So What Happens Now?

I had a talk with Ruby and Eve this afternoon about the whole visa situation. I made my position clear: I wasn't going to lie any more about my reasons for being in Taiwan, to the Taiwanese government or anyone else. This has gotten too nervewracking. I also made clear that, if they do not have their act together for me to apply for a residency visa when I have to go out again next time, in early December, I will fly out, but to the States, not to Hong Kong.

This actually seemed to go well. They told me to talk with Dave and Mark in the head office, with whom I was in contact several times during my visa run. They supported my refusal to be dishonest but to be careful not to break whatever relationship I have with them and with Shane. After hearing my description of what happened in Hong Kong--how the man at the window told me they had been in contact with the New York visa office--Ruby at least finally seems to believe that I did actually apply in New York. We at least seem to be on the same side in this now.

The worst of it is that so much of this could have been avoided. Not just my visa problems, but the miscommunications and problems I have had with Ruby and Eve so far. I was never told that Shane operated as a franchise system before I came to Taiwan, and had I known this, I might have reconsidered taking that position. I thought that my recruiter, Richard Jones of Reach to Teach Recruiting, was in contact with Eve during the time I was dealing with him, which has proven not to be the case. I asked him specifically to forward messages from me about my visa situation to Eve after it became clear she wasn't getting them, and I assumed he had.

Really all I can do is wait for Tuesday to figure out where we go from here. I guess Evita said it best: So what happens now?