So after months of calls, filling out forms, waiting, calls, and more waiting Marcelle and I finally heard that our visas were ready for pick up at the Houston Peruvian Consulate (there is not one in San Antonio). Now every time we talked to someone we heard slightly different stories about what to bring so we were a bit nervous that we would have problems once we actually got there. Tuesday was an open day in our schedule so we decided to go up Monday night at arrive at the consulate first thing Tuesday morning to pick up our visas.
My dear friend Stephanie, who was my praxis partner in El Salvador when I studied abroad and one of my best friends from study abroad, lives in Houston. So I called her up and she graciously offered Marcelle and I a space to stay in her new apartment which she had just moved into this last weekend. Thanks Steph! It was soooo wonderful to see her again and catch up on our lives over the last year. She also became our chauffeur around Houston and was so great.
So Tuesday morning Marcelle and I arrived at the Peruvian consulate, handed them all the information we brought (photos, flight itinerary, health form so they know we don't have swine flu (seriously), and of course passport), filled out the visa information form, and were told to come back in two hours. So Stephanie drove us around Houston and showed us the JV house, where she works at Catholic Charities, and downtown Houston. We stopped at a cool local coffee shop and Marcelle got her morning cup of coffee :) Then back around 11:30 and we picked up our passports with visas stamped in all ready to go. Best part: it was free!! Yep, we didn't have to pay anything for the visa which was great because the trip to Houston was about $50 to take the bus. So everything went well. Todo bien.
For lunch I was able to meet up with two of my good friends from SLU: Jennie and Justin. Justin is from a suburb of Houston and Jennie recently moved there with her husband, Kevin, who works at the space center. It was great to see them both one last time before leaving the country!
Our bus coming back to San Antonio ended up being an hour and a half late, but we eventually arrived back around 9:00pm and were greeted by our wonderful fellow IWMs. After a quick stop at Sonic to eat some ice cream we came back to the dorms and watched Slumdog Millionaire (which many of them had not seen).
I'm down to less than a week now before leaving and am getting very excited and ready to be in Peru. I will still have my cellphone until the 24th of August so if anyone wants to hear my beautiful voice :) one last time you can call until then.
To everyone getting ready for the coming school year: blessings to you all and best of luck in your studies (or teaching)! Education is power so make the most of your education and share it with others.
peace and love always