Those of you who have me on Facebook will already know, but I recieved my passport and documentation back in the mail today, unexpectedly.

I'M GOING BACK TO LONDON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! I am now the holder of a 3-year Tier 1 Visa - I'm a highly skilled worker!

Of course, the package arrived back while I was out of the house having lunch with a dear friend, and my Dad called me up to tell me. I told him to open it, and sat there with my hand over my heart in the restaurant, because a package back with a prior approval email = doom. For five minutes I sat in silence while Dad pored over the paperwork, eventually announcing that he couldn't find a declination letter. I asked him to flip through my passport for the elusive sticker, and wouldn't you know? THERE IT IS!

I'm in absolute shock. Just last night, I heard about another person being declined for having similar evidence to my own, so I had worked myself up to the fact that I shouldn't expect too much. To have this happen today has totally thrown me. 45 working days to be precise. I've been here for nearly ten weeks. And it's actually happened. It's happening. It's good news! I can stop writing out alternatives for my future and actually plan on LIVING it abroad now. I'm so thrilled, I can't even explain it.

Now it's time for the reality to set in.

I need to rearrange my flight. I need to pack my life back into a suitcase again. I need to say goodbye to my family, my friends, my Bailey-pup. I need to get myself organised and back into work mode. I need to get my head screwed on straight.

For now though - it's celebration time! Break out the champers, yippee!!

I'm breaking this post into chunks today, folks.

THE VISA BIT.

I'm at 43 working days. The processing time at the moment is 45 working days. I'm so close that panic mode has set in. I'm reading horror stories online of rejections. I'm pleading with everyone I know to start using the positive powers of 'The Secret'. I'm racking my brains to think of anything I forgot to include in my application, even though I know I checked it a bazillion times. I'm thinking of ways I will be unleashing my rage to HSBC in London if my application is rejected because of their refusal to sign my bank statements. I'm biting all of my nails off. I'm checking my emails so much, I fear I've got Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. I'm reaching the end of my tether. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an outcome next week. A positive one, of course.

A warning to innocently curious friends and family members? If you ask me if I've heard anything about the Visa, I may explode. When I know, you'll know. Heck, both HEMISPHERES will know. The entire solar system will know. Trust me.

THE CONCERT BIT.

I managed to keep myself busy this past week, that's for sure.

Rewinding a few weeks, I found out that my cousin had won tickets to a Kings of Leon gig. I've been saying for months that I wanted to go to a KOL show after hearing rave reviews, and they have been sold out everywhere - even back in London! He was kind enough to sell me his tickets, so Kirby drove up the coast from Sydney to Newcastle with me to check out the show. The guys, they were amazing. I thoroughly recommend you check them out, if you have the chance. The sex was on fire.

A mere two days later, Julie flew up from Melbourne to see The Fray with Kirby and I. We queued for ages to get a good standing spot in front of the stage, and had an amazing view, albeit surrounded by annoying twelve year old girls trying to push through to the front row. All was well, I had my best linebacker stance down-pat, until some idiotic guys decided to create a crowd surge in the moshpit during the opening Secondhand Serenade set. After being stubborn for a good while, we eventually gave in and went and got a beverage, finding a more age-appropriate spot to watch The Fray - complete with room to breathe! The guys were as good as I remembered from the first time I saw them, and have cemented themselves as one of my all-time favourite bands.

Next week, I'm heading into the city with my Momma, to see her favourite band on the planet - Counting Crows! I'm excited to see them, as I missed out last time. It'll be fun to see her being the screaming fan for a change. Pictures to come, I'm sure.

THE EXERCISE-CHALLENGE BIT.

One of my favourite bloggers, The Casual Perfectionist, has been blogging about her 30-Day Shred adventure. After doing some Googling of my own, I decided it looked like a challenge I'm interested in - especially after plateauing majorly over the last few months. My 30-Day Shred DVD hopefully arrives this week, so watch this space.

THE BACK-HOME BIT.


