Monday, December 18, 2006
Sorry for leaving you hanging...
I've been back in Sakhalin since Wednesday 13th December, which would make it a week now since I last used the internet... sorry bout that!
I got my tourist visa ok, took the train to Hakodate on Tuesday and flew from there on Wednesday.
Thank you so much Cynthia, Ho and Laura-Jane for having me that week!!
It's good to be home. I really missed everyone here- a good thing! And since then the boys and I have all been getting closer. For the first week Anton and Jenya ignored me! But now we hit each other every time we walk past, so that's really encouraging ;-)
Although it's good to be back, I do have to go to Japan again, in January. My visa runs out Jan 9th, and in Sakhalin the New Year holiday is from 1st- 10th Jan, so there's not much chance of getting anything out of the visa office before I go :-(
What that means is this:
In Jan I'll probably go to Japan about 8th or 9th, get another tourist visa, come back to Sakhalin, go back to Japan in March (about 6th or 7th), and HOPEFULLY then get a 3 month visa, which we can apparently turn into a 1 year visa once I'm here.
I really can't be going back and forth from Japan every month!!
So- there are the bare facts.
It's a week to Christmas and a lot is going on here-
there are two winter teams from NSW coming to 2 different orphanages here (on a 2 week program). They'll arrive Dec 27th and leave about Jan 11th. There may be a couple of people staying in our house with us over that time. And Anton's twin brother Maxim, who studies in Khabarovsk, will come stay with us over the New Year holiday too. I've never met Maxim but everyone here says he's a lot of fun ;-)
Jasmine (from Sydney, who has been staying here for the last couple of months) flew home yesterday. She should have just arrived.
Now that she's gone it's me, Trac and Becky against 6 boys- the ratio's plummeted!!
I guess I'd rather live in a house full of boys than a house full of girls, though.
Maybe you can tell that I just woke up by my writing... I'll get back to you in a more alert way sometime in the very near future!!
And for those of you supporting me- THANK YOU. Please know that your love has been such a blessing!!!
xx Felicity
I got my tourist visa ok, took the train to Hakodate on Tuesday and flew from there on Wednesday.
Thank you so much Cynthia, Ho and Laura-Jane for having me that week!!
It's good to be home. I really missed everyone here- a good thing! And since then the boys and I have all been getting closer. For the first week Anton and Jenya ignored me! But now we hit each other every time we walk past, so that's really encouraging ;-)
Although it's good to be back, I do have to go to Japan again, in January. My visa runs out Jan 9th, and in Sakhalin the New Year holiday is from 1st- 10th Jan, so there's not much chance of getting anything out of the visa office before I go :-(
What that means is this:
In Jan I'll probably go to Japan about 8th or 9th, get another tourist visa, come back to Sakhalin, go back to Japan in March (about 6th or 7th), and HOPEFULLY then get a 3 month visa, which we can apparently turn into a 1 year visa once I'm here.
I really can't be going back and forth from Japan every month!!
So- there are the bare facts.
It's a week to Christmas and a lot is going on here-
there are two winter teams from NSW coming to 2 different orphanages here (on a 2 week program). They'll arrive Dec 27th and leave about Jan 11th. There may be a couple of people staying in our house with us over that time. And Anton's twin brother Maxim, who studies in Khabarovsk, will come stay with us over the New Year holiday too. I've never met Maxim but everyone here says he's a lot of fun ;-)
Jasmine (from Sydney, who has been staying here for the last couple of months) flew home yesterday. She should have just arrived.
Now that she's gone it's me, Trac and Becky against 6 boys- the ratio's plummeted!!
I guess I'd rather live in a house full of boys than a house full of girls, though.
Maybe you can tell that I just woke up by my writing... I'll get back to you in a more alert way sometime in the very near future!!
And for those of you supporting me- THANK YOU. Please know that your love has been such a blessing!!!
xx Felicity
Thursday, December 07, 2006
The Latest News
I called Trac this afternoon. It was just 5 minutes after she'd heard the news herself, and was just wondering how to contact me.
The news was all fairly bad.
1. Trac's bad news: she's not coming to Japan. In fact, she cashed in her ticket today. The re-entry permit will, they told her, take from 1-6 months to issue! Until she has one of these permits, she can't leave Russia. SO... no emergencies in Australia Please!!
The positive side: now we know that we need to apply for multiple re-entry permits as soon as we get a long term visa. They put the paperwork for Pete, Trac and the kids in today.
2. My bad news: the passport office told Bishop Peter (who has been applying for my letter of invitation since the beginning of September!!) that it won't be ready for another month.
I had a little tear when Trac told me that. Ok, there were several.
I don't want to be in Japan for Christmas!
But the conversation ended on a positive note. We agreed to get Kate (our interpreter) to ask Pastor Peter (our Pastor) to ask if there are any more fees we need to pay for a faster issue. If there are, we'll pay them, and hopefully get the letter by tomorrow.
