We spent a very long day in Juarez. We went to the US consulate before 8 and people were lined up around the block. Thank goodness we didn't have to wait in any lines. International adoption applicants have "standing appointments". That didn't mean things went quickly, though.
The US consulate is a huge building, taking up a city block at least. Once inside we went through the tightest security screening ever, no metal pens or spoons, no powder (formula, but we were warned and made bottles) no nail polish, compact, umbrellas, or pills of any kind, even prescriptions. Mike made a quick trip back to the hotel to stash our contraband while I went to find our window. Past security I asked a guard where to find our window, #53. He didn't speak English, neither did his coworker. I finally just held up the numbers "5" and "3" until he directed me inside another building where dozens of people were already waiting.
After standing in front of 53 for an hour (Mike back by then), the international adoption lady came down and started our process. She took our huge envelope of info, then sent us next door for Cassandra's medical exam. I was nervous about this b/c I still didn't have a copy of her immunizations, she still had a cold, and the doctor might decide to go ahead and do a TB skin test on her which would put in Juarez for another 48 hours.
The clinic was also very crowded, but again we were able to bypass the lines. Mike waited while Cassie and I went to the "Women and Children" area of the clinic. Women waiting to cross were asked to take off their shirts and bras and were all waiting around in those paper gowns. There was an x-ray room and I'm not sure if they were examined or x-rayed, but I was surprised at the extent of their exams.
Cassie's exam was fine, the nurse or doctor (lady in scrubs) seemed to think her cold was from the climate and pollution of Mex City. Then we were asked to go to the immunization room, but another nurse quickly came and ushered us out to get Mike and pay. I shot outta there like a roman candle. No TB test!
Back to the consulate, more waiting at window 53. Finally our adoption lady appeared again and took the medical report. She directed us to the cashier's window where we paid and then were directed to wait for our interview. Interview? ooooookay. We waited about 30 minutes and then the cashier called Mike up and told him all the interviewers were at lunch, could we come back in 90 minutes.
After a Wendy's lunch at the mall across the street we returned through all those poor waiting people, many still outside, through the tight security, where they managed to spill applesauce in our diaper bag at every inspection, and back, finally, to #53. Sometime later we were called to #73 and interviewed, a questioning process that took ten minutes. Why adoption? Why Mexico? etc. Believe me, we are experts at this by now.
We were then instructed to wait for her visa to print out. Wonderful optimistic Mike offered to wait at the window, God love the lady for not laughing at him. We did not have it until two hours later.
By now we had missed the last flight to Houston but Mike thought we should go ahead and pass through to El Paso that day. So we grabbed our luggage and took a taxi to the bridge. Our driver took one look at the line of cars (by now it's 4pm) and pulled into the parking lot. He said it would take us two hours to get to the checkpoint by (un-airconditioned) car but we could walk across the bridge in ten minutes and he would help us with our bags. We took his advice and shortly we were sitting in the "visa and immigration" line sweaty but hopeful.
I fed Cassandra and watched all our luggage while Mike slowly progressed toward the front of the line. It soon became apparent that the visa office was having a Bad Day. After they took Cassie's packet of info they announced that, due to staffing shortages and computer problems, they were experiencing looooooong delays. We were not encouraged, but Mike is a rock and kept reminding me how far we'd come and how close we were to finishing.
After THREE hours Cassandra's name was called. Turns out they never could run a background check, but since she is six months old they decided she probably didn't have a criminal record. Then we were ushered to another line to have our bags x-rayed and passports examined. This line took 30 minutes.
Once through we called a taxi and headed toward the Hampton Inn near the airport. I cannot tell you how beautiful, how wonderful a place is El Paso. I saw probably 14 blocks of it, but it will always be one of my favorite cities. We checked in a booked a flight for the next morning.
Cassie was a trooper, she didn't nap much that day, she is too fascinated with faces to relax if there are people to see. But she held up wonderfully. Mike was also a rock, and I was not a total ball-n-chain, but no where near as wonderful as those two. I keep thinking of all those people, hundreds really, waiting at the consulate to be called. If their number is not called Monday, they return Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. Hundreds of people also waiting at the clinic, many with small children or elderly parents waiting, just waiting. And finally all those people on the bridge. When did those computers come back up? That office is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. People streamed in the whole time we were there, sitting in every chair and on floors. And there was my little family, Americans on all this American soil, afforded very special and speedy service which cut our waiting time down to a mere 12 exhausting hours.
I have to believe travel breeds compassion. People are people. Lest I rant, I'll leave it at that.
