I was furious today. So much wasted time. We had come to Ecuador with the understanding that we could leave the country before our 90 day tourist visa ran out, and re-enter for another 90 days. Sometime between planning to come to Ecuador for six months and actually arriving, the laws changed, and now we were required to get a longer tourist visa. This necessitated a visit to the Ministerio de Imigacion. Eric assured me that he had read through the requirements and that after taking photos of ourselves, we would go to the office and get a new visa. Of course nothing is simple here in Ecuador, and Eric does not always read the small print, or if he does, he ignores the parts he does not want to attend to.
We were up at the usual time, and Maya dressed for school with the expectation that we would be back in time for a few hours of school. Our taxi took us to a place in the Mariscal which was just opening, where we each had our photograph taken. the Ministerio was in walking distance. When we entered, we had to approach a gatekeeper, who questioned whether we had all that was necessary, but then gave us a number and sent us up to the first floor (which is really two floors us, not sure why). We entered a packed room with many eager tourists, and many who looked like locals. There in front of us was Vanessa, a former student of Eric who had been with us on the Ecuador trip with Hopkins two years ago. She is in Sangolqui volunteering with an internist in a hospital for a year. She will take her MCAT in June, and plans to enter medical school. Another student from the same year is also in Quito volunteering. Vanessa had much to tell us, and talked nonstop for three hours, until her number (46) came up. Until then, we watched the screen announce number 3, then 4, and on, slowly inexorably, painfully. We knew we would be in the office for hours. I asked the security guard who was watching us whether it was worth it to stay and if they would ever get to 77, and she assured us that they would. We were entertained by Vanessa for most of our wait. She did not get her visa, because her papers were not in order. When our turn came, late in the afternoon, our papers were also not in order, and we were told to return with a copy of Eric's bank statement to assure them that he had sufficient funds to stay.
We arrived home irritated and upset. In truth, this is quite ordinary for Ecuador, and when we lived here, I had no problem adjusting to the rigamarole. I was anxious because I wanted to finish my Coursera essays today and did not plan well. I should have gone to the office with all my papers, and Maya could have brought her schoolwork, but instead we sat and waited and waited and wondered and ultimately failed at our task.
Maya wanted to go to a party for a classmate, so after ballet, we drove the car to take her there. I remembered where the road was (near the former ambassador's residence), but the traffic up Diez de Agosto and to La Prensa was insane. I am not sure where all the people were going, but in both directions, the roads were blocked. We missed the movie Eric and I had planned to see while Maya was at her party, and limped home with just enough time to get settled and eat a little, before we had to return to the party to pick her up. The house was set up as a disco club, with lights and loud music and a huge swimming pool glistening in the dark. Maya had a great time, clearly she is starting to be the teenager she will be for the next few years.
We were up at the usual time, and Maya dressed for school with the expectation that we would be back in time for a few hours of school. Our taxi took us to a place in the Mariscal which was just opening, where we each had our photograph taken. the Ministerio was in walking distance. When we entered, we had to approach a gatekeeper, who questioned whether we had all that was necessary, but then gave us a number and sent us up to the first floor (which is really two floors us, not sure why). We entered a packed room with many eager tourists, and many who looked like locals. There in front of us was Vanessa, a former student of Eric who had been with us on the Ecuador trip with Hopkins two years ago. She is in Sangolqui volunteering with an internist in a hospital for a year. She will take her MCAT in June, and plans to enter medical school. Another student from the same year is also in Quito volunteering. Vanessa had much to tell us, and talked nonstop for three hours, until her number (46) came up. Until then, we watched the screen announce number 3, then 4, and on, slowly inexorably, painfully. We knew we would be in the office for hours. I asked the security guard who was watching us whether it was worth it to stay and if they would ever get to 77, and she assured us that they would. We were entertained by Vanessa for most of our wait. She did not get her visa, because her papers were not in order. When our turn came, late in the afternoon, our papers were also not in order, and we were told to return with a copy of Eric's bank statement to assure them that he had sufficient funds to stay.
We arrived home irritated and upset. In truth, this is quite ordinary for Ecuador, and when we lived here, I had no problem adjusting to the rigamarole. I was anxious because I wanted to finish my Coursera essays today and did not plan well. I should have gone to the office with all my papers, and Maya could have brought her schoolwork, but instead we sat and waited and waited and wondered and ultimately failed at our task.
Maya wanted to go to a party for a classmate, so after ballet, we drove the car to take her there. I remembered where the road was (near the former ambassador's residence), but the traffic up Diez de Agosto and to La Prensa was insane. I am not sure where all the people were going, but in both directions, the roads were blocked. We missed the movie Eric and I had planned to see while Maya was at her party, and limped home with just enough time to get settled and eat a little, before we had to return to the party to pick her up. The house was set up as a disco club, with lights and loud music and a huge swimming pool glistening in the dark. Maya had a great time, clearly she is starting to be the teenager she will be for the next few years.
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