Today was an interesting day. I woke up an hour earlier that usual at (6:45) to prepare for breakfast at 7:00 and then bus down to Colombo to renew my visa that expires today. I got up and got ready, took my pills, packed my bag and walked down the hall to the canteen. The meal wasn't out on the table as it usually is so I read through my Sri Lanka handbook. Soon after, my stomach began to feel pretty nasty. I was wearing a skirt with a ridiculously tight waistband so I went to my room to change into my favourite brown skirt (you're welcome, Aunty Nean!). I went to the washroom and soon knew I was going to be sick. I heaved twice and threw up a bit of water once. It was all I had this morning; water and serious pills (anti-malarials plus my prescription pills). I was dripping sweat and cursing a bit because the bathroom is very small with no ventilation and it was hot. Plus I was out of commission.
I was feeling much better after actually bringing up, but not hungry enough to eat. I had half of a piece of pineapple and one piece of bread. I talked to my adviser, Bandula because I really needed to renew my visa but I felt so poopy still... and wasn't sure if I'd be sick again. He told me to go back to bed until 9:30 and he will arrange a car to take me to Colombo since he had to go anyways. Then it would be easier on my stomach, rather than a tuk tuk or a bus. I thanked him and (gladly) went back to bed. When I woke up I felt like a new woman!
We left a little late and they ended up dropping me off at the immigration office around 11:25. I had wanted to be there for 8am. This was a little discouraging. Once I got to the 3rd floor I got even more discouraged. The waiting room was packed. First I had to get passport pictures done (150Rs/$1.20) then go into the waiting room and get an application. You fill it out and glue your picture on the form. Luckily I brought my own pen, because they didn't have any there. I encountered this in Nepal, so I used that as a reference point. Then I went back to the reception and got a number. I was lucky 114, and they were currently on 83. I found a seat in a plastic lawn chair (ghetto) and plugged in my iPod and played some spider solitaire.
Numbers began to move quickly about an hour in. There were two rooms with 'controllers' in them. Those are the guys that sign your form. They were getting people into the rooms one by one then in some groups and random numbers. The numbers on the screen said #106 was next, but the man in the waiting area was calling out other numbers to line up to go into the room. I said I was 114, and he got me to a room where I went in after about 10 minutes. The man asked when I was leaving and explained to me that I will have exceeded 3 months by August 27, due to the fact that my first day of entry to Sri Lanka was May 21 (in transit on the way to Nepal). He said I can change my air ticket or pay the fine, which is 10,000Rs. Since my visa expires today I said I should just go for it and pay the fine for being over the 3 month limit by 7 days. Then they took my application and passport and told me to go back to the waiting room.
I found out they only accept cash so I had to go through the maze of a building to the outdoor ATM to withdraw my maximum, 40,000Rs. I went back inside.
The passport and application pass through many hands behind glass with people on computers and stamping things. At the next counter I wait for my number to come up on the screen. About 20 minutes later my number came up and I was sent to the payment counter with my passport and application, which was marked up and signed by various people. In line to pay I noticed that my new visa would only be valid until August 26... I was sent back to the previous window, who sent me to the controller again. He changed the day to August 29 'just in case' and then gave me a new total and sent me back to the payment counter.
The payment lady typed up my bill and when she told me the total I gave her my unimpressed look and slowly handed over my money... 22,800.00Rs ($182). The original amount was 6,400.00Rs, but since I asked about that one day... dang it! I'm not sure how it increases that much or maybe they forgot to charge me the fine. Or maybe they were disgruntled with me and just over-charged me. It was a sad moment to hand over the money. It was about 2:15, the payment counter closed at 2:30. Close call! The whole thing took about 3 hours... Not bad considering my hostel-mates were there for 6.
Bandula had left Colombo so unfortunately I had to bus back to Moratuwa. I took a tuk tuk the 6km to the bus stop at Kollupitiya for 300Rs and then the bus back to the stop at my street for 30Rs. I also bought a snack of two vegetable curry rolls. It's kind of like a breaded and fried egg roll but spicy. That was 70Rs. Things are quite cheap here, which is nice especially after giving away my life savings at the immigration office.
I got home around 4:00 and went straight to the orphanage to work until my usual 6:30. I folded cloth diapers (a lot of them!) and spoon fed some babies who are beginning the transition to mush from milk. It wasn't entirely successful as the baby didn't want to eat but I forced the food in and when she began crying a lot I determined that she was finished. She had eaten a decent amount anyways. And she is like, 6 months old... How much food could she really need to fill her stomach?
