Residency

Last Wednesday, David and I ventured to the policia at 5:00 a.m. to wait in line for my residency card. You have to have a number to see an official and they only give 10 numbers a day so we were advised that you have to get there early to wait and be one of the first ten. So we got there a little after 5:00 and there were already ten people there, who were in sleeping bags. They had spent the night there waiting. So we turned around and came back home.

We tried again this morning, well, actually, David was kindhearted enough to go ahead by himself and wait in line (in the freezing cold) so that the kids and I didn't have to get up and out so early (did I mention what an awesome husband he is?) so he got there at 5:00 a.m. and was the only one. A few minutes later, another man arrived, and after waiting about an hour, one of the guards came out and informed them that they have a "new system" now, where they require you to come on Monday evenings and make an appointment for the week. So again, he drove home. And again, we wait. We will try again next week, I suppose. Thankfully, I have until the end of January to apply for residency, and on the upside, David got his residency card this week so he is now "official." I am overwhelmed by the rules and regulations of living in a foreign country. The whole process seems so daunting and confusing. I am so thankful for the community we have around us to help and guide us through it.