It's been quite a while since I last posted here. My consistency's definitely grown worse... sigh! Well, now that I have time, I've decided to be a "little" more devoted to my blog. I don't know why I bother because this blog has just one reader. I think it is a product of loneliness coupled with the desire to go to college.College is still a long way away, 35 days to be precise. In the weeks building up to college, several events have taken place which happens to any other international student. These I will mention in the latter part of this post.
Now onto the reason for my prolonged absence from the blog-o-sphere. I visited Kolkata in July, left on the 17th and spent a tick over a week there at my grand parents' place. In Kolkata, I had NO ACCESS to the internet. The 1st day without the internet was a really scary one!!
Anyway, I returned from Kolkata on the 27th of July an accessed the internet after a good 10 days. It felt almost as if an old back-stabbing friend of mine had returned, to be greeted with a grinning grimace. I checked my emails and found an email from the University of Manchester with my accommodation contract enclosed. My lips went dry at the sight of the contract. I wasn't expecting it until early August and yet here it was infront of me, taunting me! Dad was away on a tour and wasn't returning before 2nd August. The deadline of the contract was 4th August. That's when I felt really clammy. It takes time to prepare bank drafts etc. especially if your supposed to pay it in pound sterling. Another scan of the contract said that I could extend my deadline by 7 days. And so, I made a decision for the 1st time in my life, without consulting my parents. I extended the deadline from 4th to 7th. That gave my parents enough time to prepare the draft. Unfortunately, fate DOES play cruel tricks on you. And so it did when it was time to send the documents by post. No man alive to date, living in Delhi for a period of atleast 10 years had witnessed, two days of thunderous torrential rain fall. Normally the rains are greeted with glee. I greeted every single rain drop with a scowl and loathed every 'splunk' with which the drops struck the earth. Apparently the University also realized that the money's more important. So, things took a turn and the payment was made via credit card through a telephonic conversation. :D . And so this episode of the Accommodation contract ended. I still had to return the contract, signed and stamped. After coming out of the post office on 5th August, the surge of relief was overwhelming....... I had my OWN ROOM in a foreign country... I had another place that I would call home for the next three years of my life. It felt pretty cool and of course I made up to the rain gods by dancing the rain dance on my roof!! chugga chugga nicko nicka wofga wofga cha cha!! :D
The second event, a more dire one in consequence but a more simple one in process, was daunting but easy as well. It took a lot of my father's time and hair to get it absolutely perfect. Visa Applications. Mum and dad are accompanying me to the UK, so we all went together on 8th August. Extreme preparations were made for this day. Demo applications were filled up, torn apart, filled up again and then cross referenced. Father, a perfectionist for as long as I remember, was harsh and difficult with mistakes and mildly disgruntled with accurate answers. Finally the forms were complete and the appointment was made. August 8, we took off at 9 a.m. with an hour and 15 minutes in hand. Under extreme pressure or stress, the human bladder becomes unusually weak. And so it proved once again... crunch time... in the car... on the Bridge and there comes the familiar tickle and feeling of helplessness. Once again it was raining CATS AND DOGS that day.... and I was aching for a leak. The pot holed bridge was crammed with traffic, making it impossible for a quick getaway. I was aching for a leak. And now comes the icing on the cake. Very vividly printed on a huge advertising board was a man who was drinking water, and there appeared to be a fountain coming from his loins. I did not DARE take a second glance at that advertisement so I never came to know the meaning of this ... this... I'm at a loss for words. If people can advertise like that and earn money, well I think there would be certainly a boost in employment opportunities. Even as I think about it now, I feel that familiar unwelcome tickle. Anyway, I just closed my eyes and prayed for salvation. I dare not ask dad to stop, his temper was already short because we weren't making it in time for our appointment. Finally we got there around 10:13 a.m. and I raced up the stairs and entered the visa office. It was like a bounty hunter was after my life, I found the most heavenly figure etched on a door at that moment. The figure of a round headed man with no fingers or feet, coloured a steely black. And so with immense relief, I was unburdened. With my morale rocketing high, I completed the visa formalities with ease. Then came a part that I had never experienced --- BIOMETRIC SCANNING. Ever since I saw MIB, where Agent J had his fingerprints removed, I fancied myself having some kind of experience like that. Granted that wish, I found it extremely uncomfortable that I am giving away my retina scan, finger print impression and Photograph to a COMPLETE stranger. It felt like I was conjuring a conspiracy. Heck, I'm PAYING TO GO THERE... isn't that enough? I suppose it has become necessary in times like these. The toothless elders are right... "Old IS Gold".
I guess that's enough for one post. This is worth 5 posts actually. I think I did a good job. Don't you? Probabely could've used a few more paragraphs eh? Nah, my blog... my rules!
Peace out!
