The answers are: Toronto, Detroit, India
The question: Name three places you don't want to be right now. I have a business trip in Detroit this week, so I decided to come to Toronto a couple of days early to get my India work Visa. That's another story.
So, here I am, waiting in a crowd at the India Consulate in Toronto. I was told that getting an India Visa is simple if you come here in person. Time will tell, but last time was pretty simple. I mailed my application and my passport to the Indian consulate and BAM, two weeks later my passport returned with an Indian Visa pasted to page 17. It was a little unnerving sending my passport through the mail, but it worked.
Back to my current situation. Andrew at work told me that you simply come here in the morning and drop off your application and your passport in the morning and then pick it up in the evening. The offices open at 9:30, I got here at 10:00. (Finding the place and looking for parking was a minor challenge for this small town Maritimer.) I had to stand in line to get a number to be served. The place was packed and I was clearly in the pale skinned minority. "Now serving 59. I had 92... Jeesh. "Do you take credit card or Interac?". "No, just cash." Shit. I ran (not drove, ran) to the bank and back in 10 minutes. Now serving 70. An hour later, number 92. Finally! I push my way to a server's wicket and she turned me away. MY number was C92, she was serving A92. Shit. Shit. Shit! I should have packed a lunch!
But, hey, I guess I'm lucky. I recall reading on the wall while waiting for my number. "We will distribute numbers until 11:00 am or number 350 whichever comes first. According to my calculations, C92 translates to 292. A few minutes longer and I would have wasted my trip here.
Every now and then, someone's name is called over the intercom and they disappear behind a door with a sign that reads: "Out Of Bounds". The sign is printed on a piece of paper and cut out with a pair of scissors. The "s" in "bounds" is hand-written. Some people come out, but not nearly as many as what goes in. Every now and then when the door opens, you can hear people shouting. That's all. Figured I'd add that. Sort of adds to the ambience.
12:15... Now serving B26.
So, here I am, waiting in a crowd at the India Consulate in Toronto. I was told that getting an India Visa is simple if you come here in person. Time will tell, but last time was pretty simple. I mailed my application and my passport to the Indian consulate and BAM, two weeks later my passport returned with an Indian Visa pasted to page 17. It was a little unnerving sending my passport through the mail, but it worked.
Back to my current situation. Andrew at work told me that you simply come here in the morning and drop off your application and your passport in the morning and then pick it up in the evening. The offices open at 9:30, I got here at 10:00. (Finding the place and looking for parking was a minor challenge for this small town Maritimer.) I had to stand in line to get a number to be served. The place was packed and I was clearly in the pale skinned minority. "Now serving 59. I had 92... Jeesh. "Do you take credit card or Interac?". "No, just cash." Shit. I ran (not drove, ran) to the bank and back in 10 minutes. Now serving 70. An hour later, number 92. Finally! I push my way to a server's wicket and she turned me away. MY number was C92, she was serving A92. Shit. Shit. Shit! I should have packed a lunch!
But, hey, I guess I'm lucky. I recall reading on the wall while waiting for my number. "We will distribute numbers until 11:00 am or number 350 whichever comes first. According to my calculations, C92 translates to 292. A few minutes longer and I would have wasted my trip here.
Every now and then, someone's name is called over the intercom and they disappear behind a door with a sign that reads: "Out Of Bounds". The sign is printed on a piece of paper and cut out with a pair of scissors. The "s" in "bounds" is hand-written. Some people come out, but not nearly as many as what goes in. Every now and then when the door opens, you can hear people shouting. That's all. Figured I'd add that. Sort of adds to the ambience.
12:15... Now serving B26.
posted by Unknown at 12:16 p.m.
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