It has been so long since I added to this blog. But, I love keeping it as a diary so I decided to add a few things that I certainly don’t want to forget. Also, it is a repository for some pictures. So, if you are still reading it, super! If I don’t get on occasionally, I forget my password!
I had another “one of those days” at immigration yesterday. My initial immigration status is over and I am now applying for the next step. As always, it was an adventure like no other. We had a marriage interview 18 months ago to prove we were married and it went great. But, now the law says you have to have another one (brand new procedure). Our interviewer seemed to be someone who obviously hated his job with a passion. I also had to have a professional translator (one that is certified, whatever that means). We had to wait only 2 hours for our appointment. They are trying to “prove” that we are “really” married. Part of the process is to ask you questions in an interview. They take me first and ask, then bring in Wayne and ask the same questions to see if they “match”? Well we missed some questions, which is a real NO NO. I guess we aren't married after 36 years! They asked what color towel Wayne dried with after his shower that morning. I had no clue, nor did I have a clue what color mine was and I told them that. They insisted on a color, so I named a color of one of the stack of 5 towels we have. I missed !!! We are not newlyweds with a beautiful set of perfectly coordinated towels anymore. Arggggg.. Then, I missed on the color of our toothbrushes. We share an electric one, but Wayne also uses a regular one. I had no clue what color it is. They insisted I give a color. What a stupid stupid interview. Really??? So after the "officials" review it, we may have to do the darn thing again. But, I did get another temporary card for a year. Like, will this visa process go on forever??? Seems like I go from one temporary card to another. The country has a tremendous problem with illegals from Columbia. But, we are an older couple from the US??? Really, are we sneaking into the country and to do what?
Two weeks ago, I went to the US Embassy for an appointment to discuss Medicare. We could go over there and get information about whatever Medicare might be, since I am approaching that age. The service at the Embassy was terrible, the people had no clue. In fact, I asked a question and she went to her computer, left me standing at the window for 20 minutes only to reappear and tell me what I knew already because I had looked online before. Then, we went to a Panamanian bank thinking we would have issues with the language and being understood, but the service was excellent with an English speaking service representative. They were amazing. So, that day our expectations were certainly switched!
There is a beautiful food court being built in our neighborhood. It will be amazing when finished. It has been under construction now for over two years. In the states, it would have been totally constructed and operational in 6 months. I asked someone (a Panamanian) what the problem was. He said it was too many bosses that don’t speak to each other. One says build a wall, the next week the other one says tear it down. They are already being fined for being many many months late. Oh well!!!
We are now in the dry season. Our children were here for Christmas and I was so hoping the dry season would begin while there were here, but it did not. On Saturday before they left, it rained hard while we were at an open air restaurant. Since then it has not rained a drop. The dry season probably started as they boarded the plane to return to the cold cold north. Now, there will likely be no rain for 90 -110 days. Beautiful!!!! Very hot in the afternoon, though if you are directly in the sun. But early mornings and evenings are heavenly. And the shade in the afternoon. No humidity!
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