Sunday, September 18, 2011

I'm Back...

Yes, I know I haven’t posted in awhile.  The last time was when I hurt my foot at a Pot Luck dinner we hosted.  Update:  I made a trip to the states a week later and had my foot x-rayed again.  It wasn’t broken, but the injury was treated as such.  I sported a cumbersome walking boot for six weeks and the bruising took almost as long to dissipate.  The bottle didn’t break the skin so there aren’t any scars, but I still have a bump where it hit.  Let me tell you that there have been many times when I have suffered the consequences of a bottle of wine the morning after, and times the entire next day, but never for six weeks!

So a week after the bottle incident Paul and I were at Mumbai International Airport bound for the U.S.  As I hobbled with one foot in an elastic bandage and the other a flip flop, I wondered why no one offered a wheel chair.  But then I remembered I was at an airport in India (silly me), and kept limping along.  After snaking our way through the long queue for immigration I went through with a mere glance at my passport and proceeded towards security.  While thinking ahead about how I needed to pull my laptop out, and trying not to think about how bad my foot was throbbing, I almost missed that Paul was being held up.  Apparently after letting him through for a year and a half without having registered in India with the FRRO (Foreigner Regional Registration Office) they finally chose to follow protocol.  I back tracked and waited on one foot, with nothing to hold on to, for about twenty minutes.  Right about the time I thought I couldn’t stand one second longer, they escorted him into an office.  Part of me thought this wasn’t a good sign, but the other part was just thankful because there were chairs.  As numerous personnel from immigration were telling Paul that he should have registered, he pointed out that his visa was stamped otherwise.  As they told him it was a mistake, he countered with how it was their problem and not his; if the Indian Consulate in Chicago was stamping passports incorrectly they should rectify it.  At one point someone glanced at my foot and asked Paul if I was able to travel without him.  Paul looked at me and knew my answer, “Hell yes.  I’ll see you in a couple of days, honey.”  After much hoopla they let him through with the promise he would register upon returning and we proceeded to the gate where the plane was already boarding.

That was over two months ago.  Paul has since registered with the FRRO, as have I.  It was an arduous process, and unfortunately it didn’t end there.  Our visas expire in a few days.  After being told that we do not need to go home, or even to New Dehli, to renew them we have spent numerous hours over several days at the infamous FRRO in the last two weeks.  Our fingers are crossed that everything goes smoothly and our passports will get the appropriate stamp in the next two days.  If it doesn’t happen we have to go back to the U.S. to get it done.  I know a lot of people reading this would think that wouldn’t be so bad. It’s a visit home with family and friends, a chance to replenish supplies and a break from India; but we have a trip to Italy on the horizon.  A trip that includes meetings with Paul’s employer to decide our fate…

6 comments:

Blondefabulous said...

Glad your foot is better. I did that same thing with a full, unopened can of coke. OWWIE! Good luck with the bureaucracy.

MIL said...

We all know it will work out I see you&Paul on that gondolla with the man serranading you.Oh how lucky the 2of you are Lov U

Unknown said...

Here's a kiss for your foot to make it better ... and here's hoping all your travel plans get straight.

hello haha narf said...

legal hoops piss me off!

I can't find my blog said...

Hoping all goes well with the visa! xoxo

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your foot and all the drama with visas. How exciting to be going to Italy...