VISA nightmare

I just spent 3 days travelling around Ecuador and Columbia to secure my visa. I went to the immigration police in Banos who said I could renew it IN that office just a day or two before it expires... and not pay a $200.00 penalty (after it expires)... so, 5 days before, I went to the office and said "I'm ready! Have all my paperwork, photos, contract, etc!" They said...oh no, you have to go to Quito. So....

The 5am the next day loaded on the bus to Quito, so I'd be the first in line and be able to be back home by dinner. I was told the bus was direct to the terminal. Well, it stopped in Ambato, 5 miles or so, on the street, away from the terminal. One guy said, oh, it's only 2 blocks ... that way... another said it's 3 blocks that way... so, just jumped in a cab and it was a 10 minute ride. But, got on the next bus to Quito and made it to the Immigration office. Called my friend, Cecilia, to see if she wanted to met for lunch when I finished and we had a plan. The IO said, oh, no... you have to go to ANOTHER office for renewals. Ok. So, jumped in a cab to the other office. Well, that office is closed on Wednesday, and it was Wednesday. Started to raise my voice and a very nice lawyer came by and after looking at my visa explained my situation.

1. I needed to have my degree in hand and stamped from the US or EC. A bit of a problem and it's in US.
2. I needed it in hand tomorrow, as the office is closed on Friday because of Semana Santa (Easter)
3. With an expired visa it would cost me $200.00 to leave the country.
4. With an expired visa I and remaining in EC, I'd be an illegal alien.
5. As an illegal alien, I couldn't return to EC for 1 year.
6. With out a work visa I can't get paid for any work... my teaching...
7. I could just keep quite, return to Banos, stay as an illegal, keep teaching, get paid, then pay the $200.00 fine and not return.
8. If I came to the office 30 days BEFORE it expired, I'd have no problem... ahhhhhh no one could tell me that before!??

OK. Great options.

So, jumped in a cab and called Cecilia to tell her I was on my way but she was on a cab to the first IO... her daughter called her to tell her to turn around and come home. When we got to her house, she thought I maybe had lost something in translation, so after lunch we went back to the 1st IO. They explained to her why I wasn't on a permanant work visa: school did not do the correct paperwork. We then trucked over to the other office, in hopes of finding the lawyer but he was gone. I had a BLAZING headache, but on the way back, she thought about me crossing the border into Peru, get a 30 visa, which would by me time... that sounded pretty good, so went to the bus station and every Ecuadorian was travelling somewhere and there were NO seats on the Trans Am bus, so we went back to her place where I took a nap and we decided I'd just spend the night. When I woke up a new plan was in place. Go to Tulcan, EC on the Frontera which borders Columbia. There are more buses going and most go to Peru, so next am loaded the 5am bus to Columbia. 5 hours later checked out of Ecuador and into Columbia, exchanged dollars for pesos and went to a hostelria that was suppose to be nice to spend the night. Got there and it looked like a Stephen King hotel, so walked back to the border (a $9.00 cab ride) in 3 minutes and Columbian Immigration said I had to stay in Columbia for 24 hours.

Walked to the EC border and Immigration looked at my passport and wanted to know if I was here on a visa. Showed them my papers, visa, censo, etc and he said, 'This expires tomorrow'. Well DUH! I smiled and said I understood that and every single person I talked to, from Immigration to school officials to lawyers, told me different stories, with no 2 stories similar. He rolled his eyes and said... welcome to Ecuador!

I asked if he wanted to see my contract and plane ticket home and he did... I told him I was ready to go home NOW! He took all my papers to 2 different immigration officers, they talked for a bit, he came back, asked me more questions: where are you living, when did you come here, why are you here, etc. I told him, he left and went into a back room. He came out and asked me to go to the back room with him. He punched my passport and I followed him.

Once there, he showed me he stamped my exit for June 29, 2010. I now had a 3 month tourist visa! No penalty, no illegal status. I thanked him profusely and nearly RAN out of the office. 10 minutes later I thought he probably wanted me to pay him something... which I did not. Oh well.

Getting back to Banos there were no busses due to the caminada (religious walk over the pass to the church here). After 7 more hours on the bus got to the closest city to Banos, Pelileo, and took a room and after a hot shower and a beer, died! 7am next day, loaded the bus to Banos, but the pass was gridlocked due to walkers. Took the back way through the campo and finally got CLOSE 1.5 hours later. This is usually a 25 minute ride.

Jumped off the bus and walked the rest of the way home.

Thank God for Cecilia and her loving ways!!! I don't know WHAT I would've done with out her!!

Tonight I have a meeting with the parents, staff, etc to explain THEIR problem, now. The English teacher can't teach unless she has a work visa. So, I'm planning to GIVE them this month then say chao.

Will travel for 2 months through the rest of Ecuador, in Peru and would love to get to Argentina.. any takers to join me??!!