Death by Visa

I figured an update was in order, as all I have done up until this point is beg for money. Now that my tuition has been paid in full (with the help of many generous contributors), my mind is free to worry about other Argentina-related things, like the acquisition of a visa. Little did I know, obtaining a transitory visa for Argentina is notoriously difficult and expensive.

My quest to complete this seemingly impossible task began in early June, when I received a 10+ page packet via email from AFS detailing the visa process. Each state is assigned to a specific Consulate, and, as luck would have it, the Consulate General of Argentina in Houston has jurisdiction over Colorado. Every Consulate has its own set of requirements, and Houston is one of the few that requires an in-person interview with the applicant. Really? If I must travel domestically to receive a visa, it might as well be to a desireable location. Alas, my father and I will have the pleasure of visiting a city that magnifies all of the ills of American culture. We leave on August 10th and return on the 11th, so as to not expose ourselves to Houston's harmful rays for too terribly long.

Today, my dad and I went to Denver to the Secretary of State in order to receive authorization from the Apostille on some of my documents. A few days prior, we had the documents notarized by a Notary Public. Apparently, the Notary Public had mistakenly defaced my birth certificate. The Secretary of State Office closed in about an hour, and my dad and I were faced with the challenge of obtaining a new birth certificate in a short amount of time. We sped off to another government building in Denver (getting lost a few times along the way) where we would be able to replace my birth certificate. Luckily, we were able to return to the Secretary of State Office before it closed. Phew! Another trip to Denver would have been such a hassle.

Now, all that is left to do is get the documents professionally translated from English to Spanish. I cannot shake the feeling that I have overlooked something, even though I have checked that damn list more times than Santa checks his list. Ugh...a Santa reference? Proof that I work with kids far too often.

Oh, and I don't believe that I have mentioned where I will be staying yet! It's a town of about 150,000 people located in the provice of Cordoba. Rio Cuarto is the name, which means 4th River in English. So far, AFS has not provided me with details concerning my permanent host family. However, I do know that I will be staying with the Vilches family for the first month of my exchange.

That's all to report for now. Next time I post something, I will probably be writing from Argentina!