you ALIEN! you must show your face here again in 90 days!

although life in thailand is relatively carefree, there are moments when things aren't so peachy. example: i was given a stack of papers by the international office at the university, and was told to go to the immigration office for my visa, and then the employment office for my work permit. OK, i can handle that, right? the workers in the international office said, "once you do this, you done! you good for the year!" great. fabulous. i can do this.

i went out to the immigration office at 10 a.m. this morning with all my documents and passport and was directed around from person to person until i was finally given a form for a "temporary extension of stay in the kingdom." OK. just fill out the forms, pay the money, and be gone. at about 11 a.m. i was given a laminated card with the number 18 on it, and told to come back at 1 p.m., no explantion. OK... (DEEP BREATH). i have class at 2:30 p.m. but i can do that.

back at 1 p.m., i waited another 30 minutes before i was finally ushered into the office, where a uniformed immigration officer (chattering noisily in thai to her friends down the line) fingered my paperwork and told me i needed to make a copy of three things. so i went out of the office, found a copy shop, and came back. ok. "now you follow me." ok... i was ushered into a little room where another lady (munching peanuts noisily with a look of boredom on her face) looked at everything and then put a star on the bottom of the copy of my work permit and said, "you sign here that you will work." what? i was trying to maintain a smile but was failing. "many foreigner come and get permit then don't work." what? "you sign that you will work." i wanted to say, what insane person would go through getting visa extensions and a work permit (6000 baht--150 american dollars) and then NOT work??? but i just nodded my head and wrote at the bottom, "i will continue to work once i have renewed my work permit." this seemed to satisfy her and she said, "now, 1,900 baht." i wanted to protest because the international office said it would only be 1000 baht. but i didn't. (BOIL BOIL BOIL...) i was again ushered outside to wait.

as i waited, i assured myself that this was the only time i would have to do this-- my visa would be done and i would never have to come back to immigration again. deep breath, liz. deep breath.

after about 15 minutes more (late for class) i was called to the window where i was given a reciept and my passport with a little piece of paper attached to one of the inside pages. i started to sigh with relief until i read the little page:

"NOTICE
TO NOTIFY OF STAYING LONGER THAN 90 DAYS
The ALIEN (yes, alien is capitalized) permitted to stay longer in the kingdom
must notify your place of residence to the imigration office every 90 days.
Any ALIEN (yes, alien is capitalized AGAIN!) who fails to comply with, will be punished
with a fine not exceeding 5,000 baht and with an additional fine not exceeding 200 baht a
day for each which passes until the law is complied with."

SO... after all that, i went to the international office in sort of a huff, showed them the paper and said, "What did i do wrong???" the head guy in the office said, "i sorry, i don't know why. sometimes, they do this for some people, and i cannot explain. but please do not forget to show your face! please! lots of money if you don't." (grumble!)

so what was it about my ALIEN face that made them harder on me??? i don't get it. (sigh.) anyway, no worries. i have a visa extension until the 26th of May, 2006-- i just have to come back to immigration to "show my face" every three months. (ALIEN!)

i'm not looking forward to the employment office... please please PLEASE let my work permit renewal go more smoothly. (ALIEN!)