Visa for China

Ever since I've been in Japan somehow I always have to deal with visa's or immigration applications of some sort.. This time it's applying for a visa to goto China. Japanese citizens don't need a visa to goto China however since I'm an American I have to get one. I guess the China-U.S. relationship still isn't going so hot?

Last week I specifically asked for the day off on Jan. 4th to go apply for the Chinese visa at the Chinese Embassy. The Embassy is located in Roppongi and surround by something that looks like a Great Wall. Of course as you know me I overslept and got there at 3PM. I thought they would still be open then but who would have figured their hours are only from 9 to 12PM! I don't want to say they are lazy but what kind of office work only 3 hours in a workday?

Anyway I went there again the next morning and gave them my application. On the application they asked me for my previous Nationality so I put down Taiwan. Then the lady told me in this stereotypical Chinese high-pitch voice and said "You cannot write Taiwan! Write China!" I was like what the?? I mean, we have a totally different government in Taiwan, hell we can't even get into China without applying for a visa. Apparently China does not recognize Taiwan as its own country and they desparately want to get Taiwan back so they could "unify" China. What ticked me off even more is that they charged me 6000 yen for a single entry to China when it usually cost Japanese 3000 yen only. When I asked why they said "because you're American". Urg.

Well I got my visa okay and everything's fine now. On a side note, on the way to the Embassy I saw a Natural Lawson for the first time. If you don't know Lawson it's a convenient store like Seven Eleven. Natural Lawson is like an organic version. They have a big selection of water, fruits, veggies, cheese and Earth friendly biodegradable detergents, while still carrying normal stuff also. I guess only in Tokyo would you have enough costomers who are seeking for convenience while being health concious. At least my bottle of oxygenized super mineral water helped me chill out a lot!!


日本に来てからなんかビサとすごく縁がある気がする。　今度は中国に遊びに行くためビサを申請するんだ。　日本人はビサがいらないで中国に行けるけど、あたしはアメリカ人だから必要だった。　中米関係はまだまだうまくいかないだろうか。

先週の一月４日に、ビサを申請するため、わざわざ会社から休みをお願いしてた。　中国大使館は六本木にあって、壁は微妙に万里長城っぽく見えるね。　もち ろんあたしはその日に寝坊して、午後３時に着いた。　絶対まだやってるだろうなぁっと思って、なんと朝九時から１２時しかやってない！　怠けものだと言い たくないけど、どんな事務所が一日３時間しか働かないんだよ。

とにかく次の日にもう一回行って、申請書を出した。　申請書に前の国籍を書いてくださいって、「台湾」って書いた。　そしたら、受付の子がものすごく高い声で 「台湾書いちゃいけない！中国を書いて！」　もう、わけわからなくなってきた。　台湾の政府は中国とまったく別々だ。　台湾人はビサがないと中国に入れない なのに。　確か中国は台湾が自分の国ていうことを認められないから。　さらにムカついたのは一回だけのビサは日本人が３０００円なのに、あたしには６０００円 だった。　なんでだろうと聞いたら、「あなたがアメリカ人だから」。　ムカーッ。

結局無事でビサをもらったので、大丈夫だった。　話題を変わって、大使館に着く前にNatural Lawsonを 初めて見た。健康にいい、オーガニックなLawsonみたいな感じだった。　たくさんのお水から選択できて、果物、野菜、チーズ、地球に優しい洗剤とかあ る。こういう贅沢なコンビニは東京にしか売れないと思う。　ま、酸素たっぷり入ったスーパーウォーターのおかげで落ち着いたよ！