BRAIN DRAIN

The saga continues:

I didn’t mention in my prior post that I will probably need not one but two visas for the upcoming getaway. Such is how things work out over across the Atlantic: if you’re lucky, you can conveniently begin at one place and easily end up in another, so long as you don’t anger the armed sentries who watch over the borders.

In broad strokes, the trip is shaping up as follows: Depart New York for Country A. Stop. Depart Country A for Country B. Stop. Return from Country B to Country A. Stop. Leave Country A and return to New York. End program.

Now it might seem like much, but in truth it all has to do with spending time within the immediate environs of a particular border. As a result, more than one visa is required, which in a perfect world would be a simple matter.

Then I am reminded that the world is far from perfect, occasionally baffling and perhaps secretly nuts. Embassy B, it turns out, would like to see my visa for Country A before they process my documents. Meanwhile, Embassy A is adamant that they cannot give me a visa until Country B issues theirs to me.

This is the proverbial chicken-or-egg conundrum, as applied to international relations.

So here I am: haven’t even left yet, and already stuck somewhere between two places!

With tongue firmly in cheek I’m very tempted to insist to either party that the chicken must have come first, and that God is responsible for the chicken. I just have no idea how this applies to my situation. But I’m working on it.