Crisis Averted and the best resolution

Last few days have been interesting

So I applied for the children's travel visas over the weekend. Ran into some trouble on how to pay for them. Sent an email to the US consulate in Riga. Got some help. Filled out some info, (that really should import off of the Visa application) Got to pay and... couldn't. Four ways to pay. Pay cash at the bank. It takes a day or so to credit. Nah, there has to be an easier way. Direct Bank transfer, takes 2-3 days to credit. Too long. Debit card? Instant? Sounds promising. Trustpay? What the heck is that? Debit card it is.

I called my bank a couple days ago and requested upping the limit on daily transactions and cash so I could pay the bill. I was prepared. Got to pay and I received perpetual errors. I saw the payment screen once, it errored and screwed up my profile. Called customer support. They told me not to use Safari as a browser, ok switched devices. No joy. Waited an hour, cleared my cookies. No dice. Called them back. Oh, you have to have a local bank to use a debit card. OK, but I've never entered my bank info, so that can't be the problem. Use Trustpay. OK. Went to use Trustpay. Oh, you have to be a European resident.

Bank transfer is still out. Tried to talk to customer service again, only to have my Latvian phone run out of minutes. I didn't know how to add time to it. Called my Agency contact. She told me how, also to use the mobile phone company's website. Problem, they take only bank transfers from... local banks, no credit cards.

Used my US phone (just turning it on for phone use costs me $10 a day) called US Embassy Customer Service. Nothing to do, could only use a bank transfer. If it was done by 3 pm local time it will credit after 1 pm tomorrow. Our appointment time? 2pm the next day. What time was it after I was told this? 12:22. No sweat, I would run out, grab the cash (about $500E) hit a bank and we would hopefully be OK on the timing.

Got to ATM. Could only pull out $180E ($200) Oh no, the bank didn't raise the limit. Wendy and I had depleted much of our cash on hand earlier in the week. I rushed home. Told Wendy. Grabbed her ATM card. Took every penny she had. I think we would have enough as long as the transaction fee from the bank (who would surely charge me as I wasn't an account holder) I got another $180. I had Roughly 470E I needed $465, should be OK as long as the exchange rate wasn't terrible. OK, had the payment voucher from the website, said bill would be $456E. Should be safe.
Got to Swedbank. (Closest bank and a large branch in old Riga) Explained what I needed. They could do it. She asked if i had "the passport." Yes, i had the kid's passport. It was 1:30. I took a number. 236. On 228. Twenty-five minute wait. Cash transaction desk opened up. 236 came up. I spoke with the teller (another pretty blonde, to go with the two pretty blondes and one pretty brunette that greeted customers, like i said, virtually all young women in Latvia are pretty)

She spoke good English. She knew what to do. Did I have MY passport? No, why would I need that? This is for their visa transaction? But I was the one conducting the transaction and I am a foreigner. Oh, F@#@#%$! No passport, no transfer. It's 2:00. Did I mention I had to have this done by 3:00 pm?

Trot back to the apartment. Wendy and the kids were out playing at the park. It was a nice if a bit cold. i got may passport and went after my American dollars. They could exchange money if necessary, they were a big bank, I saw the rates posted. I had another $100+. Now I was confident I had the money, now would I have the time?

Trot back to Swedbank. Took a number. It was 2:25. My number was... I don't remember, 3-- something. I had just over thirty minutes and there were 6 numbers ahead of me. I saw three different bankers working the cash transaction windows. That's promising, before it was only one.

Five minutes later, my number came up. Number before me had given up waiting. Back to same pleasant teller. Showed my passport. Provided her the info. She said the transaction fee would be 7.12E. I was going to have a 5E bill and change leftover. I counted it out, three times as she did the paperwork.

She explained they would open an account for me for one day. (Great, paperwork and I am pressed for time) She was quick and competent, however. Created the account. Signed. Filled out the transfer form. Signed again. Double checked the transfer info. Handed over the cash. She used a counting machine and it was done. With 11 minutes to spare.

Wendy wanted some Sauerkraut to go with dinner. (Sausages with kraut, mashed potatoes and green beans as sides. Went over well and was quite tastey)

I hustled towards the central market where several vendors sold homemade kraut in bags by the kilo for only 1E. I knew I would swing by the Narvesen (convienence store) that would sell minutes for the phone. Had to have that phone working, it was the only way for Bruno, our attorney, to get contact us. i stopped in. Nobody at the counter. A teenager stood back by an open office door. He certainly didn't look to be working. A woman in a company shirt came out. Two customers spoke with her, they didn't speak Latvian, they spoke some English, clerk didn't speak English. (Oh great, I pick the one store where the staff doesn't speak English, not their fault but virtually every store and restaurant does in Riga) The teenager walked to the front of the store and spoke with the customers. They were looking for playing cards, a nice middle aged couple in their fifties, they were taking a long time, and I knew Bruno would call that day to talk about the Visa appointment.

