In Bogota, we interview on average around 1,300 applicants a day which is why it is called a “visa mill” because we crank out interviews and visas.  And while we are well-staffed, we normally interview from 8 until 3:30.  Which leaves about an hour and a half to get the rest of your work done.  And believe me, like any job, there is always work to be done.

So any time you can get off the “visa line” you certainly don’t mind.  A couple of weeks ago, I was asked whether I wanted to help out with a congressional delegation visit, which I enthusiastically agreed to.  It turns out it was a visit headed by Senator Harry Reid, who is the Senate Majority Leader, and 6 other senators.  My job initially was to make sure a particular room was set up with name tents, water, glasses, interpretation equipment, and interpreter, among other things for a roundtable discussion between the delegation and some labor union leaders.  It was nothing glorious, but it seemed like it would be exciting.

By the day of the visit, I was also meeting the delegation at the airport, and had the opportunity to shake each senator and his wife’s hand.  That was about the extent of my brush with glory, because after that I was mainly behind the scenes.  It turns out though that the interpretation equipment guy showed up about 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting, it was raining, the union guys arrived late, two union leaders didn’t even show, and mercifully the entire delegation was running 30 minutes behind. Thankfully it all turned out well and nobody seemed to know that the room was in chaos only 1 minute before the senators arrived!

This past weekend I was supposed to work another visit, which was led by the Deputy Secretary of State (the one whose swearing in I attended — refer back to a post in February for more info), but it was canceled at the last minute.  That was actually a good thing because we received the last of our household shipment in the middle of the planning for the visit.  And I might have missed Jackson meeting Santa for the first time!

How about that for a teaser…Jackson meeting Santa!  Stay tuned because there’s an ambassador, Marine, and text message involved.