I`ll be off then...
• Monday 25 May 2009 - cod, wildlife, skype, steroids, proving whitford wrong, but mostly pies and peas.
Oh and firstly I believe I owe a mention of PJs, which I put in a recent blog title then didn't explain... So, turns out my hardened English blood is pretty wussy all in all. So I bought some great big cosy PJs the other week, and Ryan bought some big fluffy slippers to go with them (they look awesome - most of you know how much I like slippers) Don't be fooled, Australia is bloody freezing at night...
[cont.]
http://this-is-not-the-north-east.blogspot.com/
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• Thursday 14 May 2009 - Blog updates - 3 months in Sydney
• Tuesday 10 February 2009 - Moving to Sydney
• Friday 6 February 2009 - Flying to Sydney tomorrow
No time for long blog as so much to do.
Got passport back this morn, booked flight fifteen mins later! Going just after 1pm tomorrow with Emirates, Newcastle airport to Sydney.
Flight check, first night's accom check (company paying for 2 wks after that), travel insurance check, money transferred check, last bacon sandwich before I go...check.
Ciao!xxx
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• Wednesday 4 February 2009 - Final few days of waiting...
Hoping to fly on Friday, if my passport comes back from London tomorrow. That's possibly a bit ambitious though as it was possibly delayed in arriving there because of the snow storms (though others have said the Royal Mail website doesn't always update the status change when it's delivered).
My room and spare room in my parents' house are both nearly empty now. Most downstairs in few boxes and suitcases to ship and a suitcase to air freight.
Only 20kg of my stuff left up here, packed ready to take! I made good old British sausage and mash for tea tonight for the family, my sister came round and we all played a board-game which we haven't done for years. It was hilarious - the game, Cranium, makes you do different things in an attempt to get round the board first, including blind drawing, backwards spelling out loud, and character-acting. Seeing my dad trying to mime 'Grand National' was side-splitting!
Main things left to do - transfer money to Oz account, and when I know when I'm flying I can book flight (singular!), get travel insurance, cancel mobile phone contract, send off tax forms.
Stick a fork in me, I'm (nearly) done.
Edit: No passport in the post today, fingers crossed it will come tomorrow and away I shall fly!
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• Monday 2 February 2009 - VISA APPROVED!!
Got the email last night by email when I got home (here), after driving in all the snow...
It's finally happened!! But...apparently it is required on the Occu Trainee visa to get the label in passport before flying. So, I'm sending it this morning if I can make it up the hill in the car in this snow...
In a way, it's just as well as if I could have flown straight away I'd have booked my flight for tomorrow - and now all the airports are starting to shut down due to the snow. Which is set to stay with us a while apparently...
Their official turn-around time on the Australia House website is 3 - 5 days, but a lot of people have said they're very quick and often send it back after 2 days. So I guess for a little while I'm back to waiting, but it's a good kind of waiting now!
I think I was still imagining something to go wrong with the visa, like they'd turn around and just say...no... So I'm sort of in a state of disbelief now - but at the same time, it still won't feel 'real' real until I book my flight...
Excited and nervous lerato  |
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• Friday 30 January 2009 - Delayed Start Date
So, I won't be starting 2nd Feb. And I'm ok about it, now I know for sure I won't make it. I guess now I aim for the week after... Still waiting on the visa so it will just depend completely on when that comes and what flights are left.
For now I know I'll still be in England until Monday. But nevermind, because I can't do anything to hurry it up!
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• Monday 26 January 2009 - And waiting and waiting and waiting...
No email this morn - so no flying to Sydney tomorrow. Going to ring Australia House in London later on this morning (for the pricely sum of £1 a min) and just checking if they have taken the visa payment from the credit card.
The cheap flights keep coming and going though availability is 'good' - I think it's just sometimes the search function can't contact the Emirates database or something. So trying not to get too stressed about it as they do keep re-appearing.
My case is literally packed ready to go - it will still be a mad rush to organise the rest to ship and freight, to leave with my parents and get it sent across once I get a rented place. Money to transfer (is it worth saing the £20 bank fee moving with Hifx/Ozforex instead....) and travel insurance to buy, finalities to sort out etc.
Had a leaving meal last night and went to the pub quiz - there was an Australia round which everyone expected me to know all the answers too. I do not, of course, as I am moving there now, I haven't lived there before!! Everyone keeps asking, when are you going then, it's hard not knowing, I'm meeting my sis for lunch today and it might be the last time I see her, but it MIGHT not! So I have to kind of say bye to people just in case, and then see them the next day anyway...!
