Step 6 - Don't tempt Fate/Wrath of the PSB Building.

So the weekend has been massively uneventful. That's partially because I wasn't feeling very well, partially because it was pretty warm weather, partially because I'm happy having a few lazy days. On one hand, I should make the most of every moment, always. On the other hand, I expect to be here for 2 years. I think I have some time...

I'll let you guys in a little adventure of mine from last week. Remember how I said I had to go back to the Public Security Bureau? And how I might have been somewhat worried about it being an epic pain in the ass? Something about the building falling on me? Yeah, well it didn't fall on me, but my trials were arduous and frustrating none the less.

So to recap why I've been going to this place, it's to get my Alien's Residence permit. My understanding is that this is like an extended Visa, which lets me live in the country while I study. As you may grasp, it's sort of important. So there I am, with all the correct forms this time, ready to get my application in. I line up in a short queue, and show the woman my wares. She tells me I need another photocopy of part of my passport, then take a number from the machine. No problem, just downstairs and to the left I get the photocopy done. I go back up, take my number (82), and am seated. I'm slightly concerned already, because the entire time I've been there, the number on the wall indicating the person to be served is 76. Surely that's just my imagination though...

Nope, it wasn't. Soon the lady at the desk stood up and said something in Chinese. I caught the words 'pai dui' (line up/queue). Suddenly everyone is scrambling to line up in front of the counter. I get up with the pack and am fairly forward in the queue. I still have my number though... and there's one girl that didn't worry about getting up. I give her a quizzical look, and she smiles and tells me that although the machine is broken, people are still going to be served in the order of their number. Foolishly, holding my number ticket dearly, I think I'm okay to sit down and have a chat with her (Medical student at the other Chuanda campus, Huaxi). The line hungrily consumes the space where I once stood. After awhile, I ask a guy at the front of the line what number he is. Since he was 80, I figured I'd jump back in the line now. The people standing there give me suspicious looks. I'm pointing towards my ticket. They're not showing any signs of recognition. I ask number 80, 'Hey, we're still going by the tickets, right?'. He gives me a bit of a shy smile and tells me he doesn't think so.

Great... just great. So I join the end of the queue, behind all these people who arrived after me. I'm behind two Korean guys, who are filling out their forms while standing in the line. So we're waiting, and waiting, and waiting. People without the correct forms argue with the service lady (of whom there is only 1), holding up the queue. One person in the queue suddenly becomes four as their family members get up from the seating and they're put through together. There's some backpacker-type guy arguing with the manager, as apparently his Visa expires on the weekend, and he can either pay to have to extended now, or pay a fine next week. Seemed kinda obvious to pay now, but somehow they managed to draw it out into a 20 minute argument.

Did I mention I had eaten yet? It was now something like 3pm in the afternoon, and I had assumed getting the forms handed in would take 30 minutes, tops. Only a quick drop off and then I'd get some lunch, I'd thought. It was now something like an hour after I had arrived and started this quest. But I was finally getting close to the front of the line. Suddenly the machine is apparently working again, and they're coming around handing out numbers. I wave my 'lucky' number 82 around, hoping for advancement in front of the Koreans who were late arriving and without any number at all. Alas, not to be. Now that everyone has numbers, they're telling everyone to sit down. Now, I was pretty concerned - I'd already sat down once before and that had cost me dearly. They were quite insistent though, 'Rest your legs, sit down please, we will call the numbers'. So everyone is sitting down, and she calls a number. It's someone who was behind even me.

What? How's that possible? I see them pass a hand-written number to the attendant. It turns out, while the machine was broken, some staff members had made some hand written notes, starting from 1. So this person, number 1, was getting served ahead of  me, 82. Makes sense... right? *sigh*. So I go up and try to present my case. Probably used to frustrated white foreigners hassling her, she waves me away with a 'Yes, yes, we will call your number soon'. I sit down, and wait. It's now past 4, and the office closes at 5. I'm getting pretty worried I wont get served at all, and pretty pissed off it's taken this long. I don't see anyone around from when I first arrived. She calls up another number, it's 5 or 6. I get up, tell her I've been waiting 2 hours and glower as best I can from the other side of the desk. She tells me she will serve me next. I don't leave the desk, hovering like a hawk over the 'being served' chair. I'd had enough with politely doing what I was told. So she serves me, which takes about 5 minutes, and I get out of there about 4.30. I'm tired, hungry, slightly dehydrated perhaps, and just plain pissed off. Luckily (...hah...) I managed to catch a cab easily and quickly. I went home, and went out to get some dinner. I had a big dinner, bought a beer (Have I mentioned Yay for 2.5/3 kuai 500ml bottles of beer?) and felt much, much better.

Thus ends this rant. I have to go back to the PSB on Thursday to collect my passport, my Alien's Residence card and pay the fee. Please, please nothing else go wrong on this matter. I'll have paid nearly 100 kuai on taxi trips to this place, assuming the next trip is my last.

In other news, my room mate dropped by this afternoon. Apparently he'll be around a lot more as of tomorrow, as his sister will be back and he won't be able to live/sponge in her apartment anymore. He told me he's watched a huge number of films over the past few days. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I get the feeling it's actually physically not possible, unless he was watching more than one film at the same time.

No pictures today, it would seem. Sorry folks. Oh, I've started doing clothes washing. Parents/Mother will be especially pleased. I'm not exactly sure what the settings on the machine are, but the clothes get wet, get thrown around for a bit and then come out mostly clean. That's good enough for me.