If that doesn't work, Trac will apply for another tourist invitation for me- that shouldn't be too hard to get. And that visa shouldn't be too hard to obtain. It does mean that I'll have to leave Sakhalin, come to Japan and do all this again in 4 weeks time...
at least I have friends in Sapporo now.
So I'll call Trac tomorrow at midday and ask for the news. If she has the letter, it'll be all go- I'll hop over to the consulate as quick as my little legs will carry me and start filling out forms. If she doesn't have the letter, I'll have to change my return flight. Please God...
The news was all fairly bad.
1. Trac's bad news: she's not coming to Japan. In fact, she cashed in her ticket today. The re-entry permit will, they told her, take from 1-6 months to issue! Until she has one of these permits, she can't leave Russia. SO... no emergencies in Australia Please!!
The positive side: now we know that we need to apply for multiple re-entry permits as soon as we get a long term visa. They put the paperwork for Pete, Trac and the kids in today.
2. My bad news: the passport office told Bishop Peter (who has been applying for my letter of invitation since the beginning of September!!) that it won't be ready for another month.
I had a little tear when Trac told me that. Ok, there were several.
I don't want to be in Japan for Christmas!
But the conversation ended on a positive note. We agreed to get Kate (our interpreter) to ask Pastor Peter (our Pastor) to ask if there are any more fees we need to pay for a faster issue. If there are, we'll pay them, and hopefully get the letter by tomorrow.
If that doesn't work, Trac will apply for another tourist invitation for me- that shouldn't be too hard to get. And that visa shouldn't be too hard to obtain. It does mean that I'll have to leave Sakhalin, come to Japan and do all this again in 4 weeks time...
at least I have friends in Sapporo now.
So I'll call Trac tomorrow at midday and ask for the news. If she has the letter, it'll be all go- I'll hop over to the consulate as quick as my little legs will carry me and start filling out forms. If she doesn't have the letter, I'll have to change my return flight. Please God...
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
How it feels to be Russian
I don't know.
But I know you sure get different reactions in japan when you LOOK Russian.
Here's me, used to living in Kansai and everyone assuming I'm American. I felt like a movie star. A supermodel, at least.
Then I'm in Sapporo, and people are avoiding making eye contact, walking a bit further away from me on the path, heads down...
Maybe people in Sapporo are shy...?
It took me a while to realise what it was.
My coat!
I'm wearing a short, fake, horizontally- striped fur coat that only a Russian would wear.
And I've got the blank expression thing happening too- after only 3 weeks in Sakhalin!
Life is very easy for Australian people.
But I know you sure get different reactions in japan when you LOOK Russian.
Here's me, used to living in Kansai and everyone assuming I'm American. I felt like a movie star. A supermodel, at least.
Then I'm in Sapporo, and people are avoiding making eye contact, walking a bit further away from me on the path, heads down...
Maybe people in Sapporo are shy...?
It took me a while to realise what it was.
My coat!
I'm wearing a short, fake, horizontally- striped fur coat that only a Russian would wear.
And I've got the blank expression thing happening too- after only 3 weeks in Sakhalin!
Life is very easy for Australian people.
I'm still all alone
And I don't know what's going on!
I'm here in Sapporo, having a reasonably good time, I must say- meeting new people and staying with new friends.
But I want to share my frustration with you!!
I haven't heard from Pete and Trac- I don't know if Trac could get a re-entry permit or if she can come to Japan at all. Or when. I don't know if they've received my letter of invitation yet. So I can't even begin to apply for my new visa.
And I haven't heard from Dell Japan, who should be contacting me regarding Pete's laptop service...
It's so annoying!! I enjoy my own company but 5 days is, hello- enough!
:-( *sniff sniff
Ok, that's my pity party for the day.
Hope you're having a good one!
I'm here in Sapporo, having a reasonably good time, I must say- meeting new people and staying with new friends.
But I want to share my frustration with you!!
I haven't heard from Pete and Trac- I don't know if Trac could get a re-entry permit or if she can come to Japan at all. Or when. I don't know if they've received my letter of invitation yet. So I can't even begin to apply for my new visa.
And I haven't heard from Dell Japan, who should be contacting me regarding Pete's laptop service...
It's so annoying!! I enjoy my own company but 5 days is, hello- enough!
:-( *sniff sniff
Ok, that's my pity party for the day.
Hope you're having a good one!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
It couldn't have been easy- that's not Russia!
:-(
I arrived in Sapporo yesterday morning- alone.
Trac wasn't allowed to leave Russia, as she didn't have a re-entry visa. Kate had called the passport and visa office, as well as the airport the week before, to ask if Trac needed any paper work to come to Japan- no, no they said.
Well that was last week.
Folks, welcome to Russia
So I don't know if Trac got a re-entry permit today or not- I haven't been able to call her yet. I hope she will arrive in Sapporo tomorrow or the next day. Then we can get on with the fun!!
