On Monday I went to the Finnish Consulate in Los Angeles to get my fingerprints and paperwork completed for my resident permit application. As it was, the trip was a quick one, and fortunately everything went off well. There was one paper which I didn't know I needed and hadn't seen since September, but luckily a certain awesome person faxed it to the consulate and saved the day. I think the hardest part about the whole ordeal was finding the building which is quite funny to think back to. At first we went to a building with the same address, but it was the wrong place. Even when we did arrive at the correct place we had trouble finding which floor it was on. No worries though, we made it on time for our appointment.
There is also a language story I have to share; my mom and I were sitting down being helped and in walked another employee. She talked so quickly and in Finnish, we just looked dumbfounded, until she realized we were Americans and asked us if we were being helped. I can't wait to actually be able to understand Finnish, because at this point everything is so foreign in every way possible. Well, I should be getting my visa in about six weeks, but either way, I really hope it comes soon and can't wait to have it in my hand. Then things will really take off!
focused on the door, so they could see me taking pictures oblivious to this.
