新年快樂！Happy Chinese New Year!

Picture taken last day of second term, spring has come to Taiwan :)

I've just finished second term of Chinese language classes, and now I'm looking forward to one and a half month of vacation. I'll go travel in Taiwan, work on some projects of mine, read books and relax. But why such a long vacation? It's because I'll change to a universiy in Tainan, and the language courses there will start later than the language courses in Taipei. But to extend my ARC, to extend my permission to stay in Tawan as I have to do every three months, would not be an easy task this time.

Picture taken i December, a few weeks into second term.

My struggle to get my ARC extended

I went to Tainan in November to have a look at the university and ask the language center some questions. One of the questions I asked them was if I were able to extend my ARC for such a long period of time. They called the Tainan Immigration Office, and found out it shouldn't be any problem. 

So, last week, when it was less than one month until my ARC expired, I went to my local immigration office to renew my ARC. I had all the papers (I thought) I neeeded, like admission letter from my new university and an attendance record from the current. What I thought would be an easy task, turned out to be the opposite. At first they told I needed to extend my ARC in Tainan, as that was where I were going to study. I told him several times that I would still live at my current adress for another 2 months, and that I did not have any adress in Tainan yet. After a few repetitions he got my point, and asked he's colleagues. They told us I could not stay in Taiwan for such a long time without being enrolled in any university. I told them the universities offer 3 month terms, and that I couldn't enroll anywhere the time between Chinese new year and my next term. He told me I should ask one of the universities to change the dates written on my enrollment letters, so that I didn't have any break in between the terms. When I asked if he wanted them to write fake letters, that included almost two months of vacation, he said yes! I was like... are you serious? After questioning him about this matter a few times, he asked his colleagues again. This time they asked me to wait, and gave the immigration office in Tainan. It took them 10 to 15 minutes, so I believe they might call my new university to get my admission confermed as well. When they returned to me, they told me they could extend my ARC until the end of March, so that I have one week to renew it within one week after I move to Tainan. Thank you! But wait, they wanted me to give them my ARC..? Instead of letting me keep my ARC card, they gave me a receipt saying I would have to extend my ARC in Tainan before the end of March. That would be ok, of it hadn't been for my trip to Norway in March. Without the ARC card I'm not able to enter Taiwan again. I didn't think about this matter until I went to class later that day, but luckily the office at school helped me out. They called the immigration office and were told I could apply for a re-entry permit. I would have to wait until the end of February though, as it will only be valid for one month. I hope it will be ok now, so I can go to Norway and return without any further problems :)

First time driving in Taiwan. Interesting.

We'll travel south tomorrow (Sunday), and we'll probably be offline for a week. I hope that next time I'll update my blog about my progression after six months of Chinese study, as well as some thoughs about driving a car in Taiwan. I drove a few kilometers today, and I found it very interesting ;)