My first metaphor was to say that I feel naked without my passport. But more accurately, I feel handicapped. Until I get it back, I can't leave the country. I can't be sure that I will be able to board my flight back to London at the end of April, and I can't jet-set off to visit a friend in a far off land if a cheap flight becomes available. I suppose this wouldn't be a big deal to most people, but it leaves me feeling very vulnerable. I hop countries as often as some people do their laundry, and being temporarily stranded in the US just feels unnatural.
The real kicker is that I willfully let go of my passport. I sent it off today to the British Consulate in Los Angeles to process my request for a 3-year UK work visa. That, and the application forms, and all the supporting evidence (bank statements from the past year and my original--yes, original--university diploma). I had to wait until now to send the request not least because they need my passport, but because I also had to go into a US immigration processing centre nearby to provide all my fingerprints. As the guard joked, I didn't have to fill out any of the forms at the entry desk because "everyone else here is trying to get into the country. You're leaving". Well, at least I hope so.
According to the processing times posted on the embassy website, in January, my type of visa was processed within 10-15 days. Since I leave California on April 22 for a 5-day layover in Boston on my way to London at the end of April, that gives me 4 weeks. Of course, there is no way to find out about the status of the application. I just have to wait...and check the mail box. Sigh. Wish me luck!
In the meantime, I have no shortage of diversions stateside. Brea arrives tomorrow and we are going on a cruise to Ensenada this weekend, next weekend I am in Sacramento visiting Aunt Barb, Uncle Wayne, Sheri, Josh, Kate and Lucy, the following week I am in Mountain View visiting with Liz, Brian and Adriana, and after Easter I have 9 days in San Francisco to see everyone there. I am looking forward to it all! (but would still rather have my passport back in my pocket :)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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6 comments:
Ummmm...I hate to be Debbie Downer, but don't you need a passport to go to and from Mexico??
I thought so too, but the law for cruises (as long as you depart and re-arrive in the same US port) doesn't change until June 1, 2009. All I have to show to prove citizenship is an original birth certificate and valid driver's license, so I'm sweet.
My original plan was to mail everything off the day I arrived back from the cruise, but that would have lost a week! I am much happier to have sent everything off already....
Awesome! Have a great time. :)
Hey, welcome back to sunny California! - Danny
Welcome back to the US! been following your travels - and WOW! you did a ton of it!
Glad to see you were enjoying every minute of it!:)
You crack me up. When I started reading this, I thought "Uh-oh, she's twisted her knee and can't climb Mt. Whateveritscalled in [Name That Country].
Glad the handicap is only nationality-related, and only temporary. And glad to be seeing you 'round these parts soon!
BTW, there's a wine tasting @ Bliss Bar on 5/3 5-7pm. You up for it? :)
K
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