Bengfort.com

Well, there is a sequel to my previous post concerning my 1/4 Mongolian friend’s residence permit. Good news is that she got it. Bad news is that the government was deliberately trying to avoid giving her a new residence permit through evasion and secrecy, instead of simply denying her visa with no good excuse. Below is an IM convo, parts of which have been removed for the sake of confidentiality.

A: “C” finally got her residence permit

Me:
4:17
awesome

A:
4:17
but she really had to fight for it

Me:
4:17
that was a pain

A:
4:17
She had never thought that they [the government] were just trying to string her along until it expired and she had to leave [Beijing] until i said it last night.
and then this morning she went in with a new attitude

Me:
4:18
it’s kind of weird to think that we could be forced to leave China at anytime if the govt wants to
what was her attitude this morning?

A:
4:18
well she said that Saturday she met the guy [The one and only guy who through a brief interview would decide whether or not she was a dissident or terrorist, after which she could begin the renewal process] and he was supposed to sign something to indicate his approval of her starting the process…but he refused to sign it and said he didn’t need to and he would just tell them that he signed it. she tried to push him but he wouldn’t sign it
so this morning she went in and of course they were like “you still didn’t get this signed”
and she said she talked to the guy and he had said he didn’t need to sign it
and said they should get him to sign it now
but they said he of course wasn’t there and that she’d have to come back again
and she said no, call him. the guy was like “i don’t have his number” and “C” said “i do.” he said he didn’t have a phone…”C” said he could use hers
so he eventually called the guy “C” had met on saturday and went and had a little secret conversation with him that “C” overheard a little of when he was saying things like “yeah, it’s that minority we had the problem with…should i approve it?”

Me:
4:21
oh my goodness

A:
4:21
and then he gave his approval

Me:
4:21
i would bash some heads in

A:
4:21
but then she tried to start the actual process and the lady there told “C” that they had lost all her information

Me:
4:21
what!??

andy
4:21
that it had been deleted in april
and that she would have to gather all these documents and come back
and “C” was like “that’s impossible, you call this guy”
and so she made that lady call the guy she met saturday and they had a little secret conversation
and then eventually she came back and “C’s” info had been found
magically

Me:
4:22
of course

A:
4:22
and they gave her the permit
so, they definitely were just trying to jerk her around until it expired

D:
4:23
stupid government

A:
4:23
i’m glad i put that thought in her head or she might have just kept leaving and coming back until it expired and she had to leave
Me:
4:25
Yes, good for you. I’m surprised she had never thought that the government was bullshitting her from the beginning. It’s the first thought that popped into your head. I guess we know how a (mostly) fair government works

A:
4:26
or read enough about how the chinese government operates to take a cynical view