Embassy Shock

The impression you get from movies of the US embassy being a welcoming place of refuge for US citizens is quite far from what I experienced last week. I'm sure that in times of crisis the embassy IS that place of refuge for it's citizens, but on a normal peaceful Saturday, I was left out in the cold (actually out in the heat!). Here's a picture of my view on Saturday. We headed over to the embassy in Brasilia for Jeyson to renew his visa to the US. Thankfully he was able to get it renewed for 10 years! But I was shocked that the embassy would not even allow me to come into the building. Now I understand that the embassy can't have tons of extra people in at the time of the visa interview etc...but I am a US citizen and his wife! And, in addition, I had a question about how to register our child overseas. But stuck out in the parking lot I was! Crazy! And the craziest part is that when I needed a document on another occasion from the embassy, they allowed Jeyson to come in with me! Meanwhile, Saturday I sat outside for almost 2 hours waiting for Jeyson and there wasn't even a bathroom to use! I wound up walking down the road and found a random closed building (on Saturdays in Brazil everything is closed pretty much) and begged the guard to allow me in to use the restroom. So crazy!



Oh well! I LOVE my country and all it represents as far as freedom and possibility. I am grateful that Jeyson got his visa so he can continue to visit along with me. And I really wasn't too inconvenienced by waiting outside. However, after the appointment we decided to stop at Pizza Hut (which they don't have near us) to at least get a little taste of the US for me. I'm so glad THEY let me in the door! ha!