Lots of Red Tape 好多手續
今日我卒之交左我張學生簽證申請表. Today, I finally sent my student visa application out in the mail. To make sure that the Immigration Department receives my application safely, I sent it by registered mail together with the $135.00 HK application fee (see photo).

The visa application process turned out to be much more complicated than I thought. Not only were there many pages to fill out, but they also required supporting documents. For example, I had to send transcripts for my university and law school studies and proof of my bank account balance. I even was required to list a local sponsor in HK. Per the instruction sheet from the school where I will be studying--新雅中國語文研習所 (san1 nga5 jung1 gok3 yu2 man4 yin4 gau6 so2) the New Asia--Yale-in-China Chinese Language Center--I listed the school director as my local sponsor. It makes me feel like a child to have to list a sponsor, and it doesn't make much sense, especially when I probably make as much or more money than my sponsor.

The biggest hassle was paying the application fee in HK dollars. I had to order a foreign draft online, fax a check for $29.14 US (includes a $10.00 US service fee), and then wait five days for the draft to arrive. The service from International Currency Express was good. But it would have been so much easier and cheaper to have a friend in HK deliver the application form and pay the fee in HK dollars. Unfortunately, my HK friends have been pretty quiet lately, and I had no one convenient to ask. So I had to handle this myself.

It may take two months for me to receive my student visa, but I hope it arrives well before I leave on May 7. One thing that I'm still unsure of is whether I will need a separate China visa for our class trip to 廣州 (gong2 jau1) Guangzhou on July 8. I sent an email to the school to ask about this but have not heard back yet.

Besides my visa application, I have been busy with other trip preparations lately:

Plane ticket--Having checked many discount travel websites, the cheapest airfare that I have found is EVA and China Airlines. When I went to HK in 2001 and 2004, I took Singapore Airlines. This time, I'm thinking of taking Cathay Pacific to patronize HK's local airline. I wonder whether it's better to wait until closer to my departure before buying my ticket. That way, I might be able to find a last-minute special. On the other hand, with oil prices constantly increasing, prices could go up.

Housing--The thing that probably has me most concerned is housing. With help from E in HK, I have been checking some HK websites that specialize in 服務式住宅 (fuk6 mou5 sik1 jyu6 jaak6) serviced apartments. My best prospects are in 紅磡 (hung4 ham3) Hung Hom, 沙田 (sha1 tin4) Shatin, and (ma5 on1 shan1) 馬鞍山 Ma On Shan/Tolo Harbour. I also am getting some assistance from A, a friend that I met at a local market here. He has contacted a realtor who is trying to find me a place in 九龍塘 (gau2 lung4 tong4) Kowloon Tong. My initial impression, though, is that it may be a little early to find a place. It seems that most property agents and landlords won't know what's available in May until April or so. Yet it seems risky to wait that long. On the other hand, I have an "ace in the hole"--sleeping on the bathroom floor in E's place! That probably would be more fun anyway.

One thing is for sure. Making all the arrangements for my studies in HK involves a lot more work than I ever imagined. I hope it will turn out to be worth all the effort.  ¶ 9:00 PM