Sad bit o' news

The Spain semester postponed until the fall (or perhaps a month long summer trip) mostly due to my inaction. When I misplaced my passport, that had years before it needed renewal, upon moving to Regency the entire chain of paperwork was greatly set back. Providing huge assistance to me over the past few months has been my mother. Mom should you ever read this I am leaving a THANK-YOU!! She searched my bedroom thoroughly finding my lost driver's license but no passport. Licenses cost about 20 dollars in Maryland should you need to store that trivia for a forgetful day =). Later she used her credit card to expedite an Illinois birth certificate for me since I cut up my own credit cards months back.

It was after Thanksgiving when the birth certificate arrived and that meant a passport would require some weeks for processing. The Spanish embassy possesses my US passport clipped to my VISA application so I cannot tell for sure what date the passport entered my hands. Chronological order... Late November/ Early December = Preparing for FINAL EXAMS. Bad time to be trying to arrange international travel even for a 'last minute type of gal' (to borrow phrasing from Linnea Taylor. I began cleaning up loose papers in my bedroom over break yesterday and came across an old thank you note for a packet I dropped off at her home about Urbana)

So I finally went searching for the Consulate/ Embassy the day I drove to College Park to help my younger brother Joseph move out of his dorm suite. Thank God for brothers driving in the heart of DC. Too many circles for my liking (Dupont). We ended up arriving 9.8 miles down the road from the campus a full forty minutes later, something I appreciate about the hometown traffic: 9 miles takes 10 minutes. Joseph and I drove around Dupont circle more than once (I was navigator so I cannot complain) and we ended up taking Massachusetts Avenue instead of Pennsylvania Ave. Both of the streets have a 23rd street off of them and it became confusing when they did not connect. A nice lawyer lady wrote out directions for us. She is a lawyer for one of the foreign Consulates/ Embassy and tried to explain the difference to me.

Wouldn't you know it? Spain is NOT on Embassy Row.

Long story short they were closed that day with Joseph. Parallel parking, inserting quarters into meters, and walking towards the flag brought us to the front door at 1:30, a full half hour after they closed. Mom accompanied me Friday to try again, this time taking the metro from New Carollton to Foggy Bottom. This method spits you above ground at the George Washington University Hospital a mere 0.18 miles from the embassy.

Well the embassy closes on Fridays. Does anyone see a trend yet about the poor planning or Murphy's Law or God trying to tell a stubborn Carolyn not to go now?

Dad took me the day after Christmas and we made it. His verbal Spanish skills and professional attire helped ease the situation. Dad could ask the 'guard' where a nearby copier could be found so my passport could be copied. I think Dad was impressed that the man who waited on us was the Consulate General. The C General's fluency in both English and Spanish and his gentlemenly manners impressed me!!!!! Some dubious individuals trying to use marriage as a way to enter ca country can provide material for a late posting. Since the passport must be collected by the embassy to process VISAs, I need to return January 2nd to retrieve the important document. Better luck next time trooper.

Jeremiah
For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD. Plans to prosper and not to harm you. Give you a future... Edit later since I am going on GT verses from memory.