Wait a minute...I know that guy! or It only takes four days

As some of you may know, we have had to spend more days than we anticipated, here in Ipiales, Colombia, on the border of Ecuador and Colombia. We are here trying to complete the complicated process of receiving volunteer visas. We are happy to report, that we are closer today than we have been, and it is looking very positive that we will be on a bus back to Quito and in our beds by tonight, visas in hand!
Due to the amount of time we have been here and the same streets and restuarants we have continued to frequent, our time here has begun to feel somewhat like the movie "Terminal" starring Tom Hanks. For those of you who have not seen the movie, Hanks plays an eastern european traveler, who has flown to New York to complete a collection of famous jazz players autographs, started by his late father. Hanks flies to New York to collect the last needed autograph and complete his father´s collection and dream. Due to complications with his visa and passport, Hanks is stuck in the airport, waiting for all the red tape to be cut and mess to be cleaned up. During this nine month period of time, without ever being allowed to leave the airport, Hanks makes friends with store owners, janitors, has favorite restaurants and even falls in love with a stewardess. He creates quite a following of people who are cheering him on in his quest. The airport has become his whole world while he waits for his visa to be approved, and for his mission to be completed.
While we already have the falling in love thing covered, we have found that we have our favorite coffee shop and researched our favorite internet places, where the people now know our faces. Today, the waiter at "Capri" panaderia, knew our order, and recited it to us before we had a chance to! "Dos cafés con leche, y dos buñuelos?"....."Si señor. Gracias.!"
We have also become friendly with the pharmacist at a local drugstore. He was the first person we really spoke with upon our arrival to Ipiales, and he suggested a hotel, that we ended up staying in. We saw him on the street the next day, and visited him again to buy chapstick the following day. We entered the store to find his shiny bald head, glittering in the afternoon sun, feet propped up on the glass counter, strumming a guitar. And it sounded really good! We chatted a bit, and he showed us some pictures of a mountain he had climbed earlier that day. We were making friends.
One of the requirements of the visa included having to go to the Red Cross to acquire medical exams and a report that the doctor would sign. There was a young woman in the waiting room, there with her toddler. They were so sweet together, giggling, touching foreheads and giving each other kisses on the lips. Later that day, who should I see, but cute little mommy walkin´down the street!
It is a funny thing to begin to recognize some of the guys on the corner, with black leather fanny packs, bulging with bills, waiting to get your business by changing your dollars into pesos. We have walked down that particular street, so many times, on our way to the Consul/Visa office, that I am sure they are at the point of rolling their eyes and sighing, "There goes those two gringos again.....what are they DOING?"
Unlike Tom, we have only been trapped in our little world for just short of a week. However, the favorite coffee places and familiar faces have already been found. But, in keeping with the end of the film, I do project, that like Hanks, we will get a rousing cheer as we leave the Consul Office, for the last time, just like he did as he was finally allowed to leave the airport for good.
I can just imagine Maria Lorena and William closing their eyes and slumping back in their chairs after finally sending the persistent gringos on their way, visas approved, and sighing, "Thank goodness we´re done with THAT!" And outside, in the fresh air, Jon and I, on our way in a little red van, back to the border, giving each other high fives, proclaiming, "Thank goodness we´re done with THAT!"
As for our friends in Ipiales, Colombia, I am not sure we will ever see them again. But I do know where to go for aspirin, or chapstick and know I have a musical pharmacist waiting to seranade us back into his store, shiny head and all, always ready to be "a la orden." (At your service.)
Thanks for the hospitality and friendships, Ipiales, but we hope we never have to come back again!