10 Days and Counting

So, yeah, went down to Chicago last week to get the visa. And that was... surprisingly easy. Just went in, dropped the stuff off Monday, came back Tuesday, and it was all ready to go. And, as always with pictures that actually matter, I look awful in my visa pic.

Meanwhile, have finally replaced my old sturdy phone of six years with an iPhone 3GS. Ironically enough, it was the cheapest option for getting a phone that would work abroad.

Laptop has a functioning battery again, and it's just working better overall, so I am quite happy. At this stage, I pretty much have planned out what's going with me, and am slowly (but surely!) starting to pack stuff up and get the last of the stuff that needs getting. Finally found out where I'm living as of today, too, and with a quick Google Mapping, it's about a half hour away from where I'll be taking classes, so that's not too bad.

All that needs be done is convert a significant enough chunk of dollars over to yen so that I'll be set for at least a month or so, figure out what my mailing address is gonna be, get tickets for the Tokyo Game Show (going both days, it converts out to $11 a day, which is pretty damn good), and, you know, do that whole packing thing, and I'll be ready to head out.

I'm really excited for this, but, at the same time, I'm scared out of my mind - I've been abroad once before, but that was for two weeks, which is nowhere close to four months, plus, it's gonna be my first real flight alone (though possibly my dad's going to be with me on the way back in December, so). Plus, I know I'm gonna miss all the people/pets I have back here, and not seeing them for four months is gonna be interesting (this is why we need to make sure that Skype is working on the family comps).

10... well, 9 days and counting, folks, until my ass-early flight.

So It's Actually Happening Now AKA PANIC

Like the title says, this is actually happening now. Just purchased the plane tickets last week (for $1100, which is pretty good for a round-trip toicket), and now I just got the word that the CoE is in, so that should be coming in soon.

This means that in the next few weeks, I have to get down to Chicago and apply for a visa, start getting all my stuff together, make sure that I have a working cell phone that will work in Japan, fix that rather worrying bulge in my laptop's battery, and just general getting crap together.

...

Oh yeah. It's panic time, baby.

*phew*

Okay, so, after a few harrowing days (especially the last few with them saying they didn't have the bank letter when it was delivered last Thursday!), all vital forms for the CoE are in. So, now, just have to wait for the CoE to come, then can go down and apply for visa in person at Chicago consulate (this will be shorter than mailing it in), which won't be until August.

Have drunk a bit of boozeahol to celebrate this. WHEE!

Post the First: Of Getting Forms Together and Jumping Through Flaming Visa Hoops

So, yeah. Hi, internets. *waves?*

Just got all the forms together and mailed to Chicago via UPS/FedEx that I need to have in order to get a Certificate of Eligibility, which I then have to use to get a visa in order to get into Japan. So, it's like getting a visa in order to be able to get a visa. Kind of. It's complicated. And, to say the least, a bit of a pain.

The biggest thing that I had to have is a bank letter, which is basically something the immigration officials want you to have so you can prove you have whatever arbitrary amount of money they feel you need to have in one single account in order to be properly supported in Japan. This required a bit of interesting shuffling and hoopjumping, but hey, it's done and en route.

And then there's the CoE form itself which is something else, simply for the level of detail they want to know. Understandable, but wow.

And there's still the visa to get, once this is processed through, which won't even be until... a month before the program starts. So that should get interesting. And possibly headdesk inducing.

For now, though, time to start stalking tracking numbers to ensure that everything gets where it's supposed to be. *vulture stare*