Last Wednesday, we loaded up and headed to Guatemala City. Yes, we had just arrived home, but we had some appointments that we needed to make a priority so off we went on our 6-hour journey.
The first thing on the calendar was a dentist appointment for Don early the next morning. He had had a root canal the day after we arrived back in the country about 2 weeks ago. This appointment was the follow-up temporary crown visit.
While he was at the dentist, the kids and I hung out at McDonald's with our devices and coffee!
We needed to be close to the dentist's office because we had to go straight from the there to the office of the lady who is helping us with our Guatemalan residency. She is our 'tramitadora' which translates to transactor or negotiator. We have hired her to get us through this process. We are so glad that we did!
We were actually early to our 10:30 am appointment so we could sign some of the documents. She had never met our kids so we introduced them and then this is what they did while we signed the paperwork!
The kids sat there as we watched the clock get closer and closer to 10:30, the time that we were 'supposed' to be at Migracion. But this was her show so we just did as she asked us. She didn't seemed concerned about the time.
Finally, we followed her to Migracion.
They use a number system at Migracion. You walk up to the information window, they give you the next number and then you wait for your turn. They were on number '47' when we walked in at 11:20 am and the place was packed. One guy walked past us with the number 114!! This was going to take hours!
Then a lady (who looked very similar to our tramitadora - maybe a daughter??) walked up to us and gave our tramitadora a number - #52! Apparently, we have been doing this wrong! No wonder she wasn't worried about the time. She had a 'professional number holder'!
Once they called our number, she told us to wait for her signal. She went up to the window with our paperwork while we did this.
Once they took a look at the paperwork, Don and I had to go sign some more documents and then each of us had to go up and get our picture taken for the application. We were in the migracion office for a total of 45 minutes! This is a process that could have taken the entire afternoon!
All of our paperwork was submitted and we received a copy of an official document that said we were in process of applying for our residency. She told us to put it with our passports and then sent us on our way! Now we wait as they process our applications. She will let us know of any problems or issues. Or when they approve us as permanent residents of Guatemala.
Don was so excited that he started dancing on our way to get the car!
You may not be able to tell from the photos but he is 'twirling'!!
To help us redeem the long morning of waiting (although we were super grateful that it was just the morning and not the entire day!!), we decided to celebrate Hannah's birthday!
She hated this part but isn't she so cute! She is 15 and in the Latin world that means a Quinceañera and a big, fluffy dress! We thought she would much prefer the sombrero!!
The restaurant was close enough to our hotel that the kids were able to opt out of the remaining errands that we had for the day. I walked them toward the hotel to make sure they made it into the building. Then Don picked me up and we headed off.
One of our errands included picking up our 'new' used transmission for the Suburban. Most of you know that we have been having issues since last January. We have tried everything that we could, outside of another transmission. Then we decided we had no other options.
Through a recommendation of some friends, we found a place in Guatemala City that found us a transmission from the States but it needed to be shipped down. It had finally arrived! We are praying it solves our problems and we can get the Suburban back on the road! We will let you know how that turns out!!
On a cultural note - it is kite flying season here in Guatemala. As we get closer to the Day of the Dead/All Saints' Day celebration, you see the skies and tiendas filled with kites.
There are a couple 'theories' on why kites are so much a part of this time of year.
One group attributes it to the children. Part of the celebration of the Day of the Dead/All Saints' Day includes decorating the tombs of dead ancestors. Because the children were bored with this, the parents gave them kites to keep them occupied.
Another theory is more 'religious'. This theory says that the kites were created by the Mayan to ward off bad spirits on All Saints' Day when the deceased are allowed to visit the human world. The kites were also used to carry messages to heaven on behalf of those in purgatory.
As we get closer to the end of the month, the spiritual climate here changes. Please pray for the Lord's light to shine brightly during this time.
Thanks for following along as we figure out how to do life here! We so appreciate your encouragement and support!!
