High Anxiety

High Anxiety - no, not the movie :D
Just life lately...

Perhaps it's because this is the longest we've been away from Costa Rica. Maybe life in the states is starting to overcome our "tranquilo" gained in Costa Rica. Who knows?

In our quest to return, we've had change after change after change. We first thought we *had* to be back in September. This is the month that our residency expires, and we thought we had to renew then. So, all our plans revolved around that requirement. We had to figure out how to renew my driver's license - no problem, just change my address. But we also had to solve how we were going to vote - BIG problem - leaving too early for "early voting" and no knowledge about voting from abroad. Turns out you can vote from abroad fairly easily for the federal ballot; still not sure how (or if) you can vote in state elections.

But, as the month drew near, and we started to find out more about the changing laws, we discovered that no, we in fact did not have to be there in that month. Instead, we had to *call* in that month to get an appointment for renewing our residency.

So, on to our next change. We had heard that appointments were taking one or two months from the time people called. Therefore, we expected something in November (give or take). Well, this solved the license and voting problems, but added a few others.

By this time, our passports had gotten a bit close to the expiration date, and so we sent them off to get renewed (I know, I can hear the teeth-sucking all the way from here). So we enlist the help of ARCR - great group, highly recommended. They tell us all about what we need to have ready for renewal - including (guess what) our passports! Unngggh. All we could say was that we expect them back by November. Well, so they put off getting an appointment, we get anxious because we *know* we need to call *in* September (and September is running out). But then (whew) Rick's passport comes. His new one. Not his old one - the one with all our entry/exit stamps - the one that proves we met our residency requirement. PANIC! Deep breath. Read the insert that says the old one will come separately. Wait on pins and needles. We got the old one in a couple more days. Whew! So now we ask if we could get the appointment - Rick has his passport, and mine should be coming any day now (after all, they were mailed only a couple of days apart). Well, ok - we got an appointment. BUT. It is *not* in November! It is in *February!*

Recalibrate.