Estados Unidos

Monday I received a Fed Ex package from my new school in Colombia with the documents I need to start the visa process for my temporary work visa. I was given the instructions to start the process "right away". Being the rule follower I am, I listened and began the online application process on Tuesday. I went onto the website as instructed by the Houston Colombian Consulate and began.  Here are the things I've learned:

1. Although Google will translate web pages (everything is in Spanish- after all it's the Colombian Consulate) Google does not translate drop down menus. The first question on the application asked for my "country of birth"..... I could not for the life of me find United States (I even looked under America). I started texting people "what else could UNited States be listed under?"...... Then like a light bulb it came to me, United States in Spanish is Estados Unidos. Crisis #1 averted 

2. The consulate won't always answer their phones. This required me to get my Colombian friend on the phone with her friend who knew someone who knew someone who worked for the consulate.... This became 3-4 person information, and took most of the day.

3. When they ask for the city of the address you are moving to they mean "the closest city that will work in the system". I had to use the address of the school since I don't officially have an address yet. That city wasn't in the system.... When the application wouldn't advance to the next page due to "error" I was forced to call the consulate to figure out what was going on (this was before they stopped answering phones as stated in #2)...... The lady I spoke to said "sometimes the cities don't work so just pick something close to it"...... So I did and it worked. I'm guessing accuracy isn't terribly important.

So, now I'm sitting in the Consulate office waiting (for what I'm not really sure- but they took my money, my paper work, and my passport....so at the very least I need a receipt). I woke up at 2:45am this morning to head down to Houston (the traffic here is a nightmare) arriving 10 minutes early and there was still 3 people in front of me in line. It's a very popular location I'm guessing. Wonder if anyone else got up as early as me to get here. Would totally suck if you lived in El Paso! My friend Jen wins "Rockstar Friend of the Day" though.... She gave me a gift card for coffee that caffeinated me half way through the trip (once Starbucks opened) and while sitting here realizing I didn't eat breakfast I found some Oreo cookies she gave me earlier this week! Thanks Jen!!!

60 minutes later.....

I'm officially legal to work in Colombia, yikes!!!

Ps.... I didn't realize they would actually print that awful picture on my visa or I'd worn makeup before taking that picture!! Live and learn!

I'm super excited and nervous at the same time!! So if you see me and I look frazzled it's not a bad thing, I'm just trying to get things accomplished in the few days I have left.