Another Day of Red Tape, Bootless Prayers and Russian Bullying

I don't think I even have the mental energy to type out what our day was like today. A simple list might be easier:

# of government authorities we met with in person today: 16.
# of government workers who basically told us they couldn't help us: 15
# of buildings I entered today: 11.
# of buildings that I wish to never enter again: 11.
# of times I was told to sign something I did not understand:3
# of times Nastia had to sign something she did not understand: about 7
# of hours we spent waiting in line at all places combined: about 7.5
# of useless extra forms they requested of us throughout the day: infinity.
# of people that needed $$ from me: 5 or 6
# of squat toilets without paper we were forced to use: 4
# of people who smiled at us today: 0
# of people who yelled at at least one of us today: too many to count.

Everytime we thought we had all the paperwork they required, we would be told about yet another one we needed and then were sent on a wild goose chase all over the city to get it. At one point, we thought we were done and suddenly they decided they wanted a notarized letter in Nastia's handwriting and signature that stated she, as a Russian Citizen, approved of my being her mother and taking her out of the country to America. (What???)

Now the landlord is pissed at me because I couldn't let him in for the third night in a row to try to set up wireless. ( Would you like your evening to be dictated by someone fiddling with your computer for 4 hours at a time?) Sorry I'm so bitter. its been one hell of a day again, and my prayers seem to be met with silence. I'm just spent and don't know how to dig myself out of this ever deepening hole.

The next problem is that I MUST leave the country on October 13th. I MUST go to a neighboring country and get a new visa. Problems with this?
1. the cost.
2. I can't in good conscience leave Anya here, nevermind Nastia..so even higher cost
3. closest country is Ukraine and it involves a flight to Moscow and then on to Kiev...costly.
4.I have no way of knowing if the Russian Consulate there will even grant me a visa.
5. If they will grant it, I have no idea how long it will take.
6. They will only grant me a month-long visa and this is not long enough for the time I need to wait for Nastia's travel passport. So why even bother???

We tried to secure me an invitation from Svetlana so I can get a 90 day visa, but the local office that takes care of this is giving us the cold shoulder and says they cannot get it for us until Oct 23rd. But I have to leave by the 13th. And Nastia cant leave until 2 months from now.And Anya? God knows how long Anya is stuck here.

Can you say " INSANITY"????


As Shakespeare says " If this were played upon a stage now,  I would condemn it as an improbable fiction."