Well, there's really not much gossip. The boy is so busy working that I doubt he's noticing my absence. I've been missing Oscar loads lately, even though my precious Bailey-pup is a joy to be around. Everytime I'm in the vicinity of a cat, I miss my little man. It's this time of night that I miss his company the most - where I'm tucked up on the lounge or in bed, laptop handy, cat snuggled under my arm. Before we left, I bought an automatic cat feeder to try out for any times Jason was working late or away from home, and apparently it's a little disperse-happy. The last pictures I got sent, show Oscar with a pooch belly! He's back on the slimming cat food now, bless him.

THE FRIENDS & BIRTHDAYS BIT.

The best part about being here at this time of year, is that I've managed to stick around for a fair few people's birthdays. Julie's birthday. Kirby's birthday. My Aunty Kim's birthday. Nanna's birthday. And as of next Monday, my Momma's birthday. If all goes well Visa-wise, I'll miss out on Ajay & Dad's birthdays, but I'm sure they'll understand - everyone around me knows how desperate I am to go back to London.

It's been so hard catching up with people while I've been here: not because I'm super busy, but because I'm car-less. People have been awesome. They've taken the time and effort to come by when they can, to shuttle me around to places, to spend time with me when they're free. It's been, by far, the best thing about this extended holiday.

I realised a few days ago, that there would be people out there who have no idea of the particular waiting game I'm going through at the moment. My blog has been fairly sporadic over the last six months, after all. This is my attempt to shed some light on the situation, and I'm warning you - there will most likely be whinging involved, and it will probably end up being a long entry.

First of all, I am still back in Sydney. Jason is at home in London, looking after Oscar and holding down the fort while I'm away. It has been over six weeks since I touched down in late January. Keep that in mind, while I rewind and fill you in on some of the specifics of my situation... and why I feel like this:

When I left for London initially in December 2007, I was on a Working Holiday Visa. This is a working Visa designed for people under 30 who wish to work and travel in the United Kingdom. The Visa itself is valid for two full years, however had a restriction that all work is limited to 12-months only. I believe the premise for this Visa was to encourage ex-pats to have a balance between working and travelling.

This brings me to my first issue: the policing of this old Visa. It is completely up to the individual as to how honest they are with their working limit. Employers should be keeping an eye on the 12-month restriction, but for contractors and casual workers, it's very easy to skate around this. My work were sensible, and ensured that I finished up with them at my 12-month limit, but there are hundreds of people who are still working over this restriction and getting away with it.

And as for enforcing this 12-month rule? There really is no enforcement, save for the random questions one might get asked by customs whilst entering the country on random occassions. As an addition to this, the Working Holiday Visa has now been made redundant, replaced by a Youth Mobility Visa which, funnily enough, allows holders to work for the full two years with no restrictions. What happens to all those people still on the old scheme? Nada. Same original ruling applies. And if you had any thoughts of changing to the Youth Mobility Scheme after your original Visa expired, you would have to think again - the ruling is that if you held the original scheme, you cannot apply for the new one.

Moving right along... let's move on and explore other current options.

For Australians wanting to work in the UK, there are a variety of Visas available. There is the new Youth Mobility Scheme, as described above, designed for young workers. There is the Ancestry Visa, which you are able to apply for if either a parent or grandparent was born in the United Kingdom. (My history? English, but a generation above that, leaving me ineligible. Lovely!) There is the Work Permit (Tier 2) scheme, where employers in the UK sponsor you to work for them - however this has recently been made tougher to obtain, due to tighter immigration laws. (British employers now need to advertise in the UK and the European Union before offering jobs to foreign nationals, to show that there is no-one suitable in closer proximity.) To top it off, only certain professions are eligible to apply for Work Permits through employers - and teaching has now been taken off the list. Again, bonus!

Another Visa option is as a dependent to any of the above categories, which is quite easy to obtain if you are either engaged or married, but extremely difficult if you are in a de facto relationship. Jason and I have been together for six and a half years, but as we have been living together for less than two years, we are not classed as a couple and therefore have no grounds to apply for this. (Just another way to kick this not-engaged girl in the proverbial backside.)

