Balik-Lantaw 2: Canadian Embassy

Linggo, June 27, 2004, pumunta ako ng Makati. Matutulog ako sa Charter House, salamat sa EFF Foundation na sumagot sa akin hotel. I have a dinner meeting with our University president, and the chair of EFF Foundation. This was about the EFF scholars in the university and the status of the grant and scholars.

Before that, Geo Carbonel went to Charter House. We went to Greenbelt area to have some pasta and coffee. Geo was fine; we had a lot of catching up together since a lot had happened in between our meetings. He is with the Finance Department of the government.

I was not feeling well at this time. Even the suite room of the Charter House was not too accommodating, it smelled tobacco which was really bad for my asthma.

Early Monday morning, the EFF car drove us to the Canadian Embassy. We waited to nearly four hours. Henry and I had problem since our passport was still with the US Embassy. The passport would be sent to us through a courier. At long last, we were told to get first our passport before we would be scheduled for interview. At this point in time, I told myself... I should have not applied for a US Visa, since my official trip was really for Canada and the US was just a sidetrip.

I had to stay in Manila just to wait for the passport. And the courier tasked by the US Embassy was not that accommodating. The company did not answer inquiries either by phone, fax, email or SMS. For three days, I holed in Pollock, with long neck straining to see that motorcycle guy delivering the passport.

At last, Wednesday afternoon, it arrived. I met the guy before he dismounted the motorcycle and told him "Sa wakas dumating ka na rin, langya ka!" He was surprised that I knew beforehand that he would be arriving. Tatlong araw na akong naghihintay sa yo no. Ni hindi ako makalabas sa ADMU dahil inaabangan ko siya araw-araw.

Then I had myself scheduled for an interview in the Canadian Embassy: sked was Friday, July 2, 2004. I had to wait for two days more before I could go back to Davao.

So, I met some friends. I had a chance to meet Nona Mae Pepito who was also teaching in Ateneo de Manila as part time. I met also some friends in the Philosophy Department. I had the chance to visit bookstores and found my long lost books.

Come interview time, I was in the Canadian Embassy with Henry again. We were scheduled at 8:15am, but was inteviewed sometime 11:00pm. We had our lunch at the RCBC tower, then got our visa at 1PM.

Thanks to Devi Migue in Davao, she mad sure I got my flight schedule updated everyday, including my itineraries. She also made sure my class was updated online through my BLOG.