Thursday, June 21, 2007

The Countdown Continues

Today is Thursday already. In two and half days, on Saturday evening, I'll be boarding a red-eye flight to NY, switching planes in the morning, and arriving in Santo Domingo around noon. Andre normally takes computer classes on the weekends, but he says he'll skip class this Sunday to pick me up at the airport. I didn't protest very much, even though it might have been nice to have time for a shower and nap before seeing him.

I had to give some tenants 60-days notice, so I'm only going for a month this time. When I come back I will finally do my 2006 taxes, take care of the change in tenancy at the four-plex, and finish the DVD project of Maya's memorial party. We have the disks ready of the Celebration of her Life that I-Ju created (www.imaginestreamdesigns.com). If you haven't gotten one and would like a copy, please email me at chelseamaya@gmail.com

One of my first priorities upon arriving in Dominican Republic -- besides giving Andre a big hug and kiss -- is to go to the Mexican Consulate and try to convince them to give him a tourist visa. I'd like to meet him in Tijuana in mid-August, but he can't get a flight without a Mexican visa. The requirements for Haitians are quite strict: a statement from his bank with his average daily balance for the past year, a note from his employer stating that he's going back to some fabulous job, an international credit card, I forget what else. I'm hoping that if we go in together with the paperwork for his U.S. fiance visa application they'll understand that he's not planning to stay and work illegally in Mexico. It's just an easy place for us to start our travels together while awaiting his U.S. visa which we have to pick up in Santo Domingo, hopefully in the spring of 2008.

We're not sure exactly when, but we're planning to spend about two weeks in Haiti, visiting his family and traveling around. I'm pretty nervous about meeting his family, especially his mother who is only 3 years older than me, but at least he was just there a month ago, paving the path for me. He says they're all anxious to meet me.

I know it sounds complicated, so here's the Cliff Notes: I fly on June 25 to Santo Domingo, come back July 26. I take care of loose ends here in Santa Cruz, then hopefully meet Andre in Tijuana in mid-August and we travel through Latin America until his fiance visa is ready to be picked up in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, maybe by March 2008. Then we come to California together. We would have three months to either marry or send him back. But that's a year from now. Right now I have to get packed and get on that plane so I can see him again. We've known each other almost a year and only had a few weeks together so far.

The next time I write in this blog, hopefully I'll be in D.R. and I'll have some new photos of me and Andre together.

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