Finally, some frustrations in this (until now) easy process!!! LOL

​Sunday night.
This is the first day I’ve been stressed since this whole damn visa process started.  It is difficult because the time zone in China is 14 hours ahead, so I have to communicate with them late at night.  Certain requirements have not been clear, which I’m just now learning about!  I have to rent a car and drive to Houston--possibly-- on Tuesday, to get two documents authenticated by the Chinese Consulate before the school can even apply for my work permit in China.  With relief, I learned that because I have Letters of Employment with the minimum 2 years teaching experience, all the hell I’ve been going through with Florida Idiocracy is not even necessary!  Turns out--which I just frickin' found out today--that those letters can substitute for my teaching license!  AAARGH!  Over $100 wasted on that project!  And I still have to pay my sister for the notary services she obtained for me, as well as getting the license apostilled by FL.   

​First, my school liaison tells me my letters don’t show enough experience.  But I sent her 3 with cumulative 30 months... turns out she couldn’t open 2 of them because they were google.docs format, but she did not tell me until 2 week after I sent them... AARGH!   Then, one is "not acceptable":   although it states my start date and the fact I was still working there when the frickin' letter was written, it does not EXPLICITLY state my end date (which was last frickin' month!).  Sooooooo I have to get my reference to change the wording, sign again, re-print, then scan and re-send to China.  AAARGH (again!).  It's not the liaison's fault really, but the document presented by the school is not clear nor does it provide enough detail in instructions.

I really need to go to the consulate tomorrow to get this done but want to call them first to verify that I can get it done in one day, so that renting a damn car and driving 8 hours in one day is worthwhile! Ok, done venting!  And yes, I know this will be the first of many, many misunderstandings due to language.  It’s just that this damn visa process has taken every free minute the last 3 weeks (really, not hyperbole!) and I can’t get anything else done.  It’s almost 11pm and I’m wired wide awake and my shoulders are tight!!   

The upside of this part of the process is that now I KNOW what needs to be done; therefore, I can get it done!  Tomorrow I’ll get the reference letter corrected. If the Consulate gives the go-ahead, I’ll drive there first thing Tuesday...   I do plan to help the school re-write their Visa Procedure document so that this process is clear and each step written in excruciating detail.  I could have saved time and money if I had precise steps and more info.   Oh well.  Eeerrrk!
Rant over! :-)