Visa Paperwork Complete!

The e-mail I've been waiting for since this adventure began, "Visa Paperwork Complete!" Finally. There are a total of 15 documents needed for the Visa to Spain (btw, it is a temporary visa, you apply for the student visa once you get there). The documents needed can be found at the website (www.consulate-spain-chicago.com) for the Spanish Consulate. If you live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, N Dakota, Ohio, S Dakota, and Wisconsin the consulate is in Chicago. Our travel agent (that does all the Rotary exchange travel plans) also gave us a list of what we need and will be submitting all the documentation to the Spanish Consulate on our behalf. Once the visa is ready we will have to go by appt to the consulate in person to pick up the passport with visa.

The most difficult part of the visa application was the FBI background and Apostille. It took me forever to figure out what an Apostille is, so here you go. An Apostille verifies the authenticity of a notary. The appostille has to come from the same state that the document and notary did. So when we sent off for the FBI background in Washington DC, the Dept of Justice notarized the document (you have to request this when you send in your fingerprints) and then it has to go to the State Dept in DC to be authenticated (by the apostille). So the FBI sends you the notarized background check and then you have to send it back to DC to the State Dept to be authenticated. The State Dept takes 5 weeks (and they were backed up this year, so it may have taken longer) but since we were running short on time and didn't have 5 weeks to wait for it since it is needed to apply for the visa (which can take 6 weeks on its own) I asked how I can expedite it. If you go to the State Dept in D.C. in person you can get it the same day. (Authentications office - Columbia Plaza store front, 518 23rd Street NW, Washington D.C. - office hours are Mon through Fri, 7:30-11) I had friends going to D.C. for vacation and they were gracious to go there for me and take the background check to get the apostille. I sent a Fed Ex envelope and prepaid billing slip for overnight delivery and had in within days. So if you are tight on time and can take a trip or know of someone going to D.C. or in D.C. then it's worth asking. Anyone can submit the background check for the apostille, but be warned that the waiting time may be long (my friend waited about 2 hours).

We also had Josie's last fundraiser last weekend. This was our 3rd and last fundraiser and each one was a yard sale. We asked friends, co-workers and neighbors and even posted an ad in the classifieds for people to donate saleable items. Wow, and did people respond. We made $1200 on the first sale, $800 on the second (it rained - yuck), and (drumroll please) $997 on the last. WOW!!! $3000 total for all three fundraisers. That should be enough for her ticket!!! Josie is still working at Hy-Vee grocery store and at the Iowa Speedway on race weekends as a ticket taker. So she has been working very hard to earn the money needed for this trip and I am so proud of her!

Tomorrow (Sat, July 16) is the final Rotary picnic for all the outbound students and we are excited to have one last opportunity to talk to the rebounders (those sho have already been on an exchange). Josie and I are both making a list of questions to ask.

One of the other Iowa outbound students that is going to Spain also found out that he is leaving Sept 4. We have not heard when Josie will be leaving but since they try to schedule all the students leaving for the same country at the same time we can't help but wonder if that will be Josie's departure date also.

I think that's all for now. The time is going so fast and I hate to see my baby go, but I am so excited for her.

Fundraiser was a success!

Okay, I need to give an update. We raised $951 with the yard sale and then sold a refrigerator (that was donated) the next week for $250 to bring the total to over $1200!!! God has blessed us every step on this journey. We will be having another yard sale fundraiser in June, so between the 2 fundraisers and hopefully Jo finding a summer job we will have the $$$ for her plane ticket and a few other exchange expenses (camera, luggage, traveling expenses, etc).

Josie's host mom also sent us a copy of the acceptance letter from the school she will be attending in Marbella. It is I.E.S. Salduba secondary school. I translated the website (thank you http://www.microsofttranslator.com) to get a better understanding of the school and what they offer. The Spanish schooling system is different than ours, but I think it will be good and Josie is very excited at the prospect of learning Greek and Latin. How much she'll be able to learn, with it being taught in Spanish, is questionable. This should be interesting. LOL

School in Spain doesn't begin until mid September, so it looks like I will get to have Jo until the end of August. Jo has enjoyed talking with her host sister who will be coming to the USA while Jo is there.

We should be hearing from It's Your World Travel and we are STILL waiting on her guarantee form. Only 2 other exchange students from our district have theirs, so it's not as if we are behind. Our friends and neighbors have all been extremely supportive and I can't say what it means for others to be excited for Josie and about her exchange.

Passport applied for!

Well, Friday we applied for Josie's passport. They kept her birth certificate to send with the passport application. It cost $110 for the passport and $25 processing fee. The passport should come in the mail in 3-4 weeks. Once it comes in we will have to take it to Chicago to apply in person for a student visa for Spain. Unfortunately, Spain requires the visa to be applied for in person. With each step we move forward, the more there seems left to do.

Yesterday Josie and I went to Iowa City to meet with the District Outbound coordinator for Josie's district interview and for more information. So much information and that leads to even more questions. In 2-3 weeks we find out what city in Spain Josie will be assigned to and what school she will attend. Josie will attend the same school for the whole year, but will stay with 2-3 host families and will stay with each family 3-4 months.

We are seriously considering hosting a student while Josie is gone. I think it would be great if we could be a first host family and if we are lucky Josie would still be here when the student arrives and Josie could show him/her around. This may also help me cope with Josie leaving. :(

Josie has started a blog, feel free to check it out at http://walkinginjosiesshoes.blogspot.com.