The clerk beckoned me to approach as the teenager went over the card options with the customers. I told her what I wanted. She didn't fully understand. I pulled out the phone and the plastic simcard holder you keep that has the phone's info. I showed her the company (has some kind of fish emblem) THAT she knew. I saw some cards hanging to the side of the register that appeared to be the same company. She struggled to ask me the next question. Sum? I held up my fiver. She understood and took my money and handed me a receipt. I asked what to do. She couldn't respond.

The teenager finished with the other customers and stepped over. I surmised this young man didn't work here, but his mother did, she was the clerk. His English was pretty good. He explained. Dial a specific number, enter a code. He offered to do it for me. I figured it out as he explained. He read the code to me and double checked the code. Code transmitted, credit received. Phone functional again. SCORE 2 for 2. All because I was polite, persistent and because Latvians, while a slightly dour people, really aren't unfriendly, they are just reserved. They are however, very friendly and helpful once engaged. Thanks Latvia!

Made it to the market, got some kraut from our favorite vendor. 1E. I was down to Just over 1E, it was all the cash we had for 24 hours, or at least until I exchanged money or spoke to my bank and asked what the hell happened.

Back to the apartment, kids and such were ok. I'd been grouchy all morning as I struggled with the website, customer service and phones. Wendy had done an excellent job at keeping them out of my hair. They did look a bit sheepish, like they had done something wrong. (Which mostly wasn't true, Aleks needs to learn to not touch phones, tablets and computers when others are using them and sticking out his tongue at his mother when she scolds him is a bad idea) I told them everything was OK and that I was sorry for being grouchy but I had a very stressful day.

I took a nap, I was exhausted. Burned out from stress. Kids were mostly good. Wendy started dinner. I received an email from the US embassy looking for confirmation of the payment. Greaaaat. Of course they were. I replied that i had trouble getting the payment in due to website issues but that I sent a cash transfer from the bank and they should see it tomorrow. OK, good, they will look for it.

Bruno called, because of course, Bruno would then call. He wanted to come over. Of course he would. 10 minutes later, Bruno arrived and asked us to review the translation of the court decree. If it was good, he would have the copies notarized the next day. (today) Copy was good. Minor corrections. I saved a copy to my laptop and forwarded it to the embassy staff.

I called the bank as it was now 4 PM local time and 9 am Iowa time. Spoke with the bank. Only the point of sale side limit had been increased. ugh. OK, increase both, just for good measure. We had managed so I wasn't going to extract my pound of flesh. I must be going soft. Years ago I would have had the bank president on the phone (it's a small bank) and chewed his butt for a problem that I had managed to resolve. Perhaps I've gotten nicer, meh, probably just too tired to be a jerk.

Dinner was ready. The giant bowl of kraut and sausage was met to oohs and ahhs, literally. Dinner was very, very good. I was rested, fed, had a beer, Kids were pretty good. Aleks had gotten in trouble earlier that day for hitting Jack so I wasn't going to allow any cartoons. I relented. Wendy and I needed a break and was out of options. I queued up a stream of Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal" Stream wasn't good and only got a bit over half-way.  Bother. It was late enough to send them to bed, We explained that we owned that movie in America and they could watch it there. Kids went to bed without problem.

Wendy ran out to shop. We thought everything would close over the Easter holiday so we needed four days worth of food. (offices close, but not shops and restaurants but we didn't know that until today) She bought milk and juice, we would get the rest tomorrow.

Wendy and I went to bed within an hour or so. She had caught my cold and I am still not over it.

Today: Breakfast. We were going to get documents printed at the copy shop up the street past the German embassy. I tried to call the embassy, Mrs. Galdina, our contact was not available until 10 am. It was 9, we would wait to leave until I made the phone call. I Received an email, payment credited! It was just past 10 am, it was early! Whoope! I called Mrs. Galdina at the embassy. We discussed who needed to attend the interview. The Latvians and at least one of their new parents. Wendy and the kids wanted to go. It wasn't every day you got to visit your embassy. Mrs. Galdina's reply, "Of course you can all come, you are US citizens, you are always welcome in your embassy." (Citizenship has it's perks I suppose) I forwarded the email with the receipt number to the Mrs. Galdina.  We walked to the copy shop. Printouts done.

Went to the market. Shopping done, Aleks misbehaved a bit. Wandered. Tried to refuse holding anybody's hand. (Marked was crazy busy ahead of the holiday. Why take all the kids? We both need to go to carry and even the kids carry some bags. Seven eat alot of food.) Some sternly spoken. "You listen to your mother, you listen to your father." Did the trick but he was sullen the entire rest of the trip.

Home for lunch. Received an email, one electronic copy of the documents couldn't be opened. (the laptop runs linux and it saved it in some alternate file format, not a word doc) It was ok, I had what she needed in paper copy. I received another email Payment confirmed! Things were looking up.