The last option is the new Tier 1 Visa, which was formerly known as the Highly Skilled Worker Category. Here's where it gets interesting! To be eligible for this unrestricted three year work Visa, you merely had to hit a certain amount of points in particular areas, including education, age, UK experience, and earnings. You also had to show that you were proficient in English and had a maintainence fund to show you could support yourself. Having hit the criteria needed to be eligible, this is the Visa I have applied for. The next few paragraphs about this Visa could get long, so I'm simplifying them into bullet points to make it easier to read.

• You need to apply for this Visa from your home country; hence me having to fly back to Sydney.


• The cost involved is huge - we're talking about $1600 Australian dollars, not including your flight back here. And the real killer? Even if your application if denied, you never see your dollars again.


• The average processing time for this Visa was originally 30 working days. I'm fortunate that I have Jason at home to watch the flat and the cat (ha, flat cat) but not so lucky for singles doing it on their own - they would either have to give up their accomodation, or pay for it whilst not living in it. Ouch.


• Your passport and original documents go to the British Embassy, leaving you pretty much stranded for the duration of your stay.


• You cannot contact the Visa office for updates until after the 30 day mark. When you can contact them, you speak to Call Centre Operators who cannot tell you anything about your application what-so-ever, save for the fact that it is with a Case Worker. The people on the other end of the phone often don't even know how to answer simple Visa-based questions, and charge you a $10 flat rate or $2.95/minute fee for the pleasure.


• Applications being approved or denied are down to the Case Worker who ends up with your application on their desk. From what I've heard, the British Embassy here are notoriously bad for making simple mistakes and having no efficiency what-so-ever.

Ah, what a process. They're the basics anyway, and sort of explain what I've been doing since I got here and submitted my application back in January. Waiting. Lots of waiting. Lots of nervous anticipation and trying to keep busy, to try and stop thinking about it all. And in the process of that waiting? The British High Commission is currently suffering from 'delays' that have seen applications taken a new minumum of 40 working days to process - and from the forums I've been reading, a lot higher than that too. One friend of mine who called the Visa office hotline, was told last week that they are still processing December applications - so my January application is likely still at the bottom of a very large pile.

It's frustrating on so many levels. I expected the process to be a long one, and so didn't book a return flight until April, but it's already April in two short weeks - how did that go so quickly and so slowly at the same time? My work have been great, only hiring a replacement for me temporarily; but that time soon runs out. The biggest problem with the system is that I have NO way of knowing when the Visa will be returned to me; and even if it is approved or refused. Why they would have a system that takes over two months to tell you that you have been rejected is beyond me. It's a cruel joke.

So back to waiting it is for me. I'm not getting my hopes up to hear a response before April, but I'm staying positive and trying to enjoy this long 'vacation' while I can. I'm taking on all the positive thoughts I can get for a good outcome - and hoping that it's sooner rather than later. I'll keep you posted...

What a slack, slack blogger I have become - and I can't even use the 'I'm too busy' excuse, considering I've been a lady of leisure for the past five weeks. It's so surreal being back here, like nothing has changed and at the same time, so much has changed.

Of course I'm missing Jason and Oscar, but I suppose this is to be expected after just another separation. Five weeks down, who knows how much longer to go? The main problem with this Visa process, is that everything is a giant unknown. I have huge problems with the way that it is structured; perhaps I should save that for another blog entry - maybe when I have been approved (fingers crossed!) just in case! I'm lucky to be able to put my UK life on hold to wait around for this, but my patience is already starting to wear thin. At this point, I will be lucky to get back in April.

I've been quite out of it, trying to keep busy with catch-ups, reading, relaxing and distracting myself. So tell me... what have I missed?

We've also introduced a new member to our family back home. Meet Bailey!

