Wednesday, August 22, 2012

One More Computer Update

With luck this will be my last computer update before I actually have my new computer in my hands.

As requested, I took a color copy of my passport to the post office here in Cotacachi.  Yesterday I got a second email from a man in Quito who said they need a copy of my passport.  After many attempts at me understanding English and the lovely woman at the post office trying to say it in words I could understand, I got it that she found out I had to send a digital copy of my passport to the man in Quito.  Ah!  I can do that--I think--um, I don't have a computer with a scanner--um, I have a computer that sometimes works to send simple email on gmail but sometimes even that little bit crashes it.

There's a way, I know there must be a way.  I went to the papeleria (kind of like an office supply store with copy machine, internet cafe, and candy store).  I'm not sure if they can never do it or if there's something wrong with their computer but the basic response was, "No."

My friendly neighborhood ice cream vendor/taxi driver (also on my block) directed me to another papeleria diagonally across the park, just a tad over a block away.  There, to my great delight, they were able to make a digital copy of my passport and put it on my memory stick and I went immediately to one of their computers, pulled up my email, and off it went to Paul, complete with a message in Spanish complements of Google Translate.  I really love Google.

Now I wait.  If I need to pays a customs fee for it, I will need to go to whatever bank the post office uses, pay the fee, and take the receipt to the post office.  If not, it will be here perhaps tomorrow or Friday.  It's getting closer and you can count on hearing about it when it arrives.

4 comments:

  1. Wow, good luck! I knew getting electronics in was tricky but this has been a real lesson for everyone ;-) Your patience is great to see.

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    1. Thanks. It is getting a bit frustrating now that I've been without (or virtually without) my computer for a month now. I haven't kept track of the time since this computer was ordered but it feels like a long time. I just called a few minutes ago and discovered it hasn't arrived at the post office yet. She said, (come on, you can guess) "Posible Lunes." (Possibly Monday.) Yep, the computer's name is definitely going to be "Posible." It's all good, right?

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  2. This is another item for your book about moving to Cotacachi. Everyone should have on their computers and possibly on a second source (thumb drive, etc.) scanned copies of their FULL passport, marriage licenses, death certificate for deceased spouse, etc, etc. That also includes back ups of bank account numbers, credit card numbers, etc. just in case things are lost or stolen. They should also have a printed copy of their passport with them when they travel in addition to the original but in a different location.

    That book's getting bigger! ;-)

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    1. The book is definitely getting bigger but I just haven't been working on it until I get my new computer working. I seem to be filling up my available time with all kinds of things here. I love that but have to keep reminding myself that I moved here to relax and enjoy my retirement away from the stress of schedules, etc.

      Thanks for all your comments!

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