PRC Consulate

State Emblem of the PRC (image from Wikipedia)

For the second time in a month, I ventured to the Consulate of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Los Angeles, California. I did it because not only I can, but to accompany a friend who wants to get a Chinese Visa to work over there. He wants to teach English to children, so we don't have to learn Chinese in the future. He has one visa so far, but he had to get another one due to a change in his work status. So after a half of tank of gas later, the company that hired my friend shafted him with paperwork. So it was a waste of time this trip. Last trip, he got his visa and was out 130 USD.

Personally, I found the PRC Consulate Visa Office to be a waiting hall of boredom. Sure, CCTV was playing in the background, but the volume was set low, I couldn't hear squat. There was no Chinese papers I could read and everywhere I turned, there were Falun Gong and Tibetan protesters everywhere with signs. Even after brushing past the protesters and throwing their papers in the trash, walking into the actual consulate was a sad place. Just three folks, almost like a small family, in a teller like office, bored, and couldn't really help us with anything. Regardless of who we asked, they all pointed to the Internet for all of our needs. I wish they were more effective in providing information, or at least have something simple as booklets or maps. Especially with the Olympics going on in Beijing this year, the lack of information or guides about the PRC at the consular offices was pretty pathetic. Nations will do everything and anything to get tourists during significant events and the Olympics is one of them. Nothing much can be done, but not sure if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hear my plea and at least better equip the consular office in Los Angeles.

With the Japanese Consulate, I will make a different post about that, whenever I go there next. I'll ask if my girlfriend and friends want to visit it just for information about Japan and maybe ask for maps and other freebies, but I am not sure what folks want to do. (Also, I could not provide photos of the actual places, since photography was forbidden by the consular officials).