The Spanish Have My Passport!

We took the train.  Milwaukee to Chicago? Not bad at all. 

Downpour? No problem.  There's a Starbucks on every corner.

The great city

Rick Bayless' restaurant.  Some of the best Mexican food I have ever eaten.

Well here are some pictures of our family trip to Chicago for my visa.  

Thank GOD that is done.  All we need to do is go back down and pick my passport up.  It will already have the visa inside.  Is it like a stamp? Or a card?  A piece of paper?  Who cares.  It's pretty much over.  Plus I love being in a big city.  

- We got up really early.  I had to be ready by 7:00.  I would like to say that I was ready but I'd be lying.  I really tried,  still that's no excuse.

- The train left Milwaukee around 8ish.  We were in Chicago by 9:30ish?  I didn't spend too much time looking at the clock.  

- We started making our way to the consulate (which by the way, is only a small room.  I want to say half a pool length? there are a few chairs.  You are called up to the window and go you through the process.)  

But it started to POUR! Our little umbrella couldn't take it. We were all getting soaked.  So we stopped at Starbucks.  And naturally used their bathroom without buying anything.  But about 5 minutes later I got a smoothie.  One of the baristas come out with little cups of coffee for all those who were stranded outside too.  It was nice.  Mom, Dad, Maggs, and I were there for about 20-25ish minutes.  

- When the rain let up we ran to the Walgreens around the corner to get a few more umbrellas. (Of course when we got them we didn't need them after my appointment.) gosh.  byebye!! $30

- The consulate was just a few blocks down.  Like I said before,  its just the first room on the left when you exit the elevator on the 15th floor.  There also was another boy there who I caught saying was going with AFS to Spain.  I will probably meet him soon.  Maybe at orientation?  

* also, when you go to your consulate appointment, have everything in order, every document you need WITH A COPY OF EVERYTHING.  Right next to me there was a lady who didn't have her passport! * 

The man behind the glass (bulletproof) got really aggravated at this lady who didn't have her passport.  It was "stolen" but even then, how did you loose your PASSPORT??  Fake ID is like step two on a murderer's "Get out of America with a different identity" list.  Step one is probably to have a really good alibi so the cops skip you in the early part of the investigation.  

After that, we went to lunch at La Frontera.  A beautiful Mexican restaurant owned by famous chef Rick Bayless.  It's expensive, but totally worth it!!
http://www.fronterakitchens.com/restaurants/restaurants.html

And of course,  it's Chicago, so we went SHOPPING :)  

We have to go back down in 4-5 weeks to pick up my passport with my visa.  And that will be another story.  

ps.  My mother spotted a famous person.  He's from Law and Order... Old, gray hair,  detective? Well if you didn't guess she spotted DENNIS FARINA.   

http://www.tv.com/dennis-farina/person/61425/summary.html

I'll write with anything major, like a host family.  (Still nothing.) Still don't know where I am going either.  

Hope you're having a great summer :)

-adios