06.03.14

Immigration is death. I feel like I just underwent some sort of initiation into Seoul.

I arrived at 8:45, 15 minutes before it even opened and already there was a queue of 85 people! I took my ticket and settled down in a chair with my book to wait my turn. I glanced at an official and had the scary thought that perhaps I needed a new photo to renew my card so I asked him.

He didn't answer my question, but instead he pointed out the door and told me I had to go upstairs.

Well. Upstairs was complete mayhem. There were about three times as many people in a smaller space. There were queues winding around the room and it took a while to work out what they were for. I started with the photo line and when I got to the front the guy told me he speaks no English so couldn't answer my question. I elbowed through people to find someone who could and he told me I didn't need a photo. Phew!

Then I had the scary thought that I needed photocopies of my passport like everyone else so I waited in that line for half an hour (unnecessarily), fretting the whole time about whether I was doing it right.

Then I thought I didn't have enough cash so I went into the giant line for the ATM. Seriously, this was massive. I was in it for an hour and only made it half way before my number came up at a teller. Reluctantly I stepped out of line and my butt hardly even touched the seat before she told me I was in the wrong place and had to go back downstairs.

WELL! I was pretty frustrated by that point. But I went back downstairs with my original number which had already been called and managed to push my way into a seat. The woman took pity on me and helped me.

Then she told me I was missing a document that nobody anywhere told me I needed and I almost cried. Desperation was written all over my face so she pulled some strings and cleared me without it.

Phew! I am now a legal resident of Seoul and I am pleased about it! Stepping into the air and sun after the immigration ordeal was the most liberating feeling ever. I could finally breathe and stretch out my arms and massage my tender ribs from all the elbowing and shoving.

I felt better because I got this awesome rose scepter thing at staff dinner. They made the vice principal say something in English when he gave it to me. Poor man just sheepishly said, "Congratulations" before running and hiding.