Deportation and Bleeding Ears: Its all a part of the Colombian Adventura!

Helper Brynn Taking care of her big sister at Manuel Uribe Angel hospital.

When you choose to uproot your family and live a non-traditional life, there is always the lingering doubt that you have made a horrible mistake, and that you have made a terrible decision, and that there is a good reason why people general, do not choose to live as you do. This was all magnified yesterday as our three year old faced deportation, and our nine year old oozed blood from her left ear.
​
Yesterday was one of the biggest tests the homeless Hartlen’s have faced since departing on this almost non-stop journey in December of 2012. Ultimately I think we will be fine, we have a few days to sort out the pending deportation of our three year old, and our eldest’s bleeding ears, while still causing her much pain and throwing vacation plans into question, is on the mend.

Lessons learned yesterday: Colombian immigration has little sympathy for late visa applications, even if it is only by ten days, and even if the person in question is only three. The courier system between Colombia and New Zealand actually works amazingly well (I should point out now that this is all my fault, but I am not completely ready to admit that in tedious detail just yet). The Colombian healthcare system, despite being a “developing” country is first rate, and surprisingly expedient. I will wager though, that when an obviously distressed minor starts oozing liquid from her ear whilst awaiting treatment, this tends to expedite said treatment. Finally, due to my still sadly lacking Spanish skills I would have been much poorer and more frustrated were it not for our amazing Colombian family support system of Sylvana, who sorted out our health insurance issues, and Rafa, who helped Stephanie with the immigration process.

---

​The test yesterday for me, was seeing my eldest in extreme discomfort, and having to witness a doctor try three or four times to jab an IV into her tiny veins, all the while being assured that her condition was “no grave”, and also, to understand what the hell was happening to her in a foreign language that I should by now have a better comprehension of. 
​
At the end of it all, Aurora is on the mend, Clara has been given 14 days to leave the country, but we are hoping it won’t come to that, at the very least Christmas is well in hand and it is a sunny day. We are going to the park

For Stephanie, on the other end at the immigration office, the challenge was to remain calm in the face of exorbitant visa fees and the prospect of an unplanned trip to Panama at Christmas time in order to avoid further fines and a more permanent deportation of our only Kiwi daughter. All in all, a very emotionally draining day was had by all. Least phased by it all was Brynn (and If I am honest Clara, who I think has no clue what happened yesterday), who was a supreme champion in comforting her sister at the hospital and listening like a champion all day as dad dealt with what was for him at least a very stressful situation.
​
The question banging around my head all day yesterday was: what the hell are we actually hoping to accomplish down here?

Aurora with her beautiful get well flowers courtesy of the Ferkranus family.

​At the end of it all, Aurora is on the mend, Clara has been given 14 days to leave the country, but we are hoping it won’t come to that, at the very least Christmas is well in hand and it is a sunny day. We are going to the park!