Passport: Check!

Today A. came by for his daily check-in. I also needed to pay the lawyer, so he came to help me count the cash (really! this peso thing really stymies me. we owed the lawyer almost 3 million pesos and the biggest bill says 50 mill but it is really 50,000. crazy, huh?)

We were trying to decide what to do when he got a call that the courier had left very early in the morning and would be able to meet us at the passport office at 12:30! So we ended up just hanging out here and then heading to the passport office. Outside the passport office is the above monument to two government officials who were assassinated by guerrillas. We saw it yesterday, too, and for some reason Riza is really interested in it. She had A. tell the story several times (he made it as basic as possible). There are reminders around Medellin of its violent past, but now it is a very safe place. You can't walk anywhere without seeing police and even private duty guards. Now we don't even really notice them.





At the passport place, Yuly had to sign her name three times and be fingerprinted (hopefully her fingerprints are o.k.! It's a good thing I didn't have to be fingerprinted!) She was compliant throughout but a little later she had a time of moodiness. She just has to process everything. I can't imagine all that is going through her head. Please pray that I will be wise in knowing how to help her transition and that she will become excited about going home (she's not right now!)

As a part of the packet that I received from the lawyer today was a formal request for copies of all of Yuly's paperwork. We will present that tomorrow and then hopefully I will have that before I leave.

The rest of the afternoon we have just hung out at the hotel watching videos, playing video games and socializing. The hotel has been fairly empty today, but there is always someone to talk with.





Riza finally tried something--banana chips. They are very good and I am not sure what convinced her to try them, but despite the look on her face, she really says that she likes them. She even at more than one (but not bunches). Still, it is an improvement.

Now I am just waiting (impatiently) for my family. Their flight gets into Medellin in 1 1/2 hours, but they have to go through customs, etc. The airport is actually in a different valley, so it is a 30 minute drive first up and then down a mountain--parts of the road are closed due to collapses. It is a very interesting introduction to the city!!

I made my mom and dad reservations at the hotel across the street. The manager is the same for both hotels and my parents will be able to eat here with us. The beds are softer there (according to the manager). I am such a good daughter! I am also putting in a picture of the shower head here. Not exactly the adjustable shower heads like at a Hilton.



Definitely feeling like we are on the home stretch! Can't wait to see Bogota! And really, really can't wait to see Tallahassee!