After Acceptance:Visas, Passports, and $290 later

I was accepted to study abroad at the University of Hong Kong on January 26, 2009. I guess I was walking on Cloud 9 the rest of that day.

A couple weeks before, I was anything but.

I had submitted my application on the day it was due and I was not informed that I had to get a letter of recommendation, as there were already 25 applicants for the eight available spots with the 4:00 pm deadline eight hours on the horizon. I was not happy. In a previous post, I explained how I managed to get two positive letters of recommendation within the week and turn them in.

I had done more than was instructed, actually. As I have found out, that can be a really good thing or a really bad thing; and honestly I have no idea which it was for me. I didn’t turn in the letters on time; however, I got them in relatively quickly. I was asked specifically for one letter of recommendation, but I submitted two just for good luck.

I was not told when I would be informed of the decision. I assumed that it would be late February or early March because of the preliminary deadlines involved (visa application, preliminary fees, etc.). Great, I thought, two months to wait.

I surely did not get it, or did I? I wondered. On the positive side, I would have senior standing when I departed and I did submit a 3.925 GPA (which I later had adjusted to a 4.0 due to clerical errors). Against me, I did not submit my application on time. I did not follow instructions to the “t.” There were probably over 30 applicants for the eight available spots. I only could study abroad for half a year to graduate (early) on time. On the positive side, my application was now on the top of the pile due to its late completeness.

I worried a lot. I told my friends who had known what I was doing that if I don’t get in, I don’t think I would be going abroad at all. I thought about applying in advance for spring semester, seeing as many deadlines had not come up yet. In the end, I decided to just bear it out. I thought that maybe if they saw that I had other applications pending, they would not be so inclined to accept me to such a selective option.

I was accepted to study abroad at the University of Hong Kong on January 26, 2009. I guess I was walking on Cloud 9 the rest of that day.

I called my father during the day and told him not to tell my mother, whom I called later in the day. I let out a shrill bit of excitement for which I am now ashamed. My friend and I went to this hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in downtown La Jolla, where they began rolling out the bongs for hookah.

Now what did I tell you about drugs? Yep, I’m still clean.

The next day I sat down to follow through on my paperwork pursuant to the acceptance of my application.

Now I have a habit that has now proven itself to be an Achilles’ heel of sorts. I plan way far in advance. As my first roommate knows, I have a very hard time dealing with flaky people—those who don’t show up for meetings, miss planned on events frequently, etc. I plan so far in advance that often the party that I am coordinating with tells me to call back in a month (or two). My medical provider told me, “We just don’t have the calendar up that far in advance.” I’ll get back to my Achilles’ heel later.

I had about seven things to accomplish by March 10 (to get it in the Goleta (Santa Barbara) office by March 20). There was a list to check off on. I ordered transcripts from UCSD immediately. I faxed my written request to Moorpark Community College that afternoon.

After that day, it took me about another week to get everything done.

The next day, I completed my application to HKU, which was required of me under the auspices of the University of California. I got more passport photographs taken. EAP provided medical insurance under the tuition fee. So I had to read over the terms and benefits, sign and sign some waivers.

Then came the big part: my student visa.

In short, I had it easy applying for my student visa. According to my Spanish teacher in high school, her daughter studying abroad for a year in Spain had to get two medical doctors to certify her mental competency, stability, and sanity. My mainland China exchange friends had to appear at the consulate in Los Angeles. I, on the other hand, only had to fill out the forms and submit payment. HKU was to do the rest for me—an they did.

Now about that visa application: first off, I needed to have a passport with validity beyond six months from anticipated date of departure from the host country (check).

The application for a student visa was daunting. At over 10 pages long with fine print and Hong Kong English (similar to British English) I was overwhelmed. Fortunately I only needed to fill out four pages of it. In the end, it wasn’t too bad. Looking at the clock, it took me about four hours for the application and a good amount of time checking it over. Shipping it to central California cost almost $3.00 first class. That was all said and done.

Then I bought my airplane ticket. United (though not my favorite) had decent rates and decent times—leaving August 20 for arrival at Hong Kong August 21; departing December 21 for arrival at Los Angeles same day. Not bad.

I was all set. I had finished preparation for my trip several months beforehand. I was all set and ready to go.

And then it hit. Dates were posted. EAP said I couldn’t check in until August 26—a full five days after I was to arrive. Being the great planner that I am, I immediately called United and rescheduled at the cost of $290 (including the $250 penalty for the rescheduling). The next morning HKU emailed me and informed me that I could check in August 21—my originally scheduled flight.

Upset that I had just paid $290 unnecessarily, I called United and asked them if they could reverse the whole thing to how it was a mere 12 hours earlier. They did and without fee too. Unfortunately they wouldn’t refund my $290. I pleaded with everyone in the company and they refused to refund even part of it—because it was a necessary charge.

Now I know. I should wait a day or two before making such a drastic change. Oh well. I just flushed $290 down the toilet and it landed below the water table on an undeserving United Airlines.

Thanks for reading. And now back to my summer reading!