Katie Doyle, Girl About Town

Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2006 - 10:28 p.m.

I finally got to talk to the consulate lady to make my visa appointment today, and I gotta tell you, she scared me. I called the main number, since she never answers voice mail, and the girl who answered, who is very helpful, freaked out when I told her I'd been leaving voice mail. I don't know why, other than the other woman must really hate voice mail, which would explain her utter disregard for it. I'm not going to ask why they have voice mail, if they don't intend to use it. Some things are probably better left unanswered. Or at least unasked.

So as the nice girl is exclaiming with a great deal of excitement that I should NEVER leave voice mail, she notices the other woman off the phone and rings me thru to her. Now, where the first woman is all warm and fuzzy and very helpful and nice, the second woman - the visa woman - is the exact opposite. The visa woman is German. And by that, I don't mean she is actually from Germany, I mean she's cold steel and about as UNfriendly as you can get. No "bonjour," no "how may I help you," just "What?"

This threw me for a loop, because most french people are very formal and polite. I was unprepared for "What?" So I had a brief moment of "uuuuhhhh" before my brain kicked in and I said I needed to make an appointment to turn in my paperwork for a long-stay visa. To which the reply was a very short, rather clipped, and more than slightly irritated, "Why?"

Folks, I had no idea what to say. So this time the "uuuuuhhhhh" actually made it outside.

"What kind of visa?" she asks, marginally more kindly. If by marginally you mean pretty much not at all. But it at least clarified the "why" part. So I explain I want to live in Paris on a long vacation and learn french, and she cuts me off with "So you are taking a sabbatical and will not have any paid work?" and I say yes, and she pronounces "April 12."

This time I keep the uuuuhhhhh quiet, and she goes on to say that April 12 is the best she can do. I say well, I'm leaving in July, is there any way to come sooner, and she says no. Wednesday April 12, 2pm, that's it. So I say yes, thank you, and she says bring 3 copies of everything, and I say okay, and she hangs up on me.

Wow. I feel warm and fuzzy all over.

And now, as promised, pictures of Paris. :)

Peace out,
Katie

5 comments so far

Mon crayon est grand et jaune.
How nice for you.

*HUGS* TOTAL! give katiedoyle more *HUGS*
Get hugs of your own

Yesterday's News - Next Stop

In which Katie shares sad news - Wednesday, Apr. 01, 2015
In which Katie returns after a very long absence - Monday, Jun. 25, 2012
In which Katie pokes her head in and brushes some of the cobwebs away - Thursday, May. 06, 2010
In which Katie asks you to write your congressman again. - Monday, Jun. 02, 2008
In which Katie asks you to please click the link and send the message to protect the rights of artists - Wednesday, May. 21, 2008