Wife's Immigrant Visa Progress?

Status...(a stream of conscientious approach)...well, about 3 weeks ago, I finally got my Affidavit of Support packet in the mail (DHL). This packet included the government form, my tax records for the last 3 years, and other documentations supporting my case. Well, last Thursday I got an e-mail from the National Visa Center (NVC) that I needed to include the DS-230 form (the actual immigrant visa application). I can't believe I never submitted that. That was a big oversight! Anyway, I waited till Friday to try to print out the bar-coded coversheet (required) and my printer wasn't working! I saved it on a pen-drive and tried to take it to a cyber-cafe to print it, and everything was closed on Friday due to Good Friday. Same with Saturday and Sunday. Monday, I finally printed the document and was able to read it more completely (I like reading hard copies). That is where I discovered about the missing DS-230, so I went home to fill out this PDF then tried to print and nothing...printer not working. It is a PDF that can't be saved. I kept it opened, took my computer and printer to a computer guy down the street and we kind of got it to print, then canceled the printing because it was slow and ink levels were low. They guy thought I needed to buy a new ink cartridge and things would be okay. I swapped out both ink cartridges and I could not get the printer to recognize the computer (either computer) and vise-versa. So arrrgh! Decided to go back to same cyber-cafe and fill out a new DS-230 on one of their computers (about 45 minutes) and when I went to print, the document was not being recognized by their printer. Arrgh! So we went to cyber-cafe #2 and I filled out a 3rd DS-230 and went to print and finally success. I collated everything, got some new pics of Tania made (first she had to get her hair done) then finally put everything in an manila envelope and put it in my messenger bag and rode to DHL. 1 block from DHL, I hop a curb and my chain skips off and jams between the freewheel and frame. I don't have either of my multitools with me. I try unjamming it by pulling on it and just get my fingers really greasy! Arrrgh! The rear wheel won't spin. Fortunately I am just a few meters from a tire repair place so I carry my bike over to them and ask for a 6 mm allen wrench for the ENO hub. The tire guy and me get the chain unjammed and back on the cogs, but my fingers are really greasy and there is no water or Go-Jo or even a rag offered at the tire place, so I ride over to DHL with black fingers. I wipe my fingers off the best I can on my gloves and gingerly hold the manila envelope with my dirty fingertips while I wait in line. After a 15 minute wait, it's my turn. My manila envelope is covered with bicycle grease, looks like hell, but we pack it in a DHL document envelope and I barely had enough money to cover the mailing cost (about $20). But it's in the mail! Hopefully we will know something in 20 days or so....fingers crossed.

Happy Trails 2011

Almost the end of the year. Its been an interesting one. Hope to make it back to the USA in early 2012. Though I like Venezuela, I really don't want to be here any more. Got to move forward. 

My biggest deal in 2011 has been the birth of my son in January. He is growing fast and is a great little guy.

                                                                       He's expressive...

                                                                                                 

and casually cool!

*****

Looking forward to 2012!

My Family

I love my wife and son!

Caracas Hell

Inspectoria de Servicios, is where I was ordered to report too on Monday morning (this morning) or I'd be in trouble. 

Go back 5 years, when I was issued a Venezuela residency visa. I thought I was a lucky guy. No worries for 5 years. The visa got me in and out of the country without problem. So when it was set to expire on Sept. 20, I figured I better get a new one. 

Tania and I went to the SAIME office in Puerto la Cruz, did the proper application, left my passports (old and new) and after 5 days, went back expecting things would be okay. Turns out things were NOT okay. Turns out the visa which Quality Schools International (QSI) got me was bogus, a fake, fraudulent. So now I am on the Venezuelan government's radar and was told that I better be honest and in Caracas on September 5 or I'd be in trouble. 

Before Benjamin, travel to Caracas was no big deal...now with Benjamin, everything is a big deal. We decided to go by bus to Caracas. After an air conditioning failure in the first bus, then switching the second bus, Benjamin did pretty good the first 3 hours of the trip. The second 3 hours were not so good. Its hard enough for an adult to keep their patience on a long bus ride...but Benjamin wasn't whiney, but he was not comfortable. 

