embassy woes

can someone please tell me what public holiday it is today in Singapore? as far as my knowledge goes, the next public holiday is in May - vesak day?

anyway, here's why i'm so frustrated.

yesterday, as i was gathering my documents to open a UK bank account, i realised that i needed to verify my identity, so i had to go down to the singapore consulate to sign a declaration. to give you an idea of the gravity of the situation, i need to open this account by 2 May so that I can get my housing allowance, which would pay for a roof over my head when i'm in london. therefore, i need to send in my application ASAP. i couldn't do it before because there was some misunderstanding with the account types.

so i find out where the consulate is, and start on my 4km journey there. the consulate is situated south of the city centre, over this bridge which causes a butt-ache when crossing over, because of the arch. anyway, i find my way there, and realise that it is a small room in a danish shipping firm building. i saw the sign outside and my heart sank, because the opening hours were stated as 10am-12noon, monday to friday. the time was 1300h. i went in anyway, hopeful that there might be at least a single soul in the office who might be able to help me. i naively thought that singaporeans everywhere were hard workers, and surely that 2 hour office time actually meant consultation time. but no, i was wrong. the receptionist i spoke to showed me a piece of paper which said that the embassy was closed on (a list of dates)and in case of emergency, to contact the embassy in berlin. the first date on that list was 26 May. i don't remember the date, but i was certain about the month. so i decided to come back the next day just after 10am. i would be delayed by a day, but it was the best i could do.

actually, now that i think about it, what makes one think that the berlin embassy can actually help, are their office hours 12 -2pm or something like that? hehhhh

fast forward to this morning. i wake up bright and early, the earliest i've ever woken up on a tuesday. i had a class at 9.50am, and i would have made it on time, for once. but i decided that the trip to the embassy would take precedence for today.

my spirit was rather high as i made my 4km journey across the city centre. recently, with the flowers in full bloom, i feel extra happy cycling across the canals because kobenhavn was such a beautiful place, nothing like the gloomy city that greeted us in january.

but i digress.

i finally arrive at the door of the same shipping company, and i thought i saw an asian guy through the glass of the singapore consulate. i was glad, in fact, i was even dreaming of perhaps hooking up the embassy with the singaporean students on exchange. but it seemed that my eyes were playing a cruel trick on me. i went in, and the receptionist told me that the singapore consulate was closed today because it was a public holiday today, and that it would reopen on thursday. i was puzzled, and my heart sank lower than it had yesterday. but i tried to work it out. it definitely is not a Danish public holiday, because the shipping company was open, and there were classes today - so it had to be a holiday in Singapore. But that's strange because the next holiday i remember to be on the calenday was labour day - 1 May. moreover that piece of paper i saw yesterday said that the next time the embassy would be closed was in May. AND the only double day midweek public holiday we ever get in Singapore is for Chinese New Year. why on earth would they take a 2 day holiday in the middle of April, and attribute it to a public holiday? I remain in the dark.

anyway, i am now really at a loss. i can't get this application sent out until thurs, and i'm gonna miss the deadline. i started my journey home, my spirit weighed down with worry. that _ digit figure would have been significant at the beginning of june. i highly doubt i'd be able to finance my rent with the limited resources i now have. as i crossed the canals from the city centre back into norrebro, i forgot to glance over the lake and take in the sight that always made me smile.

on a brighter note, i think i've emerged from this situation with stronger butt muscles now, considering i'll have to make that same journey again for the 3rd time this week, on thursday. they better not play me out again. bleah.