We adopted Bailey from a rescue shelter when she was 12 weeks old. She's a beagle cross, and has the longest, lankiest legs that she doesn't quite know what to do with. She's been a perfect distraction for me, and is constantly making me laugh, being in her puppy phase. Bailey doesn't quite realise how long her legs actually are, and I've almost taught her to fetch.. occasionally. Or when she wants to.

You... were the cutest, runtiest puppy with hilarious bulging eyeballs.
You... almost ended up with the name Hercules, but lucky for you, I was shut down.
You... lived with us through four temporary homes, until we moved into our home.
You... suddenly sprouted all your beautiful fur, and had the most gorgeous beard & tail.
You... put up with Rusty better than all of us do, and were always so patient with him.
You... liked nothing better than curling up on the washing, but only the clean stuff.
You... gave awesome kisses, despite your breath.
You... used to love your Liony, and would spend hours kneading him with your paws.
You... were possibly the most spoiled dog in all of Australia.
You... waited for me to come home and spend some time with you before you left us - and for that I'm grateful. Miss you already, kiddo.

Max: 1997 - 2009

I've been back home for a week, which feels like it has both flown by and dragged out, depending on my frame of mind. Being in Sydney again is strange; now when people ask, it's London that I call 'home'. I've discovered that I'm possibly the palest person in this fair city; I love the sunshine but am not a fan of the heat, so you'll find me sticking to shady areas rather than soaking up the rays - I think it's safe to say that any notion of returning to the UK a little browner is pure wishful thinking.

I've embraced my paleness. Let's move on, shall we?

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to get back into a running routine again. I was doing so well before I buggered up my shins; I'll go a little easier on myself this time around. I think it'll keep me motivated to keep moving, and I will have a good eight weeks to work at it. I'm bringing sweatpants back. (Yeah!) Be afraid, be very afraid...

I've spent my first week catching up with family and friends, indulging in nanna naps to get over my combination of jetlag & flu, and watching a whole heck of TV re-runs; I'm looking at you, ER. We ventured to the beach which was a very windswept effort, we caught the monorail in the city while rushing to submit my Visa application, we ogled pretty boys in Twilight & I've updated my iPod music with some new favourites. This week will be a busy one too, hanging out with Kirby, getting my hair cut (ideas?), another movie date, perhaps a trip up the North Coast & a catch up with Tim.

Speaking of the Visa, I'm feeling strangely relaxed about it at the moment. I've done everything I could possibly do, I've included all of the evidence I could possibly include - and the final decision comes down to the fine folks at the British High Commission in Canberra. As confident as I am about being awarded the points needed for it, the fact that the Tier 1 is still a relatively new Visa, as well as hearing reports that individual case workers judge each application at their own discretion, does leave me with some concerns. The hard part is done; now comes the waiting.

It's just a shame I'm the least patient person you could find.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Somehow, and I'm still not entirely sure how it all happened so fast, it has turned into the end of January - and a lot has gone on in 2009 so far. There have been a few drunken nights out, friends coming and going, new faces at work, celebrations, butterflies, confusion and moments of pure, unadulterated rage and stomping, but hey, one month down, eleven to go. This year will be a doozy.

I'm flying home tomorrow morning, thus beginning the 8-12 week snoozefest that is submitting and processing my new working Visa to come back to London again. I do hope there won't be nail biting involved, because I've been growing them for the past four weeks and they're looking pretty damn good right now. It'll be great to get home, see family and friends, soak up some sunshine (though not too much - ick), play with the puppies and maybe lose a couple of kilo's in the process, but the VISA issue will be weighing on my mind the whole time. I'm so nervous, but there's nothing I can do about that.

I'm officially unemployed, as I finished up at work yesterday - going out fairly spectacularly with a cider & shot filled evening at a local establishment, it's traditional after all. The guys at work spoiled me with a cute pack of champagne and truffles, and my 'temporary' replacement is a real sweetie who I absolutely adore. (I'm secretly sad that I'm going just as she is starting, she is just that good.)

