Brazil - Who said international travel can't be exciting before you even go? This trip was a real nailbiter. It all started on the way out of a meeting. Scott said there was a waste management meeting in Sao Paulo- could I make it to make connections needed to start the program? "Sure" I said blithely, and went about canceling social engagements, calling about boarding my dog, calling the travel clinic, getting my flight booked... So organized! I am a Professional World Traveler (PWT)!
Until Thursday (one business day before my flight), when I realized.."huh, wonder if I need a visa?" Got online...yup. How long does our expediter take - 5 days at the fastest. Whoops. So much for PWT status. Fortunately and surprisingly, there is a Brazilian consulate in Atlanta. But they don't accept walkins and won't respond to my email. So I rent a Zip Car (yes, I'm still car-free) and assemble the necessary info and plan to walk in anyway and throw myself on their mercy. I get the ugly passport photos (I just can't seem to get a good one), a money order from Publix, the form, a business letter, a conference confirmation, and cruise to the consulate (near Lenox). I show up at 1:15pm. They are open to the public 9 to 1 pm. Crud. Shouldn't have had lunch (a stand up bowl of cereal when I stopped by my house to get my passport). So I resolved to show up first thing Friday and beg. I do a really good dumb blonde impression.
I get back to the consulate at 930 Friday morning (taking the bus to MARTA train took longer than I thought), and the receptionist offers to schedule me an appointment - next week. I tell her I am a humanitarian (obviously the PWT line won't work in this situation) and I want to attend a conference in their wonderful country and I am an idiot because I didn't realize I needed a visa (although actually inside I blame my travel agent- shouldn't they have warned me?) and I am so sorry but I'm wondering if it is all possible to get a visa today. Livia looks at me calmly and doesn't disagree with the idiot part, especially when she flips through my visa pages and sees that I've traveled a bit, says 'You could get it Monday' and I almost fall on the floor with gratitude. I am a Professional Visa Beggar (PVB)!
Until she says, not unkindly, "We only take USPS money orders now." Mine is from Publix. Argh. She says I can go to a post office near the DSW shoe store, did I drive? It is close enough to walk but there is no sidewalk. I survive walking through the dangerous 400 & Lenox intersection, get the money order from the post office - who knew they had those? And take it back to the consulate.
Short story is after a few sleepless nights, and another bus /train / walking expedition to the consulate, I did get the visa Monday morning, had no problem changing my flight to the next night (a 9 hour red-eye flight), and made it to Sao Paulo.
The next adventure was trying to stay awake in the conference. Not only did I miss a night of sleep, and we dinner Tuesday night ended at midnight (at amazing Figueira restaurant) but also the talks are in Portuguese with simultaneous translation - to Spanish. I could have sworn the website was also in English. This makes your brain tired. Only 2.5 more days of befuddlement. My Spanglish is coming in handy though since some words are similar- por favor, hola.
A note: The people here are just as varied looking as you'd find in the US (well the coastal US at least). However I have not spotted anyone wearing a thong bikini with a huge feather headdress. Wonder if they sell those in the airport store?
