Just how far . . . ?

Do you think you can go with security guards at the Australian High Commission before you get arrested? I decided to go toe to toe today with 3 security guards today out of principle, but wasn’t sure when enough was enough. I knew getting into this that I would lose, but still, you know when people are just being ridiculous and you have to push the envelope? So I have all of my forms for my Australian visa, and I read on their website form that office hours are from 9-11am. Now, thinking it couldn’t be that simple, I had tried calling for 2 days, but no one ever answered. So I get there, and there is a pretty upset Indian man in line in front of me, saying that no one ever answered his call . . . not a good sign for me. So I go up to the entrance desk, and they ask me if I had an appointment. I tell them that the website says (form in hand) that the desk is open from 9-11am. I am told I have to have an appointment. When I tell them that’s not what the form says, they point to a flyer mounted to the window stating that I need to have an appointment. I ask them how I would have known that, and they say I should have called. Ah ha, well, I tell them that I did call and no one answered. Oh, they say, they have been getting those sorts of complaints a lot.

So then I ask for a supervisor. But you see, the supervisor is inside, and I cannot go inside, so I cannot see the supervisor. I tell them that I have no intention of leaving until I see a supervisor. So the supervisor comes out finally and we go thru the same circular argument again. Then he says I can leave my number and the receptionist will call me to schedule an appointment. I let them know that if she cannot take calls (simple), I doubt that she can make calls. They do not think I am funny. I thought it was sort of funny. So then I tell them that I won’t leave without an appointment. And we wait, and wait, and wait, and then they tell me I have an appointment for 9am. I might have gone too far when I asked for the receptionist’s name so that I could take a formal complaint against her to get her fired. I told them there were plenty of Kenyans that needed work and could do that sort of job . . .

That's me, out there making friends. I did go back the next day and I was able to get in and drop off my passport. Now we have to see if I get the approval.