The evening was a success, despite the dodgy dancing and sweaty, sweaty hair - although as usual, I tend to talk too much when I have er, indulged. Operation Wimp = failure. Dismal, dismal failure. Details? Nope! I would rather not.

So for now, I'm farewelling my boys and leaving them to their own devices - no doubt I'll come back and the two will be inseperable. I feel like I've hardly seen J in the past year, despite us finally living together and sorting our stuff up, with my holiday, his Visa, and his working outside of London, it's been a strange one. And Oscar.. I'm going to miss that cat like crazy. I'm going to miss my work colleagues like crazy. I can't wait to get back to London, and I haven't even left yet.

I'll update again soon, from the land down under. Happy (almost) Australia Day!

A lazy post methinks.. because snippets are all I have energy for.

• Audiobooks have made this weekend full of sickness and crankiness worthwhile. I've finished 'Interview with the Vampire' and it's made me want to go and hunt down the Diana Gabaldon books now, as I never ended up finding them anyway.


• I can't dance. Or at least, I definitely wasn't drunk enough to be dancing on Friday evening. Note to self - a few more beverages, or a little less dancing.


• Banks are evil.


• The Cure & Kate Bush are all I've listened to for the past few weeks. My new iPod is apparently re-living the 80's. Can't say I'm not enjoying it, though.


• I'm a Wimpy McWimpyson, but I won't go into details ...


• Two weeks. (!)


• I've created my own drinking game, everytime someone mentions either 'VISA' or 'EXCITED'. I do not wish to talk about either.


• And now, a random image to distract you from my lameness.

It would only be appropriate to start off my blogging for 2009 with a whinging post, don't you think? It's been a fair while since I sat down and banged out a rant which is a shame, as they usually make me laugh reading back on them at a later date.

(For those who've been around for a while, think back to the wedding-song-stealing post or the slow-walking-newspaper-man post. Good times.)

I've lived in our flat ever since I moved to London - so over 12 months now. It's absolutely become home, despite the ever unreliable transport links and the fact that I live in the complete opposite direction of every single one of my friends over here and I've never had cause to complain about it. (Much.) We live in a complex with about forty other flats, and it's split up really well into little compartments for a little extra privacy. In the ground floor corridor where we are, there are only two other apartments.

In the entire time I've been here, I've seen the first flat's occupants a grand total of once. The lady is either hardly ever home, or just really, really quiet. It's the perfect neighbour! The other flat used to be rented out by a young Chinese couple who lived with their mother - they also kept to themselves, but were friendly enough when we saw them. Sadly, they moved out a couple of months ago, and we've had an empty room across from us since then.

Until recently ...

Yes, I have a neighbour rant.

One night last weekend, there was a knock on the door in the late evening. Being in my pyjamas, like any respectable holiday-maker would be, I forced J to get it. It was a couple of young guys, saying hello and that they had moved in across the hallway. They had a couple of internet set-up questions, so J helped out as much as he could and welcomed them to the building. Half an hour later they were back, asking for the address that they lived in. (Do you not have tenancy papers? How did you find the place the first time?) This first night, there were two guys and a girl that had moved in.

Fast forward to the next day, when I headed out to go shopping in the morning. There was a sickly cigarette smell in the hallway, so strong that my coat picked up the scent after walking through it for all of five seconds. It was gone once I got to the main foyer of the building, and was only in our hallway. I forced J to go outside and sniff the air too, just to prove it wasn't me going mad - so looks like our new inhabitants are breaking the 'No smoking indoors' rule. Needless to say, I am not impressed.

They're really, really noisy. It doesn't help that when they're home, they leave their flat door propped open - why do you think that is? - but even on the odd occasion that it's closed, I can still hear them. Through two huge wooden doors. Three, if I close the bedroom door too. That's a lot of wood, right there.

They also appear to be multiplying in numbers. As I speak, there are about five guys hanging around & I saw two girls moving bags in this afternoon. The flat itself is either a one-bedroom one like mine, or it's a two-bedroom at most, but regardless, that's a lot of people. I'm puzzled.