After a night in a decent hotel, we make our way to the proper SAIME building in Caracas. A Hollywood set-designer couldn't think of anything more hellish. An 8 story government office building with no working elevators. Plenty of security and red-shirted workers everywhere. Tania, insisting on wearing heels this morning, up the stairs, carried the front of the stroller, while I controlled the back part while Benjamin was still seated. The office we needed was on the 3rd floor, but the stairwell we chose goes from the bottom floor, to the 2nd floor, to the 5th floor. We didn't know this until we got to the 5th floor, asked someone there, and had to use a second stairwell to go back down to the 3rd floor to find the proper office. 

Glock cutaway view

The 3rd floor office door was barred, but there was a little barred window off to the side and Tania showed the document we got from the SAIME office in Puerto la Cruz. We were let inside to the waiting room/foyer kind of place and it is truly bizarre! On one end is a red wall that says "Chain of Command" (in Spanish). Arranged in a descending diagonal is a photo of the president of Venezuela, then the minister of interior, and finally the vice minister, and there was a long broad sword as part of this arrangement. That was a strange wall, but the most weird was the "art" on the walls of this waiting room; near the door leading into the interior office was small plaque of a map of Lebanon, the kind you'd buy at a tourist shop. Then on that same wall were 2 framed posters of cut-away views of a Glock automatic handgun. I looked behind me and there was a framed poster for Beretta handguns, but with patches of the branches of the US armed forces; US Navy, US Marines, US Army, US Air Force, and US Coast Guard. It was really strange because the United States is the sworn enemy of President Hugo Chavez. I wanted to take pics of all this, really thought about it, even got my camera out (hidden from view) and was going to try to take a few, but then decided I better not. I put the camera away. 

Tania talked to the guy...of course the documents from Puerto la Cruz hadn't gotten there, and they told us to come back Wednesday or Thursday...and here I was expecting to be detained and put on a plane back to the USA today. Pffft! These guys can't even catch an illegal alien when he walks through their door!

Benjamin takes a stand

Benjamin has taught himself how to stand the last two days. He is able to pull himself up and hold on to the rails of his corral. Crazy!

Posting Again

January 13 was my last post before this one. I stopped for a couple of reasons. 1.) Facebook sucking up my "creative" expressive energy. 2.) Benjamin Eldon was born on January 22. Though he's a good, happy and healthy baby, he's still a lot work in the care and feeding of him. In fact I just had him sleeping on my shoulder for nearly 30 minutes listening to Neil Young and when I tried to put him down, he'd wake up and get all wiggly and squirmy.

He's grown a lot in the 3 months he's been around. He's a good boy!

Other changes in my life is I got a "departure letter" back in November or so from QSI, my employer, so I will no longer be a teacher for them. I am not really sad about it, just wondering what's next. I was never interviewed for QSI, I was grandfathered into their system when they bought ELA in 2004. I never really got used to their way of doing things and I got burned out and complacent working for them, and I'm surprised I lasted as long as I have. Probably will try to take a year off of teaching before diving into it again. I have some other projects to work on. I currently have zero debt and money in the bank so we are doing fairly okay...better than a lot of people these days. I think...

A Trip to the Scheduled Launch STS-133

My sister has a friend who works in External Affairs at the Johnson Space Center who was able to get us three VIP passes to the scheduled launch of STS-133, the space shuttle Discovery. We were to watch from Banana Creek, some 3 1/2 miles from launch pad 39A. The only way to be any closer is if you were part of a rescue team sitting in an APC a half mile from the launch pad.

Despite the shuttle still sitting on launch pad 39A as I type, it was still a great trip.

It was Air Force Week at Cocoa Beach so we went to the airshow. Saw several demonstrations including a F-15E (the baddest F-15 there is).  

And a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet. Both jets were badass, but the F/A-18 was super bad.

On Halloween night we went to a party hosted by Michael Coats, director of the Johnson Space Center.


There I got to meet a few astronauts including Mike Good (STS-125, the last Hubble repair mission, and STS-132).

Plus I got to visit with Nicko McBrain, drummer for the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He was funny.

