Registration day

Today (and tomorrow) is registration day at the Overseas Education College of Xiamen University. I had set my alarm to make sure I would be there on time, and after getting up and a 15 minute bike ride I arrived at the registration office, well before 9 o'clock. I already knew where it was from my previous visit, so I didn't have to waste time finding it. There were already quite a few people at the office, but the whole situation seemed less chaotic than last year at Guangxi University.
A friendly young woman greeted me in English, and gave me a checklist of 8 tasks to complete (in English and Chinese). Last year I received a similar checklist at Guangxi University, but it was written only in Chinese and Vietnamese, so not very helpful to the Western students.
I had paid the tuition fee and registration fee already at the bank (the ICBC branch near my home), as advised at my previous visit in July. In order to collect the cash to deposit into the university's account, I had to visit the ATM several times on consecutive days last week, using two different cards, since the daily limit is only 2,500 RMB, and I needed 16,400 RMB in total.
After all tasks were completed, I could go to the Public Security Bureau with all my signed and stamped documents and photocopies, to apply for a new residence permit. There was only one slight hiccup: the passport photo I brought was not accepted, because it was too small. I was sent outside to make new ones across the street. After that, my application was accepted, and I can pick up my passport with a new permit next week, valid until August 31st, 2012.
Now I have to prepare for the entrance exam on Wednesday, which will determine the class that I will join. Hopefully I don't have to start all over again. Classes will start next week Tuesday the 13th.