Visa Mama Drama

Wow, ummmm... So, I'm feeling just about completely out of control right now. I just got off the phone with my health insurance company and it turns out that I paid for a policy that I cannot use. I purchased a full year of health care last August before I found out I received the scholarship to study abroad and they *WILL NOT*, under any circumstances, refund my money despite the fact that I WON'T BE IN THE COUNTRY. Thank goodness for health care reform. I feel robbed.

Additionally, I'm having issues with my Visa. The "local" Thai embassy is in Coral Gables. For those of you unfamiliar with South Florida geography, that is REALLY far from Fort Lauderdale. Apparently the office is open on Tuesday AND Friday, not from Tuesday TO Friday. When I went in last Wednesday they were closed and the woman at the desk informed me that I had plenty of time to mail my Visa to the embassy in DC.

While she was right about this, what she failed to mention was that the DC office is stricter than the local office. None of the other students were required to have a letter of invitation from the university in Thailand when they got their Visas at the local office, but the DC office requires one. Now my Passport and Visa app are sitting in some office in DC and they're waiting for me to get a letter from Thailand and I leave on Friday!!!!

Ugh. I keep calling the DC embassy, but no one picks up or returns my messages. The lady made it sound so easy. Stupid lady. I did what I could... I didn't get my plane ticket (required for Visa) til about 2 weeks ago and I have been in and out of town. I know I should have done it earlier, but, realistically, I did it as early as I could have. Let's face it; it's a learning process.

On a lighter note, we booked Joe's flight to SE Asia. He will be landing in Singapore thanks to Continental frequent flier miles (95,000 of them). We're looking at Phuket and surrounding islands and Koh Chang, a rainforesty island off the Eastern border of Thailand. Travel to Malaysia would have been too much. Robin is taking the 16-20th off of work in South Korea and we have to put together a second itinerary. She's thinking island hopping... I like, but we'll see if we can't get to Bali.

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! I can't believe I leave in 3 days!!!!! I am ssooo nervous!!!!!