Thursday was my day to run last minute errands, repack, and complete online check-in to the airlines.

When attempting to checking online for the Ft Lauderdale to San Jose leg of the flight, I was blocked because I didn't have a visa. Restated, because my return date was more than 90 days out, Jet Blue blocked me from checking in without a visa. So all in a lather I WhatsApped my school, and I learned that this happens frequently. It's no problem once you get to the airport with your document from the Jefe Programa Nacional de Empleo, Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (Chief of the National Employment Program at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security).

I'd been given the document with an electronic signature stating en espangnol that I am coming to Costa Rica as a volunteer to teach English as part of a government program, and therefore I would be issued a special volunteer visa after I started work on Monday... I was assured on several occasions that this was not a problem.

So I heaved a sigh and forgot about it.