I'm choosing to embrace the trip and each turn of things in the meantime. Indeed, visa applications can be a test of patience, a regulatory maze meant to test our abilities for planning. However, they also provide a great lesson in persistence and a reminder that sometimes the most fulfilling experiences call for some extra work. And let's be honest: the excitement, the build-up, the knowing that we have conquered those difficulties makes the final arrival at our destination all the sweeter.