"I hope I'm doing the right thing"
I said to myself. .
my mind was conflicted that cool morning. .
after all. .
I never intended in making a decision to leave.
leave away from all my loved ones. .
my friends. .
my girlfriend. .
and everything dear to me. .
so I can go to the USA and start a new life. .
I was almost 18 years old.
and I was inside a taxi, on my way to the US Embassy . .in La Paz Bolivia
My mission.. .
To get a simple stamp. .
A Visa that will allow me to travel to the US once and for all. . .
I was secretly hoping inside me to be denied entry to the States
as I loved my family so much. .
but also I was hoping the OK for a huge change in life for me.
so I can help all of them. .
Sitting in the back of the taxi, next to me was a huge manila envelope.
My whole life was there. .
written permit from my father
Good behavioral testimonials from almost everyone I knew. .
My medical records,
My clean Police Record . .sealed and signed
All my school records and my grades sealed and signed
My birth certificate
My military service dismissal. .together with all documents that absolved me from staying in Bolivia and going to the army (this took blood an tears)
My airplane ticket to Miami Florida
All the money I needed to pay for my application. at the embassy
and my host invitation letter from the USA
Yes, my whole life was inside this envelope. .
I passed the gates of the embassy. .I marveled at the armed military police guarding the compound. .
As I approached the main desk and announced the reason why I was there. .
"Papers?"
As my horrified face must shown that day. .
I left ALL my papers in the back seat seat of the smelly taxi that brought me there!
I imagined myself calling my dad to tell him. ."I left all my papers on the backseat of the cab!!"
My whole application that took months. . possibly years to obtain. .
They were all gone. .
on the backseat of a smelly cab
I tried cursing in English for the whole world to hear. .except,
I didn't know any curse words back then. .
I darted so fast from there. .even RG III would not have being able to catch me. .
I'm surprised now that the guards did not shoot from suspecting me as a terror threat
that just did something bad. .
I just had to catch up with that taxi. .
My whole life was flashing before my eyes. .
Ironically at that instant. .
I wanted my visa.
I wanted to go to the USA
I wanted it bad. .
Where is that taxi?
As I quickly scanned the main avenue on the direction of traffic
I saw hundreds of cars and pedestrians all over the place. .all the cabs looked so similar. .
I cursed the guy who came up with the uni-formal look for all the cabs. . .
I'll never find him. .I said to myself between breaths
I was screwed. .
What am I going to tell my father. .
I was ashamed. .
I failed. .
thin air. .
high altitude. .
oxygen. .
I was dying
Suddenly!. . .
As my fast fueled feet by fear. . got me into the next intersection,
I recognized the clueless cab driver slowly making a turn. .
I risked my life and jumped onto traffic
dodged a few cars like frogger in the 80's
and finally got his attention. .
He stopped. .
"Excuse me. . I left my envelope inside your cab"
He rolled his eyes. .
exactly as I do every time..
I think of this life changing event. .
Yes, I was giving a privilege that day. .by the US Government
my visa!
and I feel as proud today.
as I did then. .
Talk about a life changing event. .
on the backseat of a taxi cab
:)
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