I got back to the hostel shortly after 6:35 and showered and went online. I talked to Karen very briefly about the possibility of her coming for a visit in July. Things look good, but nothing is set in stone yet...
Now I am just waiting for my mom to come on Skype (Come on, momma! I'm exhausted!) and then I will go to bed. Tomorrow I am at Suwasetha all day and then the weekend comes! Crazy talk!
I was feeling much better after actually bringing up, but not hungry enough to eat. I had half of a piece of pineapple and one piece of bread. I talked to my adviser, Bandula because I really needed to renew my visa but I felt so poopy still... and wasn't sure if I'd be sick again. He told me to go back to bed until 9:30 and he will arrange a car to take me to Colombo since he had to go anyways. Then it would be easier on my stomach, rather than a tuk tuk or a bus. I thanked him and (gladly) went back to bed. When I woke up I felt like a new woman!
We left a little late and they ended up dropping me off at the immigration office around 11:25. I had wanted to be there for 8am. This was a little discouraging. Once I got to the 3rd floor I got even more discouraged. The waiting room was packed. First I had to get passport pictures done (150Rs/$1.20) then go into the waiting room and get an application. You fill it out and glue your picture on the form. Luckily I brought my own pen, because they didn't have any there. I encountered this in Nepal, so I used that as a reference point. Then I went back to the reception and got a number. I was lucky 114, and they were currently on 83. I found a seat in a plastic lawn chair (ghetto) and plugged in my iPod and played some spider solitaire.
Numbers began to move quickly about an hour in. There were two rooms with 'controllers' in them. Those are the guys that sign your form. They were getting people into the rooms one by one then in some groups and random numbers. The numbers on the screen said #106 was next, but the man in the waiting area was calling out other numbers to line up to go into the room. I said I was 114, and he got me to a room where I went in after about 10 minutes. The man asked when I was leaving and explained to me that I will have exceeded 3 months by August 27, due to the fact that my first day of entry to Sri Lanka was May 21 (in transit on the way to Nepal). He said I can change my air ticket or pay the fine, which is 10,000Rs. Since my visa expires today I said I should just go for it and pay the fine for being over the 3 month limit by 7 days. Then they took my application and passport and told me to go back to the waiting room.
I found out they only accept cash so I had to go through the maze of a building to the outdoor ATM to withdraw my maximum, 40,000Rs. I went back inside.
The passport and application pass through many hands behind glass with people on computers and stamping things. At the next counter I wait for my number to come up on the screen. About 20 minutes later my number came up and I was sent to the payment counter with my passport and application, which was marked up and signed by various people. In line to pay I noticed that my new visa would only be valid until August 26... I was sent back to the previous window, who sent me to the controller again. He changed the day to August 29 'just in case' and then gave me a new total and sent me back to the payment counter.
The payment lady typed up my bill and when she told me the total I gave her my unimpressed look and slowly handed over my money... 22,800.00Rs ($182). The original amount was 6,400.00Rs, but since I asked about that one day... dang it! I'm not sure how it increases that much or maybe they forgot to charge me the fine. Or maybe they were disgruntled with me and just over-charged me. It was a sad moment to hand over the money. It was about 2:15, the payment counter closed at 2:30. Close call! The whole thing took about 3 hours... Not bad considering my hostel-mates were there for 6.
Bandula had left Colombo so unfortunately I had to bus back to Moratuwa. I took a tuk tuk the 6km to the bus stop at Kollupitiya for 300Rs and then the bus back to the stop at my street for 30Rs. I also bought a snack of two vegetable curry rolls. It's kind of like a breaded and fried egg roll but spicy. That was 70Rs. Things are quite cheap here, which is nice especially after giving away my life savings at the immigration office.
I got home around 4:00 and went straight to the orphanage to work until my usual 6:30. I folded cloth diapers (a lot of them!) and spoon fed some babies who are beginning the transition to mush from milk. It wasn't entirely successful as the baby didn't want to eat but I forced the food in and when she began crying a lot I determined that she was finished. She had eaten a decent amount anyways. And she is like, 6 months old... How much food could she really need to fill her stomach?
I got back to the hostel shortly after 6:35 and showered and went online. I talked to Karen very briefly about the possibility of her coming for a visit in July. Things look good, but nothing is set in stone yet...
Now I am just waiting for my mom to come on Skype (Come on, momma! I'm exhausted!) and then I will go to bed. Tomorrow I am at Suwasetha all day and then the weekend comes! Crazy talk!
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