I'm in a strange dark hallway of the Kottayam police station. I poked my head into many offices and three different people directed me where to go. I made it a bit closer each time. I'm supposedly meeting with Manoj who is out at lunch. Now a man invited me into a cubicle of sorts and asked me to be seated to wait. There is a desk in front of me with five messy, ancient-looking stacks of papers and file folders.
The French girls brought me here. We took a bus. I'm amazed at how well they navigate. I hope I am that familiar in two months. They invited me to take a train with them to the beach tomorrow.
I'm here because within seven days I must complete a form and be interviewed by the superintendent of police to register here as a foreigner. The girls said that they came twice. Once to find out which documents they needed to provide and again the following day where they waited four hours in line to meet with the superintendent. They said he is very busy and that I should bring a book and music. They said that when Marsha did this she had to come back four times. C'monnnn bindus. Let's get this done today.
Maybe this will get old quickly but something I love about India is that there's so much random waiting. And thus far I don't mind it. Because I'm here in this weird room, chilling by myself, everything around me looks 60 years old, beat up, rusty & dirty, I've got a nice ceiling fan breeze happening and I can hear the chaotic toots and honks of various vehicles, squawks of crows, and an occasional flush of a toilet somewhere which sounds like it's right behind me. All I have to do in this moment is wait and observe. As I look at these stacks of files I wonder if there is a sense of organization to them. Is it a file storage area? Are the files active and in a backed-up work queue? Oh god. Now I hear someone peeing. Like, right behind me. But I'm confused and don't know where it's coming from. And I'm afraid to turn and look.
Manoj has arrived. He's rifling through the stacks to find a blank form. It's definitely not a blank form kind of stack to me. He collects my documents and photos. I then fill out four copies of the same form and am told I have to come back Monday at 10am as the superintendent is out. I explain that my classes begin at 10am on Monday and Manoj says he will give me his cell number so I can call him. I don't get how that is a solution but we'll figure it out later. He then asks me to write a letter to the superintendent stating my certificate of residency request. After I complete it, I shuffle my folders and papers because I'm AR and like to tidy up my space and Manoj puts his hand up and says "Wait, wait." I wasn't planning on going anywhere and then I realize he mistakes my AR for a social cue that I'm about to high tail it out of here and it becomes yet another moment of me realizing how American I am. And how Jess I am.
So I'm not even sure what is happening here. What am I doing and why? It's like a yearlong scavenger hunt. One clue at a time. And I'm loving it.
The French girls brought me here. We took a bus. I'm amazed at how well they navigate. I hope I am that familiar in two months. They invited me to take a train with them to the beach tomorrow.
I'm here because within seven days I must complete a form and be interviewed by the superintendent of police to register here as a foreigner. The girls said that they came twice. Once to find out which documents they needed to provide and again the following day where they waited four hours in line to meet with the superintendent. They said he is very busy and that I should bring a book and music. They said that when Marsha did this she had to come back four times. C'monnnn bindus. Let's get this done today.
Maybe this will get old quickly but something I love about India is that there's so much random waiting. And thus far I don't mind it. Because I'm here in this weird room, chilling by myself, everything around me looks 60 years old, beat up, rusty & dirty, I've got a nice ceiling fan breeze happening and I can hear the chaotic toots and honks of various vehicles, squawks of crows, and an occasional flush of a toilet somewhere which sounds like it's right behind me. All I have to do in this moment is wait and observe. As I look at these stacks of files I wonder if there is a sense of organization to them. Is it a file storage area? Are the files active and in a backed-up work queue? Oh god. Now I hear someone peeing. Like, right behind me. But I'm confused and don't know where it's coming from. And I'm afraid to turn and look.
Manoj has arrived. He's rifling through the stacks to find a blank form. It's definitely not a blank form kind of stack to me. He collects my documents and photos. I then fill out four copies of the same form and am told I have to come back Monday at 10am as the superintendent is out. I explain that my classes begin at 10am on Monday and Manoj says he will give me his cell number so I can call him. I don't get how that is a solution but we'll figure it out later. He then asks me to write a letter to the superintendent stating my certificate of residency request. After I complete it, I shuffle my folders and papers because I'm AR and like to tidy up my space and Manoj puts his hand up and says "Wait, wait." I wasn't planning on going anywhere and then I realize he mistakes my AR for a social cue that I'm about to high tail it out of here and it becomes yet another moment of me realizing how American I am. And how Jess I am.
So I'm not even sure what is happening here. What am I doing and why? It's like a yearlong scavenger hunt. One clue at a time. And I'm loving it.
Ahh yes...the waiting game! And so it begins :) It seems you have more patience than I do! Although, I will say that even though it seemed silly and needless at times it does teach you to slow down and not expect instant gratification all the time. I remember one day after a 6 hour long bus ride that was only supposed to be 2 hrs, I looked around and realized that I was the only person that was annoyed. Everyone else was just staring out the window enjoying the view or smiling and talking to neighbors....
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there is an expiration nearing on my patience here ;) But I find myself entertained by people and scenery-watching most of the time. Or just contemplating the disarray that I find so perplexing. I think I've had such a chaotic time in recent months in the US so now I don't mind doing nothing or being in my own head a lot. So far, that is.
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