Coming to America

Houston, we have lift off! No, not the space ship, but a more precious cargo: PALOMA! After weeks of stress and many taxi rides, Paloma the cat is on her way to the US, flying as cargo on Continental. As of this post, her flight from Guatemala City has landed in Houston, en route to San Francisco.


Getting her out of the country was daunting and stressful. The vet in Xela had to examine her to issue a health certificate. On the bus ride to Xela, Paloma peed on me. I walked around Xela in underwear squishy with cat urine! Then I had to return to Xela another day, pay for the certificate, and pay a fee at a bank.


Bringing her to Guatemala City was another nightmare. The safer charter buses do not allow cats, so we had to ride on a micro bus. I threw two years of luggage on the roof, and I prayed that it would not fly off as the bus whizzed around the serpentine corners of the Guatemalan mountains. I held my breath at every corner, but we made it! On this trip I also wizened up to Paloma’s peeing problem. She still rode in a canvas bag, and I lined it with wee-wee pads.


Yesterday I took cabs all around Guatemala City to get Paloma’s export permit. The lines were long, and there was another fee. After four stops, I had all the paperwork she needed.

Today we woke up at 3am (the last time I got up that early was for the royal wedding). I packed my stuff, and we departed from the home of Kristine’s parents in Guatemala City. We had to be at the airport cargo warehouse at 4am because it takes three hours to weigh the cat, pay more taxes, get her approved by customs, and load her onto the 7am flight. I was exhausted, but again we did it!

Tonight she lands at 5pm California time. She cannot live with me in grad school housing, so what destiny awaits this Mayan princess in San Francisco?

Paloma will live with my wonderful aunts, Marcia and Suzanne. They are so excited to have her that both of them are picking her up from the airport, “one to drive, and one to hold her.” Both Paloma and I are thrilled that she will have a wonderful home and very open arms to greet her. Paloma will be the femme fatale to the two male cats of the family: Billy and Bob, who weigh 16 and 18 pounds (Paloma weighs a normal 9 pounds).


She will also live with Maddy the dog and three chickens, who will provide the sountrack and the smells of rural Guatemala (nothing like barking dogs and roosters to get you up in the morning).


Perhaps no one said it better than my former site-mate (and Paloma fan) Rebecca: “California will never be the same.”

UPDATE: Paloma arrived safely and on time! My aunts arrived early to the airport, and Paloma emerged about an hour after the flight landed. My aunts were impressed with how beautiful Paloma is in person (of course!). It wasn't long before I received the text, “Marcia is in love with Paloma.” The Cinderella tale of this Mayan princess has quite the happy ending!