T-Minus 5 days and counting

Okay - the latest news is this: Visa arrived... flight booked to Lagos on Aug 2.

Lets get it on!

What does a guy need to do to get a Visa around this place?

So about 1 month ago, I sent my Nigerian Visa application to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa. I sent the forms in quadruplicate; is quadruplicate even a word? I sent my Letter of Invitation, half a dozen photos, notices of Expatriate Quota, names of References in Nigeria, a detailed description of my new job in Nigeria etc etc etc...

Then after a couple weeks, I get a phone message - I need a Police Clearance. I mean really... the country if full of con artists and they want me to get a Police Clearance? Okay, fine, whatever. So, I spend half a day at the RCMP and I deliver my Police Clearance to the Nigerian High Commission.

Another week passes. I check on the status - No problem they say, you'll have your VISA long before your July 18th flight.

Friday the 16th, two days before I am supposed to make my trip around the world, they call and inform us that I need to supply a certified letter from the Nigerian Government in Nigeria showing that the company has sufficient Expatriate Quota. Hmm, a certified letter from Nigeria, that sounds easy, probably won't take too long.... I won't hold my breath.

So, I call the travel agent and re-book my flight for July 27th.

Désirée is excited about the delay and I am too - it just gets harder and harder to keep saying good bye to our friends. You get mentally prepared for the trip and saying goodbye. But, the extra time will allow me enough time to finish packing my gear, buying clothes, sell my truck and prepare for the wedding. Another week with Desi is great as I won't get to see her again until just before our wedding in September! So, as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining!

RQ

update: Planning on leaving July 27th now - assuming I get a visa by then...

Ryan and Desiree get Engaged!

On Wednesday, July 6, 2005, Désirée and Ryan got engaged...

After 3 and a bit years together, we hiked up to the top of Mt. Indefatigable overlooking the beautiful Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes.

The weather was nice but windy on the way up to the top - making Desi a bit frightened. After a couple pep talks, we made it to the top of the mountain... only to see huge dark clouds rushing towards the ridge we were sitting on.

I only had a couple minutes before the rain came, so I quickly asked Désirée if "she would like to spend the rest of her life with me?" I didn't have to get down on one knee because the wind was so stong that we were both pretty much laying down on the ground!

After the shock wore off, Desi said "yes" and the rain started pouring. We made the rest of the trip back down to the car in the driving rain - looking like a couple drown rats!

So we are planning on getting married before Désirée comes over to Nigeria in October. The planned date is September 18, 2005 at the Bonterra Restaraunt in Calgary. Hope to see you all there!

RQ