Paperwork and People

I would not normally think of bureaucratic paperwork as an exercise in community-building, but that is how it felt today.

We made our second trip to the Registro Nacional de Extranjeros today with three other individuals who are here from Oregon. They all are engaged in interesting, inspiring work, and the trip to the immigration office was made more fun just by their camaraderie. The typist who helped us complete the last few items on our forms and re-took our photos because they were not exactly 2.5 cm, the guys from Virginia and Texas who shared their paperwork stories with us while we waited in line, and even the immigration officials themselves who were remarkably kind and helpful (and smoking fast with their rubber stamps - which they stamped at least 40 times for each of our sets of paperwork) - all of these people eased our way today.

And our paperwork is submitted! (Note the blue thumbs up from the fingerprinting stage of today's process.)

As we waded through this bureaucratic process, and as we negotiate the "unknowns" of each new day, I have felt so dependent on and grateful for the kindnesses of people along the way - complete strangers and new friends - who make it easier. It may seem trite to say, but it is anything but: We really need to help each other out. And smile. It can make all the difference.