On Track to Becoming Legal

Today I went to La Oficina de Migraciones for step 2 of 3 for obtaining a student visa for Argentina. Let me just say, that if we didn't have the help of the ISA staff to hold our hands through this process, I think I'd just have to deal with being an illegal immigrant. The terrible thing is that the US's process for distributing visas is even more convoluted and also unfair. In order for an Argentine (or anyone else) to enter our country for some extended period, they must purchase a visa before they make the trek to the US. Additionally, we make them pay waaaaay more for these visas than what is expected from us when visiting their country. Then to top it all off, the traveler could legally obtain a visa, pay for their flight to the US, and go through customs and still possibly be turned away due to suspicions of security (which could be any range of things since we're so paranoid). I'm not trying to say this happens all the time or anything, BUT the US is the only country (according to my knowledgable professor, Mage) that has the jurisdiction to force potential travelers to purchase a visa BEFORE entering the the country and then STILL have the power to turn them away. Thats just really shitty.

Now that my political rant of the day is over... my B... I'll tell you how I got lost!! AGAIN! I guess there really isn't much to tell, same story, different day. My main frustration is that I can't seem to read a map haha. I was over 30 minutes late for our visa appointment, but thank goodness it didn't really matter. The visa process takes for.ev.er. I got there around 8am and wasn't out of the building until after 10. The waiting process was entertaining at least, we are all so clueless about what is going on (myself definitely included). Our ISA staff likes to call us Spanish babies, because we are learning everything as we fumble along. Even after spending the morning in immigrations, we have to return, yet again, to finally get our official student visas (a 2 month waiting process). I am so looking forward to have my documentation in hand (and of course, stowed away from muggers).

Chau!