Argentina: Buenos Aires (first encounters & paperwork)
It was a quarter past seven as we wove our way through the morning hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires. The sun wouldn't rise for another hour, but people were already up and at 'em, making their way to work, school, or wherever else they had to be. As we approached our destination, we joined the long queue of people who had made their way to this minuscule part of the grandiose capital city and were hoping to do the same as us: procure a visa to go to the U.S. Papers in hand, we waited outside until the group of people who had the 7:30am time slot was called to enter. At that time, Emi began the finger-printing and picture-taking process, and I made my way to a nearby McDonald's, sipped on a McCafé, and waited.
People watching is a fantastic way for those who are sitting and waiting to pass the time. I watched through the window as people crossed the street, many of whom had only a folder of papers in their possession. They, of course, were going through the same visa-procurement process as us. There are about as many visa options for Argentinians wishing to enter the U.S. as there are letters in the alphabet, but that which is most commonly solicited is the tourist visa. As I sat and people-watched, I wondered about the future travel plans that each of the folder-possessing street crossers would make.
Among the crowd of visa-solicitors, I noticed several groups of teenage girls. They were most often accompanied by one or two adults, which prompted me to think about all of the who-what-when-where-why questions possible. And then I remembered that Emi had said one thing as we reached our destination that morning when we joined the crowd of waiting people: "las de Disney." The Disney girls. It all started to piece itself together.
It is common in Latin American countries/cultures for girls to have a ridiculously huge birthday celebration when they turn 15 years old. These traditional "coming-of-age" ceremonies, more commonly known as Quinceañeras, can be outrageously expensive. To put the price in perspective, many girls who are about to turn 15 in Argentina opt for a trip to Disneyworld with about 10 of their closest friends instead of having a traditional Quinceañera because the former option costs about the same as the latter, if not less. For that reason we saw so many groups of teenage girls going through the visa process, a fact which is still boggling my mind a week later. The visa process itself is costly, and I can only imagine what the total sum might be after such an excursion to Disneyworld.
After the initial administrative phase, visa-hopefuls still have to make their way to a second location and have their actual visa interview. It is after this interview when the visa is either approved or denied. Thankfully, Emi's visa was approved, so we will be back to Minnesota for the summer! I'm sure Uncle Sam approved the visas for las de Disney as well, and I do hope they all have splendid trips. We still have not made travel arrangements because we are waiting for his visa and passport to be mailed back to us. Until then, we sit and wait and I'll continue to think about how I was deprived of a 15-year birthday rager (sarcasm intended).
People watching is a fantastic way for those who are sitting and waiting to pass the time. I watched through the window as people crossed the street, many of whom had only a folder of papers in their possession. They, of course, were going through the same visa-procurement process as us. There are about as many visa options for Argentinians wishing to enter the U.S. as there are letters in the alphabet, but that which is most commonly solicited is the tourist visa. As I sat and people-watched, I wondered about the future travel plans that each of the folder-possessing street crossers would make.
Among the crowd of visa-solicitors, I noticed several groups of teenage girls. They were most often accompanied by one or two adults, which prompted me to think about all of the who-what-when-where-why questions possible. And then I remembered that Emi had said one thing as we reached our destination that morning when we joined the crowd of waiting people: "las de Disney." The Disney girls. It all started to piece itself together.
It is common in Latin American countries/cultures for girls to have a ridiculously huge birthday celebration when they turn 15 years old. These traditional "coming-of-age" ceremonies, more commonly known as Quinceañeras, can be outrageously expensive. To put the price in perspective, many girls who are about to turn 15 in Argentina opt for a trip to Disneyworld with about 10 of their closest friends instead of having a traditional Quinceañera because the former option costs about the same as the latter, if not less. For that reason we saw so many groups of teenage girls going through the visa process, a fact which is still boggling my mind a week later. The visa process itself is costly, and I can only imagine what the total sum might be after such an excursion to Disneyworld.
After the initial administrative phase, visa-hopefuls still have to make their way to a second location and have their actual visa interview. It is after this interview when the visa is either approved or denied. Thankfully, Emi's visa was approved, so we will be back to Minnesota for the summer! I'm sure Uncle Sam approved the visas for las de Disney as well, and I do hope they all have splendid trips. We still have not made travel arrangements because we are waiting for his visa and passport to be mailed back to us. Until then, we sit and wait and I'll continue to think about how I was deprived of a 15-year birthday rager (sarcasm intended).
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