🌹🌵Speak for Your Dream!🌵🌹
A true story by Elie Molly*
Beijing, 11 October 2019
Be like a cactus; you live in the desert, alone, but you stand strong. And be like a rose: you have fragrance and elegance, plus thorn to protect your beauty from any dream stealers. ~ Molly
It was three years ago when I was studying for my master's degree in Shanghai. I applied for a Japan visa to visit some cultural places in Tokyo. The visa agency refused my application. They said I should have deposit a minimum of 50,000 RMB in my bank account.
I was despondent about this situation. I explained to them that I'm a student, I don't have such an amount of money. I promised them that I would visit Japan for only one week, then return to China for my study. The agency advised me to talk to the Japanese consulate directly, so I did it.
I went to the Japan consulate office in Shanghai. I explained the situation, and the staff (a Chinese woman) replied, "If you don't have money, don't go to Japan!"
I was very shocked by her rude attitude. Japan is famous with very polite culture; how can this kind of woman be accepted to work in the Japan consulate office. I didn't reply to her words; I just said, "Can I talk to your manager?" She refused, "It is the rule; even the manager can't change it."
I said to her, "Look. I'm an Indonesian citizen; I hold an e-passport. I can go to Japan without a visa in Indonesia, but why have you asked me for a visa here in China? Let me talk to your manager."
After about one hour of argument, finally, the woman agreed to call the manager. He is a polite Japanese man; he listened to my problem very carefully. "I like Japanese culture," I said, "I want to visit only one week because I should return to my university soon." The manager asked how I will survive during my trip because Tokyo is a costly city. I showed him my scholarship notification from the Chinese Government Scholarship Council (CSC). He agreed to grant me a Japan visa.
It was an experience that I will remember the whole of my life. I learned that we should be brave to speak to get what we want. Everything is negotiable, even the rule, as long as we know how to negotiate.
At that time, I was working as an intern staff at the Indonesian consulate office in Shanghai. I could get a Japan visa very easily by using the stamped letter from my office. But I didn't do that. I tried to fight for my dream with my own voice, not by using someone else's power. And with the help of Allah, I did it.
The good news is that not only could I visit Japan and enjoyed the beautiful city of Tokyo, but I also found that after my case, the Japanese consulate office changed the regulation for students' visa application, no need to have 50,000 RMB of deposit anymore. Alhamdulillah.
Dare to speak and dare to dream. 🌵🌹
*Elie Molly, author of the book "Dare To Dream."
Visit her website:
https://eliemolly.wixsite.com/website