Through the Florida Street

by Ariadna Mishchuk (Ukraine)

I didn't expect to find Argentina

Through the Florida Street We were walking through, through the Florida Street. And it was that kind of morning which probably you can only feel in Buenos Aires. The smell of coffee, the fragrance that is associated with both, Italy and Argentina. Actually I remembered the San Telmo market, I visited on previous Sunday, and the coffee that was put up for sale was from Colombia and was announced as the best of the world. And then I thought that the winter in the Southern Hemisphere was charming, especially in Buenos Aires. The tango music was giving us an inspiration and I was just thinking that I told to Javiera that I did my best but it was impossible to apply for a visa to Chile from Ukraine. Bureaucracy, you know. The only way to do that was to apply to the Consulate in Warsaw, but in the 2014 even for going to the very neighbor Poland the Ukrainian citizens had to apply for the EU visa firstly. And one mounts was not enough as I had to leave for the Conference in Argentina and according to my scholarship I could not change the dates. And of course I appreciate that invitation to Chile; it would be an exceptional opportunity. So the only possibility that my Chilean friend and me had in mind was to try to apply for a visa in the Consulate of Chile in Buenos Aires, while we were there on the conference. Of cause I knew all the rules and that fact that I would have to wait during 30 days while my documents would be studied in the consulate, which was according to the instruction, and also I knew that my invitation was for the fallowing week. I almost accepted the situation, but we had to try. So finally we saw a big flag of Chile on a building in a colonial style and we entered there, went to the second floor to the visa department. I took the number and was waiting for my turn. Then went to a small window where my number appeared on the electronic display. The window was empty and I sat down in front of it. I knew that I had no chance. Looked at Javiera and she nodded me: - “Wait! Just don’t move from there!” I tried to ask an employee from the next window, but she answered that I had to wait where my number was shown. I was not expecting that someone would attend me, but decided to wait there. And suddenly the Señor appeared from the other side of the window. - Have you been attended? Are you waiting for someone? - Not actually, I just wanted.. just.. - Please, explain why are you here? What’s wrong with your visa? - Ok, I’ll try, briefly. - Please. - I’m an instructor in Spanish in Odessa Polytechnic University. And I’m here because of being selected for participating in South American Business Forum in Buenos Aires. And I’m invited to the University of Valparaiso to give lectures in the Department of Journalism and the course is starting the next week. I was trying to prepare all the necessary documents in Ukraine, but it was impossible in one month. The only document from the list I have now is my passport… - So young and already a teacher… and so far from here… Ok, your motivation is so honorable, to teach students in my country. And I can make you a visa; I’m a General Counsel of the Republic of Chile in Argentina. Please come to my department to contact the University for more details. I could not believe that was happening. Just turned to Javiera explaining her everything, and in the department we contacted the University and the Counsel told as just to come back in 3 days, just after the conference to put the stamp of the Visa to Chile on my passport. We could not believe that on our way back. It means that if your intention is truly good, the destiny will give you a chance. We were walking through, through the Florida Street.