In the past few months I've read three different novels set in, about or regarding India. I've read countless articles about gender roles, domestic violence, women's rights, the caste system, ect. on India. I've brushed up on my history and looked into native languages and religions and origins. I've read travel tips and guide books and even done some snooping of Bangalore on google earth. I've emailed and skyped and called with my supervisor and connections in India. I packed carefully and did a typhoid treatment and weighed my options with malaria. I've done all of that. And yesterday I got my backpack and my carry on and my courage and went to airport...and then never got on the flight.
Here's the thing, I prepared myself for where I was going and got really excited about this amazing program that I miraculously became a part of, but I didn't actually secure the one thing I needed to get to the country where all that was happening. I have two passports, have traveled to a total of 11 countries, and I'm also an idiot some times because every single person in the world except for Indian nationals needs a Visa to even set foot on Indian soil. And guess which hyper prepared, overtly enthusiastic traveler didn't have one. Cha girl Pia Mingkwan.
So, where does this leave me? Currently I'm sitting in the sofa bed that has been so graciously provided for me by my amazing aunt and uncle, Lynn and Ant, for my extended stay at their house in Hampton. Also, shout out to Ant for driving me to airport, coming within a block of home, and then turning around to get me. So yeah, this is me sitting in pyjamas a day after I was supposed to fly saying yes, I'm incredibly embarrassed. Yes, I did consider pretending that I'm in India for the week it will take me to get my Visa and actually get there. Yes, this is mainly my fault. Yes, it has and continues to cost me to fix this mistake. Yes, I did post a sentimental 'farewell to England' facebook status that is now inaccurate and embarrassing. Yes, I am laughing at myself thoroughly and ok with doing so. No, I will never, ever do this again.
As ridiculous as this situation is, the most amazing part of it is that I actually got as far as check in without figuring out that I was missing a rather vital piece of equipment. Naturally, when you're in the airport with a flight in 90 minutes that you can't get on the first thing you do is call your mommy. Called my mommy and it made me feel a bit better that this had gone over her head too. Also, reaffirmed that I wasn't crazy because we have the same memory of skyping my contact in India and hearing that I wouldn't need any sort of visa type item. However, I'm not trying to avoid taking the blame. Oh no, this is on me, my show, my rotten tomato, my hilariously bad mistake. Regardless of what my contact said or what my parental unit didn't notice, I should have, maybe, perhaps, googled the damn thing. It only takes three working days to get an Indian visa once you do your paper work and go to the embassy. I've been in England for five weeks. That means I could have applied roughly 11 times. And I didn't. Because I was reading everything else ever about India and the work I would doing and not even double checking what I might need to simply get there.
If all goes well I should have said elusive visa by Wednesday, March 6th no later than 4pm and then fly out that evening, which will put me arriving in Bangalore roughly a week after when I had intended to arrive. Fingers crossed they don't reject my application, or that my plane gets hijacked, or my luggage lost or my passport stolen or that I come down with a deadly and incapacitating disease between now and Wednesday.
I started on a train of thought along the lines of "oh this is a bad omen for this trip" but then I just banished that thought and replaced it with "Pia, you was hella dumb, fix it and get your shit together" so that's that. Lastly, many thanks to the check in official who was sitting idol at the counter next to mine, who, when the lady helping me said "someone should have told you! From your program or family or something" just turned to her and said flatly "no, she should have checked. This is totally her fault". As much as I felt like he was kicking me when I was down, the dude had a valid point. Moral of the story: before you google 'detailed Indian dining etiquette' google 'do I need a f*cking visa to get into the country'. Anyone reading, you have my utmost permission, anytime I brag or say something full of biggotry, to say "hey smartass, remember that time you tried to board a plane to India but you couldn't because you didn't even know you needed a Visa? Because I do".
No comments:
Post a Comment