Qu’est-ce un visa?

“Click here to apply for a student visa if you are staying in France for more than three months”

That’s when it hit me. Sof needs a visa because she is staying in France for a long time, Sof is going to France. Next thing I know, I’m in LA, outside the French embassy waiting for my turn in.

The security guard inside was from the Congo. Sweet old man, who joked with my mom and I while he went through some paperwork. I really liked him! I find there are fewer and fewer strangers who are respectful and polite, and even fewer willing to keep a conversation with you. When I converse with a stranger, I do my best to always have a smile on my face, because one tends to remember the positive experiences one’s had before with a complete stranger. I want to make sure I’m remember in a similar manner. Simply because we never know what that person is going through, maybe you’re the only positive form of life they’ve seen all day! And so my mom and I chatted with Monsieur Congo and his thick, rich accent.

I will never forget how much paper work we went through for that visa. We had to make sure every original document had a copy and not a single page was missing or else I would need to reschedule my appointment and thus never make it onto my flight for Paris. After my finger prints were scanned and a mug shot was taken, we sighed a breath of relief. All that was left was to pack!