Visa Shenanigans

Ah yes. Anyone who's spoken to me since November has, I'm sure, heard about my extended battle with various institutions of the French government in regards to my visa. As such, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I've encountered a large amount of trouble/difficulty at my final step in the process—actually obtaining the visa.

After fastidious planning, gathering of the correct paperwork, appointment making, and arranging for time away from class, I left for Cincinnati Wednesday afternoon. In order to break up the long drive to Chicago—which I was making alone—I stopped over for the night at home and got to see the family for a bit. On the way home, as my luck would have it, I run over something and the next thing I know, I feel as though my car is dragging something. Pulling over to the shoulder, I get out, look under Lola and see nothing wrong—then I notice it... the flat tire. Yes, my back right tire is completly flat and I am on the shoulder of 32, somewhere between Athens and Cincinnati (a billboard informs me that I'm 9 miles out of Mt. Orab). Fortunately, from my car I see (right off of John Woods Road, might I add) a place called "Kendall Tire Co." After calling Em and having her google the number (since 411 couldn't find them since I had NO clue as to what city I was in), I mangage to slowly drive Lola over to this nice man, who in an hour puts on a new tire for me, only charging me $47. What a lifesaver. Anyways, I finally made it home and spent the night with the fam. Then, Thursday afternoon (after another day putzing around Anderson), I drove to Kara's apartment in Chicago.

The drive went rather smoothly, up until I got confused off the exit and spent 45 minutes alternatively on the phone with Kara or her roommate Emily and driving around the north/west part of Chicago. Alas, finally made it there and got settled in. They have an adorable apartment, relatively large for the two of them... and a with a super comfy couch to boot.

Anyways, my visa appointment was for 10am at the Consulate, which is located on the corner of Lake and North Michigan, so we decided to leave at 8:45 or so. Kara took off class Friday to accompany me, for which I was supremely grateful. Unfortunately, we underestimated our time needs and ended up having to get off the El and hustle for 10 blocks-ish (instead of taking the Brown line all the way around the loop). We managed to find the building "sans problème", if you will, and got there exactly at 10am. I handed the woman my paperwork and it all seemed to go incredibly smoothly... a fact which should have made me suspicious. Unfortunately, due to my panic about being late and my flustered brain, I completely forgot to inform the woman of my travel dates, which she didn't ask for. This error would later come back to haunt me, bite me in the butt, or really whatever euphamism you feel best fits this horrible oversight. Anyways, the woman tells me to come back at 11:30 to pick it up, and we leave, with me rejoicing in how simple that went: in and out in around three minutes.

After a bit of shopping/coffee/etc., Kara and I return to pick up my visa—which looks super cool, might I add. After looking it over, I noticed that its dates of validity went from 8.2.2008 (that day) until 8.8.2008 (13 days before I come back). I asked the woman about this, since I was going to be traveling and since this would expire before my departure, and she told me it'd be fine. Naïvely beliving her, we leave and proceed to check out several really sweet exhibits in the North Michigan Ave. area:

(1) "Paintings Below Zero": A free exhibit in Millenium Park of ice paintings... Check out the link, it's very cool.
(2) Three free exhibits at the Chicago Cultural Center (Women of Islam: Photographs by Rania Matar, Petronele Gerlikiene: Embroidered Myths and Everyday Stories, and Marcelino Stuhmer: The Recurring Dream) I really loved Matar's photography. A very interesting juxtaposition of Middle Eastern and Islamic culture with that of the Western world.

Somewhere along this time, I began to freak out about my visa's incorrect dates, and decide to go back and check with the woman again... Unfortunately, this happens around 12:30, and like most French businesses, the Consulate is also closed until 2pm. Therefore, we go check out the free Freedom Museum in the Tribune building. Also very interesting. Finally, we trek back to the Consulate, where the lady again tells me that the fact that my visa expires before I leave should be fine. We leave. Go to a cute sandwich shop in Lincoln Park for a late lunch then head back to Kara's.

I, unsurprisingly, can't stop thinking about my visa and envisioning all the worst case scenarios possible: customs not letting me in because my plane ticket and my visa don't match, getting stuck in Prague or somewhere and not be able to get back into France after Aug 8th, getting deported etc etc. After looking online, and talking to various people (even emailing Professor Corbin and Kathryne), my dad strongly urged (told me to) stay until Monday and go back and demand a correct visa, even if it means paying another $74 dollars. I'm super nervous about this whole thing, as I am a very non-confrontational or pushy person... I really hope I don't, say, "collapse like a flan in a cupboard" when faced with this woman on Monday. Thankfully though, Kara is kind enough to let me essentially move in until Monday. I've made a new appointment online with the Consulate for 9:30am, so hopefully I'll be able to work this out. Ulgh, j'en ai marre de cette administration de merde.

Other than that, Chicago is lovely. Spent the day, while Kara worked, down on the Mag Mile with the lovely Sarah Green and did some "retail therapy" for my supremely unpleasant situation. Then, I naviagated myself back here and did some homework etc. All in all, a good day. I just really hope Monday goes smoothly. For real. In the end though, I feel that the experience will be more than worth all these shenanigans.