2 weeks today i'll be leaving on a jet plane....

Trip Start Aug 28, 2007
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Trip End Dec 16, 2007


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Flag of United States  , Pennsylvania,
Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I've spent the entire day in Center Phili, and honestly, it sucked. Sorry Alvin - but under the given circumstances, it did. The Visa office at the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia is only open MWF from 9-12. Yes, we had to go to Phili because the state of Maryland is directly under Phili's jurisdiction. Dad and I arrived at the Italian Consulate at 9:45/10:00, where the lady at the front desk was not acting much like a lady towards me...

I point out the issue with my passport (in which I was named as LeEllen Maxie Lewis, as compared to the correct middle name of Marie!) and she suggests I go down to the State Building and have them print an "amendment" page though I protested that there was no such thing as an amendment page for a passport, she sent me on my way another 6 blocks down the street(with only an hour and a half to fix this).

The Consulate is only open from 9-12 for Visas, and it took me 6 hours to obtain a corrected passport in which they had to reprint (because go figure, there is no such thing as an amendment page for such issues). Once I get back to the Visa office, the doors are locked, I try the door bell while praying they'll still take it today...she gives me gripe, "you should have dropped it off this morning"..."yes mam, I tried, but I was told to get an amendment page, in which there is no such thing and they had to reprint my passport..." she lets me in and is lecturing me on how I'm lucky that they corrected it so soon (however, the people at the passport office where MUCH nicer and polite and willing to help than this lady was). She took my papers and attempted to take my plane tickets and my parents paychecks though she didn't need them...which I put a stop to immediately.

So at 4:15 dad and I are walking back to the train station hoping we haven't missed the train leaving for the stop a half mile walk from our hotel...and begin our journey home in which I was driving until 9:45 and passed out when I got home.

The good thing is, the Visa Application is submitted and will be sent overnight via FedEx along with my CORRECTED passport. Which now I don't have to worry about being stopped in other countries or not allowed back into the US.

Now the last big challenge...packing. Which no matter what anyone says, will be easier than my day in Phili. May the countdown begin...Italy in t-minus 14 days.

And a very Special Birthday goes out to Shottie!
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