When you are not a citizen of a country, you can’t just decide to go and live there without some sort of official permission from that country.

At least we can’t.

I know the USA has a bad problem right now with illegal immigration, and this isn’t about that. This is about my situation. For those of us who go in and out of Europe or another country like this - we have to have a residency card. You are allowed a certain number of days in Europe without any sort of card - but with an American passport, but after that, you need permission to live in that country.

Poland has been having issues with getting these things finished on time.

It used to take 45 days to get them processed.

We just picked up my new card! - I filed for it in April, 2018!

So, here are a few pictures from our trip today to pick it up.

We went by train and tram.

We drove the truck to the train station.

We were supposed to get there a few minutes early, but the train was a bit late, so we actually didn’t get there until after the time I was supposed to be there - 9:20 am - but they let us go in right away, anyway. In fact, the girl who was minding the desk where we were supposed to go was at the door looking for us.

I had to sign quite a few documents, show them I had paid for the card (you pay when you apply and then you pay for the actual card later when they give you a decision that “yes'“ you can stay). I had done that last week.

Our nice, gray winter day! The Vistula River.

Then, we got back on the tram and did the trip in reverse. Our 75 minute tickets were still valid, so we used them to get us back to the train station, where we bought new tickets for the return train trip home.

Inside the train going home - it was pretty empty.

I have a bit of a cold, so my relief at FINALLY getting this is a bit subdued due to my simply not feeling completely well.

But, I am very relieved.

They made it valid to almost the end of 2021 - December 27, 2021, in fact (!) - another thing I’m grateful for!

I thought they would back date it to when my old one expired (May, 2018), but they didn’t.

I know that some of you have never traveled or visited other countries, much less tried to live in one. This is an area of stress, time, red tape, and paperwork that literally takes hours and hours to get done. While we submitted everything they required at first, we were asked two more times for different documents that they didn’t require at the beginning.

Why?

Anybody’s guess. They don’t actually let you talk to anyone who is dealing with your case. Everyone you turn in your paperwork to simply says, “I don’t know, I don’t make decisions, I just take paperwork.” It was not a little frustrating to feel like no one in particular was “over” your case, and thus, you had no one to talk to about it to find out what they wanted, and possibly speed up the process.

Now, I feel like I can quilt away with a focused mind. I had wanted to buy some more (Polish fabric) bolts of backing fabric for the next set of charity quilts, but hadn’t wanted to do it until I had that card in my hand. (I’ve been in a sort of mental “on hold” mode - even while my body has been working hard.)

Now I do.

Now I feel like I’m “cleared” for action again!

I even packed up two boxes of fabric including some of your donated quilt tops while I was in the states in Sept/October but had my sis hold them until I heard about my residency card situation! We’ve been waiting for months!!!

I’m very grateful this is behind me now - at least for now!

And that’s what’s been happening in my world lately!

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store!

Cultural: Residency permit!