So I have training that I have to attend in the US, and because I have the notorious green mamba (the Zimbabwean passport) I obviously have to get a Visa to travel there. I had to go last year and went through this process in entirety, from having to fill in complicated, convoluted forms, get a letter from my work to say that they are keeping me as an employee in Canada, paying USD100, proving that I have a valid work permit for Canada. To top it all off I have to travel to another major city for a personal interview as their is no US consulate in Winnipeg. It really feels like you are going through the 3rd degree, and all for a 3 or 4 day trip to the US for training, which although its likely to be interesting, could really be held in Canada somewhere. The crazy thing with this whole situation is that I have training again in the US in August. So I will likely have to go through this all again in a few weeks, as, because of my passport, they are unlikely to grant my request for a "multiple entry" Visa. I'm really going to try and convince them that I need this tomorrow in my interview, however the bureaucracy which these Visa agents follow could quite easily compare to most African countries (at least the waiting conditions in the consulate are better though).
I'm telling you all this because I am on a flight to Vancouver right now. My flight was delayed and I am sitting next to a rather inebriated man, so this is all adding to the whole annoyance factor.
1 comment:
Of course it's worth traveling there. This is the US you're talking about, it's the centre of the universe, just ask anyone who lives there...
Plus, of course, there's the massive contribution they have made to the world in the form of cuisine and culture, if you doubt this, just run down to McDonalds for a burger then go rent Crossroads. If that doesn't convince you, nothing will...
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