On to the KSC we drove around the VAB (vehicle assembly building) and had a photo op outside. This pic was taken from inside the bus, hence the glare. I liked this angle better than the photo op they gave us. Last time I was there (1978) my brother and I got to go inside the building, but that was during the transition between the Saturn rockets and the space shuttle system.

Mobile launch pad for the space shuttle. (Endeavor will use this one on its last launch next spring.)

Launch pad 39A and there sits STS-133. (taken through the bus's window)
 

This pic was taken from the bus as we drove around launch complex 39A.

The orbiter is hidden away behind that gray room-like thing. It is swung away prior to fueling and launch.



My sister and brother-in-law

And as far as I know, STS-133 still sits on the launch pad having missed its launch window, plus finding a crack in its ET (external fuel tank). Launch has been rescheduled for November 30.

The Facebook Wars

I've been defriended by two people now on facebook.

The first was, Fred, a friend from New Mexico, who came to Venezuela a couple of times. He stayed with me and my wife for a few days on his first visit. He liked it here so much and liked the revolutionary process of Hugo Chavez, he decided to move to Venezuela for a few months. Tania and I visited him on Margarita Island when he settled in on his second stay. We had an okay visit, but we obviously weren't on the same page when it came to Hugo Chavez.
 

Facebook came about and this guy was one of my first "friends". I was still learning the ropes and etiquette of the whole facebook-thing when I started contradicting what he was posting about the positives of Hugo Chavez. My friend, an artist, was/is extremely leftist in his views. It was probably rude on my part and perhaps not my place to go to his "wall" and post negative comments when he wanted to paint rainbows and butterflies about this so-called revolution. He defriended me. We had been friends for only about 2 weeks. That might be some kind of facebook record. 

Disenchanted with the whole fb nonsense, I turned it off for a while until one of my Venezuelan friends ran into me and said he was trying to send me something on facebook but my account was not turned on. I pondered that for a few days and decided, okay, I'll give it another shot. 

On my second time at fb, it has become a time-suck for me. I spend too much time on it and it has taken away from this...my blog. I like my blog. I feel this blog is me...kind of weird and eclectic. A collection of my random thoughts, but kind of centered around the mountain bike cultures. That's my brain...

On this second gig at facebook, my friends list has expanded greatly. Facebook has been great in getting to know and reconnect with family I haven't seen in 30 or more years. It has been great in getting to know family members (children of my cousins) I've never met. One of my friends was my 1st cousin, Tommy. 

Tommy and I have always had a good relationship. We are basically the same age, we always had similar interests and therefore liked each other when his mom and dad brought them out to New Mexico or if we went to Louisiana. Anyway, like I said, it was great getting to reconnect with him. We shared a lot of stories and such. 

One thing we didn't share was our political view. He a "conservative/libertarian", me a "left-of-center/liberal-light/libertarian-light/anarchist-light"...really I am not really sure...but its not with his views, nor is it with Hugo Chavez's bullshit. Got to be somewhere in the middle I suppose. 

Tommy didn't like me posting "political" stuff on my facebook page. What???? Apparently he just wanted rainbows and butterflies too. Don't we live in a free society?...These Tea-Party types are sounding more and more like Hugo Chavez and shooting the messenger. He would make long, long replies to my fb posts that I would skim over. I could see his point, but it wasn't necessary. I feel I am an intelligent guy and can make my own decisions...good or bad. 

The last piece I put up that broke the camel's back was an article published in Psychology Today about how liberals are more intelligent than conservatives. I posted it because it made sense to me. Not because I think I'm more intelligent than my conservative friends, but I think my liberal friends are more intelligent than my conservative friends. Maybe its my bias, but the most intelligent people (I am referring to I.Q.) I've met have been more left in their thinking (don't get me wrong, I do have conservative friends that I find intelligent and we have great conversations, but politically we don't see things the same way). I didn't explain that when I posted that Psych Today piece, I just posted it without comment. My cousin blew a gasket on it and defriended me. Oh well. I kind of laughed that day. I still do laugh about the absurdity of it. And this is the reason I haven't been back to Louisiana since 1996 and probably won't go back. My upbringing and experiences have brought me to another place. Louisiana will always be part of who I am. I look in the mirror and its hard to deny those Cajun roots, but I don't think like that part of my  family and I'm glad. 

