So THAT"S why they named a credit card after it!

Although I've known since April I was going to teach English in Spain in September, I didn't make an appointment until today to apply for a visa that would enable me to legally stay in Spain for a length of time. Yes, it has taken almost two months to gather all the paperwork from the State of Massachusetts and various towns therein, the bank, my graduate school and the excessive, requisite number of photocopies. Yes, folks, I couldn't believe the amount of legwork or the mound of paperwork, either.


Perhaps not surprisingly, I need to give the Spanish Consulate here in Boston a non-refundable fee of $100. for the pleasure of looking over my application and paperwork. I now realize that the credit card brand name "Visa" is all too appropriate -- a visa does, indeed, give you access to the world, but you'll pay for it!