Yes! Jerry and I are officially Sevillanos. We took the bus today (in the unseasonable heat) to the Plaza de España to visit the Office of Foreigners. Our intention was simply to see if they could give us any information on our residency cards, which we had not yet received and which were a bit overdue.
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| ACROSS FROM THE CATHEDRAL. SOMEHOW MANAGING TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. |
We arrived at the office around 4:00 in the afternoon. There was no line outside the office. There was no one in the waiting room. There was no one handing out numbered tickets. The guards ignored us when we walked in. I told them what we were there for and they told us to just go into the office (of Things 1, 2, and 3) across the hall. We did so and were met by three different staff people at their desks and only one customer. The woman at the first desk immediately greeted us and told us to just step right over to the other available staffer. He also greeted us pleasantly.
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| SINGING THE BLUES. BRILLIANTLY. |
I told him why we were there and handed him the receipt I had been given on our last visit in late August. He looked at my name and immediately began rifling through a box of residency cards. This was too good to be true. And then it appeared that it was (too good to be true). As he flipped through each of the cards in my alphabetical section, my heart began to sink. There were about 30 cards and he had already flipped through all but three. But then it happened. He hesitated at the third card from the end. He checked the card against my receipt and handed me my very own, official-with-my-hideous-photograph, hard plastic, finger-printed, signed, hologram-emblazoned “PERMISTO DE RESIDENCIA.” I wanted to hug the guy. He then very quickly found Jerry’s card, which was the second one in his section. Jerry and I beamed. I told the man this was a very important day for us. We thanked him profusely and we left.
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| GETTING ORGANIZED BEFORE PERSONALLY ESCORTING US FROM PLAZA NUEVA. |
Once out on the terrace, Jerry and I high-fived. We then hugged. And we then kissed — Spanish style (air kisses to the side of each cheek). We stopped for a mini celebration of chocolate cake and mango smoothies and then walked home. To our home. To the address imprinted on our legal Spanish identification cards!
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| LEAVING PLAZA NUEVA. LET THE DRUMS ROLL OUT. |
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| THE MOST JOYOUS DRUMMING, EXPRESSING EXACTLY HOW WE FELT. |
It seemed all of Sevilla was out to celebrate and serenade us today. On the Avenida de la Constitución, we stopped and listened to a talented hammered-dulcimer player (at least I think the rickety old — and beautiful sounding — instrument was a hammered dulcimer). Next up was an incredible guitar-playing blues singer, beer bottle in hand. After crossing the Plaza Nueva, we came across a large group of marchers in costume. We thought it was a political rally but soon learned they were performers representing the International Festival of Sevilla Perfopoesía — poets and poet/performance artists from all over the world here for an annual festival. We just happened to stumble onto the start of the Perfopoética Parade. Talk about poetic!
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| A COLORFUL CELEBRATION TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME US HOME. |
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Author: Moving with Mitchell
From Brooklyn, New York; to North Massapequa; back to Brooklyn; Brockport, New York; back to Brooklyn... To Boston, Massachusetts, where I met Jerry... To Marina del Rey, California; Washington, DC; New Haven and Guilford, Connecticut; San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, and Santa Barbara, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Irvine, California; Sevilla, Spain. And Fuengirola, Málaga..
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Mitch,
let me say Congratulations to you and Jerry for realizing your dream of becoming Official Sevillano's. It has been fun to read and watch your journey to this point. Your photos are great and really bring the realism of where you are, what your seeing and feeling to life.
Thanks for sharing
Scott
http://www.travelwithscott.com
"PERMISTO DE RESIDENCIA." You know I hate you two! LMAO Congrats. Enhorabuena. BTW, if you happen to run into anyone who wants to do a Spanish/English Telephone Conversation Intercambio, I can provide a MagicJack with an American phone number.
Scott:
Thanks for all your kind comments, your support, and your participation in this journey! The parade today really was a bit of Sevillano magic.
