JUMPING THROUGH PAPER HOOPS

  A mere four hours before boarding my flight  from Auckland to Santiago I finally got my hands on my tickets, passport, and the correct visa.  I optimistically thought that his would be then of it, but of course the fun of jumping through ‘paper hoops’ didn´t end there! 

Today Paulina and Daniel patiently accompanied me to faciliate the registration of my visa and apply for a carnet,  an official Chilean ID card, called at carnet.  After making copies of every important page in the passport at a ´hole in the wall´ type establishment, we went to registister the visa.  We were then told we needed to passort photos con numerous, in English this would be better described as a police mug shot, you know the type were the accused holds up a board with a serial number on it.  Fortunately we could do this just across the street were we had photocopied the passport. We filled out the forms, a good opportunity for a lesson in the Spanish alphabet and pronunciation- Morrinsville does´t seem to translate easily?! I signed as instructed and after yet another photo to verify the photos that I had just submitted were actually of me, we took our confirmation of registration to the office for Births, Deaths and Marriages.

We took a ticket and waited amongst dozens and dozens of others, in a room that would be best described as a across between a hospital waiting lounge and a bingo hall.  Although seeriously offical work was being processed there seemed to be nothing formal about this place.  No white walls or suits, or fancy chairs or glass offices, just a humble room with paint peeling from the walls, too few seats and a quiet tv capturing patience and attention of those waiting for the turn to formalise their status by the government.  The wait would be so long that we had time to drive down to the port and stop in a the fish market and still do some more milling about with out missing our turn! 

Finally after an entire morning of jumping through paper hoops, our number was up, however ironically we, three university educated and professional adults, had filled in the form incorrectly! by one number and were missing 2 further copies needed fro my passport! Eventually we regathered and corrected all the necessary paper work and didn´t have to re queue (thank God for small mercies!) I was then finger printed both digitally and in ink on all ten fingers, even the year and cause of my scarred finger was recorded - no chance of mistaken identify in this country!

One last mug shot that will end up on my carnet, (no surprise that in this photo I was look rather like a stunned mullet) we were given a reciept with which I can redeem my carnet when it is ready... one day...soon.