Border Patrol Nightmare.

As I am writing this, I have to keep reminding myself to calm down, tranquilo, so my cortisol levels don't skyrocket and fracture my immunity.

My family was suppose to visit me this week, March 1st - March 7th. They purchased their tickets Jan. 19th. They are not here right now. What has happened in the last 72 hours, has probably been one of the worst Zhou-Wang family disasters in a long, long time:

Sat. night, 2/28: day before family leaves for Ecuador
-Mom and my sister Margaret hear a blood-curdling scream upstairs. Dad finds out Margaret's passport has been expired...since 2007.
-Call airlines, passport agencies, etc. All answering machines.
-Their flight leaves at 2pm tmrw from Atlanta (over 2 hours away from where they live)

Sun. 3/1
-Decide to try anyway. Huge snowstorm in the Carolinas and in Georgia.
-As expected, Margaret can't get on flight. Dad stays behind with her, and starts the grueling, dangerous drive back to Greenville, SC. Takes them 7 hours...almost got into multiple accidents. Couldn't see over 3 feet in front of them.
-Mom's flight to Miami delayed for 5 hours; misses connecting flight to Quito. Stays in Miami for the night (expense out-of-pocket, even though it's AA's fault).

Mon. 3/2
-Mom finally gets on flight to Quito! Arrives around 8pm. I drop my stuff off at hotel (now down to a reservation for 2) then go to airport to pick her up. I wait, wait, and wait. Watch everyone else around me hug their loved ones. I'm getting more and more excited.... But, Mom never comes out. Then, a customs lady beckons me to come in, asking if I was "Serena Zhou." Uh-oh.
-La policia tells me: "Su madre no puede entrar el pais." (Your mother cannot enter the country)
-Me: "QUE?!?!? Porque?! Que paso?!" (What?!?!!? Why?! What happened?!)
-La policia: "No tiene un sello en su pasaporte..." (She doesn't have a stamp in her passport.)

To summarize what happened:
My mom has a Chinese passport, but has a US permanent residence green card. (My dad and sister both have US passports). When my family bought the tickets to Ecuador, there was no law that stated Chinese citizens (with or without green card) needed a visa to enter for up to 90 days. My mom was only going to be here for 4 days. After calling and e-mailing the US and Ecuador embassies, both told me she did NOT need a visa. This was Jan. 23rd.
About a week later, Ecuador changed their immigration laws. ALL Chinese citizens (and ONLY Chinese citizens) need to obtain a T-9 stamp/tourist visa in order to enter Ecuador. Thus, we were not informed about this change. American Airlines did not even know about this, and let her on the plane to Quito.

-Mark came to help out, and we got an American diplomat on the phone to talk to customs, but there was nothing we could do about the law. There was nothing we could have done to know about this sudden law change. None of the US websites even had this update yet!!!
-My mom was such a good sport. She kept her cool, didn't make any scenes, and just sat there smiling and being polite. I was so proud of her. I don't think I've been this frustrated for decades. I felt so helpless. Finally, I had to let her go. I gave her one last hug, using all my mental power to keep my eyes as dry as possible, though I failed to some extent.

They put her up in a CELL at the airport for the night. Locked up from the inside. (funny story about this later). I had to pay 50$ just to stay with her, which was kind of ridiculous to have to pay to be put up in a cell, and this was the last place I wanted to financially support. Mama pleaded that I go back, so I finally resisted and went back to the hotel that we were supposed to stay together in. (Now down to reservation for 1)
Livid. Wishing my mami was with me. Poor Mama...

Tues. 3/3
-Seth and I go to the Chinese consulate- everyone is at a meeting, so we couldn't meet with them. Seth and I call airport immigration all morning, everyone tells us different things: no, that person is not here, no she is still here, no she's not in our records... Drove us crazy. Finally, after about 5-6 attempts, I got through to a woman who confirmed my mom left on an early flight back to Miami. At least she got out of the country and back to the US safely...
Ahhhh que horror!!! What a nightmare....

What we've learned? Um...don't trust the Ecuadorian law system, especially if you're of Chinese nationality. Laws change here as often as you'd change a baby's diaper.


*What my mother told me later*
While she was being detained, the security guard watching her asked if he could use the toilet inside. He came in to use it, then afterward, the idiot realized he locked himself in, and he had the only set of keys. So now, my non-Spanish speaking mother is stuck with this non-English speaking security guard, who is yelling and banging on the door trying to get someone's attention at 4 in the morning. She suggests he try to yell out this tiny window, and helps to hoist him up. Always the good Samaritan, my mama. Security guard yells more. No one answers. An hour later, someone finally comes, and he throws his keys through the window to finally un-lock himself and my mother out.

En serio?!?!?!