUL: "Do you know why?"
ME: "You know what, to be honest with you, I really don't know. But Itrust the consuls decision, she may have thought I wasn't comingback."

CONFIDENCE.... CONFIDENCE...

CONSUL: What instrument do you play?
ME: Piano.CONSUL: But do you sing?
ME: Of course. I'm a member of a choir.
CONSUL:What kind of choral music do you like the most?

I was singing Sir Agot Espino's "Magsiawit Kayo" in my mind whilewaiting for my turn. Nice song, by the way. Glad it's now part of the ACS mass rep...

ME: Folkloric songs.

At this point I explained to him what folkloric songs are, telling himhow interesting the folkoric songs of other countries are and that...

CONSUL: Sing me one.

I didn't see that coming.



CONFIDENCE....CONFIDENCE......


ME: Oh suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure. You know what, I'll sing you a song thatcan be considered an AMERICAN FOLKLORIC SONG.

ME (sings with full voice, as if I had all the confidence in the world in me): "GIVE ME THAT OOOOLD TIME RELIGION, THAT OOOOOLD... you know what this is ACTUALLY what we sang for you guys when we applied for our visa last time. Now you get to hear it solo.... TIME RELIGION. GIVE ME THAT OOOOOOOLD TIME 'LIGION, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR MEEE."

confidence....confidence....

And to make a long story short, after a rather loquacious interview and an entertaining song, the consul was pretty much convinced. I then thought to myself: "ITS IN THE BAG."

CONSUL: I'm gonna give you a temporary denial.

GREAT.

CONSUL: "It doesn't really mean anything. It just means that I need you to submit some other documents. Your application is strong so I think it's as good as approved. Besides, you did sing for me."

So here I am suddenly nursing a mysterious flu and writing this lengthy email to announce that I have been semi-approved. Orsemi-denied. Hassles notwithstanding, I'd say this was a very very interesting rainy Monday.


So there. I did it. Mister Consul, if you're reading this.... I love you.


As a postscript, I would like to congratulate Sir Jojo for setting up HIS OWN blog. This should be interesting. I wonder if Gary Graden has one too.... Hmm.