Monday, May 31, 2010

How many trips to the embassy does it take to get a visa?


Everyone keeps asking me when I'm leaving for my internship in northern Nigeria--I wish I knew! I've been to the embassy three times, completed paperwork in duplicate, taken some horrible passport photos, turned in my money order (circa 1998), and learned that they're pretty serious about the 30-minute window for Visa pick-up.

Inchaallah, I'll get to the embassy on time tomorrow, leave with the visa, and finally purchase my plane ticket. In any case, my subletter moves in on the 14th of June, so, if I'm not on a plane, I could be couch surfing.

Really, I'm not complaining--it's been 5 years since I got back from the Peace Corps in Niger, and I'm ridiculously excited to be heading back to West Africa. Besides, the logistical challenges I'm encountering here in the US are just preparation for what I anticipate over the next 2.5 months. Of course, things will be a little different this time--I'll have a cell phone, weekly internet access, and spend part of my time in a city of 1 million (Zaria, Nigeria). And it will be interesting to show up in the village where I'll be working and already speak the language (Hausa)--a big contrast from Peace Corps where I spent the first 6 months just kind of staring at people and writing words down in a little notebook.

This blog is intended for family and friends who might be interested in what I'm doing in Nigeria and who want to find out what has happened in the Peace Corps village (MaiLafiya, Niger) where I lived since I was last there--Niger is only about 6 hours away (inchaallah), so I will definitely be making the trip.