Visa extension, or 'How to Deal with Foreign Administration, Curtis-style'

So I achieved a milestone yesterday: I finally recieved my new Czech working visa for 2007. This may not seem like a big accomplishment for most; however, it involves tracking down and authorizing countless official documents, a medical examination, numerous trips to the bank and to a notary public, staring down assorted officials (or, as I've nicknamed them, people-who-sit-on-sticks) in two cities, two trips to the Czech Embassy in Dresden, a total of 100 Euros, several hours of train travel and, finally, one God-awfully-long morning standing (yes, STANDING) in a four-and-a-half hour line at the foreign police station here in Prague, just to "register."

So given the red tape and bureaucratic tap-dancing that's involved, you can see why it's such a big deal. And mind you, you're dealing with antiquated computer and paper-filing systems about 70% of the time, too. Certainly it's very easy to get discouraged. I honestly don't think I felt this content about a personal situation since getting my SATs out of the way. OK, maybe that's a stretch...but still, it's a good feeling.

Certainly there's no necessity in obtaining a visa. There are many people here working under-the-table. Of course the government here seems to turn a blind eye for the TOEFL industry; most people are able to avoid this godforsaken process by claiming just to be a tourist, not a resident, and leaving the country every 3 months. Of course that's a good excuse for travel. For me, however, it became more of a self-fulfillment; I wanted to be legal to feel better about the situation. So now I'm OFFICIAL and LEGAL in work and residency for the coming year!

So, the question remains: how does one cope with this process? As has often been the case with me, I rely on a set of unorthodox methods which involves relating my current situation to something slightly more entertaining. As I mentioned earlier, in order to 'register' and hence validate your visa, one must make a trip to the foreign police no later than 3 days after your return from receiving your visa in Germany. So, I equate it with something more amusing. As per her deal with Ursula, Ariel had a time limit of 3 days on land before she had to return to the ocean. Certainly she was dealing with a much more crooked bureaucrat and worse conditions if she failed in her mission, right? If a cartoon mermaid can cope with a deadline, hell, so can Curtis Wong. This became a source of encouragement as I dragged my behind out of bed at 5:45 a.m. to begin my venture to the foreign police.

What lies ahead, however, is the problem of the four and half hour line in a cramped, damp corridor with groups of foreigners that can best be compared to Ellis Island (or, rather, the Ellis Island as depicted in documentary films and movies). My solution? I remind myself that I waited 3 hours in a cramped, damp corridor filled with groups of foreigners (namely, Japanese tourists) to experience Splash Mountain when it first opened in 1990. While my four hour wait at the police station doesn't climax with a 90-foot, 52 m.p.h., gleeful plunge down a waterfall, it will result in access to European health care, a pay increase and the personal gratification of being a legal employee and resident.

By comparison, a thrill ride seems anti-climactic, doesn't it? Certainly this is just as good, right?

Oh, yeah, and Beth thinks I'm crazy...