Nicole's Tour

A compilation of the experiences that the upcoming year holds for me. Add a pinch of sarcasm and a dash of poetic spirit...and hopefully all will turn out alright.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Operation renew Visa Day 2

In all fairness, I can't think of a single country that would want a sick or unhealthy individual moving in and sucking off their health-care systems. Unfortunately, it does happen and that is why I was sent on the other-worldly quest I experienced yesterday. Ok ok, it wasn't THAT big of a deal and I was impressed with the speed in which all of the medical places (count 'em, 3) responded to my requests. In other words, I would NEVER have had such a short wait in an American hospital or lab as I did here in New Zealand's. Choice.

So the day began early with a trip to the photographers. There are very few photographers open at 8:00 am who can take a passport photo and process it in ten minutes. Hell, if this were America, I'd have no fear, for Walmart would be there. After some phonebook searching I did manage to find just such a place (minus the Wal-martesque blue vests) and in no time, I had my passport sized photographs. Only here in New Zealand, you're not allowed to smile...for anything related to official documentations. So it was more of a mug shot, though I tried to raise up my eyebrows a bit, which made me look like I really really wanted to smile.

Annnnyway-from there I was off to my doctor. Who incidentally was the doctor I acquired (can you acquire a doctor?) while I was working out in the country...cheaper, rates, better service. So I liked her so much I've officially made her my doc, completely ignoring the half hour drive to get there. Two thoughts on this one- it takes me a half hour to get to my doc at home and I don't want to get sick very often!

I arrive and they start doing all this stuff...you know, standard physical stuff, height, weight (lost 1.5kgs!) eye tests (i had a small panic attack because I thought my eyes were going because I couldn't read the bottom line as well as I used to be able to---but the nurse told me most people can't read it at all so i felt better. They also did ear, nose and throat checks and my doctor filled out all the information on the questionnaire that she needed to. And for all this, they lightened my pocket of a cool $200. Yes you are not reading that wrong. $200 bucks for what they used to do for sports physicals back in high school. Fuck me. (and yes that is secretly what i whispered under my breath as I pulled out my atm card). The best part is that I still had two thirds of the medical stuff to do!

So the nurses at my doc's helped me locate a place to get my chest X-Ray. They also helped me find a place to get the necessary bloodwork done because apparently NZ immigration has made the test so official that no regular doctors can do it anymore. I headed back into town, towards the center, to complete this lovely process. I was still pleasantly surprised to realize that I would be able to get everything done in one fell swoop.

When I arrived at the medlab for bloodwork, they took me in immediately. Charged me the $96 for sticking me with a needle, and then poked me. In a flash it was over and I was gone. And poorer. I did notice (as I always have) that the woman drawing blood are typically really really nice and good at conversation. Probably a quality they look for when hiring so if someone seems the type to freak out they can deal with it well.

From there I went down the street to the X-Ray lab at the southern cross hospital (why do hospitals always have something churchy in their name...though this is probably because of the southern cross in the night sky. Just a query). My appointment was for 3:45, but the bloodwork required no waiting and I was out of there by 2:45. So I thought, 'may as well see if they can take me earlier'. And holy crap they did. This would NEVER happen in the US. If you show up an hour early to an appointment, they don't say "oh come on in". They say, "please take a seat (and wait your turn you overenthusiastic hypochondriac.)" And bam, it was done. Five minutes, maybe ten. One small chest X-Ray and another $78. My medical day was over by 3:30. Well done New Zealand medical.

Which brings me to this conclusion. Of course this country is going to want healthy people coming in. They want to keep their medical services running efficiently.

So that was my day. I became nearly $400 poorer, and a few steps closer to gaining a longer standing visa. Everyone keeps asking why I don't apply for residency. Well, a) I haven't lived here long enough to do so and b) I will someday. Just not yet.

-NMK

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Operation Renew Visa Day 1

I don't want to call it a hassle because compared to what the US expects, the requirements for staying here in New Zealand are probably the equivalent to cutting the crust off a peanut butter sandwich and pouring a proper glass of milk. What peanut butter sandwiches and milk have to do with New Zealand immigration, I don't know...maybe I'm just hungry because it's nearly lunch.

All in all, however, there is still a lot to be done. After finally finding the correct bureau of immigration (because there is the official government one and then there are lots of little private ones that make you pay for their help) I received answers to a lot of questions I had concerning the application, what I should be applying for, etc. I'm sure there will be more to come. You see, because I have been here nearly a year (eek!) and I plan to stay on for at least another year (eek eek!) I need to have a number of special forms and things filled out in order to pass the application process. For instance, I need to have a chest x-ray and medical exam done, and I need to pass it. Ok, fair enough, they don't want sick people in their country. So I get this done by my doctor and voila, I'm in. Right? Wrong.

Next I need to get police records from my home country. And since my home country is the US, we all know who I get to deal with next. That would be the FBI. Yay. I mean, other than the fact that they probably have ten million other better things to do than get my police records, I have a feeling that they may be a bit, shall we say, swamped. So I expect this to take a while. So I call the FBI up and ask for my records to be sent half way across the world, right? Wrong.

I have to apply to have my own records sent to me. And I have to pay. You can't even get your own personal information for free anymore. Pretty soon we'll have to pay to have a birthday or something. But along with the application and processing fee, I have to provide fingerprints. So I have to go to the New Zealand police station and get prints done up, for forty bucks.

This is not a cheap affair.

And after I pay the money and attempt to get the prints done, the cop comes and tells me "we don't have time to do prints today, we had 30 prisoners come in this morning." Must have been some sort of drug bust. So i have to go back tomorrow. It's never easy, is it folks?

But I did manage to make copies of pictures and cards and sweet little things Craig and I have given to each other. We need those to prove we are in a committed and loving relationship. We also need letters of support from family and friends, so those are currently being written and on their way here.

All in all, today wasn't a complete waste of time, and I think it goes without saying (though I will say it anyway) I am SO glad I started this process now, as opposed to two weeks before my permit expires.

In reality I've dreaded this whole situation. Not because I don't want to stay, but because it is always such an amazing challenge to deal with the government. And this time I'm dealing with TWO governments, one being, in my opinion, the most difficult government in the world. So we've got twice the challenge.

I figure that if I can make it through four years of college, moving to a foreign place, and all those other wonderful things, I can take on New Zealand and the United States.

Bring it.

-NMK