Boa noite, GbD!

I decided to tell you a bit about how I got here before I bore you with immigration woes (and joys!). Thanks to Marilyne’s road trip blogs I had this idea (yes, idea… not just plain copying *whistles*) of letting you know what happened through the eyes of 2006 Mari! Lets begin the journey, shall we?  *SPOILER ALERT: It’s l.o..n.g.*

August 2nd:
So I decided last night that I’d be going downtown this morning to get the passport stuff sorted out, rather than having my dad send me the docs through my grandpa and then have them sent back etc. Just figured it’d be faster this way. So I went downtown, paid for it already, had my picture taken and now all I have to do is bring it there tomorrow, with dad, so we’ll go talk straight with his friend and have my passport rushed hee! Meaning it’ll be done by next week Then once it’s done he’s coming with me to get the visa sorted out, and then the ticket That’s the only thing I’m still worrying about – the money.

August 3rd:
I’m in such a good mood right now. The day started off really crappy but it’s gotten so much better. Plus I’m pretty excited about getting my passport sorted out tomorrow. I couldn’t go today as I missed my ride, but I’m going tomorrow and dad said then we’ll talk about money and getting my visa. I can’t wait.

August 4th:
So we went to see dad’s friend (the one that deal with passports) but he had an emergency so he had to leave. I still got everything sorted out though, and dad’s still going to try and get it rushed but if he can’t I’ll be able to get it on the 14th, which is on a Tuesday.

We talked to the travel agency lady and the ticket is cheaper than I thought it would be, and its Air Canada so no needs for an american visa as well so woot! I might actually have the money for the whole thing, which is GOOD!, but I’ll only know for sure on the 10th. Eep, I can’t wait!

I called the visa lady and ended up talking to a guy who told me what I need to do And it’s not that bad either, like 260 reals for the whole thing. And it’s gonna take about a week, so I might be on my way to Canada in like 2 weeks! WOOT!

August 7th:
On a super good note: woooo waiting on the passport so I can apply for the visa and then purchase the ticket cos apparently I got pretty much all the money I need YAYAYAYAY!

August 8th:
Oy with the poodles already!

I went to two different agencies but they weren’t of much help, and some nice lady that worked at the 2nd one told me about this other agency that was nearby so I decided to check it out. So when I got there I asked about air fare to Canada and other things that I might need.

Regina, one of the ladies there, was the one who helped me with it. We went through a lot of flights from different companies, and turns out Air Canada is booked until september/october! UGH. So we had to go for american companies instead.. I was trying to avoid it because getting an american visa is a bit harder and bothersome, but dude no way I’m waiting until september if there are other options!

So I booked a continental flight leaving on the 23rd, woot! August 23rd to November 23rd. Granted we’re still not sure about the american visa, that’s the only thing we’re worried about. So wish me luck! I soooo don’t want to have to postpone it or whatever because of the visa I’m way more relaxed knowing it’s booked though, now it’s the visa I have to worry about.

(…)

August 16th:
It’s taking way too long.

Passport – Got it on Monday.
CA Visa – I’m already three days late I think.
AM Visa – Waiting on my dad’s friend.

Overall feeling – utter frustration.

I know life doesn’t work the way we want it to, but man, it’s just that… this is killing me. Just wish I could be there already. The thing is – my own stupidity brought it all on myself. I should’ve started doing all this LONG ago.

Meh.

Already booked another ticket just in case. This one is on the 28th.

I’m gonna scream if they tell me once again that – “I’m sorry but it’s gonna take longer than we thought”.

August 16th # 2:
Guess who’s got to go downtown, AGAIN, tomorrow morning? Oh yeah. So turns out my uncle had an emergency and had to go to the dentist as well so he couldn’t show up today, and Brit’s dad was super sick yesterday so he couldn’t fax the [immigration] letter out either, so I went downtown pretty much to cry today. I’m not even kidding. Dude, this is soooooooo frustrating. (…)

[Dad] talked to his friend today, the one that has friends in the american consulate, and he said he’s going there today, because he figured it’d be better doing it in person instead of over the phone – so we should know more about it either today or tomorrow. And then tomorrow we’ll be FINALLY going to apply for the Canadian visa, cos then I’ll have both the letter and my uncle’s docs and stuff saying he’ll be the one paying for it all.

This is SO stressful, but it’s okay cos it’s gonna be worth it.

August 16th # 3:
Good mood has officially vanished.
Why did I not start doing all this months ago?
WHY?

Shoot me, please.

