Entries this day: AM_Awesome_alarm About_the_trip_to_Tel_Aviv Brazilian_visa_craziness

AM Awesome alarm

5:59am IST Friday 28 October 2005

How wonderful to wake up gently exactly 30 seconds before my alarm sounded. I woke up, scoped my phone-clock: 5:59am. Sweet. Then beepbeepbeep beepbeepbeep beepebeepbeep. Click off; stand up; thank you, angels.

I can't remember my dream from this morning, but I have a deep sense that it was quite lucid at the time.

About the trip to Tel Aviv

7:02am IST Friday 28 October 2005

I'm goin' down to Tel Aviv
if I can get myself there
I'll find a service, tellaman Tel Aviv
And then I'll pay my fare

I'm goin' down to Tel Aviv
to get a visa there
I wanna go to Rio de Janeiro
And see what's up over there

I showed the driver the address
of where I'm goin' in Tel Aviv
I didn't show it to him too late
but right after we did leave

Across the plain to Tel Aviv
stopped by guards with a stare
They check our IDs and if they're rude
make us stand over there

7:25

We've left Jerusalem and are bound for Tel Aviv. Haven't gotten to any checkpoints yet, and I hope we will continue trveling freely all the way to and from the city.

I believe I have all the documents I need: proof of onward voage from Brazil, proof of sufficient funds for my stay (all 15 hours), my passport, contact information at the Faisal, and (as a tourist in Israel) ticket from here to my home country, thouh I won't be going to my home country; I'll see what they say about all that.

- - - -

Though I had told the guy I wanted to go to 2 Kaplan Street, he didn't tell me the service wouldn't actually go there. But he did tell me to hop on the #5 taxi nearby our final stop. Number five had just filled up so the driver told me to hop on number 4. I did (but didn't ask the driver immediately because he was across the street watching the van fill up,) and showed him the address once we got started. He dropped me off soon thereafter and said I should catch the 26 bus. Other people were like, "no the #5" and others were like "#26" and I got off at a bus stop where there was no #5, but only #26. The 26 bus came and I showed him my address and he shrugged his shoulders, and the passenger behind him translated. The driver was like, "oh blah blah" and the guy said, "take #7" and I got off again. The stop didn't have #7 listed, but it did have #70. #70 came and I showed the driver the address. He said, "okay" and said he would tell me where to get off.

And that's exactly what he did.

Brazilian visa craziness

10:49am IST Friday 28 October 2005

I got to the embassy well on time, but the guy at the window seemed quite happy not to help me. I tried to call PB via my cellphone, but was unable to do it; this cellphone is not even able to make a collect call.

I opened my computer on the off chance there would be an internet connection available, and .. there was. Thank God. Solid signal, even.

I skyped the PB office, and though the connection was pretty much terrible, it was close to free, and I got Josh to email me back and we've started an email dialogue. Here are snippets:

HI Guys!

(Josh, thanks so much for being in the office and dealing with the slow
VoIP; I'm just emailing to put Matt and Yuuka in the loop)

I am in the Brazilian Embassy in Tel Aviv using a free wireless connection
(thank god) and skype to talk to Josh right now.

Basically the guy at the embassy said flatly I cannot get the visa here.
Even if I have all the documentation, I would have to step foot into Brazil
within 90 days of receipt of the visa.

I'm looking for expert guidance....

Love Love
- Rob!!

From Yuuka:

Then can you possibly go back to the embassy after Nov.8th (We are goi g to Rio de Janeiro) on February 8th.
Or if you come back to Japan early enough for us to apply for your visa, we can sort that out.

Sorry for the situation. Everything totally depends on the country. I guess. Here there is no problem to
get a visa.

Good luck. I will be here for a while. Give me e-mail back if you have any more questions.

Otsukareee

From me:

I've spoken with the man here at the embassy and seem to be getting
conflicting stories from him.

In short, he says it's impossible for me to get a visa from here,
because I will be on the ship well before I am in Brazil.

He has said that I need to enter the country within 30 days after I get the visa,
He has also said I need to entery the country within 90 days after I get the visa.

I'm not sure how much of this is an issue with miscommunication in Global English.

Beyond those points, I need proof of a job (which I haven't got), and
proof of sufficient funds in a bank account (which I've sortof got).
I'm quite low on funds after not having worked since April.

I am not ready to "get a job" with P/B, but the idea has crossed my mind. 

- - - -

Yuuka has suggested coming back to Japan in time to sort it out... 

How soon would that be?

I can go back to the embassy here after November 8th, but no guarantee
they will be happy with the documents I put together for proof of
income and proof of savings.

If, worst case scenario, I flat cannot get a visa, is it okay to just "not get off the boat"??

ps: and if you have any ideas on  how to forge/acquire proof of income and proof of savings, that would be great.

- - - -

The guy at the window is being quite abrupt with me, so I can't
confirm 100% about the docs I need,

BUT, I'm 90% sure I just need proof of income and proof of savings.
Those are the biggest two issues for me now.  I haven't had a job
since April.

I can come back to the embassy after November 8th, but he has *also*
told me it must be within 30 days before travel.  When he saw my
itinerary, he said flatly it was impossible to secure the visa because
I will be on the sea.

11:05am

I haven't heard back from them since then, but I just sent this last one:

Matt, I heard from Josh that he called you into the office to help,
but we might be sorted for now.  my computer battery is low; I'll have
to sign off soon.

Barring any other suggestions on the visa-acquistion front, I am
basically going to come back to the embassy on 8 November and try
again.  I hope by that time I will be able to put together proof of
employment and proof of savings.

I still have two unanswered questions that I hope you guys can help with:

1) is it an option for me to "not get off the boat" in Brazil?

2) what's the latest I could get back to Japan and do this?  My
   current return flight is set to arriive on 30 November.

If I apply in Tel Aviv, I think I can get (fake) proof of employment, etc.

If I apply in Tokyo, can you help me put that together (if I need it)?

おつかれ, guys; I really appreciate your help!!

      Thanks!
        - Rob