I couldn't sleep on the red-eye flight to NY or on the morning flight to Santo Domingo. I arrived around noon and Andre was waiting with a big smile. I love that he's so responsible -- and good looking too.
It's great to be back with Andre after nearly 3 months' separation. I hope we never have to go through that again. Other than in military families, most couples don't separate for that long. The plan (although plans keep changing daily) is to be here for a month. We'll also go to Haiti to meet his family and travel to a few touristic locations. Then I go back to Santa Cruz alone. After 3 or 4 weeks, we'll meet again in another country that will give him a visa.
We already got rejected from Mexico. The consulate wouldn't listen to us. Because we're not married, he sent me behind the line, then threw away Andre's application in the trash. Needless to say, we're not planning to travel in Mexico anymore, even though it would be a lot easier and cheaper if we could meet in Tijuana for our next reunion.
As a Haitian, it is not easy for Andre to get a tourist visa anywhere.Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, so nobody wants them to come visit. They always suspect -- and probably rightly so -- that the majority just want to stay and work illegally. Rich Haitians can travel freely anywhere in the world, but average Haitians like Andre generally can't.
After our wonderful reception at the Mexican embassy, we went to the Haitian embassy to see if they could tell us which countries give tourist visas to Haitians. The consulate couldn't think of any, but another worker suggested we try Brazil. I'll look it up on the internet first, then maybe tomorrow we'll go to the Brasilian embassy and see if we have any luck. I'll let you know soon how it goes.
1 comment:
Hey girl, I really hope that Brazil comes through with a visa. I know the hassle as ML's son was not allowed to come to the US as they thought he would stay. I spent half an hour on the phone with the embassy but no luck. But that was the US and they are tight with the whole visa thing. Your reunion sounds great. Loved the letter you wrote and shared on your blog. I am just back from Budapest. Wonderful. Love, Lu Ellen
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