I am Don Quixote and Spain is the Windmill.

blog post soundtrack song: the final countdown (appropriately by Europe) - video below

OK. So for the past six months. (yes. since the seaturtle incident). I have been trying to go through this process to get to Spain. But the process has been nothing but head bashingly difficult. And by head bashingly I mean that right now I feel like Don Quixote and that Spain is the windmill kicking my ass.

It all started back in February. Jobless and defeated I decided that this is the time that I need to get out of this country and fulfill my dream of living abroad.

It is going to be a year before Peace Corps. Plenty of time to squeeze in another abroad program.

I go to Diana. "Man. I wish the Spanish government would do the same type of program that your doing for France."
Diana: " Mai. They do."
Me: " are you serious."
Diana: "Yeah let me send you the link."

I look and realize the deadline is two weeks. I CAN DO THIS. I scramble my spanish essay together and literally stalk my Spanish teachers for recommendations. I get ahold of everything, my teachers say they can write the letter,
I think. THINK. I am all set.

Week 1:
And then I am introduced to Profex. The website is designed for Spanish students going abroad and asks confusing irrelevant questions like...your green card number. The site is also a matrix and once you filled in all your appropriate
information. It crashes. Confused. I showed the site to my Spanish teacher from Madrid
she goes " what is this system?..what..its frozen now..why is it asking you this! I do not understand...". Yup it was from then on I should have known..I should have KNOWN!

Week 1.5
My professors explain to me that they are in exam week and will be a little bit late in writing my recommendation. I pace and pace and pace.

week 1 and 6 days
A week and 6 days pass. My professors finally manage to finish them. I grab my recommendations and slam that application overnight in the mail. FINGERS CROSSED.

Three months later
(Even though the website said they would notify you in two weeks).
I get an email. You are on the waiting list. There are 400 kids ahead
of you. I accept defeat.

BUT THEN. I get another email.

Hello Candidate,
We have a few other positions available in different regions of Spain. Please let us know if you are willing to accept a position by letting us know your first three regional choices by Monday 29 at 12pm.

I think "IM IN". I jump and dance around. Envision my life in sunny Espana! JOYOUS WORLD.
But wait. What is this last sentence.

"We will continue to go down the wait list according to application number (i.e. still follow the first come first served format of assignments).Please respond by 12pm, June 29, 2009 if you are still interested in participating and becoming a cutural ambassador in Spain starting October 1st. Thank you for your continued interest."

Im confused.
Am I accepted or not. I email the head of the Ministry. There are 42 people
in front of me. I wait.

And then I get another email... I have a choice between Madrid, Extremadura and the Balerica Islands. I am so worried I wont be accepted that I say I will go ANYWHERE.

They put me in the most unknown part of Spain. Extremadura. That is Fine. By. ME. As long as I am going I couldnt be more HAPPY.

So now I know I have to go on to the next step. Getting the visa. Before I even applied to the program my Uncle, for my graduation gift, granted me a trip to Hong Kong to visit my family. I am so thrilled and honored. But wait. The trip is from September 12 - 26th. Orientation is the 29th. I need NEED to get my visa before September 12. I have time if I get my letter right away.

I instantly email the junta of Extremadura begging for my letter to be sent immediately so I can get my visa. They respond as if I was expressing concern over being homesick ...weird. Lost in translation maybe. But whatever lets wait for this letter. Dont want to be pushy.

July passes.

August passes.

Im emailing on a two week basis now. Where is my letter?!? I start having nightmares about this visa. I will be gone two weeks in September and NEED to get this visa before Hong Kong.

Why aren't these people responding? its been a month! The secretaries at my law office notice my stress. I start getting paranoid..was I not accepted. Was this a hoax?

Finally a response, translation

" Dear Mai, We are sorry that we have not contacted you. We have been on holiday (no kidding...you didnt respond for a month!). We sent your letter July 27th. You should have gotten it by now!!!"

it. got. LOST. (shakes fists angrily...grits teeth. etc.)

"We will email you and mail you a new one."

OK. Thank you. Deep sigh of relief. Thank god.

But then two days pass.. Why haven't they emailed the letter. I have one week to get this visa! Dear god let me get it soon!

Friday morning 6:30 am. I GET MY LETTER. Thank the lord. Now everything should be ok. I email the consulate immediately for a visa appointment. Hopefully they will understand my situation. I want to get to orientation so I can meet everyone in my city. Please. Someone. Help!

They email back 5:30 at night.

"Dear Mai the next available appointment is September 14th."

OH NO. I will be in China. I email them back explaining my situation.. and then read under their file.

"We must hold the visa and we will not accept applications that are not four weeks in advance of the program."

seriously.

So I am in this current position. And I just accidentally emailed the consulate three times asking to change the appointment date to September 27th. Now I'm pretty sure they are already hate me.

Lets hope I can get this visa...and finally get there. please please please!

Enjoy