Visa Process

    I went through the final steps today in the process of getting my student visa for Argentina. Its been a month long process that included 2 or 3 small steps. IFSA had been babying us through the process so I don't actually know exactly how it would work if they weren't helping us, but a month ago an official government guy came into the IFSA office to help us with the first step.  We had to pay 250 pesos and give photo copies of our passport  to him and get our fingerprints scanned on our right hand. That ink lasted for a while under my finger nails. Earlier this week we got an email from IFSA saying to come to the office within the next two days to pay the other half of the visa and receive an appointment time to go to the department of transport to actually get the visa. Everyone had forgot that we still have to do this, so that email was a pleasant surprise, especially because I'd already planned a trip to Malargue this weekend which might interfere with timing. IFSA worked it out with me that I can make my appointment before my trip however, and it wasn't as big of a deal as it seemed because he said we can just go next week if need be.
     So my appointment was at 8 am today, so I left my house before it was light out to walk to a new part of town. I got there early, which I fully recommend because I waited for a little and they called my name exactly at 8. Two girls from Dickenson college went before me, and this made me really appreciate IFSA's organization skills because one of them was missing a document they needed and were told to come back another time. IFSA sent me with exactly what I need. I had to photo copy my entire passport before going, even the empty pages with nothing on them. I also had proof of being a student, professional passport sized photos, and a bunch of stuff from IFSA. Sabrina, one of the advisers from the program, showed up at 8:15, another example of IFSA guiding us through the process. Its too bad she showed up after I'd taken my turn. But I did end up having to go through another step in the process, and didn't understand the lady's question, so i was glad Sabrina was there after all. Me and three other international kids had to go to another part of the building, sign something, process more paper work, and then we were done!
     Its so interesting to see the differences between the work days in the US and here. Its so normal for employees to stop what they are doing to give the traditional kiss on the check to greet everyone they walk past, stopping to chat for a minute. It doesn't really matter if you have four clients following you or not. It takes up so much more time than our normal wave or quick hello, but is so much more personal. The other intercambio there with me told me she'd heard it took a friend four hours to get her visa there, so its not too much different than the DMV. But I'm glad it only took me an hour, I didn't even have an excuse to miss class!

Pretty sky at 7:15 in the morning

Inside the department of transport