Patience...

Guess who is learning patience? yep, me!

Last week, I traveled to San Fernando to get my Visa. I was told to arrive at 8:30 am...so, naturally, I did, because I am a gringa and I run on real time. Ana´s brother took me to the Extranjeros office, where we waited for a good 30 minutes while the person who runs the office was downstairs drinking her tea and having breakfast. I got my sticker (stamp) in my passport then we walked over to the Investigaciones office (which is like the police office). Basically, after they all talked about the problems with the school system, the finally put my information in the computer, took my picture, and gave me a peice of paper that had all my details, my photo, and my signature. Then, I got on the bus to come back to Santa Cruz. Short bus ride, only 45 minutes.

Today, I had to head to the registro civil to get my Chilean ID card. My class just before lunch was canceled, so I decided to head over there early, since they close at 2pm. The office reminded me of the DMW, only there weren´t many people waiting and it was a bit cleaner than the DMV I know in Colorado Springs. I took a number and waited. Then, when it was my turn, I gave the woman all my papers; my passport, my investigaciones permission slip, and my tourist visa. She says she needs copies and I look at her and say, ok, no problem. Only she continued to look at me. So I said, you can do that here, right? She looks at me and says...no, our photocopier is broken. I looked at her with the...of course it is broken..face. Then, she asked me about where I was living and where I was working. Then, reminded me she could help me when I came back with photocopies of the pages. Urgh...ok.

SO, tomorrow morning, for my morning walk, I am going to walk to the registro civil, which she told me opens at 8:30, even though other people have told me they open at 9:00...and I am going to pray that they open at 8:30 and that everything goes smoothly!

My other situation requiring patience is the situation with the package my parents so lovingly sent to me which has been sitting in customs for the past week, nearly, because me and my parents being the innocent people we are, didn´t see anything wrong with sending goods for baking across borders. My parents were passing along a dictionary I had bought and asked me if I needed anything else. I thought, hey, I would like to make some bars for my family here, can you send me, a,b, and c, since I can´t find it here? They said, sure. Now, the package has been held up in customs for health department investigations. The funny part is, my Mom, thought maybe we wouldn´t have powdered sugar, so put some into a separate ziplock bag (unlabeled). We are laughing now because it was an innocent mistake! Geez! But, I am still trying to get my package. Someday soon, I hope.

I tell you, it is an adventure learning new policies and procedures...most of the time it is fine, but sometimes, you just want things to go how they are supposed to go. As I said good bye to other volunteers that I had come with last weekend, they laughed as they said, the one thing we won´t miss is the bureaucratic procedures. ha ha...I am jealous knowing that right now, they can walk into a store, select what it is that they want, then walk to the register and pay for it!

I need patience everyday. I think when I come home you could run me over with a truck and it won´t bother me. Aye...patience...

Well, I am off to school...