From Rus... Toronto with love

Man things change.  I heard some guy say some other guy on some movie once said:

What to make God laugh?  tell him your plans.

I guess I saw a Little proof of that today.  I'm in Toronto.  bout to leave actually, but arrived last night with the sole purpose of starting the process of getting my Russian work visa.  I need that stamp in my passport so I can play ball for Big Brother.

So anyways I walked to the consulate office this morning bright and early.  what was quoted on map quest as a 14.5 min walk ended up talking about an hour and a half since Mr. map quest wasn't informed by Mr. Russian consulate that he had moved a few blocks down the street.  somehow this took 45Min's for me to figure out.  upon finally reaching the office, and lasting the lines to get to the coveted visa application window, I was told I needed a few other things to complete the application process.  stuff like a pre-paid fed-ex envelope, bank draft, and other knick nacks.  All of which I had to whip around different parts of downtown T-Dot to pick up.  Its a good thing the consulate was open for a lengthy 3 hours everyday...  The dude in front of me told me it was the 5th time he'd been in the line in the past month or so, but he only lives an hour and a half away...

So at last I pleased the gods of visa stamps with enough offerings of papers and dolla dolla bills, and was told I will receive my visa in 15 bidness days.  aaaahhhhhhhhhh..... tranquility at last.  all I had to do was leave my passport with them for the duration of the processing time.  

......  say huh.

after a moment of panic, which was followed by many more promptly arriving in approximately  3 second intervals, I realized how many things were now effed.  My first thought was "well how to I fly home there Boris?"  but i was told I can fly in Canada with valid government photo ID.  the next problem was I was supposed to be leaving to Argentina for two weeks with team Canada in three days time.  how is the crap?? so I pleaded with the guy,  lost the battle, sat down,  waited in the line again, only to be shot down again.  

After a few punishing cycles of that. I came to realize, it was no use.  I either had to go to Argentina with the team, and upon returning, wait the 15 bidness days for my visa to process and get to my pro team very... very late.  which would not make them happy.  or not go to Argentina with team Canada and start the visa process now, and royally piss off my country's organizing body.

So with the Consulate office closing in an hour and me catching a flight out later in the day, I had to make an executive decision that I knew would effect a lot of people, some happy, some loosing their minds (in french).  I decided on the lesser of two evils, which was leave my passport.  I figured I'd rather not piss of the Russians since I was going to their stomping ground for the next two years.  might as well starts as well as I can.

So the repercussions have already begun.  But as you can see, they were unavoidable.  Last year you could get I visa in one day.  Heak in April I got a visa in a day; but from what I'm told, the Canadian consulate in Russia decided to extend the visa processing period for Russians to 15 days, so the Russian gov. followed suit with us.  Jerkfaces! oh wait, we're the Jerkfaces?   or am I just the Jerkface...  regardless this is what my current situation is.  all because of a decision that even if it had gotten to Vad P's or Steph Harps, desks, was probably decided in all of 5 seconds.  

Well i'm sure there's a lesson to be learned here, probably that I shouldn't stress on small sheeze or something.  but for the time being, i guess I'll just drink my glass of water, plan my day at the Edmonton space and science centre, and wait for my plane to board.  Yall be good to each other.