In the beginning
Monday, June 30, 2003
Leaving Sydney - Destination Paris
June 2003. I had just spent the last year of my life working on the National Committee team of AIESEC Australia, and I was commencing another year for the organisation. Now without blowing my own trumpet too much, I think I had a relatively successful year and was very productive. Organisation was the key. I had a defined year plan, with measurable indicators and a clear vision of where I was taking my area of responsibility (finance).
I wish I had the same organisation over my personal life. Never in my whole life have I gone through as much stress as I did in the last few weeks at home in Rockdale, New South Wales.
To spend the year in Paris, I need to have what is called a 'Carte de Sejour' which is basically a card of journey, a visa.
Sounds easy enough doesn't it. That's what I thought.
So it's the 24th June, 2003. My flight is leaving for Geneva at 21:00 Sydney time. It is 10:00, and I still do not have my visa.
But it's cool, I am relaxed, the consulate has told me they will call me when it's time to collect it. I have a whole day planned. Go do some banking in the morning, collect my visa at 12:00, head back to the office to prepare the group certficates for my team mates so that they can claim their tax back from Little Johhny Howard, and then burn all the resources I need to CD, plus a few thousand mp3 songs and random movies - In any event, a full action packed day.
So I head to the visa office at 12:00 thinking, why bother waiting for the call, I would just kick it at the visa office and wait. Upon arrival I am informed that the Consular General isn't happy with the documents I have provided (over numerous trips and many requests for information, all of which I had provided)...Long story short, I spend the next 4 hours rushing around Sydney in a mad panic getting more documentation together. My plan for the day is thrown out the window...I spend my last remaining time in Australia chucking my unpacked possessions in a box; packing my luggage in the space of 30 Mins; head to the airport, say my goodbyes to my room mates, and I am outbound for Geneva. For the first time in two months, I had a moment of pause and could finally relax about the whole experience - After 8 years of wanting it - I was finally going to be living in Europe!