So, I've been defriended by both ends of the political thinking spectrum.

Its My Birthday

Guess which one.

The Rooster

Tania and I went to the Puerto la Cruz central market to buy a duck (to eventually eat). As Tania was negotiating and deciding, I pulled out my SD1200IS and took a few pics of this rooster. I considered him a very beautiful and regal looking bird.

The Water Tank

Venezuela does not have reliable fresh water supplies. The infrastructure is in a such a state of disrepair, that there is probably a 40% loss through leakage. Condominiums will have large underground water tanks and pumps to serve the building's residents, but even that is sketchy at times. Therefore, years ago, Tania and I bought a large 120 L plastic trash barrel to store water in. This is the way we always had an emergency stash on hand. 

 

We carried our plastic water container from our rental to our purchased home in 2007. Late 2009 and early 2010 has been a year of drought, and there has been daily water rationing for about 6 months. This means the water in our building is turned on only from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM, 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM, and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. As a result, we've had to plan all our water-based activities and chores during these times, i.e., take showers, get loads of laundry washed, wash the dishes, etc. Sometimes a shower means using a bucket of water and a sponge. I've never liked bucket showers. I started using a bicycle waterbottle to brush my teeth...same way I do when I go bicycle camping. 

About three months ago, Tania and I looked into the possibility of an auxiliary water tank for our condo. I had seen these systems in a friend's apartment in Caracas, so I knew they existed. We started researching and found a complete system; 520 L tank, base, float valve, and a 1/2 HP pump at our local mega-hardware store. Eureka! 

We debated for a week or two, wondering if we could afford it, and if we actually needed it. Finally, frustrated from taking a bucket shower after a bicycle ride one Saturday I decided I was going to spend the money and buy one. There were only three left, so we bought the system and it was delivered where it sat un-installed for another month. 

We finally got the system installed about two weeks ago and boy howdy is it great! We now have water and water pressure, including hot water, on demand during the hours when the building's water is turned off. We open and close the appropriate valves, flip the power switch, and listo! Water as normal!

Viva Mi Abuela (Grandmother) [updated]

My wife's grandmother died today. She was 92.

This is the woman who raised Tania from about 3 years old. She is the one who instilled values and beliefs in Tania. She is the woman who I went to ask for Tania's hand in marriage.

According to Tania, her abuela was a strong and independent woman who didn't need any help from anyone. In the 1970s, when Tania was a little girl, they lived on a piece of land on the banks of the Orinoco River where they raised chickens and pigs, and grew a few crops. Her abuela was so fierce and strong, she could kill a pig with a single wack of a thick stick between the eyes.

When I got to know her, she was already an old lady, blind, who loved me for taking care of, and being a good husband to her favorite granddaughter. She spoke to me in Spanish like I understood it. She spoke to me about the love of Jesus, and Hugo Chavez. She loved them both. I can't fault her for loving the former, but I think the latter had her fooled.

She was a good woman who lived a long hard life. May she rest in piece.

Viva mi abuela!

[update] I went to the funeral and it was very touching and nice. The whole time I was there, of course everyone is chattering in Spanish, so I withdraw into my own little world and this song kept playing in my head. Tania loves Billy Joe Shaver so I wanted to add this.

My Wife is an Amazing Person!

My wife is an amazing person. She is Venezuelan, a Guanesa from Ciudad Bolivar on the banks of the mighty Orinoco River. She has lived a full life, but not an easy life. Her life is like many who grow up in a developing country; a life of hardship and heartbreak.

My wife has always been one who was driven to improve herself. To improve her lot in life. Never staying still for very long.

When I met her, she was working in the Venezuelan oil service industry as an office assistant.

Before meeting me, her job afforded her to buy a Fiat Uno, a small compact car. She bought this car even though she could not drive. She wanted the car so she could be more mobile and it would improve her life. Her cousin chauffeured her around, much like Driving Miss Daisy. When she needed to learn English to improve her position in the oil service industry, she sold the car to pay her tuition at an English Institute in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

When I met her 9 1/2 years ago, her English was okay, but not perfect. We got/get along fine. We celebrated out 8th wedding anniversary last December. Her English is much improved...my Spanish is still minimal.

