24 hours of nightmare

I know people say shit that you go thru in your life will only make u stronger... i believe in that. But right now, i 'd rather have my memory erased, the last 24 hours. 24hrs.... one day... what a difference a day makes.... i went from being the happiest to the saddest person on earth in a mere 24 hours.

Due to some major cosmic joke played on me, i did not manged to get to berlin (you heard that right). And the following accounts are true:

i left for the train station slightly late... and all the way to the train station i was praying that i would be able to make it time for my train to geneva. My train was supposed to leave at 1214pm, i boarded the train at 1154pm. Normally me, the kiasu sporean, would be there at least 10mins in advance, but because i wanted to save money and eat lunch in school, i could only eat at 1130am. Due to some magical thinking i did get to the train station in time...

... BUT the train was late... AGAIN!..... ITS ALWAYS LATE!!! FUCKING FRENCH!!! so all that hurrying for NOTHING. and i was freaking out. Cos i had to make a connection at Bellegarde for my train to Geneva... and the connection time was only 7mins. The announcement said that the train would depart 10mins late... and i was like "OH WHAT THE FUCK"... i had no idea when the next train leaving Bellegarde for Geneva would... so i was majorly freaking out on the train.... i was praying once again that the train would haul ass and make up some lost time...

.... BUT this time, i did not make it for my train connection... Flustered, i was scurrying round the train station trying to find out when the next train to Geneva leaves. I was thinking, worse come to worse, i will just take a cab to the airport directly... cos it looks quite near on the map. Thankfully the next train was only 25mins later... and it was an express train. So i basically i lost only 10 to 15min by the time i reached Geneva.

"Thank God" i was telling myself... "i finally made it to Geneva". Now i only need to make it to the Airport in time. And i did... althou i did overpay for a 3francs ticket because i didnt know the machine didnt issue the overpaid portion. All was fine.... i made it to the airport. I checked in so early i had 1 1/2hrs to kill. I was so excited. i get to meet my frens in less than 2 hours.....that 2 hours turned out to be ETERNITY.

Upon arrival at the German customs, the police told me there is something wrong with my visa. They brought me to their little polizei station in the airport. All i could think at that time was "neh... shudnt be a problem. Singapore passport is king. i can travel to 99% of the countries in the world without a visa anyway"....

i wasnt majorly panicking yet.... until they told me, "no, your visa states that u can ONLY stay in FRANCE for the entire 6months because it is a special visa for students. If you want to travel out, you need to apply for a tourist visa".... You've got to be shitting me right? i paid 100euros for this fucking visa that restricts my travel?

And i told him as a Singaporean, i can travel to the EU for 90 days without a visa anyway, but he said "NO. If you have this visa, you are bounded to it. YOU ARE CONSIDERED A STUDENT, NOT A TOURIST"

i was this close to peeing in my pants. "i am a fucking criminal" i thought to myself. they are going to handcuff me and put me in a cell and deport me back. for 3 hours, no one came to talk to me. Fortunately, the policemen were nice... they didnt strip search me or anything.... but when no one talks to u in a police station for 3 hrs, one gets a little frazzled. I called Siwei, who was in Sttugart. I asked him to explain to the police in german that i only wanted to travel.

"NO"

Siwei asked his German roomate Gabriel to talk to the police as well.

"NO" came the reply

i was freaking out. i was supposed to meet my frens 3 hours ago and i was no where near clearing this shit up. One of the police men was kind enuff and asked me if i wanted to call my embassy. i felt so stupid... i shud have asked them hours ago to let me do that.

I talked to the ambssador (or someone who works for the embassy). He talked to the police. the police handed me back the phone.... APPARENTLY, i had a special 6months passport for students that indeed restricts my travelling.... i told the ambassador no one told me ANYTHING when i made my visa back in Spore. I checked and dbl checked and there was no such ruling i in the French Embassy's website regarding this. I was so FUCKING pissed and felt so helpless at the same time.

he told me "But all is not lost yet.... i will try to contact his superior and try to sort out the situation. In the meantime, the police told me you are allowed to walk about in the transit lounge... and you can eat and go to the toilet. But if they are mistreating you in ANY way, let me know. But i doubt they will since they know i am from the embassy" I LOVE IT when pple use superiority to scare the fucking police. And i LOVE Singaporeans with their never-say-die attitude.

But alas, after 40mins, he called me and said the police wudnt budge.... and i have to be deported back to Geneva the next morning at 7am.... I was shocked. i was in disbelief. I was still in disbelief when i boarded the plane back to Geneva.... what the fuck man.

On the way back on the train, i finally broke down. What was supposed to be an amazing trip turned out to be the worst 24hours of my life. I was still sick, i was hungry, i havent bathed for 24hours and i was tired. i cried in the fucking train during the last 30mins. I was so embarrassed. I dunno how to break the news to my parents... that i wasted 300euros for a fucking trip to nowhere. I was so determined to make the most of out this crap, i took pictures of the berlin airport. SO.PATHETIC.

i called my sister on the tram and i broke down again, in front of everyone. they were going to celebrate my dad's bday. I told her not to tell them yet... i didnt want to ruin the celebrations.

And all this time i was thinking:

i wished i had someone with me at the airport when i was all alone and had to deal with the unknown
i wished i hadnt come to france in the first place
i wished someone at the french embassy told me about the fucking visa
i wished i didnt take french when i was in year 1
i wished Siwei insisted that i took German with him instead of French
i wished someone could erase the last 24hrs of my life...

It was wierd... i left for Geneva at 1225pm on friday, and i arrived today, at 1225pm. i arrived in berlin alomst 7pm last nite, and i took a 7am flight back to Geneva. The powers that be is seriously playing a big joke on me.

Now, i have to call the spore embassy here, i have to go and buy food for the next 2 weeks, i have to find something to do for the next 14days... if not i will go crazy. Maybe i will go to some parts in france... i dunno. its too last minute. Or maybe i will study.

but right now, i just need to rest..... and i would appreciate it if no one asked me "so, how was your Easter trip"..... because there was none.