August 21st:

So I got up at 6:20ish which was uncool, super uncool. Met up with dad and then with his friend, then I handed out my american visa paper work, and now I gotta call the guy tomorrow. I had to make an appt online so they’d be able to rush it right?! OMG it’s INSANE, because it’s on the 25th………….. OCTOBER!!!!! Thank God they’re gonna have it rushed for me. I seriously wouldn’t be able to handle all the waiting! So the big shocker is that apparently the american visa is gonna be easier than the canadian… unless the canadian lady was just trying to scare me oh well, either way it’s gonna work out! So woot for hopefully leaving in either… 8, 11, or 16 days?! Dude I really hope it’s not gonna be the latter. Like REALLY. (…)

So yup, that’s pretty much all for now. I am sooooo anxious, but more excited than anything like I’m not even freaking!!!!!! not today anyways !!!

August 22nd:
Dad went to see Ms. Ada (lady from CAN.ADA, yup her name works out that way lol) about some paper work and she said they probably won’t be needed as they didn’t mention anything when they applied for my visa, and that I can call tomorrow instead of Friday so I’m pretty happy/excited about that. *happy dance*

August 28th:
This lady from the canadian consulate called today… surprise interview! Aren’t those fun?! Not. I was sooo freaking nervous, and I’m so  scared my visa will be denied based on my interview. I hope I did well… I mean, meh I don’t know. I wasn’t prepared.. well I guess that’s why they don’t let you know when they’re calling, hell I didn’t even know they were gonna call. So she asked me sooo many things like how long I want to stay there for, how I met Brittany, how long she was here for and when was that, what I plan to do there, if I speak English, who’s gonna pay for it, what my dad does for a living, if I’d travelled to other countries before (I said no, so that means I lied =-O I mean, wellll I only went to 2 other countries in south america when I was lil, granted I didnt lie intentionally but still.. it completely slipped my mind), if my family does a lot of travelling, she asked about college and what my major was etc. Overall I think I did okay. I mean, even though I was nervous as hell and did have trouble remembering how to speak in PORTUGUESE (don’t even get me started on that), I think I was able to answer everything properly. She said she’d decide today, and that my passport would be picked up tomorrow afternoon, but it’s in another city, so I should know by tomorrow or wednesday morning tops. Please please wish me luuck, she cannot deny my visa man. She did sound way nicer and less scary towards the end though…. well it is her job and all, she’s supposed to scare me or not. Well, all that matters is that she won’t deny me my visa… right? Right

So I called my dad’s friend and told him that no matter what I’d have my passport by Wednesday, so he said great and that he talked to the american visa guy already and they’d be calling me this week, about my super rushed interview, so yah dude pray/wish me luck on that one too Thank you

August 30th:
So I left at 7 or so, went downtown, got bored at dad’s office, decided to go to CAN.ADA at 9:30 and maybe whoooo knows even though my dad had all the docs and stuff maybe they could at least let me know bout my visa So I got there, asked them about it, and the old guy asked me to wait.. I did… he brought my passport, I was like “did I get it??” he said “yup! hope you enjoy your trip!”. I was seriously speechless haha all I could say was oh wow thank you! Thank you…no really, thank you lol Then when I got out I started crying lol I thanked God like countless times and cried a little and thanked Him some more, and then couldn’t stop smiling. I was quite a sight really lol

So I decided to head to the travel agency so I could let Regina know about my visa so we could start looking for other tickets that doesn’t require a connection in the US in case I can’t get the damned interview. So, booked another ticket (Air Canada), I’m on 2 waiting lists (British Airways & Iberia), still have 2 other tickets booked (Delta and… well either delta or continental lol), and I have to keep calling Air Canada like three times a day cos maybe they’ll have a seat available before Oct 11th.

So that’s it! I’ll be on my way to Canada on Oct 11th at the LATEST. I’m really really hoping I can get there way before that though, like through BA or IB, or even Air Canada (which would be GREAT cos its faster and WAY less expensive, even if I have to get my ass to SP first). Sooooo folks wish me luck and/or keep praying I do realize how shallow it sounds considering its just a trip… except its not just a trip I mean, you know what I meaaan. <3

Ya know what sucks tho?! Now that I have my visa its like “*beep* I wanna be there NOW, i have my visa already whereeeeeeeeeeeee is my tiiiiiiiicket!!!”

September 6th:

Guess what? I’m laaaazy so I’ll just say it: I’M GOING TO CANADA THIS SUNDAY

JB actually beat me to it, and wrote about it on her LJ hours ago!! lol

Anyways, I was downtown waiting for dad.. I was bored so I decided to check my mail.. then thought I should check air canada but “meh why bother” and remembered they had full episodes of South of Nowhere on youtube, so I found the first episode and watched it!! Woot! Then I was still bored and decided to check air canada even tho I knew it was going to be in vain… except it wasnt ! Teh shock! Turns out they had ONE ticket available on the 10th lol So I purchased it online and ran to the travel agency to make sure it was fer megal realz lol

Regina called Air Canada to make sure it was for real, and they said it’s called a window.. that sometimes a ticket will be available online for a few secs/mins before it goes for someone in their waiting list, and I just happened to be thereeeeee at the riiiight time. God I rock. Speaking of which I thanked God soooo many times it was crazy lol

SO. That’s it PEEPS. I’ll be in Canada by Monday morning! I still need to get my ass to SP though, cos they dont have air canada flights in rio ugh.

