DIY Visa Photos

A few months ago, I took Colby to AAA for his very first passport photos. The experience was much like any good action film. There was a thrilling chase scene, and one nail-biting fall. Unfortunately, it ended up like most foreign films - with tears. We did walk out with photos that the U.S. government deemed passport worthy - so not a total disaster. For our visas, we needed something different. Unlike passport photos, these photos have to have a red back ground. Given this additional complication, I didn't think we would survive at AAA.

Enter: the internet and DIY help sites.

I think Colby's turned out the best.

ADVENTURE!

In three months, Chris, Colby, and I will be embarking on a journey. The island of Sumba in Indonesia will be our home for one year. We will be living, working, and playing in a small town in the Western part of Sumba called Waikabukak.

So, why are we going? While it is likely that Chris and I are slightly unhinged, the official word is that we are going to Sumba for the noble pursuit of scientific knowledge. We will be working in a malaria research lab at Karitas Hospital in Waikabukak. Chris will be enrolling patients in a clinical study, while I will be learning the finer points of microfluidics. The study counts as part of Chris’s residency program - his research year. For me, it is a formal post-doctoral position.

Colby is oblivious to the trip at this point. He may start to notice when he pack up his toys next month. With a little luck, he will grow up to be just as unhinged as his parents and think that his trip to Indonesia rocked (not that it is the reason for an expensive psychoanalyst). Colby has the opportunity to see the world and learn a new language (Bahasa Indonesia) and see a different culture. I hope this experience will help make him more awesome than he is now.

We have set up this blog to share our adventure with our friends and family. We intend to update it regularly with stories, pictures, and (of course) the occasional surf report.

To start, we will post the funny and the not-so-funny of moving a family to the other side of the planet. We will try include helpful travel tips and information. Hopefully, the tales told here will entice you to come and visit us!