We’ve been here for 15 days now, and we are still running around trying to get the basics setup. I’m so glad we took over a departing teachers place and didn’t have to start totally from scratch – my head spins at the thought of that scenario.
Today it was my turn to go the immigration office to get my Spousal Work Visa. Nathan, who also will be helping with the library was able to come in today, and hold down the fort, so I could get away. I actually met up with Ashley, another “trailer” (that’s what everyone affectionately calls us spouses that came with a teacher), and we both went to get our work stickers. It was easy and pretty uneventful actually. We hopped on the subway train marked ‘Airport’, and took it until it stopped and everyone got off. Ashley was great at spotting the little ‘Immigration’ signs in the airport, and we followed those for about 1/2 mile to the other end of the terminal. After waiting about 20 minutes, they called our number, and five minutes later, we were legally allowed to work in the country! I was back at the school by 11:30.
We also got our cell phones today! We were suppose to pick them up right after school, but due to a schedule mix-up, we didn’t get them until 8pm. Katie & Matt (another teacher and her trailer) had to wait as well. Fortunately, we had enough beer at our house to keep all of us entertained while we waited for the office staff to take us. Call us crazy, but we chose a pretty basic model. This country probably has the most advanced cell phones in the world, and all we really wanted was a device that could make a phone call. 🙂
Finally, our furniture is suppose to be delivered on Wednesday between 2:00 and 4:00. I’m really hoping they will be able to get our queen bed up our narrow, winding stairwell, because the thrill of sleeping on a futon is all but gone.