Travel mishaps are always bound to happen. In my case, they seem to happen often. This is the story behind my hideous passport photo.
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Alright ya’ll, I’m going to make this an entertaining story for ya.
It’s been about a year since I was finally able to get rid of my insanely embarrassing and hideous passport photo.
I’m sure you’re going to say I’m being dramatic and that nobody’s passport photo looks good.
But believe me when I say THIS photo was the worst photo EVER taken.
You see, I’m lucky enough to say that I am usually fairly photogenic when it comes to taking pictures. But there was no helping me when I had this photo taken.
The story behind my hideous passport photo
Back in 2014 –oh yes, we’re going way back– I was heading to the Dominican with my (then) boyfriend for a week of sun and sand.
It was his first time going on vacation, like ever. I’d been about twice before, so I took the reins on this one.
I searched up the resort we’d stay in, looked up the flight deals and everything.
So when I found a resort that could fit our measly little budget, I booked that ish so fast!
When the time came for us to head out, I was insanely excited.
One, because it had been a very long time since I’d been on an all-inclusive. Two, because I’d get to show my (then) boyfriend how amazing all-inclusives were.
Our flight was scheduled for around 2 in the afternoon.
I woke early because I was soo excited and I couldn’t sleep. I decided to check us in for our flights later that day.
The realization
I was inputting all of our information when the unexpected hit me like a ton of bricks….
As I was filling out the passport expiry date, I went to type mine in and ya’ll I thought I’d died and gone…..somewhere that wasn’t where I’d wanted to be.
My passport was expired!!!!
Omg!
How did I let this happen?
How did I not know!!
Sigh.
I panicked.
My body literally started shaking involuntarily from head to toe. I started pacing back and forth in my tiny living room shaking my hands because I didn’t know what else to do with them saying“ Omg, omg, omgeee, what do I do?!”
This was literally HOURS before we were to be at the airport.
After pacing back and forth and feeling tears start to prick the backs of my eyes, I decided to do something. I googled passport Canada.
Finding the contact information, I shakily dialed the number and waited to talk to a representative about my insanely stupid mistake and to see (and beg to the Lord Jesus Christ) if I could somehow rectify this whole mess.
Luckily the person I spoke to was very calm and understanding and informed me that I could head to my nearest passport office and put a rush order through for a new passport.
Le ex was still sleeping, (it was probably around 8ish or 9ish) and I went to wake him to tell him what had transpired.
I asked him for his debit card to pay for the passport renewal (I’d used all my dinero to book the trip for us – go big or go home right!)
He groggily complied and told me where to find his card. I pulled a hat on over my unattractive twists I’d slept in and still shaking, quickly left our apartment to run to the office.
Related: My top 11 travel mishaps of 2019
The place was literally a 5 min drive from where we lived, thank the lord we were living in a great location then. I parked the car, probably in a place I wasn’t actually allowed – but that was NOT on my mind at that particular moment.
And thank baby Jesus I didn’t get a ticket!
I quickly walked the short distance and entered the building. To the right saw the sign “passport pictures” and walked through the door.
Naturally, being as eloquent as I am, as soon as I started explaining my situation, the tears started pouring down my face.
It was NOT cute.
The person understandingly reassured me that I would get my passport in time and told me not to worry.
As I had about 5 hours or so before my plane was scheduled to leave, I had some doubts but (obviously) proceeded.
It was picture time.
So just to recap, I had been crying –A LOT– and I hadn’t done my hair before I left home in the rush I was in.
In short, I LOOKED HORRIBLE.
And better yet, you can’t smile in passport photos, and I already usually look mean when I don’t smile in photos.
So factor in that I’d been crying, I didn’t do my hair, and that I couldn’t smile – and really wasn’t in the mood to either and wouldn’t have been able to even if I’d tried!)
You can imagine how FAR from beautiful my photo looked.
Honestly, at that point, I didn’t care.
And no, I’m sorry, but there will be no evidence of that photo. Remember, I said NO ONE sees that awful thing.
I will explain it this way though, and I’m totally sorry (kinda sorta not) if this offends anyone, it is not my intention.
The way I’ve explained the picture so many times is that I looked like a sad refugee being deported back to my country and leaving the good life behind.
My hair was straggly, I had dark spots on my face and under my eyes, (because of all the crying)- overall, I just looked terrible.
Fast forward a bit, after taking my picture, I went upstairs to where they processed the passports.
I filled out the application and paid the insanely expensive fee to put a rush on the passport (or my ex paid for it haha) and about 3ish hours later, I got my new passport!!!
Related: My Primera Air scare
I was ecstatic because I’d make my flight!!
I rushed home and picked up my boyfriend, then my sister who would drive my car back to her house where it would stay for the week and we made our way to the airport. We got there later than recommended, obviously, but we were still just in time to check-in and board the plane.
We didn’t get to sit together because we were one of the last people to check-in but we weren’t too far from each other (I believe we were 1 row apart, across the aisle).
He and I ended up having a fantastic week in the DR, which great despite the fact that our week started out so rough (or mine did).
I was happy because, in the end, I didn’t end up wasting my money. We got to go on our trip, but I had the most hideous passport picture ever that I had to carry around for the next 5 years.
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New beginnings
After meeting my now-boyfriend, Yann, in Cuba in 2016, I have traveled A LOT using my hideous passport. Him being from France and me from Canada, we travel a few times a year to see each other.
I’m so happy he’s actually now living with me in Canada. We’re still in the process of getting his visa though ughhh, that is a whole other story. It’s a process ya’ll.
One time, when we were going through customs, the guard kind of did a double-take after looking at the photo and then at me. I simply said “That day was a really bad day” hahaha.
My passport expired in February, just before my big trip to Southeast Asia was to begin.
I’d planned to visit Yann in France in October and also had a trip to the Dominican Republic in January. I decided that I was NOT going to be caught using that passport anymore.
Nuh-uh honey, it was time to call it quits on that bad boy.
I figured I’d renew early in September so that I could retire my old hideous passport and move on to a better me looking new passport.
I did my makeup, straightened my hair and legit practiced my serious, no smiling passport picture taking face in the mirror.
Then I tried recreating it sitting in that chair at the Costco photo center.
That “straight face but totally smiling with my eyes look” was definitely in full force….who am I kidding, I don’t actually know how to smile with my eyes, but I damn well tried lol!
Needless to say, my new picture was a MUCH better reflection of me, it actually looked good.
Never again
One thing I can say is that I will never let something like this happen again.
I am an avid traveler now, so the chances of it actually happening are much slimmer than before when I only flew like once a year, if even that.
This picture I will allow you to see because it’s honestly not actually bad..you know, for a passport picture 😉
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If there’s anything you can learn or take away from this little short story is to make sure to stay on top of your passport expiry dates.
Don’t’ let this….
happen to you.
Until next time, Stay blessed ♡
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The most valuable lessons aren’t taught, they’re experienced.
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