1.5 months of USA later, my student visa for Spain is now ready for pickup! Yes, after a road trip to Washington, DC (thanks, Megan, for accompanying me!) and a short plane triplet to Chicago (thanks, Omar, for putting me up in your place!), I am approved and ready to depart for Spain! Time to take yet one more road trip, this time with Martincito to Chicago, to pick up that visa and get this party started.
All in all the visa process was very smooth - I got all the necessary documentation without any problems (despite taking a trip to Washington DC to get the Apostille of the Hague on my FBI background check, to gain time, which was in theory unnecessary). As with all trámites, something can always go wrong. I'm happy to report that nothing went wrong thus far. :) Very ready for Spain!
One thorn in my side has been recurring ingrown toenail problems. Yet again. I finally went to an American doctor to get the problem re-resolved. Let's see if it's true that medicine in the USA is that much more advanced. If this guy can solve a problem that was plaguing me for 1.5 years in Argentina, I may be convinced that moving back to the USA is in my future. You can't argue with 1.5 years of pain versus...an actual solution. Imagine if instead of an ingrown toenail we were talking about oh, I don't know, cancer? The difference is clear...Claritin clear. No, just clear.
Although I've enjoyed this time with family, friends, and dogs, I'm ready to move on, and am super ready for Spain! As of now I'm very glad I decided on doing the auxiliares de conversación program in Extremadura. It will be taking me to a place I never would have gone otherwise, and it will be an experience I will have otherwise never had. I'm nervous and unsure whether I will truly enjoy high school teaching. But here's to trying!
