Embassy appointment

Tuesday July 9, 2024 -Bogota, Colombia (part 2)

Ugh! Rough start to the day. Peanut woke up at 4:09…and never went back to sleep. Alarms were set early anyway for our various appointments. Kids needed to be at soccer at 7:30 and we needed to be at the embassy at 7:30. Worlds collided but we survived.

The US Embassy is nuts no matter where you are in the world. For being a country that some politicians say is awful and that we are a racist nation, there was no shortage of people standing in line for a chance to come. I’ll bet there were 500 people standing in line in front and this was only before lunch. And it happens every day.

First things first, little peanut needed a photo for his visa. F course with all the no sleeping he was doing early this morning, he fell asleep in the car and we had to ace him up for this picture. So the dazed and confused…this is why.

Hmm, what’s going on behind the curtain?

Huh?!

Having completed the visa, we walked out and I took this selfie since no cameras were allowed inside the building. Mr. Chase, the little one, looks thrilled!

Our time in the embassy was relatively short. Most of the time spent was when I went back to pay the bill for the visa. Ok, honestly I thought we paid for all that stuff already but they continually Nickel and dime you to death. This one was to the tune on $325! Seriously! Enough! The agency sent a lady to help us navigate the system and get in quicker. Remember what I said about the line? We were escorted to the front where our name was on a list. They even stopped the security line to let us butt in. But I can’t imagine doing that all with Andre. No shade, no shelter. If it rains, deal with it. But once inside, I was lead back to pay that bill. Couldn’t do anything until I had a receipt

Anyone else find the highlighted section odd? Or am I just a child?

Soccer camp. They sent these team photos out today and thought I would share.

Santi’s group

Nani is first row far right red uniform

They love it because some of the big names in Colombian soccer have received this very same training, male and female. They’ve even seen some of the players they’ve watched play in the World Cup.

Today the had some 1990’s World Cup player come in and give a talk, Jorge Balaño, which they liked. Don’t worry, I never heard of him either.

On the downside though, Nani re-injured her knee in a collision with the goalie. She spent the evening icing it down. I know she is really bummed about this. It was funny, she decided on her own to go to the medical tent and who did she run into? Pickle! 100% of Chases in attendance were wounded. My house needs tougher love I think. Santi’s sounds like cramping maybe? He got hit in the leg and they gave him stretching to do.

AirBNB drama!

The owner of the apartment received a complaint about us yesterday. Apparently my parking in the garage doesn’t allow the lady access to her passenger side door. “You’re parking wrong “ is what I was told. This is the smallest apartment garage I’ve ever been in. This is my “corrected” parking I guess. I am the white Renault Duster.

I believe the black mounted cones are where I need to be away from. Yesterday I partially parked on one. When we first got here, each of those cones had a plastic pylon on them but I kept running them over. Check out the other side.

I’ll try to be better

Peanut tantrums

Noon time nap, keep in mind he was very tired from no sleep last night and an interrupted sleep at the embassy. He was about 2 hours overdue a nap. Diaper clean, formula fed, burped thoroughly, heavy eye rubbing meaning he was ready! Put him into his bed and he starts screaming, blood curdling, make the neighbors forget about my parking, alert the authorities screaming. This went on for quite awhile, no holding, rubbing back, bouncing or anything helped. But Claudia and I have a theory…teething. He currently has lots of slobber & chews on everything. He hasn’t had a fever though which I thought goes along with it. So tonight, we got some of that numbing gel for kids. We tried to administer and how do you think that went? Alert the authorities, the Chases are ending another child! We’ll see how this Theory works out.

On the way to the pharmacy, we stopped for street food. Sooo gooood!

Arepas! The white stuffed bread you see there

Yes, that lady is wearing a parka.