Lunch was sandwiches and leftovers. Kids got to play for a bit. Aleks grew frustrated with his siblings while playing in the other room and mooned them. He has a habit of shaking his butt at people and making taunting noises. I wonder where he learned that? That was a timeout and a "never, ever do that again" discussion facilitated by Dite, because I couldn't pronounce the Latvian words the translation program used. Point made. Man, not what we needed. Called a cab company that advertised minibuses so we could ride together. They had none available. 2 cabs it was!

Aleks was disrespectful of Wendy was she tried to get him to get his coat and shoes on. That was nose in the corner time. I know, probably shouldn't do it, plenty of issues with that strong an exile, but we are running out of things to do. That worked, he hated it. Especially when I made him go full forehead into the corner, no looking around, no fidgiting (because I stood two feet from him)
It's funny, when you talk to him about when he misbehaves, he gets sullen, covers his ears not to hear it. I can't imagine Lilita and Janis yelled very much. I bet it was the orphanage or school. Anyway, he acknowledges that he knows, doing whatever he did wasn't good. Can't answer why he did X  or Y. I just think it's too long without proper oversight and he doesn't have the impulse control he should. It will come. All kids impulse control is external to start. It has to be internalized. I thought we would be beyond with a five year old. Not so one that comes out of an orphanage and a house with six other kids. Language and new parents probably play a part of it too.

Taxi's came. Got on the road and realized I left ALL the documents in the apartment. So busy herding children, forgot the things we needed most. We were only a few blocks away. Turned around, called Wendy. We would be delayed.
Got docs, back in Taxi. Made good time. It's why you leave early for important meetings, poop often happens, you aren't late then when it does happen.

Made it to the embassy. Waited outside for a bit to be let in. (I did notice extra security downtown and at the embassy, no doubt due to what happened in Brussels) I started to explain to the guard through the intercom what we were there for. "AH, Bryant family? Yes, come right in." It's good to be expected. Jaenelle and Jack had noticed cameras outside while we were waiting. (two others had gone in ahead of us) They asked if the people inside knew we were there. I assured them that they certainly knew we were there. The cameras they could see and probably one we didn't see made certain of that.

We were let in. No electronics past the security checkpoint. A short walk. I pointed out we were now technically in the United States while in the US embassy. Another security check point.

Went to the bank teller like window that I assumed was probably bullet proof. Handed over some documents and the Latvian passports and Wendy's and mine.
Short wait. A couple of questions for the kids. (Did they still want to travel to the US? All positive) Visas approved. Documents back. Our passports back. ai passports returned with their visas on Tuesday. That was it. Took about an hour. Easiest thing we have done yet.

Easy taxi ride home with a cabbie who spoke English well. We saw two accidents. I made the comment that one of the cars was a BMW, that was an expensive car to be driving too fast (was a rear-end by the BMW, following too close and/or driving too fast) He laughed. "Yeah, that's a nice car. "Saw the next accident. Driving too fast again. His reply, "Driving stupid." This guy drives every day all day. He said "Fast is nice, stupid is bad." Spoken like a true cabbie.

Home. Kids played. We determined we would go out for dinner to celebrate the last paperwork and Jaenelle's coming birthday. She chose a Thai restaurant. We love Thai, might as well introduce the kids.

Latvians all order friend rice, Americans order Thai food (except for Jack, he gets fried egg noodles) We order three appitizers, egg rolls, pot stickers and dumplings. More Chinese than Thai. Food went over well. Except Aleks didn't like the sauces for anything. He has a thing against sauces. Also likes his rice plain.

Aleks became bored with the colored pencils the restaurant provided to entertain kids. So we played, slap dad's hand (like giving me "five") and see if I can catch his hand. Lots of giggles and smiles. It's nice when he is well behaved and fun. Five minutes later he would drop food into my beer. Sigh.

Dinner came slowly. Kids got their food. Wendy, Jaenelle and I had ordered off the adult menu and ours came later, much later.  It was all very good. Nauris and Aleks didn't like the fried rice much but ate some anyway. Kids meals came with ice cream. Big scoops of vanilla with whipped cream and strawberry sauce and M & M's. THAT they liked.

Aleks put his coat on to leave before Wendy and Jaenelle received their food. Once we got up and started to leave. Aleks went to Wendy and asked to go home. He told her he was tired. What a cute little kid. He may be a grade A pain sometimes. He really is a good natured and fun kid. He just doesn't know what to do with himself sometimes.

Got home, kids to bed. (I did give the four oldest 10 minutes each of video games on the Ipad, they had been good)

Chat with Wendy and resolve to start writing on the blog.
By this time next week we will be in the air. By this time local time we will have been home for several hours!

See you all soon. Next blog is more about the kids, I promise. They are really coming into their own and becoming comfortable being themselves.