Uneventful day… Pretty much worked all day. I just got an email from the lab saying that my lab results are ready and I can check them online. I click on the link and then remember that Everaldo (the driver from the bank where my dad works) has the ID and password. I can’t get to my results. Will have to wait until tomorrow to find out whether I have syphilis. Sigh.

Sofia is on her way. I can’t wait to see her. My mom and I are home alone. My dad had to go to Spain for work and won’t be back until Saturday. That sucks.

I just read that there was a 5.2 quake in the South Bay last night. I hope everyone is doing fine. Since moving to the Bay Area 3 years ago, I’ve grown used to the fact that an earthquake can happen any minute. We had a not so strong one my first year there but nothing after that. After a while, you almost forget about it. And now it happened. Except that I wasn’t there when it happened…

I’m in Brazil and I have been running around since I got here yesterday trying to get everything done before the greencard interview. Most of my American friends were shocked when they found out how much work it is to get a greencard. Especially since I’ve been in the US for twelve years. So I’ll document my saga for everyone’s enjoyment.

From January 2001 to May 2002
My company is sponsoring my greencard so, for the most part; the lawyers have been taking care of everything. I’ve had to sign countless applications and gather a huge amount of documents, including birth certificate, police certificate, tax records for the past 3 years, diplomas, paycheck stubs, etc. I also had to get a bad profile picture taken.
Then on May 9, I found out I had to be in Brazil in a few days for the interview so here I am now.

Monday May 13 2002
Arrived in Brazil at noon. I was supposed to get here at 9:00 am but it was too foggy in Sao Paulo so we headed to Rio instead, landed, refueled, and flew back to Sao Paulo. I thought that was a little bizarre. But I was so tired I slept the entire way. I’ve never slept so much on a trip. The fact that I was able to get an upgrade and had a row of three seats all to myself probably helped. Having two glasses of wine and two Nytols probably helped even more.
Anyway, in the afternoon, my mom and I went to the lab to start on all the exams needed for the greencard. I had to do some blood tests for the following: measles, mumps, rubella, HIV and syphilis. Did I mention that I have been IN the country for the past 12 years? Oh, I also had to get x-rays of my lungs to show that I don’t have tuberculosis. Apparently my lungs are too large so I actually had to get two x-rays (upper and lower) and two sideways shots. Weird.
We then left the lab and had to go get a 3×4 photo for the doctor’s appointment the next day. I forgot I was in Brazil and was shocked when the photo booth guy asked me if he could have a copy of my photo for his wallet. Freaky.

Tuesday, May 14, 2002
Woke up at 8:00 to go to the doctor for my “official medical examination”: the medical examination must be performed by a civil surgeon designated by the INS. It was much less formal than I thought. He asked me a few basic questions, looked at my tongue, took my blood pressure, listed no my heart and breathing, and had me read a couple of letters on the eye chart. On Thursday, the lab results will be sent to him and hopefully I won’t have to go back for a follow-up exam.
Left the doctor and went to get my vaccinations. Had the MMR (Mumps, Measles, Rubella) on my right arm, Varicella (chickenpox) on my left arm, and Tetanus on my butt. They weren’t too painful but I think the Tetanus vaccine gets a little sore after a while.

I really believe in this quote. I’ve been so busy lately that my time is planned to the tenth of a second. And then life throws you a curveball and you realize that we really have no control over what can happen every minute of our lives.

Last night I got home and there was this manila envelope in the middle of the living room floor, in the pile of mail I get every day. I decided to sit on the floor to sort through my mail (I never do that but there was too much to sort this time and I was in a hurry so I thought it would be more efficient). I’m sorting through all the mail order catalogs and then I glance over at the manila envelope and see the stamp: US Consulate in Rio. Shit! That can’t be. I open it and there’s a stack of papers. I start reading the first one and it seems like they are just letting me know about some additional documents I’ll need when I go for my greencard interview at the end of summer.

See, my company is sponsoring my greencard and I chose to do it via the consulate, which is riskier but faster, and it also means I have to go to Brazil for the interview. I knew that it could happen in very short notice but I had planned to buy an open ticket and be ready in August-September to pick up and go any minute (that portion of the process was filed 3/6 with the consulate in Rio and the lawyers told me it would be at least 6 months until I got my interview). And that’s when God laughed…

I turn the stack of papers over and realize I was reading the last page. And what do I see on the first page? Interview Date: 22-May-2002 8:30 AM at the Consulate in Rio. My heart stopped! I started calculating in my head. Oh shit! That’s less than two weeks away. Yep, and that’s why I’m on my way to Brazil this Sunday. One day to wrap things up at work and one day to pack and get all my shit together for the interview. Planning? Who needs it?

Only in a small town in Brazil…