November 18, 2010

We had an amusing morning that we have never had before. Wayne and I had our “marriage” interview today, a needed step to obtain my visa. Needless to say, I was concerned about it. I have heard such horror stories from those that have gone through it before. You can’t figure out just how it will go because the rules and procedures change all the time. Even the lawyer doesn’t know how things would work. But they have to interview you to see if you are “really” married before granting a visa. Seems simple when we have been married for 34 years, yet the hoops that others had to go through after many years of marriage didn’t make it seem simple at all. The immigration lady who interviewed us spoke very very little English and was not too pleased when the two of us show up and could speak practically no Spanish. A gentleman that I met in line, while waiting, offered to translate, but they would not allow it. So I was first, while Wayne had to wait outside the room. It was comical as she tried to ask questions in broken English and I had to write the answers on paper for her to figure out. Wayne could see through the blinds in the window and noticed I had her laughing, so realized things were going great. His interview as about half the time of mine, so we figured she was just verifying that what I had said. I don’t know, maybe it was that we were “older” and that we were the only gringos in the entire place, so they “profiled” us as not being people trying to “sneak” into the country. But an experience that I have never had, yet have seen on television. It ended up being fun.
One of my friends went to the states a couple weeks ago. Having not been there for over two years, she said they was so surprised at her first four way stop. Everyone stopped and they actually took turns at the intersection? Strange indeed!! The rule of thumb here, as someone told me the first week I was here and didn’t understand at the time, was that the person that is at least ¼ inch ahead has the right-of-way. And four way stops do not mean you actually “stop”. Now I understand. Wayne is afraid he won’t know how to drive back in the states. I watch the USA news and see the accidents because people are using their cell phones. It is totally illegal here, yet I don’t understand how anyone COULD. You need ALL your wits about you when driving. Now, if someone could convince the people here to keep their streets clean. It is so disgusting to see people throwing trash out the window of their car. Honestly, I remember people doing that way back when I was little and thinking it was “OK”. Then there was the big campaign to stop littering that I remember very well. Apparently it worked in the states. Someone should dig up those old commercials and send them down here.