I always talk about going with the flow and just doing everything because everything will be an experience. Well I have to say, I thought this story was going to be one filled with annoyances, struggles and sheer boredom. But I definitely didn’t see this version of the story coming.
The good thing about going with a program is that if there is ever a problem, things usually get taken care of. For example, our visa’s and work permits. Technically without them, I would be working illegally. So of course, the school has 3 months to take care of it. Which you would think is enough time. Until 2 months into it I realized I hadn’t seen any paper work. I approached the people in charge at our school and apparently they forgot, didn’t know, and or thought they were finished! But in actuality, they did know what they were supposed to do and instead of asking they just let the papers sit there. Long story short, Julia and I had to arrange a border run to Laos. The complicated part of all this was that it wasn’t our fault that the school messed up and we would never have had to pay for it or have had to take days off work if they had done it right. In the end, the school paid for our trip out there and we got 3 days off for our trip. Now how obnoxious does this sound! “Oh good morning girls. Work permit not finished. You go to Laos tonight. Ok?” So I assume I should go pack then? HA! We finished school, went home and packed, drove to the bus station all in one day. Talk about having to go with the flow. This was a 12-hour bus ride just to the border. Another 2 hours to get to the embassy after we had gone through customs at the border and 3 other forms of transportation. Julia and I both agreed since we had to cross all of Thailand that we might as well make a vacation out of it and stay the weekend too.
The minute we got off the bus we went straight to the Embassy to get Julia’s visa all figured out. All I had to do really was cross the border and I was done. Now, I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in an Embassy before but the ones that I’m used to seeing are big buildings with elevators, past security and waiting in long lines. I should have expected this but the Thai embassy was literally a gate that you walked through. Then grab a plastic seat out side and wait for them to call your number. As we walked towards the gates to leave, at least 20 taxi and tuk tuk drivers verbally attacked us with prices and places they’ll take us. It was crazy! The US Embassy was hilarious though. Julia, not being from USA, likes to make fun of me. She said to me as we’re walking down the street, “Well this one should be very nice. There should be fireworks and hot dogs! Of course since it’s the US embassy.” I laughed it off until I got to the front desk and they told her since she wasn’t American that she couldn’t come in! I almost rolled on the floor laughing. Yea, I guess we are special.
We spent the night in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I don’t know how people talk so much about this place because there was barely anything to do. We found two or three things to see but spent most of the day walking and eating. The French colonized it, so there were some great French café’s!
That night we were walking down the street and some guys saw my necklace, a Jewish star. This is like a beacon that attracts other Jews. Strange but true. They needed a place to stay so we recommended our place and a few minutes later they were checking in. At dinner they told us they were leaving in the morning for the same town we were planning on going and that we should meet them there. Why not! So in the morning we decided to walk to the Thai Embassy to pick up the passport. Luckily the company that sent us to Thailand three months ago mailed us Lonely Planet books. It made it very easy to find places to sleep, eat, and sights to see. The only problem with this was that since our Lonely Planet was written, the Embassy had moved! It was nowhere near where we were going. After we aimlessly strolled around town, we found the building. For an hour we waited in a line outside the gate. When they finally opened at 1:00 pm everyone just said, “Screw the line” and ran in. Our bus left at 1:30 and was across town. Talk about cutting it close! We got the passport! Business was over.
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