NEW PASSPORT - OLD PASSPORT

What Has Happened Since...

I apologize for nearly a month long since an update. In all actuality, I’ve been quite busy. What has happened since losing my passport?

• There was semester finals at the center -- much fun!
• I have replaced my passport.
• (Skip the next section if you don’t want to read the process)

The process for doing that involved a lot. Let me give you a quick rundown.

• Went to renew my VISA... they sent me to get blood work done (no mention in my passport or anything).
• Went to get my blood samples had to wait three days for them
• In three days, I lost my passport
• Went to the US embassy... at 12:10, they weren’t open, because they close at 12:30 except on the last day before the end of the month (not on a friday or weekend), and then on those days they close at 12:00
• Went back, they sent me to the police station
• My VISA expired
• They sent me to their headquarters
• They sent me to another police station (where I had to go to multiple windows).
• Now I have a form to take back to the Embassy to report it missing
• I put in a request for a new passport
• 2 weeks later, I’m told to go into pick my new passport up.
• I go in on Nov. 11th... bad mistake, its Armistice Day (or Veterans Day)
• I have to go in the next day!
• Have my Passport now, gotta go back to the first police station --> they sent me to another station
• Here they send me to 8 different windows... only to find out they wrote the WRONG entry date on my passport... would have been $40 dollars more expensive.
• So I have to go to all the windows over again --> they send me back to the original police station, which tells me to get my blood-work done again (I DIDN’T but found the original blood-work) went back to the station, only to find out it was CLOSED!
• Two days later, I paid another fine, and now I’m a citizen again.

MY OLD PASSPORT WAS FOUND!!

• It was in a taxi all along, it fell out of my pocket. Just like I had suspected.
• But what did I learn? Lessons on God’s Faithfulness. (Well, I might not have “learned” lessons of patience, but I now feel more equipped.

Old Holidays, and New Holidays!

• Over the last weekend, we had two holidays: 3id (eed) and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving here was celebrated among friends. Had chicken, mashed potatoes (AND REAL GRAVY), stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie.
• 3id on the other hand was interesting. Here in Jordan they import thousands of lambs and slaughter them (to commemorate when Abraham almost sacrificed Ishmael... to them). To me, the sacrificial day just felt.... well, I didn’t want to leave my house. So I just stayed home.

Anyway, Again I apologize for the Long Delay...

• By the way Christmas is around the corner... and because it isn’t celebrated here... there isn’t much commercialism (except in the 1 or 2 malls...), so.....
• For the first time in over 10 years, I might actually celebrate it (or rather... “observe it” with passivity, rather than my usual hostility).

Take Care All!