this went on from 2 in the afternoon till at least 11pm. I was drunk. I caught the U-bahn home somehow and talked to Tom for a bit before passing out on the floor.
Now the next few days I am going to run through all together because many were horrible and I don't feel like drawing it out. Basically at the 'fest I was told that I only have 90 days total in this "Schengen" zone, and that I will be overstaying when I go meet my parents in Italy. I was freaked and spent all the next day hung over researching this on the internet. There is no consistency on the internet, and most of the articles were from 2007, so it just confused me more. I freaked out more, and decided to catch a ride up with Dingo to Berlin to go to the Candadian Embassy to ask about my options. Dingo was insisting there was a bridging visa I could get to make things fine until after my parents leave. The Embassy seemed to think there was a visa thing too, and wrote the German name for it on a paper and told me to go to a German town hall. I went to one just in time but they told me to go to another office that does those specific visas. They were closed until monday. I was supposed to take a train from Munich on the wednesday, so that was really pushing it. Floh called the office in Munich early on Friday since the Munic office was open on Friday... They said it shouldn't be a problem and to come in on Monday in the morning. I spent a last day in Berlin with Floh, went out to an excellent CS meet up/bar night on the Friday with him...
...and left Berlin yet again on Saturday in another rideshare.
I arrived back in Munich and this time went to meet up with Tom and Jimmi at Oktoberfest instead of moping around. I would have gone nuts sitting around at the apartment, but I was feeling physically ill from stress and didn't drink. We went to the river and watched fire performers which was soothing. Reminded me of home a lot. It got cold though so eventually we went to Tom's.
The next day I hung out with Ali and and got my scarf and computer foot back. We met at Oktoberfest on it's last day, walked around, then went to the city center since Ali hadn't seen it. It was dead because of the 'fest, but it was nice! We grabbed a coffee, hung out, and then I went home to sleep early since the next day I had to go to that office.
I went in super early. I was the first one in an office. I was told there was no visa available to me since I was now already just over my 90 limit by four days (three of which were waiting for the office to be open!). This was very bad news! I started crying a lot asking what I could do to see my parents. The guy said I just had to leave and then I could come back for another 90 days. I was so surprised I didn't believe him. I wanted to see that law. He kept insisting that it's recent but it's the law; that I can leave and come back the same day and I can get another 90 days. I was supposed to be in Italy in three days. I was still crying and he offered to let me talk to his boss, which I did. The boss re-affirmed that I was allowed another consecutive 90 days, and that the law was only a couple months old so it was very new and printed the section off for me (in German). I left in shock. I went back to the house and cancelled my train, bought a ticket to London Stansted and back the next morning. I had asked the boss if I would have problems with immigration with this new law... what if people didn't know? He said I shouldn't have any problem because it's law. Everyone should know. Well I went to Stansted and had to wait for two hours because UK Immigration did NOT know abou the change, and didn't want to let me into the UK if I am going to get refused in Italy and get sent back to them. They tried calling the airport in Italy to see if they would let me in, and after not finding any information, they said they were going to "take a gamble" for me and for them and let me in for the night. They said it was a risk and they hoped not to see me there the next day. I was terrified. I cried the entire bus ride and for a few hours after arriving at Anne's. We went out for dinner and she had me feeling a whole lot better. I had a stamp saying I was allowed into the UK for six months so she assumed that I could just come back to her house worst case scenario. "Shit happens. Nothing you can do now so there isn't much point worrying about it now. You would just come back here".
The next morning I had to take a cab to the bus station since I was leaving so early. I saw two foxes on the cab ride there, which was amazing! I thought it was a good omen on the cab there. I arrived in Treviso and the woman stamping passports smiled, stamped, gave passport back, and smiled. Not a word was spoken except thanks... the whole process took maybe 30 seconds and it was all over.
They stamped the Italy entrance stamp on the same two page spread with my first entry stamp (France from the Eurostar to Brussels), my exit stamp (Munich), and UK stamp, so they either knew and it was fine, or they just didn't pay attention, or they didn't care. I don't know. I was shaking from happiness and relief! I found my bag on the carosel right away which was nice. The bus to Padova was easy to find too, and oohhhhhh man I could feel my heart soaring on that bus ride the whole way!!!! I was going to see my parents for the first time in almost nine months! I was reset!!
Upon reflection of this mess, everyone I dealt with were pleasant and polite to me. Nobody ever made me feel like I was stupid (other than myself); not like the assholes at the USA border did when I was on those buses. The laws here change so often, and I think it's hard to keep all countries informed and up to date all the time... I learned that yes flying by the seat of my pants has been an amazing way to travel, but it doesn't always make things stress free. Sometimes planning and research actually gets rid of stressful situations, and even though everything worked out fine I absorbed what lessons I could.
It also made me realize some other things. I coudn't help but be aware what/who I was thinking about first when faced with the idea of difficulties going back in. You get three guesses.
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