This week I got my stuff done with Manitoba Health (new card, letter), got a very expensive doctor’s note saying that I am healthy, and got an appointment for my visa interview. I will be heading to Edmonton next weekend to make my appointment Monday September 8th. Unfortunately the only way to apply for a working holiday visa is to go there in person, and Edmonton has the closest Japanese consulate to Winnipeg. The only thing left to get for my visa is the traveller’s checks.
2013 note 1 – The story of the doctor’s note was interesting. The Japanese consulate wanted a doctor’s note stating that I was healthy. Health care in Canada is free, but getting a doctor’s note for anything other than health reasons costs $85. I went to the walk in clinic and waited an hour to see a very busy doctor. I told him why I needed the note. He asked a few introductory questions, and checked my blood pressure and reflexes. He then asked a few questions about my health history, said I seemed pretty healthy, and told me he would write whatever note I needed.
At first I was a little upset that I was paying $85 and didn’t receive an actual examination at all. Then I realized that this saved both of us time and I didn’t have to have any fingers inserted into places and walked out the door happy. Looking back on this now I realize that he really should have checked me out – I could have been lying the entire time!
I didn’t write about this in my blog at the time, just in case someone from the Japanese consulate was going to find me online. I don’t think they would appreciate how casually the doctor’s note was obtained.
2013 note 2 – The consulate moved from Edmonton to Calgary a few years after I moved to Japan.
Drinking in Japan 