The belated story of my uneventful trip to the US Embassy

(Sorry for the late posting: Google Blogger has been down since Thursday, so I wasn't able to include this until this morning when it started working again)

In order for me to work in Vietnam, I’m required to obtain a Vietnamese work permit.  Aside from a physical examination, passport photos and the application itself, I need to submit “my credentials”, which include my college diploma, work history and criminal background check.  I’ve been busy gathering those items and finally received my FBI background check information a couple of weeks ago (I was pleased to find out that I have no criminal background), so it was finally time to submit my application.

Unfortunately, the Vietnamese Government first wants an affidavit verifying the validity of the information I’m submitting from the US Embassy.  So yesterday (Wednesday) I made my way to into town to do just that.

Unfortunately, there’s not much to my story.  The US Embassy is a large, gray building on a busy street in downtown Hanoi.  After getting security screened and having our cell phones taken, we made our way into the building, only to be greeted by Obama, Hillary and Joe (not life size cut outs, just their pictures on the wall). 

Les, who accompanied me, and I commented on how crazy it was to think that every time there’s a change in administrations, thousands of picture frames all over the world are taken down and given new photos.  Just because. 

Anyway, we went inside the visa section where 50 or so Vietnamese citizens (presumably) sat waiting for their names to be called while they watched a video playing on a flat screen TV.  The video was instructional, for the most part, but featured some amazing scenes from home, including an inordinate number from the desert southwest and even Lake Powell.  Needless to say, it made me a little homesick.

Otherwise, I stepped to the counter and spoke to a very pleasant woman about getting my affidavit.  Theoretically, the Vietnamese government wants this affidavit certifying that the documents I (and all other expat Air Mekong employees) submit are official and valid.  Unfortunately, the Embassy can neither verify nor vouch for the validity of these documents.  Instead, all the Embassy can or will do is provide an affadavit saying that the person submitting the documents believes them to be official and valid which definitely isn’t the same thing.  Fortunately, no one in Vietnam processing these permits has noticed the distinction so the work permits continue to be granted.

Of course, in typical bureaucratic fashion, there were long lines, plenty of waiting and lots of evident confusion and frustration on hand.  As I sat waiting for my request to be processed, I watched and couldn’t help but wonder what the story behind each Embassy visitor was that day.  “America” (cue the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), even with all our problems, still represents such hope and opportunity and, no doubt, there were many there who’s own hopes and dreams were in the hands of those behind the bulletproof glass, handling their requests.

Two other funny observations:

One, the most prominent feature in the waiting room that no one could miss, was a large posterboard extolling the features of various US Government links to Facebook.  Just one thing: Facebook is kinda taboo in Vietnam.  Make no mistake, Facebook is HUGE here and, if Air Mekong employees aren’t napping at noon, they’re updating their profiles on Facebook.  But to do so, they have all sorts of secret addresses and website workarounds to gain access.  So the fact that the US Government was promoting Facebook at the Vietnamese Embassy is either one of two things: 1) very subversive or 2) completely clueless.

Second, while I was patiently waiting, Les made his way to the “American Center” which I guess serves as a library of some kind of all things American.  Along with books and pictures and all sorts of other resource material, they had a handful of videos available to view which apparently best represented the good ole USA. Les made note of two of the half dozen or so movies they offered: The Sound of Music and Gone with the Wind.  I don't know about you, but Les and I both thought they were rather odd selections.