You're Good to Goa!

An amazing opportunity arose while I was in LA. A friend of mine who is working on a large international project needed an editor for the English portions of a globally comprehensive website. He proposed that while the work could be done from the city via the internet, that it would be more fun to do it live and in person with him on the beaches of Goa India. It just so happens that I had moved out of my apartment before coming to LA and I was still technically unemployed. Jobless and homeless I had the time and the ability to go. And it just so happens that I speak pretty good English ;-)

After discovering in LA just how difficult it was to get a “rushed” visa on a holiday weekend,I felt a little panicked. After about an hour of anxiety, I remembered something really simple.. this wasn't my idea. And I realized that the flow of my life had brought this whole thing on and it was kinda silly to think it would abandon me now. I took a deep breath and felt strongly that Berlin would come through. And once I had that thought, I felt a lot of peace. I called my friend Patrick in Berlin and he called the embassy to find out what I needed. I would land in Berlin on Thursday and have only 2 business days to procure my visa for India.

I went to the embassy, all my documents in hand. The line was pretty short and in no time I was up to the front of the line.

I complimented the man behind the counter for handling things before me so quickly. I smiled and thanked him. He seemed to neither understand nor regard the compliment.

After he went through my paperwork it seemed that everything was in order. I had read online and Patrick had also called to inquire about the fees. When I saw that we were almost finished I reached for the 50 Euros I had in my wallet. "That will be 75 Euros please" said the man behind the counter....

Ummm....what? He explained that German passports were 50 Euros but that American passports were 75. “You come from a rich country, “ he said with a slight smile. I asked if they took cards. He said no. I asked if I could try to find an ATM and bring back cash- he said I would never make it in time. In that moment I made a wish…

Just then a woman nearby told me that she knew of an ATM not too far. Another man near to her asked me how much I needed. I told him and almost before I could finish he handed me 25 Euros. I smiled and turned back to the man at the counter. "Ive got it!"

Samudra (which means Ocean) and I went to Podstamer Platz to find an ATM and afterward I treated him to some coffee. He was on his way back to his home to India to spend 3-6 months. He had been living here in Berlin for the past 10 years with his family and they were going for a nice long vacation. "If you are ever need a place to stay in Calcutta or you need anything while you are in India, give me a call."

I picked up my visa today. I leave tomorrow...