I think I'm going to burst into tears when I get my visa. Watch out, explosion imminent.
(Edit - just rang Australia House in London and contrary to what my friend experienced, they were not helpful... The guy sounded like he did not like his job at all, and I had just made his day worse by daring to check on my application. I nearly felt like apologising, until I hung up and realised I just paid £5 for him to have got out the wrong side of the bed. Bah.)
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• Wednesday 21 January 2009 - Waiting Again
So. My final part of visa app reached Australia House yesterday morning. And now I'm back to waiting... Apparently they will contact the agent in Aus first, which means I will find out one morning when I wake up to an email from the other side of the world.
Today I've...lounged, watched Wanted Down Under (which wasn't very useful even though it was Sydney), bacon sandwich and a cuppa. Done a wash load, cleaned the grill, done another wash load, cleaned the bathroom, faffed about on the net, checked flights etc. Cleaned my trainers with Jif (sorry Cif) emailed some friends...
I think this afternoon may consist of another wash load, some more sorting, coffee, and a bit of the usual panicking. Flights now are getting screwed up, some legs are sold out in economy so prices are coming up at over £2k... the £650 odd flight with Emirates from Ncastle is now £1,100 - nearly same price as the Air NZ flight with the 46kg. Though they are also selling out quick and would probably have to go from Manchester.
My friend confessed the other night that they were trying to organise a surprise meal for me on the Friday, but then had no idea if I would still be here or not. Think we are still going to go on the Friday, family meal tomorrow night, and tonight I am going round for a drunken RockBand night, anything to pass the waiting time.
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• Monday 19 January 2009 - All visa docs on their way to London!
I've just posted on the forum (here - oops link fixed) celebrating that my training nomination approval and all other docs arrived at my house this afternoon, I then got my passport and degree certificate certified promptly after (as I was then able to leave the house without fearing I'd miss the delivery...)
On their way to London on guaranteed before 1pm tomorrow Royal Mail service. And it bloody better do as well!! Limited time left now, I start work in 2 weeks!
I'm scared now though that it'll be held up by the mistake about me having pneumonia on the form...I've corrected it, initialled and dated it, but I just really really hope it doesn't mean the authorisation will take longer now. If they need to get in touch to ask a question, it's the company in Oz who deal with it so it will take a couple days probably simply due to time differences. And if that happens, I'm prob going to end up flying the 30th or something, landing the day before work starts...or worse flying after my start date (not end of the world but I'd rather start with all the others on my programme).
Fingers crossed!! I think I need to go and have a beer or vodka or something. I've been on tenterhooks all day and now I need to try and relax a bit. Back to waiting...and no doubt checking the Royal Mail tracker service every 5 mins tomorrow morning. Also now that feeling in my stomach that I missed a signature or forgot to put something in it or something. OH MY GOD I think I may have heart failure by the time this is all over!!
Where did I put that chocolate....?
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• Friday 16 January 2009 - Training Visa Nomination Approved!!!
Got the email when I woke up this morning, to say that DIAC have authorised the training visa. It is being couriered across to me as we speak (hopefully!!) Not sure how long it will take to get from Sydney...Hoping to have it on Monday but we'll see.
Also hoping the health insurance certificate made it to their office in time to be sent with the rest of the documents to me. That will make things a lot easier...Although, reading on the immi website, it is optional to take health insurance out if you have a reciprocal country agreement with Oz, with the UK does. So, if it hasn't made it into the courier package then I'll ring Australia House in London and check with them. I don't want to hold the 2nd part of my visa application....I mean, really I need to have it all authorised and back to me by the end of next week ideally.
So as long as that all goes fine, and provided there are still flights avilable, I hope to fly from Teesside (Durham Tees Valley as it's now called) on Sat 24th, Sun 25th, or Mon 26th. If none of them then it is resorting to Leeds or Manchester where Air New Zealand also fly those days and during the week too.
Went to the post office today and got my post redirection put on to my parents' house, and got some passport photos done (which weren't too horrific actually given the state of my hair and general dishevellment). Now trying to sort out some more packing which is hard given that it all depends if I can get an Air NZ flight, or have to go with someone else (46kg vs. 20kg).