The last straw for me was on Sunday in the wee hours of the morning, when I was awoken at 3:30 in the morning by dance music & shouting voices. I got up to see what was going on, and sure enough, there were at least ten people having a jolly old time right outside our flat. J actually opened the door and had a bit of a go at them, but I feel like this is only the beginning.

(If I'm woken up again or if the cigarette smell gets worse, I'm going to become that very grouchy old cat lady who lodges formal complaints.)

My parting words to them, should they ever randomly stumble across this blog and put two and two together? You have a perfectly good apartment right there, so get out of the fucking hallway and close your fucking door!

I feel much better now.

Please tell me I'm not the only one with horrible neighbours - what sort of stunts have you had to put up with, and how did you deal with it?

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Hmm, let's see. I lived abroad (on my own for a good few months too), I travelled alone/with friends & I adopted a kitty.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I failed at blogging daily for the year (by choice) but I think for the most part I was fairly good? I hate resolutions, yet I still randomly make some up every year. 2009 is going to be all about me. Literally.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No-one super close to me, no.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit? Apart from England, I visited France, Denmark & a whole heap of states in America. It was a good year!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? I'd like to get out and explore more of London in my free time.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 27th, when we brought Oscar home and November 5th, for obvious reasons.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? My independence.

9. What was your biggest failure? When I stopped running after hurting my shins. I've gone back to square one now. I suck.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Touch wood, but so far I've stayed quite healthy this year! I'm very proud of that, to be sure.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Definitely the Grand Canyon helicopter flight.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? I'm drawing a blank.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I'm not sure.

14. Where did most of your money go? American travels, and random everyday expenses like groceries, etc. I did manage to save a little too, which was good.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? ROAD TRIPPING! And of course bringing Oscar home and loving every minute with him.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
(a) Happier or Sadder? Happier.
(b) Thinner or Fatter? About the same, more or less?
(c) Richer or Poorer? Richer. For now!

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Wandering around the city and spending time with friends. I am the most scatterbrained person ever.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Complaining.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2008? Traipsing around a deserted Canary Wharf and battling it out with J's family in Mario Kart on the Wii.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? I stayed in love.

22. How many one-night stands? What can I say, it was a slow year ...

23. What was your favorite TV program? Big Love, Supernatural, Grey's Anatomy.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Nope.

25. What was the best book you read? Argh, I've read so many this year. A few honourable mentions that spring to mind are A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Book Thief, The Hunt for Atlantis & of course the Twilight series.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Kings of Leon.

27. What did you want and get? I wanted a pet & got my insane-yet-lovable cat.

28. What did you want and not get? A couple more travel expeditions would have been good.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I actually didn't see all that many, up until recently. Memorable films would be Burn After Reading & Twilight.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 24 this year, and spent it at a Thai restaurant in South Kensington, small and quiet, just the way I like it!

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Snow!

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Jeans, coats, flat shoes. I never, ever liked flat shoes until now. Strange.

33. What kept you sane? Oscar.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Ha! I like the Cullen.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? Definitely the election, I haven't felt quite so anxious about politics for a really long time.

36. Who did you miss? I missed my family & friends, and the puppies.

37. Who was the best new person you met? My work colleagues, who are awesome. I wouldn't have met such a great group of people if it weren't for the move over here. Also Sarah and Carly from the States, who I can't wait to see back in Sydney for our big reunion.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. If you let yourself get carried away with the bigger picture, you'll inevitably miss all the smaller, and possibly more important snapshots along the way. I'm all for the snapshots in 2009.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "My friend assures me, it's all or nothing - but I am not really worried, I am not overly concerned. You try to tell yourself the things you try to tell yourself to make yourself forget.. to make yourself forget. I am not worried.." Anna Begins, Counting Crows.

40. What are your resolutions for 2009? Only one: don't worry, be happy.