Passport Pictures

This week I discovered it is much easier to get passport pictures taken than to get an actual passport.  I can now recommend Walgreens as a place to get passport pictures taken, they did a great job and made sure to do the job right.  After attending a delicious garden party, my mom, siblings, and I trekked off to get my picture taken.  I had carefully done my makeup and picked out a cute top to make sure I looked nice in my picture- I'll have this passport for ten years, after all. We got to Walgreens and a nice worker there took my picture, then disappeared to print it. My family stood around waiting for him and entertaining ourselves by looking at old DVDs, he was taking a long time.  About ten minutes later he came back and told me he would have to retake the picture.  Why?  Because the cute shirt I was wearing was so light colored it was blending into the backdrop. He showed me the picture and I had to laugh. He had tried to darken it and change the contrast so I didn't blend in so much, but the editing turned my skin orange and made me look slightly martian. Even if passport pictures are never hott, I'm pretty sure you're at least supposed to look human.  The guy told me he would go find a sweater to put on for a retake. I was okay with that, but so much for my cute outfit!  He came back and said "here, I got you some options to choose from." These options were an XL neon pink hoodie, and an XL black hoodie. They were pretty cute, but more of "cold windy day on the beach" cute, opposed to "this picture will be on a legal document until I'm 28" cute. I picked the black sweatshirt and he retook the picture. Considering how fair my skin is I'm surprised *I* didn't blend into the backdrop!
 So, one silly story later I have my passport and visa photos and I'm ready to go to the passport agency tomorrow!

Speed bump number one

Speed bump number one! It has come! Unfortunately, this first speed bump is one that's a pretty big pain. To sum it up: I was unaware it takes so long to set up an appointment for a passport. That's it. I didn't know. In order for ILP to get my visa so I can go to China, they need my passport. And to get my passport, I need an appointment. And to get an appointment… I need to wait two weeks. Two weeks might not sound like a lot, but when you're leaving in thirteen weeks, two weeks matter.

The way to a passport is weird. I think it's a little silly. First, you call the post office. The post office then tell you to call a random 1-800 number to set up an appointment. But the 1-800 people take a long time to call you back. When they do call you back, they tell you there's no appointments for two weeks, so, call the post office back! It's so silly! The DMV is not a prime example of efficiency, but at least they have a online appointment making system. Oh, and post offices close at three. What time did the 1-800 people call me back to tell me to call the post office again? Exactly three twenty one. That was frustrating. I called the passport agency in San Diego, (an hour away) but they were not super helpful on their whole system is automated on the phone. You press numbers on the key pad to make an appointment. Let's just say it's more confusing than talking to a person. 

So. How will I overcome this roadblock/speed bump/challenge? Calling the post office, weird 1-800 number, and passport as many times as I need to in order to get this passport as soon as possible. I can do it! It just might be a pain. But I know that going to China is in no way going to be easy, and it's not supposed to be. Passports, visas, weird food, rowdy kids to teach, long days, and long nights will all be part of it. But it's all part of the adventure because after all, I'm not just a tourist.