I don't like complaining but...

I arrived at Emory University at the end of July 2010, all pumped up about the new school year. That's when I didn't know all the problems that were to appear. Here is just one of the frustrating things with Emory that I had to deal with:

Driver's License

In Georgia, an international student is eligible to get a driver's license only after the school registers the poor student's SEVIS number in the immigration system. Knowing that my PA DL expires on August 14th, but not knowing the GA rules, I attempted to get my DL at the end of July. I was told that I was not registered in the system yet by my school. So off I went to see my international advisor and ask her to register me. My advisor, Angela, told me that the 'standard practice' is to register all new international students in the system 2 to 3 weeks after the school year starts (1 month after the PA license's expiration date).

WHY? Because some students may withdraw in the 1st few weeks.

OK I get it, but why me? I was already taking a full time class, which started on August 2nd, and I had paid the small $256 bill that was left on my school fees. I was fully registered.

So, the ISSP department decided that upon attending a check-in session (90 minutes of a silly presentation and the filling out of 3 forms - at least one of them with full contact information), a student can e-mail Kate B. in the department who will then register the student.

I attended the session on August 9th and e-mailed Kate B. on August 10th. Because I received no reply to my e-mail, I also e-mailed Angela to see if something went wrong. Again, no reply.

On Friday the 13th of August, I decided to visit the local DMV (a 20-30 minute drive) thinking that my now my SEVIS would of course be registered (it couldn't possibly take 4 days, right?). I waited in line for 45 minutes at the DMV to get a paper with a number on it. Then I waited 90 minutes to see that number appear on a screen. Window 4! I gave the lady at window 4 all the materials, she took my picture and my signature and then... " there is a problem in the system." she told me. Great, no license for me.

On Tuesday, I e-mailed Angela again to see what went wrong. If my SEVIS was registered, or was it!?, I should have had my license by now.

On Wednesday the 18th, I receive the following reply at 8:38 am: 'Send me your local address by noon today and I will register you in the SEVIS system'.

But, here is the problem:

1) At 8:38 am, I was already on my way to a class that goes from 9 am till noon - how am I supposed to respond to the e-mail in time!?

2) Why can't Angela just open one of the numerous forms I had to fill out during the check-in session and FIND my local address on it!?

Should I complain to the head of the department about the way people there work? How is this even possible?

When church makes me cry...

Last night, all pumped up, I started to search for churches to go to this Sunday. I looked at all the PCA churches around and found one of a modest size. It actually seemed like a very great church. The pastor seemed like a great guy, the website looked welcoming, the church supports a lot of missionaries, has a choir and a young adults worship service on Sunday evenings. So, basically everything I ever wished for in a church.

I decided to go to the morning service, since this is what I am used to. I arrived at the church parking lot about 15 minutes before the start of the service. On my way to the building door, I saw this old lady, who apparently was having a hard time walking. First I was looking to see if anyone from the inside would come (someone could see her through the glass door) and open the door for her. No one was coming so I ran forward to open it. She was so happy!

This made me think of why so many churches I know have greeters at the door, but PCA churches don't.

Then I proceded to find the nave of the church. That's when I realized that I probably didn't come in through the main entrance, or at least I thought so. There were exactly no signs to the pews, so I walked through this long hallway with offices and some classrooms. It took me about 5 minutes to find where the service was actually held. The church was a medium size, 300 people could be easily seated there. I took a seat in the back row on the side and began watching the people around me.

There was just something sad about all the people there. No one ever since I entered the building said hello to me, not once. In fact the only people after the old lady who said anything to me were the ones who with 'Excuse me!' were rushing past me into the pew to get to their seats. And this made me cry. Why are people like that? I so wished I could be back in Erie, going to church with friends again.

And so I cried through the first half of the service, wondering whether I should just leave now or wait for the actual sermon. Then I decided to stay and the sermon after all wasn't too bad. The pastor was quite energetic and his thoughts were all over the place, but the message was worth it and completely made me stop crying.

Now I am just wondering whether I should go next week to the same church to the young adults worship or not. Will those people be so unwelcoming as their parents/older church members? Or should I just try a non-PCA church knowing that no church could possibly be less welcoming than this one?

The Likes of Georgia

I thought that since I live in Georgia now, I should count all of its blessings, or at least try to mention some things I like about it.

1. I get to 'visit' the tropical pavilion of my hometown's botanical garden every day.

2. Green everywhere!

3. Kroger's employees who not only bag your goodies, but they also help you unload your shopping cart at the cashier register and then take the shopping cart once you put everything in the car.

4. The Fish! - local Christian radio station.

5. Great classmates. Although I currently have only about 19 classmates, the hours of homework and seemingly impossible math assignments seem to bring us together.

6. Having my own bathroom.

7. The joy (and thrill) of driving somewhere without a GPS.

8. Emory library with its moving shelves that look like from some Sci-Fi movie.

9. I finally appreciate airconditioning. (I used to hate it in Erie)

10. An IVCF staff worker that actually has office hours and answers e-mails.

11. Panera Bread right on the corner.

12. Sweet tea (I forgot about it, Moll Moll :)

13. Thunderstorms every other day and all of them when I am at home!

14. Farmer's Markets!

15. Great professors :)