I'm sitting in a new coffee shop in Kigali (new to me...which means it is less than 2 1/2 years old) trying to upload pictures to my thanksgiving post which is now three days late and has taken WAY too much effort to do. They are playing french Christmas caroles....
When I was coming to Rwanda I got confused trying to navigate the new visa application process (again, new to me... I think it has been in place for at least a year...) so instead of getting a visa that would be good for my entire visit here I got a simple online 30 day visa. So easy! Only took 3 days! Never mind that I didn't have it printed when I got to customs so I had to show them the form on my laptop like a Muzungu idiot. Anyway, the only hiccup to this plan is that I am here in Rwanda for 46 days. Not 30. So I need to get an extension of my visa. I had been told that this was an easy process and compared to the confusion of the original application process with the embassy in Ottawa dodging my calls and not picking up the phone no matter how many times I called, it was an easy process. It just involved me going to the immigration office three mornings in a row.
The first day I got delayed going and didn't realize that you can only hand in visa applications in the morning. I would still have had time except someone directed me to the wrong office (somehow I missed the big "VISA APPLICATIONS" sign above the correct door...) so by the time I made it to the correct office it was too late. So yesterday I returned and was there by 9:30am. I got my number - 3090.... now serving 3054.... lovely. So I waited in line for two hours for my turn. I nodded to some of the people who were there the day before and stared at the tv in the corner playing something about volcanoes without any volume. Finally it was my turn and the immigration agent told me that actually, because you're staying with a Rwandan we need a copy of their identification. When I told Dora this she was very confused because none of the interns who have stayed with her in the past have ever needed a copy of her identification, but those are the hoops so we jump through them.
I went back early this morning. For the third time in a row. I smiled at some familiar faces - at least I wasn't the only person jumping through hoops! The immigration office is starting to feel homey. I know which seats squeak, (the one by the window has a pokey thing in the backrest) and I know the powerpoint slideshow on how to get your number and stand in line quietly off by heart. This time I only had to wait 45 minutes and the time flew by. I spent it staring at the picture of President Kagame hanging on the wall trying to figure out if he was sitting crookedly or if the picture was crooked in the frame.... Finally it was my turn and the immigration agent remembered me from yesterday (or maybe from the day before...) so he quickly pulled together my documents and entered some info into the computer. Success!! I should be able to pick up my visa on monday and have a nice day.
Now I'm at Magda Cafe and I check my email and apparently I have two seperate visa applications being processed... with two different tracking numbers.... neither of which have my name spelled correctly...
Someone noticed that it isn't Christmas yet and changed the music. Now I'm listening to Dolly Parton.
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