You Caught Visa!

VISA GET

Ok gang. I got my visa. Today. This morning. In the mail.

On the previous episode of Natalie Still Doesn't Have Her Visa: What the Heck, her COE had been issued in Japan and was on its way to America. Upon it's arrival last Friday, she and her mother scrambled to get it mailed up to the Chicago Consulate of Japan, Express next-day mail.

The consulate was closed on Saturday, but Monday was full of potential. Fate, however, was against the postal system that day, and for reasons unknown the application was not delivered on Monday. A notice was supposedly left, but as Tuesday dawned, a phonecall to the kind Mr. Kusumoto-san who had no knowledge of any notices or attempted deliveries proved that something must be awry. Full of distress, Natalie called every number she could think of and finally found herself in contact with the Dearborn Post Office in Chicago. They informed her that her express mail was out on the street and should be delivered (despite the tracking information's claim that after two attempted and failed deliveries, the parcel would be held at the post office). She was never to learn the reason for the failed deliveries and missing notices, but the documents were indeed delivered on that day.

The next day, Kusumoto-san assured Natalie that her completed visa had been shipped out on Wednesday in her pre-paid Express mail envelope, and expected it might arrive on Thursday. Natalie knew better, having lived in Southern Illinois long enough to understand the delicate complexity of backwater postal systems, and decided to hope for Friday instead. Friday passed, however, with neither sight nor sound of the anticipated envelope.

*Cut to Saturday morning, a groggy Natalie sits on her couch, weary from a night of funny YouTube videos and laughter with her best friend*

Natalie: Where the heck is my visa? The post office closes at 11.. I will call them and make sure it's on it's way.

Post office man: I have no idea, it's not here, maybe it's being delivered, I don't really know.

Natalie: ... I'll call Carbondale (the central mail distribution center of her area, about an hour away, where tracking said the envelope had arrived and departed at 1:46 am).

Nice post office lady: We haven't got it.. it left here this morning, so it should be in Harrisburg. By the way, did you know it says it's supposed to be delivered on Monday, and explicitly says not to be delivered on the weekend?

Natalie: .... oh my gosh... T___T I will call the local post office again...

Different post office lady: Let me check.. I think your mailman has it right now, he's probably going to deliver it soon.


In a bout of confusion, Natalie's father proceeded to futilely visit the post office to try and obtain the visa, but then successfully hailed the visa-bearing mailman and retrieved that precious book upon which the hopes and dreams of so many rested. After an ill-received farce of having lost the visa in transit was enacted, the visa and inside its surrounding passport was returned to its rightful owner.

And so the story went, that for every delay and problem that could have come along in the young girl's attempts to study in this foreign land, a problem came along, and for every last minute for a situation to be pushed until, the situation at hand was pushed. But lo, dear readers, what turmoils and foul-ups could await her in this new and mysterious land? Let us all wait with bated breath as she continues her quest to exercise every law of Murphy, to find the exception to every rule, and to slip through any and every crack that comes her way! Stay tuned!