I'm a little delayed posting about our adventure to Jacksonville, but here we go.
We were scheduled to appear at Homeland Security in Jacksonville this past Monday at 8 AM. After map questing the address and plugging it in the GPS we learned it would take about an hour and a half. Of course giving the fact that we'd encounter rush hour traffic AND that we had no idea where we were going, we decided to leave at 5:30 AM and allow an extra hour.
Well, needless to say, at 7:40 AM after traveling about .4 miles in 30 miles and just chilling out on I-10, panic was the name of the game. We immediately got off the interstate praying that our dear friend TOM TOM would give us an alternate route. Well, he did. However, as we approached our last little turn we watched the clock...
7:50, 7:55, 7:58...okay, we're cutting it way too close! 8:00! Ahhhhh we weren't there on time! Oh no! We didn't arrive and step foot out of the car until 8:10 AM. We were so worried they wouldn't let us in. What would happen?
We approached the non-threatening building (nothing like the very tall and daunting building I'd envisioned) and went through a customs-like protocol. Instead of passing over our passports, we gave our ID's. Well actually, since Jason's license expired the week before on his birthday he DID use his passport. OH GOODNESS! I just realized, he SHOULD NOT have been driving! Thank goodness we didn't get pulled over!!!
Anywho, after going through the metal detector I quickly realized there were different areas inside this small room. Some people were instructed to place their yellow papers in a tray clearly marked for "yellow papers." We on the other hand, had to go and fill out a paper on a clipboard. A friendly employee showed us what to do, we filled out a short paper, turned it back in, and then waited. I thought this would take a while, but as Jason got up to go the restroom I warned "they are probably going to call you as soon as you walk away." Yup! Sure enough, right again Stacy. =)
Since I explained he'd stepped away, the same lady who had helped us fill out the correct paperwork called me back to get started. What I expected was a really bitter, unfriendly, underpaid, customs like official who was going to treat me in the most impersonal way possible. I couldn't have been more wrong! She was so nice. We exchanged personal thoughts (she's from Miami too) and I learned that there had been a terrible motorcycle accident which caused I-1o to back up. As she was working with me the other employee had called Jason back and helped him. Ten minutes later, we were done. Very surreal, but done!
Although everyone was very nice, I am not interested in going back any time soon.
On a side note, Jason heard someone on the yellow paper side of the room say "anyone here for ....'s naturalization, please come with me." Several people rose and approached the official. I'll have to say, as frustrated as we can all be with our country at times, it's pretty cool that this event could take place and that so many friends and family would feel so privileged to come witness it!
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