Since being married, she continues her quest to improve herself...First it was getting Microsoft certified to keep her resume' up to date. Then it was going to a local 3-year university and getting a degree in English which she did.

She took a little course on decorative gelatin desserts. Her desserts are popular at family gatherings.

She tried culinary school, but didn't like the chefs yelling at her and the other students, and decided it was too stressful of profession. She did get a good deal on some killer German-made knives.

Lately she has decided to pursue a career in nursing. She is now attending classes to become a nurse's assistant, and perhaps she will continue to become a full-fledged nurse. She seems to enjoy it, and I am very proud of her.

The latest thing she is pursuing is cake making and decorating. She is learning to how to make cakes and icing from scratch and to decorate them professionally. She has the idea of making this a side-business some day. This past week she bought pans, measuring cups, and the various tools needed to make a professional quality cake, and she made her first cake. The assignment was to decorate the cake with a simple illustration worthy of a children's birthday party. She chose Hello Kitty.
We cut the cake on Friday and we nibbled around Hello Kitty's face all weekend. She wanted to save the face to show her sisters. She's a funny woman.

I love my wife...big time!

Jose Hernandez

Jose was killed this morning on his way to work. Jose was riding a bicycle to school this morning when he was smashed and ripped to shreds by something big. It was a hit and run and there wasn't much left of Jose of what I have heard. A gruesome death.

Who was Jose? He was one of the day watchmen at our school. I didn't know him really, but he was usually the man who greeting me in the morning when I arrived to the building. He always said "Buenos dias!" and I think he meant it.

We have had somewhat of a revolving door of security guards at our school. The security company doesn't pay much, and the job is tedious. But Jose didn't seem to mind. He occupied himself by going beyond his job description and actually helped several of us teachers when we needed it. Just yesterday, he helped Daniel and I unload some sacks of soil for a campus beautification project that Daniel and his environmental science class is doing.

It seems that Jose died alone. This afternoon we went to the funeral home to pay our condolences to his family. The funeral home was empty, apparently there was a change of plans and his remains were in the morgue at the local hospital. No wake or funeral for Jose. No family member were to be found. His remains will be buried tomorrow in a local cemetery. I just want people to know that he existed and he seemed an honest and kind guy. A commodity that seems rare in these times in Venezuela.

Ocho

Well, we've been together 8 years. Crazy! It doesn't seem that long. Tania and I come from two different worlds, but we both have a good sense of humor, so that's probably helped along the way. She is also very resolute, and driven. She has done what she can to improve her life along the way. I am proud her. She's a wonderful person, and a terrific wife. I did good.

Happy Birthday Dad

Today would have been my dad's 77th birthday. I sometimes think what he'd think of today's world.

I did my first post dengue fever rides this weekend. On Saturday I had no snap in the legs. Probably partly due to fatigue and recover, but also partly due to lack of fuel. Friday night I had a small plate of shrimp-fried rice for dinner, then no breakfast in the morning before riding. Made for weak legs.

Sunday was better. I ate better Saturday night, then had breakfast on Sunday morning before riding. I had one minor dizzy spell after the Fausto Trail. I stood in the shade for a minute or two, drank more water, and I was okay for the rest of the ride. Did a lot more climbing. Legs had more power.

Looking forward to the Christmas break.

Dengue Fever

I caught dengue fever last week. It is a totally sucky tropical disease that just zaps everything out of you. I had a sustained fever of about 39*C (102.2* F) for about 48 hours. Horrible stuff! I am one of the lucky ones who never gets headaches, but with dengue, it felt as if someone had driven spikes into my head. Not super painful, but painful enough.
Fortunately I have a wonderful wife who makes sure I recovered by resting, drinking plenty of fluids (including lots of homemade chicken broth), and forcing me to take tons of vitamins. I was a terrible patient btw.
Hopefully I will be recovered enough this week (today is day 10) to go for a short bike ride. I just want to get back in the groove.

A Generation Passes

Got word that my great aunt died yesterday. She was 96 years old when she passed and was my grandmother's little sister.