Ron:
Thanks for the congratulations!
Oh Mr.B, how fabulous. And the parade, like it was just for you both….and I can't imagine you took a bad photo 😉
congrats my friend
Oh David Allen Waters:
I am skilled at taking very bad photos. I have what is called my "camera face." But, who cares!
By the way, do you mean by your comment that the parade was NOT just for us both?
heheee, No,no I meant to say, how wonderful to have a parade just for you both 🙂
David: What a relief. I will now sleep easier. Buenas noches!
Felicidades majo, pero ya os considerais Sevillano?
Primero, hay que aprender el canto hondo, zapatear en un "tablao" y tomar vino sin límites…lol
(Congratulations handsome, already you consider yourself Sevillian?
First you have to learn the flamenco canto hondo, batter the floorboard and drink wine without limits)
saludos,
raulito
What a happy day for me a too!!!.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
PD: I´m gonna tell you something…. Jerry cheated you and organized all the parades secretly, then he paid all the people,the musicians, the poets, just for make you more happy and give you a BIG SURPRISE today!!!!
Congrats
Do residency card allow you to take work if you desire?
In france, it takes 5 years before you get a residency card.
Very cool! I'm sure you're both relieved and excited. I'll raise a glass in your honor (a little later on; I'm still on my morning coffee). 🙂
Raulito:
If I waited for all that… especially the ability to drink wine without limits, I'd NEVER be Sevillano! I'll just cheat. Thanks!
Jazintosh:
Thanks so much.
And as for Jerry, what a guy!
Theaterdog:
Our residency cards do not allow us to work because we chose to apply for retirement (non-working) visas. This card will need to be renewed after a year for the long-term residency card.
Walt the Fourth:
Thanks! I'm about to finally have my morning coffee (three hours after yours). You're probably on to that raised glass by now.
That parade looks splendid – gloriously camp and colourful. I trust you'll be thanking the organisers for their recognition of your new status. 😉 And, of course, hearty congratulations to you both from me too.
Completely coincidentally, a book which I've just started reading, Robert Wilson's 'The Ignorance of Blood', is actually set in Seville, though dealing with a side you would probably not care to dwell on, viz its seedy criminal underworld. (I can't recall any other book I've read which is set in your city). But as I read – and I've only just started – I'll be aware that you'll be familiar with many of the locations mentioned. If there's anything you OUGHT to know, I'll post a relevant comment. Another 😉
What an exciting day for both you and Jerry -CONGRATULATIONS – big hugs from here! 🙂
Raybeard:
The parade was another one of those joyous moments here (well, more than a moment).
Thanks for the book reference. I'll see if I can find it. It should be an interesting read (or it could put me completely off going out at night).
the cuby poet:
Aw, thanks for the congrats and the big hugs. Always glad to have those!
Yay! Congratulations! I love all the colors in the photos of the parade – very poetic.
Man, they really go all out for foreigners, don't they. If we see a foreigner here, we are quick to move 'em out! That's why Fred lies low.
Congratulations to you and your old man!
m.
Congratulations, you two Sevillanos! What a joyful post. To think you live in such an amazing city, with such life and excitement literally on your doorstep! And now you're really locals, not just visitors. Very cool! Big hugs across the ether from me too.
Your Spanish is better than mine… Felicidades por convertirse en verdad Sevillanos
Caitlin:
The parade was uplifting. Wish you could have seen it.
Mark:
Yep. So far, much nicer to foreigners here! Thanks!
Judith:
Huge hugs back across the water to you. Thanks so much.
Peter:
Thanks for the felicidades! Very impressive Spanish…
More Congratulations, if a little late! That's an important step…….No wonder the whole town was celebrating.
Kristi:
Thanks! What generous people. A parade, costumes, drummers…
Always a party around you and Jerry. Fruit forward darling. xox
Nubian:
Fruit forward. Always fruit forward!