Sister coming over for pizza with me and mum tonight, quality time and all that! And then another waiting weekend. I will hate them until this is all over, as I know nothing can really happen - though if it's being couriered I should imagine it will carry on moving, what with overnight flights etc.
Here's hoping I'm flying a week tomorrow-ish!!
lerato
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• Tuesday 13 January 2009 - No news is bad news - Edit
Still nothing from DIAC/the company in Sydney. Once they have the nomination authorised, it has to be couriered to me (2-3 days) Then I have to fill in any remaining bits, sign it, and get some documents certified (1 day) Then I send it to London to get the actual visa approved (apparently 2-3 days). Back to me (approx 2 days) then I can book my flight and go.
That makes an average of 8 days from when I hear it's all ok in Sydney. This morning, still nothing, so won't hear til tomorrow now anyway. If I hear tomorrow, it could all be sorted for next Thursday and I could get on a flight for that weekend.
I would be fine if I knew I wouldn't hear anything for 2 wks, or even a month, as long as I know when it's going to be!! I'm stressed out and I know it won't help anything but it is just making me worry. Wondering why they asked for more information, is that a bad sign, etc.
This whole thing won't feel real until I have the visa and have booked my flight. In the meantime I am going to try keep myself busy during the day as their office is closed anyway.
On a more POSITIVE note, I am going to bank a cheque for £1,600 today for my piano. £400 less than I wanted for it, but credit crunch and all that... That will cover my flight and some costs when I get there too.
Hurrah for small mercies!
Edit:
Yesterday I went to York, where I was living for 4 years, to say bye to the family I had just lodged with for 6 months. It was great to spend time with them, especially their 22 month old boy. He still remembered me and wanted to play with me (we were wondering if he would ignore me because I 'left' him.. But he was really happy to see me and to have a play, shouting 'Auwa' (laura) when I was busy talking to his mum as he thought I'd come just to see him.
They had gotten me a few bits as leaving presents, including this gorgeous little dude - with a photo of me and the little man himself on day I moved out in December, having our last 'we've both just woken up' cuddle. (Luckily he was asleep when I left, else I would possibly have got a tad emotional)
Edit 2:
So, I emailed the company in Oz for an update. I got a response last night about 11pm - they were working with my employer and DIAC to sort out the additional info they require. So that means that when I got up this morning of course, no email to say it was approved and being couriered to me at that moment in time. I'm guessing I won't get one tomorrow either. So, it's starting to look doubtful for me flying the weekend after this one. I'm also starting to die from boredom, no matter how much prep etc I've got to do. I'm struggling with not having a routine. But I am reading a book a night and going to the library every week for some more...(I do love to read)
Now off for my ritualistic mid-morning bacon sandwich and coffee, my new routine I am working around at the moment.
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• Saturday 10 January 2009 - Farewells
This is the bit I don't like. I've got coffee arranged with a very good friend tomorrow, and it will probably be the last time I see for for at least a year if not a lot longer. She's been really good to me and helped me through when things have been difficult. It's going to be really strange not just meeting up for a drink every now and then...
I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with another good friend who I've known for about 6 years and spent a hell of a lot of time with. His mum is like my second mum, we are great friends and in fact her and hubby are flying out to Australia in March! So I will see some people I know which will be great. They are visiting other people and travelling around, but will be in Sydney one day on arrival and 3 days before departure. They already have booked a meal with us and their cousin and his wife, who live on the other side of the bridge, so that I will build up some people I know fairly quickly! It's really good to know that within about 6 weeks I will see L and M and it will be great to catch up. Their whole family may be moving across at some point so I may well not be leaving them behind after all!
It's going to be harder saying bye to my mum. She insists on coming to the airport, though I thought that might make it harder for her. She's been really good about it all - when I rang from Sydney to say I got the job, she went 'WOOWWWWWW' and then after a pause...."ohhhh." because she realised what it meant and where I would be living from then on. But they've known I've always wanted this, and she is really happy for me.
I've been spending a lot of quality time with my sister too, bowling, meals out etc. I'm glad she found herself a new guy about 5 months ago, he is lovely and I know she'll be fine once I've gone. In fact, his sister and hubby have just moved over to Sydney! So they have put me in touch and they've even offered me to stay at theirs if I needed to when I first arrive. How lovely is that, from someone I haven't met yet? I should be fine as my job pays for 2 wks accomm, but it's nice to know again that there are some people there who have some links with my UK life...
