Wait! If new to this blog, there's so many nitty gritty details that you've missed! I promise that you'll want to start this adventure from the beginning by starting with the first post, Feb 27- found on the right side bar. At your leisure, come follow our adventure, by reading following posts in order by date, (which I hope to keep short and entertaining!) Welcome to the Salt Life...
It may not have hit me when I was in the Bahamas but it definitely hit me when I was home. I had a longing that even now, I can't explain. I missed the people, the island, and everything about it. I had to get back. I had an overwhelming feeling that I had to get home.
The journey of life was mimicking Toad's Wild Ride again but we didn't mind as much because the grass was truly greener on the other side and we knew it would be worth the wait. It took two weeks after we had returned home to obtain the official offer letter and another week to agree on a start date.
May 19th was the date chosen and the clock began to tick.
First thing we needed to do was secure Visas. Travis is applying for a Work Visa and I'm applying for a Permit to Reside since I'm not legally allowed to get a job in the Bahamas without sponsorship. It goes back to the Bahamian Government's commitment to it's citizens that expatriates will not take local jobs. I know, the bad news just keeps coming, right? All jokes aside, when you've been working all of your life, it isn't as easy of a decision as one would think. It's been a mind struggle that I don't see resolving easily.
We needed more wallet-sized photos and I decided to test my luck again at the same CVS who had sabotaged my previous passport photos (previous post). A few minutes later, as I paid for our new Visa photos, I began boiling inside. The girl who took this round of pictures had apparently not received the no smile and no ear hiding memo because she didn't say a word about either. I knew I had been played...
After CVS, we made a stop at our local police station for Good Standing Certificates. Along with the application, we needed to provide hard evidence that we had been law abiding citizens, which just turned out to be a letter stating our address and that we haven't been arrested, all on City of Long Beach letterhead.
Lastly, we needed a Health Certificate advising we were in good health and free to leave the US. I hadn't been to a Doctor outside of an emergency room in over 7 years, so I was more then a little nervous on the morning of our appointments. After arriving to the Doctor's, they split us up in separate rooms so I was alone when the Nurse told me she needed to draw blood for the physical. I'm not sure what ever made me think I could be a Veterinarian because I scanned the room immediately for an escape when I heard this. A million possible scenarios to get out of being poked ran through my mind as she approached me abruptly with the needle. Nothing smells more like doom then rubbing alcohol. It all happened so quickly. She immediately incapacitated me with her man-hands around my bicep and my only option was to be brave and make awkward conversation. I looked everywhere but at the bad business that was happening to my arm as I secretly held back tears. Apparently, it wasn't a well-kept secret because she silently slid me the box of tissues on her way out of the room. I am 34 years old! Do I get a sucker and a plastic toy too? I'm such a schmuck.
The test results came back and we obtained our good health letters. Lastly, we needed to provide reference letters stating what truly wonderful people we are. Of course we wrote these glowing letters ourselves and had the first willing participant lend their signature.. kidding.. The Work Visa and Permit to Reside process takes 4-6 weeks so we have little time to get this in the mail. I'm getting used to this.
The next matter of business was in my opinion, the most important. The importation of our beloved Golden Retriever, who is starting to resemble his new nickname Bahamas Bob. How does one get a very spoiled, 100-lb, dog-aggressive, hairy beast over International waters to the Bahamas? GREAT question and one I had been asking myself for the last 6 months. It was time to put some kind of a plan into action.
Bob needed an exam and all necessary tests to confirm his almost 8-year old body was ready for this type of big move. This guy has already traveled across the country in his short life, so I wanted to minimize the stress of his next venture as much as possible. He also needed vaccines as required by his import papers.
Going to the Vet in Long Beach is always an experience in itself. Bob's current Veterinarian works out of the basement of his home that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. He is usually in his driveway when Bob and I pull up and he always leads us through his garage and into his basement for the exam. It's just him, no receptionist, no Technician, and no staff of any kind. Silence of the Lambs haunts my nightmares so the first time he asked me to follow him into the dark, I immediately thought that pulleys and baskets were in my near future.
The small space where he did Bob's current exam was cold and dark. In the room with us was just a scale, an examination table and an equally sparse desk. And even though, every time that I'm in that sterile room, the theme song of Dexter plays in my head, there is something about Dr. Hal that puts me at ease. And that's all that matters.
Bob was everything but 'at ease', as he was poked and prodded, just as I had been the day before. With a sturdy hand-shake and a promised future call with results, Bob and I checked this visit off of our to-do list.
There is no Quarantine in the Bahamas for dogs traveling from the United States, thank goodness. In order to obtain an Import Permit, I have to apply in writing to The Bahamas, stating all of Bob's information, and provide his current vaccine history, and $10.00 cash. Once The Bahamas receives this information, they will mail me an Import Permit which needs to accompany Bob the entire time during travel, as well as a list of permit requirements. In addition to the permit we will need to provide a Health Certificate and Bob will need to see a Vet in Nassau within 48 hours of our arrival to The Bahamas. Everything was ready to go except we needed the date of Bob's travel for the application. We needed to figure out how to get Bob to the Bahamas
When something is meant to be, the harp music starts playing in the background and rose petals fall at your feet. Getting Bob to the Bahamas has caused me six months of anguish and restless nights. I had no idea how I was going to get him there without flying him commercially, which I refused to do. Since he is insanely dog-aggressive and any standard travel options included him being kept in areas with other dogs, I knew he'd probably have to be sedated to be allowed to travel. Since sedated dogs can't regulate their body temperature, this poses a dangerous risk and makes it a necessity to travel in a guaranteed climate-controlled environment. This left us VERY minimal options. Especially in such short time.
And then...
Heaven itself sent us an Angel. Trav's Aunt has amazing friends from high school and college that she has kept in great touch with through the years. We often have the pleasure of hanging out with everyone and catching up at family events. These salt of the earth type of people always include a very special duo, Kristy and Dave. Big Michigan State fans, they live in Michigan, but have a plane that they keep in Florida during the cold winter months. I remembered that in September, before we knew this job was a possibility, we had been chatting about them flying their dog, Mullet, to and from his pet sitters. When Dave told Travis that he would be happy to fly Bob over to the Bahamas, I cried. Nothing else mattered. I was overwhelmed with relief.
And to be honest, a little envy. It's on my bucket list to jet off on a private plane. Leave it to my Golden Retriever to beat me to it. I guess blondes really do have more fun...
Read Next: #11-Queen of Moving , Apr 23
No comments:
Post a Comment