"I am sending an
angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I
have prepared."
Travel
Day 12
Monday, November 15, 2004 - Consulate
Appointment
Okay, quick post here.
Hello to my friends and family and HUGE hello to my America World family - who
received 25 referrals this week, I here!!! And, Shelley & David -- congrats
on Aly, she's beautiful!!!! I am trying not to cry because if I start, I will
not stop. And, I have to hurry.
Kya has gone from crying
the first day to non-stop laughs and joy. She's beautiful beyond compare, more
beautiful than her referral photos. She's demanding and she's a piggy but small.
She's wearing 6-9 months clothes but again is just naturally small. She's eating
everything, hamburger, fish, rice, noodles, eggs, peanut butter crackers are her
fave, introduced by dad. She dances when she gets those. She's has a beautiful
laugh, beautiful smile. Still just wants mom but is warming up to dad and really
laughs good with him. No one can hold her really but mom but now she lets other
touch her.
We've had a lovely
weekend here. We really like this city, very East/West mix.
Now we are headed to the
Consulate, more shopping on Shamian Island and then a different Thai dinner with
dancing and singing.
The Consulate
appointment was less than monumental. It's really not a big to-do at all but obviously
important. The guides go with you and they handle everything, as usual. You just
stand around and do what they tell you to do, when they tell you to do it. I
think their job is like herding cattle. We are the cattle...or sheep. I think
cows are probably a bit smarter than sheep and in this case, we are as clueless
as sheep. I have no idea if they even turned in paperwork for us, I'm sure they
did. It's probably something they had us fill out the other night at the
"paper party" in our guides room. At that time she told us exactly
what fields to fill in and what to write in those fields: name, social,
etc.
So, anyway, what
happened at the appointment was that we were herded over to the Consulate
building on Shamian Island. You go through a sort of outside line, like an
attraction ride. Guards are there to let you through the outside line, only to
enter an inside line. We were a group and had an appointment so we were able to
skip past all the locals standing in line, I assume trying to get Visa's to go
to the US. Once inside the compound like area, we had to leave everything
outside: strollers, purses, cameras, paperwork; just all sitting outside. But,
remember, we are in a secure compound, so it was okay -- if it didn't rain. One
of the families had an older son that stayed outside with all the groups
belongings for whatever comfort that might have provided us. We were thankful
though. Once we got inside it was crowded (shoulder to shoulder) not enough
seats. You stand or sit there for a long time and it does get kind of warm. Then
someone comes in and everyone raises their right hand and swears that the
information on the mysterious paperwork is accurate. Then you are called one by
one to go to a window. I think we had our passports with us and showed those and
did something at that window in which I've already forgotten. That was it. Kya
got her US Visa!!!! Yay!!! Now we can go home.
Later in the evening we
walked to dinner to a great Thai restaurant. It was upstairs in a shopping
plaza. It was so beautiful with (faux) foliage and waterfalls. There was a
band and you just dance in the middle of the isle or at your table. Dinner was
lazy susan style where you order for the entire table and pay what you think you
owe. It all worked out. We all ate everything ordered and we had to order second
helpings of some of the food, it was that good.
On the way home we
stopped for ice cream at a convenient store. Expensive!!!! I paid about 5
US dollars for a dove bar. I actually didn't have enough money on me and had to
go outside and get Dale for money to buy my ice cream bar. We also stopped at a
bakery and we bought some little treats. We didn't end up liking them though. I
think we were at our limit on 'new' foods though. I was hit up by a street
person for money. He didn't like the amount I gave him and threw it back at
me. Okay! I'm sorry. I didn't realize there was a minimum on giving
in that situation. I felt pretty cheesy and just walked away. Anyway, it was a
very nice evening. We did get to spend some time having relaxed conversation
with our guide as we walked to/from the dinner.