Right, off to try and do something productive like finish taking up some trousers or something. I find weekends really hard at the moment, trying to keep busy as I know I won't hear anything about my visa on these 2 days. Come Sunday night at about 10pm I am wired waiting for a response til I go to sleep. It's been 4 weeks, fingers crossed I hear this week. There are flights with Air New Zealand going this next weekend and the weekend after, from Durham Tees Valley airport ( 3 miles from my house...) or from Leeds on the weekdays of each week. About £1,000 for a single but via LA or San Fran so 46kg...Worth it I think? (Must remember to check when booking, don't select the one with the itinerary thru Dubai!)
Maybe I can have another trip to Primark after all....
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• Thursday 8 January 2009 - "Request for Further Info"
Got an email from the company in Oz who are processing my visa with DIAC. Apparently I have a case-officer, who has requested more info from my employer. I can only assume it's to do with the training schedule etc.
Plus side - I have a case-officer, and my visa is getting processed
Down side - it is going not be approved this week and I won't be flying until end of Jan most likely.
Well, bacon sandwich and a cup of tea it is then....
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• Wednesday 7 January 2009 - Health insurance company, useless already?!
So, they've failed to send out my health certificate to the office in Syndey. They said it would be done on the 9th December. It's now the 7th January and she tells me it hasn't gone yet. Why? Oh, I don't know. Ok...well, can you fix it? Yes, I can request a manual over-ride to send it now. DO THAT THEN!!!!
Ohhhhh the nerves and stress and lack of patience at the moment. Everything is taking forever, I start work in under a month and have not even had the nomination side of it authorised yet (supposed to take 2-4 wks, submitted 9th Dec), then the kafuffle with the health insurance certificate, I just want it SORTED!
Oh my god I'm going to have an actual meltdown here.  Please can it just go perfect from now? Please? I promise I'll stop eating chocolate and eat only veg and get rid of all most of my worldly goods.
I'll be good forever more if it can just be sorted by the end of next week....
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• Saturday 3 January 2009 - Happy New Year
Happy New Year everyone!
2009 is here and this is going to be the best year ever! As long as I hear back about my visa soon, then I can say I am emigrating this year...this month in fact! (fingers crossed)
I've finally gotten my new glasses sorted, I've taken up numerous pairs of suit-trousers for work, closed multiple bank accounts, and received my last pay check due from work for outstanding holidays.
(EDIT - New glasses not sorted :( now they are making me feel cross-eyed. Back to Specsavers AGAIN tomorrow - this will be the tenth time!!!)
New Year was a great night, held the traditional Golden Gnome gaming competition (multiple consoles, takes 4 days to complete minimum, and finale is on NYE). It's a prestigious event, with an amazing trophy (gnome from pound shop, painted gold), and this was the fifth year of doing it! Sad in some ways as I won't be there for the sixth but there's talk of me getting involved online so that I don't miss out! Not that I ever win anyway. But this year I came 4th out of 6, which wasn't so bad.
 The presentation of the Golden Gnome, the winner wearing a t-shirt that's a dead give-away to his gaming obsession.
I even managed to draw on two Pro Evo Soccer games. And I don't understand how to play it - my tactic is kick the ball and kick the players. I usually end up with about 6 yellow cards and a couple of red cards in a 5-min game. Awesome...
In other news, I've reached a stand-still in getting ready for the relocation. Until I hear about my visa I've just kind of stopped doing any form of packing. It may be that I fly with Air New Zealand via LAX or San Fran, in which case I get 46kg instead of 20kg. That would make a big difference as to what I need to ship and air-freight. I've also decided to take things like my decent smart winter coat - no point buying another one for when it does get chilly - and my Poorly Blanket, a white holey Whitney blanket my mum bought when we were little, and it became mine as I was always off school ill and wrapped up in it. Little things like that should make me feel more at home too. I also got a digital photo frame for Christmas from said Golden Gnome winner, which means I can have all my photos on display too even if I can't put any physically up in my rented accomm.
There it is again, that sick feeling of Oh my God it's actually happening. This time next month...
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• Tuesday 30 December 2008 - To Do Lists
They're all over the bloody place. I have lists for what to do today, tomorrow, next week, the week I get to Oz, feels like I am wasting my life by writing lists of what I have to do...!
