tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699027686778256452.post4761012507649531975..comments2024-02-24T11:20:29.786-08:00Comments on An Edible Symphony: Through The Looking GlassMuneebahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15988781282264439838noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699027686778256452.post-62832314393368960652009-01-17T04:50:00.000-08:002009-01-17T04:50:00.000-08:00wow Nissa ... you seem pretty traumatized from you...wow Nissa ... you seem pretty traumatized from your experience at the embassy .. we should get a therapy group going for people like us! I never did have to go to the consulate in Dubai (my good 'ol dad sheltered me from it!), but I can picture what you described extremely clearly!Muneebahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15988781282264439838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699027686778256452.post-91438678903104466442009-01-16T12:43:00.000-08:002009-01-16T12:43:00.000-08:00I know exactlly how you felt Muneeba..... i've bee...I know exactlly how you felt Muneeba..... i've been through it and you know what? after experienccing it several times.... i finally had decided that that i would use 'vasta' and get my work done.<BR/><BR/>i dont know if you had ever gone to the consulate hre in dubai... but i can tell you atleast the one in NEwyork was good to look at from the outside!!<BR/>here,as soon as you come about 200 metres from the place you see this sea of desi... unironed non amir adnan shalwar kameez clad pathans by the 100s, who, eventhough you're in your car seem to just rape you with their eyes!<BR/>somehow, if you manage to find a parking space in this entire pathan jungle and walk towards the gates... firstly u're hit by the stench, yes i say stench coz smell wud just be an understatement!!<BR/><BR/>the moment you walk into the gates you're back in pakiland. dirty walls, paan chewing punjabi speaking men.... with no consideration for the fact that you're a lady and no tameez whatsoever.<BR/>the waiting room is even worse. palstic chairs that i wouldnt really want to put my behind on! doors that dont shut and you can hear the so called 'officers' laughing ad making fun of some poor dude who probably didnt even know how to sign hhis own name!<BR/><BR/>yes.. its pretty sad state.<BR/><BR/>and as someone had commented about toilets.... well first of all i didnt even ask for one here... but believe me... even if they had one, i wouldnt use it even if my life depended on it... coz after i wud use it... i wudnt have lived!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699027686778256452.post-24247094979797031032008-12-25T21:50:00.000-08:002008-12-25T21:50:00.000-08:00The money order is pretty laughable .. especially ...The money order is pretty laughable .. especially the way they say it .. "munney aardar". And the CVS thing that happened with your hubby is exactly what happened with mine! I think the guy working at that CVS was some relative to the guy at the consulate. *sigh* ... gotta luv our peeps.Muneebahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15988781282264439838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699027686778256452.post-68137857663874586082008-12-25T11:20:00.000-08:002008-12-25T11:20:00.000-08:00I sympathize completely! The first time my hubby t...I sympathize completely! The first time my hubby took me to the Pakistani consulate in Los Angeles, I was shocked by the dichotomy between the grand exterior and the shabby interior. And the lackadaisical demeanour of the people who worked there just made me want to shake them! Thankfully though, this time around when we went in November for our visa renewals, the situation was partially improved; the people behind the counters were friendly and yes, quite efficient, the place was clean with a lot more chairs for people who needed to wait. <BR/><BR/>There was still a photo booth which I'm not sure whether it wasn't working, or the people there just didn't want to work it. :P I know, I'm cynical. They kept telling people to go down the street to CVS and get their pictures taken there. And I don't know what the deal was...but even though this consulate office is in a very upscale building (just like your Manhattan branch!) they kept telling anyone who asked (and a lot of people did while we were there!) that restrooms were on the 2nd floor! and the consulate offices were on the 10th floor. It was just hard to believe that the only restrooms were available on one floor in the entire building. <BR/><BR/>And as for the money order...yes, it is wierd! my hubby actually got one made at the post office. I remember my Mom used to have to get money orders of our school fees made. :D We're still living in the 80s! I laughed out loud when my hubby told me we had to get money orders. :)Doppelgangerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03375873368560622796noreply@blogger.com