Final Destination: Bilbao

Guggenheim Museum

Bilbao...largest city in País Vasco, home of the Guggenheim Museum, and, in September, ME!

However, as with pretty much everything else in this program, it wasn't as easy as just getting the letter.

A few weeks ago, the Spanish Consulate in Chicago (where we will go through to get our visas) changed their requirements for getting a student visa. In May, I emailed the consulate to ask them what kind of police certificate we needed to get the visa. They informed me that a police certificate from the Wisconsin Department of Justice would be fine, so I sent my request.

Well, a few weeks later, the consulate posted on their website that an FBI background check, complete with fingerprints and a stamp from the Secretary of State (Apostille of the Hauge).

Now, to get the FBI background check takes about 13 weeks. Then, you have to send it to the Secretary of State for the stamp, which is another 3-4 weeks. THEN you can apply for your visa, which takes 6-8 weeks...which puts us in Spain in late November at the earliest.

Obviously, with our contract starting in October, this doesn't really work well. After numerous calls, emails, and Facebook groups, the consulate relented and told us we could get away with the police certificate...victory!

Thankfully, that got cleared up, which was a BIG relief. Then, last week on Wednesday, Matt received his letter and placement for Bilbao. I was really excited, but anxious to get my letter.

Thursday...no letter.

Friday...no letter.

Saturday...no letter.

On Saturday I called my mom since I was out of town and asked her to check the mail, and finally some truth was revealed. My letter actually came on Wednesday, but because it was registered mail and no one was there to sign for it, it was at the post office.

Finally, on Monday, I got to the post office and got my school placement at IES Martín de Bertendona in Bilbao!

An IES is a secondary school, so I'll be in a high school located in the city center, which will make finding housing a lot easier.

I have never been to Bilbao, so I'm excited to explore a new city!

We have our visa appointments in the beginning of July, and we finally have all of the documentation we need to get our visas! It's beginning to feel a lot more real now.

originally published 6.29.2010