On Wednesday I went for the mandatory medical check up which is the first step in getting a residency permit.

I queue up with a large number of Asians and a few Europeans waiting to be called for the blood test. I get a numbered ticket on arrival. My number is 1826.

The number on the board says 1782, however after a few minutes the security man queue-jumps me to the window where I am checked in.

The barcode on my form is scanned, my ID photo appears on the computer screen. The form is stamped and I head to the blood queue. I’m though in about 10 minutes. The form is stamped again and I go to get a chest x-ray.

The x-ray queue is much longer. Every ten minutes or so, 5 people go into the x-ray anteroom and we all shuffle five seats closer to the front of the line.

It takes about an hour before my turn comes. We take off our shirts in the anteroom and line up to be called in one by one. Another ID check, form stamped, 20 seconds in front of the x-ray machine and it’s all over.

On the journey back we stop at another clinic for blood typing… B Positive in case you are interested.