We are very blessed to have the friends we do. We had about 10 people here throughout the day on Saturday, painting, painting and painting. Also, a great friend helped me sort through boxes that have been sitting on shelves in the garage for 10+ years! I am certain that God is using this opportunity to help me detatch from "stuff." I have serious pack rat genes (as does my husband), and we are just not feeling as attatched to all that stuff as we were when we decided to keep in in boxes in the garage! It's a really great feeling to let it all go! We had about 10-12 boxes/bags for both the trash man and charity pick-up today. ALL GONE!!!
Tonight, our small group "re-grouped" and came over to help some more. Baseboards cut and placed, more stuff sorted, and some great conversation.
We are informed that we have both been medically cleared to work in England. Also, our employer has applied for Certificates of Sponsorship. They expect to get them within the next few days. When we receive the Sponsorship Number, and A-Rated Sponsorship letter, we will complete our application for visas. Once we submit them, along with our passports, "biometric data," (digital fingerprints and digital photographs that have to be taken at an Immigration office), it will take 5-10 days to get the Visa, or learn that our application is denied. It's a pretty complciated process. We have been advised to hire a visa assistance/expedition service, which can cost a pretty penny! But, it may be worth it not to have to go through the denial/appeal process. We will see!
A note on the A-rated Sponsorship: This is a sponsorship category that our employer has which will reduce the amount of documentation required to apply for a visa, and will also help us be able to get a bank account in England. Without it, it would be quite difficult to get a bank account there. Apparently, they are more picky than our banks in the US. I expect that it will expedite other things as well: being allowed to rent, set up utilities, phone/mobile phone service. Basically, that letter indicates to anyone who wants to know that our employer will cover our "maintenance.' In other words, they insure that we are not going to become a liability on the welfare system. It is very nice that our employer has gone this extra mile.
It's all coming so quickly! Wow! In about 5 weeks, we could be in London! Makes me smile, cringe, shiver and jump for joy, and screech, all at the same time!!!
That's all I can say for now...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Finally, an Update!
Haven't updated in a while! Been busy, and just haven't gotten into the habit of "blogging" frequently.
We have been informed by our employer that they want is there, working, by 5 October! That is waaaaaaaaay tooooooooo soooooon!
In the meantime, we have had contractors paint the outside of the house, deal with wallpaper, tile floors, make some minor repairs. We still have to finish painting, place and paint baseboards, replace a few doors that fell victim to animals and/or kids (which includes painting them), and getting rid of more stuff.
City Union Mission comes tomorrow. We will schedule them again for a couple of weeks away.
We have been researching areas in which to live. We are most attracted to the London Borough of Redbridge, particularly the area of Wanstead. It is consistently described as "family friendly, good schools, leafy, lots of green space." It would be about a 30 minute commute to work. Alternatively, we have considered Stoke Newington, which is a neighborhood in the London Borough of Hackney. We will be working in Hackney, but several friends have suggested it is not the area in which we want to live. Stoke Newington is a nice area, with a "bohemian" feel, but the schools are not very consistently good. We have connected with an Estate Agent who is keeping her eye open for properties that fit our needs. We expect to pay at least 1200-1500 Sterling Pounds per month for a small 3 BR home! It's a bit more than we spend now... We will pay less, however, for transportation, telephone, cable, internet. I'm not sure it will all even out, but it's a small consolation.
Schools are much different. They have only two levels: primary and secondary. Primary is equivalent to our grades 1-6 and secondare 7-12. The boys will be enrolled in whatever school in our Borough which is closest to home, and has space. The schools are universally "oversubscribed," particularly secondary schools. The nice thing is that we may be able to find a "faith school," as many of them are state or public schools. Their admission criteria is a little different than the other public schools, so we will see. Also, there has to be space for them. Also, class sizes are generally 30-40 students. They are, however, ahead of the US academically-- the boys will have some catching up to do.
The boys are still unenthused, and getting a little cranky with all of this home rehab stuff. Especially as we start talking to them about sorting through their stuff... We'll make it!
Gotta head to New Dinner Theatre now. Will try to update more soon!
We have been informed by our employer that they want is there, working, by 5 October! That is waaaaaaaaay tooooooooo soooooon!
In the meantime, we have had contractors paint the outside of the house, deal with wallpaper, tile floors, make some minor repairs. We still have to finish painting, place and paint baseboards, replace a few doors that fell victim to animals and/or kids (which includes painting them), and getting rid of more stuff.
City Union Mission comes tomorrow. We will schedule them again for a couple of weeks away.
We have been researching areas in which to live. We are most attracted to the London Borough of Redbridge, particularly the area of Wanstead. It is consistently described as "family friendly, good schools, leafy, lots of green space." It would be about a 30 minute commute to work. Alternatively, we have considered Stoke Newington, which is a neighborhood in the London Borough of Hackney. We will be working in Hackney, but several friends have suggested it is not the area in which we want to live. Stoke Newington is a nice area, with a "bohemian" feel, but the schools are not very consistently good. We have connected with an Estate Agent who is keeping her eye open for properties that fit our needs. We expect to pay at least 1200-1500 Sterling Pounds per month for a small 3 BR home! It's a bit more than we spend now... We will pay less, however, for transportation, telephone, cable, internet. I'm not sure it will all even out, but it's a small consolation.
Schools are much different. They have only two levels: primary and secondary. Primary is equivalent to our grades 1-6 and secondare 7-12. The boys will be enrolled in whatever school in our Borough which is closest to home, and has space. The schools are universally "oversubscribed," particularly secondary schools. The nice thing is that we may be able to find a "faith school," as many of them are state or public schools. Their admission criteria is a little different than the other public schools, so we will see. Also, there has to be space for them. Also, class sizes are generally 30-40 students. They are, however, ahead of the US academically-- the boys will have some catching up to do.
The boys are still unenthused, and getting a little cranky with all of this home rehab stuff. Especially as we start talking to them about sorting through their stuff... We'll make it!
Gotta head to New Dinner Theatre now. Will try to update more soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)