At her sister's (my grandmother) funeral in February 2009

She was a sweet woman. I last saw her in 2002 when I took my wife to New Mexico to meet my mom and grandmother. She happened to be there on a rare visit. She showed genuine love and affection for my wife, even though my wife is quite different from the rest of the family; in language, culture, and skin color. That did not matter to my aunt, she loved my wife for who she was.
Always kind.
Its the end of a generation in my family. Kind of sad.

The Legacy of Sally Hefley

This past weekend was not what I expected. Everything will be okay though. Sally will be missed. She did leave behind quite the legacy. The former students who where there on Saturday proved it.

Agata: Class of 2005: fledgling business woman. Her father was killed in a horrific car crash on Monday and will be taking over the business with her mother. Enrique (her father) was a great guy as well.
Ricardo: transferred to the other HS: All around nice guy...not sure what his plans are. I didn't really talk to him much.
Robert: Class of 2007 Sally's "project". Robert is Sally's house keeper's son. From a lower-income home, Robert did not know any English when he was enrolled in ELA as a 5th grader. Since graduation Robert has since worked in the oil industry at the refineries, and on board oil tankers (he didn't like that job). Because of his mastery of English, his options in Venezuela are many.
Andres: Class of 2007 A double major at University of Miami. Art History and something else. He says Art History is really hard. We were surprised with that major. We never took Andres as a student interested in Art.
Emily: Class of 2005 Dental school, learning to be an orthodontist.
Adam: Class of 2009 (had to finish his senior year at our rival high school since Betty destroyed our old school). Adam attended ELA from Kindergarten to the 11th grade. I was his science teacher from 7th grade to 10th grade. I wasn't his science teacher for his 11th grade because Betty made me an elementary teacher (5th/6th graders). Adam will be returning to his native Argentina and study Electro-Mechanical Engineering! Whoooow! This makes me proud. I would like to think that Miguel Rengifo (ELA's math teacher/mechanical engineer) and myself had some influence on him.
CJ: Class of 200(?). CJ moved back to Houston around 2002 or 2003, but his Venezuelan roots brings him back. Not sure what he's doing now...but Sally was definitely a positive influence on him. Probably saved him from a life of crime.

We (the former staff) have other students attending universities around the world, and of course they couldn't be there.

I was proud of each one of them Saturday. Sally would have been.

****
One last note on this matter: I got word that "Betty" and "Randal" (Betty's husband) were livid this morning, from our triple play. ;-) They have a problem: 1.) it shows how intolerant and how little they are. 2.)Their self-esteem must be near zero.

Ultimate score: Their legacy is zero. They accomplished nothing other than negative. They have not left a positive mark in the local community, the country of Venezuela, or the international education community. I hope to God that they never darken the hallways of an education institution ever again. Good riddance!

Dealing with Death (updated...photo added)

The core of this was first written as a e-mail to a friend. I liked it.

Today Sally's body was cremated. Daniel and I did a last tribute/joke/FU "Betty" today. "Betty" is the bitch who took over the school and basically ran it into the ground through her indifference and incompetence. ("Betty" was put in place by the school's new owners). "Betty" was equally disliked by teachers, students, parents, and Sally. Betty is an incompetent buffoon.

Back to the story...

We followed the hearse/van to the cemetery where the the crematorium is located. While Daniel took care of paperwork, the van driver gave me all the flowers that were at the viewing of the body yesterday. I had a large wreath of roses and ferns, a cross of chrysanthemums, and a couple of other bundles of flowers; more roses, some daisies, etc. After one last viewing and crying session, the body was taken into the crematorium, I asked Daniel what he wanted to do with the flowers since I had a trunk full of them. "Lets take them to the school!" he said.

So in a final tribute to Sally, Escuela de las Americas, and a big "F**k You 'Betty'", we wired the crucifix which was a top the casket to the front gate along with the huge (1m in diameter) flower wreath ,and the flower cross (about 75 cm long 50 cm wide). I am sure Sally was smiling down.

I had to leave to go back to work, so Tania drove by afterward and said it looks great! She said people were slowing down and checking it out. I'd love to see "Betty's" reaction in the morning.


As Nelson on The Simpsons would say, "Ha HA!"

Its been a wild weekend. Here, they don't give you much time to prepare and plan when it comes to death. When it happens, it's like, "drop everything and deal with death" time.