I scrambled a few days ago when I realized that my "30 day" tourist visa was expiring in just a few short days. Have a really already been here for a month? I was happy to hear it was merely a one day process. This morning I caught a taxi and then a microbus across town with my househelper Nirmala. We arrived at the immigration office to find ourselves amidst a rather foreign crowd. I heard a lot of Hebrew, a little Portugese, hardly any English and well, I'm getting used to that. The process seemed a bit hap-hazard and between her rapid Nepali inquiries and me trying to convince many that I was not Nepali and not in the wrong office, we parted with a receipt and a promise of a visa in a few short hours.
Nirmala and I hoped around town, picking up this and that and changing from taxi to bus and bus to taxi multiple times, each time negotiating a new rate. I was so comforted today when the taxi driver asked me in Nepali if I was a Nepali or a bideshi (foreigner)...I guess my broken and painfully slow sentences gave way to some confusion with the "hard to put your finger on it" appearance I have donned since birth.
I returned a few hours later and when I walked in, a man behind the counter recognized me and flagged me down ahead of the whole line of inquistive tourists. I smiled as I realized...some things, although not orderly can sure be a blessing...
2 comments:
Hey Julia, wow it's already been a month there eh. I actually had a similar problem here in Ireland. I had to come to ireland in such short notice that I didn't have time to renew my passport. I had to find a lawyer to sign documents for me and had to go to the embassy. I went up on a friday....arrived at the station at like 1130am...called the embassy and found out they close at 12pm! Got on a taxi... and arrived just as the shutters closed inside the office...but the lady was nice and they let me through to pick up my new passport. I had to get my new passport so I can get my immigrant status here. phew.
I'm glad to hear you're settling in well. I'm also having a headache with my epi course sigh...and grunt.
God bless,
Leo
Hey Jewels, Your mom came home very excited and proud of you. You cannot be forgotten as we regularly pray for you. Love the blog and pics.
Thank you for the card.
Petros
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