Aside from the fact that I'm alone when I wasn't supposed to be, I'm having a great time!
A week or two ago I emailed my friends in Japan, asking if they knew anyone in Sapporo I could stay with. My friend Dawn has some friends here, and two of them offered to host Trac and myself- which is fantastic! It's always more fun to stay with someone than in a hotel I think, even without the expense factor.
Well, I followed the directions Laura-Jane gave me, and took the train from the airport, and a taxi from the station, and I arrived at the Sapporo International church just in time for the message!! haha ;-)
It was SO GOOD to be in a church in Japan again- it's 4 months since I left Japan and I hadn't really missed it until NOW.
Cynthia was there- I'm staying with her for now. Maybe I'll meet Laura Jane later this week ;-)
We had lunch at the church, then attended the first part of an English cell group upstairs, then went to a different church to join an English monthly Bible study group- and being December it was a Christmas service! I have met so many people already!
I feel a bit overdressed here in Sapporo- it's only -3 degrees C today, but I'm wearing what I wore when it was -12 degrees in Sakhalin a couple of days ago. My coat is big and furry. I think that people here think I'm Russian ;-)
The purpose of my visit is, obviously, to get a Russian visa. But I can't do that yet- I don't have the letter of invitation from Russia that I need to apply. You know, the document we applied for in SEPTEMBER... If I had waited back in Australia to get it instead of going to the hastle of getting a last-minute tourist visa, I'd still be in Australia.
I wonder if it will be ready, so Trac can bring it over to Japan with her when she comes in a day or two. I hope so!!
oooh, it is so GOOD to be in Japan again! Life here is so easy- I know how everything works, I know the system! I can catch public transport alone, I'm not afraid to walk down the street alone at night, I can ASK FOR DIRECTIONS, I can pass the time of day with the taxi driver, I can read restaurant menus and signs and I LOVE IT!!!!
I was worried I'd have forgotten all my Japanese but no- it's still there! And people in Sapporo seem to be either less jaded about foreigners that Kobe people, or they naturally speak slower, maybe they're simply more patient- I find them easier to understand than Kansai-jin!!
-wierd **
Who could've known I'd be back here so soon?
I arrived in Sapporo yesterday morning- alone.
Trac wasn't allowed to leave Russia, as she didn't have a re-entry visa. Kate had called the passport and visa office, as well as the airport the week before, to ask if Trac needed any paper work to come to Japan- no, no they said.
Well that was last week.
Folks, welcome to Russia
So I don't know if Trac got a re-entry permit today or not- I haven't been able to call her yet. I hope she will arrive in Sapporo tomorrow or the next day. Then we can get on with the fun!!
Aside from the fact that I'm alone when I wasn't supposed to be, I'm having a great time!
A week or two ago I emailed my friends in Japan, asking if they knew anyone in Sapporo I could stay with. My friend Dawn has some friends here, and two of them offered to host Trac and myself- which is fantastic! It's always more fun to stay with someone than in a hotel I think, even without the expense factor.
Well, I followed the directions Laura-Jane gave me, and took the train from the airport, and a taxi from the station, and I arrived at the Sapporo International church just in time for the message!! haha ;-)
It was SO GOOD to be in a church in Japan again- it's 4 months since I left Japan and I hadn't really missed it until NOW.
Cynthia was there- I'm staying with her for now. Maybe I'll meet Laura Jane later this week ;-)
We had lunch at the church, then attended the first part of an English cell group upstairs, then went to a different church to join an English monthly Bible study group- and being December it was a Christmas service! I have met so many people already!
I feel a bit overdressed here in Sapporo- it's only -3 degrees C today, but I'm wearing what I wore when it was -12 degrees in Sakhalin a couple of days ago. My coat is big and furry. I think that people here think I'm Russian ;-)
The purpose of my visit is, obviously, to get a Russian visa. But I can't do that yet- I don't have the letter of invitation from Russia that I need to apply. You know, the document we applied for in SEPTEMBER... If I had waited back in Australia to get it instead of going to the hastle of getting a last-minute tourist visa, I'd still be in Australia.
I wonder if it will be ready, so Trac can bring it over to Japan with her when she comes in a day or two. I hope so!!
oooh, it is so GOOD to be in Japan again! Life here is so easy- I know how everything works, I know the system! I can catch public transport alone, I'm not afraid to walk down the street alone at night, I can ASK FOR DIRECTIONS, I can pass the time of day with the taxi driver, I can read restaurant menus and signs and I LOVE IT!!!!
I was worried I'd have forgotten all my Japanese but no- it's still there! And people in Sapporo seem to be either less jaded about foreigners that Kobe people, or they naturally speak slower, maybe they're simply more patient- I find them easier to understand than Kansai-jin!!
-wierd **
Who could've known I'd be back here so soon?
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