Heh. !

*Some September day after the 11th*

Okay, okay.

SUNDAY
Dad drove me to the bus station, they showed 2 movies and I slept through parts of both (some movie with Mia Kirshner, Blythe Danner, John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman.., and the Interepreter), I talked to the lady who was sitting next to me.. she was nice.
Dad’s friend met up with me and showed me where to get tickets for the bus to the airport, helped me with my luggage, but my hands were already raw anyways, dude way 2 heavy! She gave me a keyring, she was really nice.
Got on the bus to the airport, talked to this lady who lives in Washington.
Got to the airport, looked for Air Canada, but it wasn’t even 4pm and I had to wait until at least 6:30 to check in so yah…
Started talking to this guy who used to live in Canada, and he introduced me to his wife, daughter, her boyfriend, and Alexa – who used to be his host daughter back in 2004. She’s from Belgium. She was really nice. They all were.
Then this lady asked me if I was going on a long trip, and I said I was going to Canada, and she told me she lived there – in Calgary. I started talking to her, she was really nice, actually she and her family were the nicest people I talked to at the airport. She’s lebanese, but moved to Brazil when she was young and lived here for 26 years or so, then she moved to Canada in the 80’s. Her name is Leila – same as my mom’s heh. She didn’t mind the million questions I made about her religion, and culture etc. Whenever I apologized for being so curious she’d say “it’s good that you ask, otherwise how would you know? and it’s better to know more, it’s good that you’re interested.” I was wayyyyy TOO lazy to let them know I could speak English (because her daughter Rhian or however you spell it and her youngest son Ahmed (??) could hardly speak anything in Portuguese, same with her son-in-law) so I just let her translate stuff hehehe. Anyways, so apparently they made a mix up with her passports (canadian/brazilian) and she couldn’t go! She seemed like she was about to cry but noticed I looked concerned so she gave me a BIG hug and asked if everything was okay with my check in and wished me a safe flight and that she hoped I’d have a great time in Canada, and that I shouldn’t worry about her, that everything would be fine. I was moved because it wasn’t the first time it had happened (they had messed up before) and she just wanted to go back home and couldn’t, but still she wasn’t anything but optimistic.
Then after the check in I just had to wait for a while, then I met this girl that was on her way to Vancouver as well.
Then I saw Rhian again and talked to her for about an hour or so til she had to go.
Then I started getting worried cos I was supposed to go like right after her, and nada. Then I realized I was at the wrong gate haha and when I got to air canada they were like “Miss? Are you Marianne? Marianne C.?”.. turns out I was the last one to get in, and nearly missed my flight rofl
The flight itself wasn’t bad. I slept through most of it!

MONDAY
Got to Toronto at around 6:40am.
Went through customs which took AGES. Missed my flight like everyone else I suppose. I talked to the girl I met at the airport (Josi I think) again, and her friend Taline or Aline or whatever her name was hehehehe. Turns out they’re staying in Burnaby. So we had to wait and wait, and then I have no idea what happened to them, apparently we all got in to different flights. Mine sucked cos I used to have a window seat and in this one it was right in the middle and I could barely move, but at least it was only an hour late. Oh and they’d forgotten to give me my passport back and I’d forgotten to ask for it haha so I nearly lost it but this nice lady from air canada found me and gave it back to me lol I tried calling Jade (Brit’s mom) to let her know I’d be an hour late but no suck luck :/ The flight was HORRID, longest 4 hours of my life, horrid really!
I got to the airport and when Jade saw me she was like FINALLY!!!! and hugged me, asked bout the flight etc, she told me Josi had told her what had happened! So that was pretty good. Then we came here, I met Nancy and Caroline (one of the home care ladies), then Jade and I went to the mall, I had a Philly Cheesestake sub and she had what Brit called a Poutine lol which is like fries with stuff in it lol mmm then we got a small dresser for me, then went to Safeway and she introduced me to everyone she knew lol
Then we came back, I met Rick (Brit’s dad), we went to surprise Bri by meeting her up the street (she walks home from the sky train), we had tacos for dinner which was quite yummy Seeing Brit aagain was great. *sighs* <3

………….

June, 2009
I told you it was gonna be LONG!!!! Congrats if you’ve made it this far, hope you enjoyed it

Coming soon to a computer near you: Journey Pt. 2: Getting to stay in Canada.