Go to Specsavers to try and salvage my new glasses from the epic saga
Close Natwest student account
Close Halifax joint account and savings account
Buy high-factor sun cream
Buy short-sleeve shirts for work (problem in itself this time of year)
Buy brown suit jacket
Travel insurance once visa through
Cancel mobile contract
Cancel recurring dentist appointment
Book flights once visa through
Get passport and degree copies certified
Backup laptop hard drive
Fill iPod (very important for the flight of course)
Investigate Hifx/ozforex and what the hell to do with it
Fill in address book
Take up trouser legs
Sort remaining files/paperwork
Shred all old documents
Pack, repack, resort, start again x 10
Think I've probably got loads more to do that I don't even realise but hopefully the nice people on BE will keep me right :-)
I dread to think how hard it would be to do this with a partner, kids, a mortgage etc... still got my piano to sell (advertised here though most people wanting to get rid of crap, not accumulate) but that's the extend of my ties here.
I was walking around Boots today buying my usual bits and bobs, from the brands and shop that I know, and it hit me then how different everything is going to be. I'm prepared for it, but it's still going to be strange. I won't just be able to nip into town and buy everything, I'll need to work out where I can get it, is it overpriced, etc.
However, it was also BLOODY FREEZING walking around town in 4 layers. So I shan't miss that 
lerato
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• Friday 26 December 2008 - Christmas has come and lerato's getting fat...
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas day. I'm having a totally slobbing Boxing Day and trying to recover from the ridiculous amounts of food I ate yesterday. Resolving to 'be good' from New Years, else it's going to cost me double airfare to get to Sydney.
Kind of wishing the holidays away so we can get to the point where they can authorise my visa nomination and actual visa.
Santa was very considerate this year as I am trying to fly light. So I got lots of little useful things, including a book about office and cultural etiquette in Oz, a digital photo frame, watch and leather bag for my new job.
Roll on whenever it is the immi office is back open now...Jan12th is fast approaching....!!
Happy Christmas and New Year...
lerato
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• Friday 19 December 2008 - All I Want for Christmas is...my visa
DIAC have had my nomination form about 9 days. Emailed health insurance to check if they've sent the certificate to the dealing company in Sydney.
Once it all is back from DIAC then they courier it to me, then I courier it to London after signing it to get my actual visa. It's all a bit too close to work for me to fly out around 12th Jan. I really want to start work 2nd Feb as originally planned, But it's Christmas and the dealing company in Sydney is closed from Monday, emails won't be checked until 29th and 30th December, don't know when DIAC is closed and then there's the office in London.
I just want it to go to plan else I'll be convinced it's a bad omen for the start of my move, and that would not be good. I really really want this to come through but I will probably die of a heart attack from the stress by then anyway.
Why do we do this to ourselves??
On the plus side, it's nearly Christmas, I'm getting to spend more time with my family, and the Charity shops are totally cashing in from my sorting out all my worldly goods.
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• Tuesday 9 December 2008 - 'Nomination Lodged'
So.... some movement after what seems like forever!
My employer has now lodged my Occupational Trainee Visa nomination in Sydney, with all the documents, x-rays, etc that they need. Apparently it will take 1 - 2 wks to process (as long as there's no problems...I'm fairly sure I don't have TB...!!!??)
I start work 2nd Feb so fingers crossed this comes through quickly, then can send to London for the actual visa bit which apparently takes a few days at most, and can fly out mid-Jan..give me some time to adjust to climate and time differences etc, and to settle into my accommodation.
It was a matter I think of them checking and finalising everything I'd sent, before sending it off. There's been a right faff with my health insurance, I asked them to take the money right away 2 wks ago so it would be processed and could get all the docs quickly. But they didn't. Then when I said I needed the certificate for my visa, 'oh we can't send that til you pay'....bloody nora!! So now they are 'in the process' of taking the money, it's been about 7 days since they said that and my money is still all in the bank. Have agreed that they will send the certificate to my sponsoring company people, otherwise it wouldn't get here til probably February knowing the part that Royal Mail play in it!
Small mini hurrayyy  Things are becoming real now!
It occurred to me only recently that I really am emigrating, across the world, by myself. Straight into a new job and living with absolute strangers (other than on facebook). AND it's just over a month til I fly if everything goes to plan. Less than 5 wks in the UK and then that's it, it all kicks off...
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