It's been a long, I shouldn't have left with... (if you know you know)

New York, New York
Nashville, Tennessee
Long Island, New York

It's been far too long since my last post, but it was because of a whirlwind of events the last few month!

Since April, Sam and I started a petition for my return to the UK, and with an unimaginable amount of signatures and exposure from Time 107.5 FM radio station in Romford, we quickly got a response from immigration. And the best part was that I actually received an apology from the immigration officer I spoke to.

It turned out that I was rejected by mistake the second time we applied for my visa from the US. The officer who viewed our application failed to check with the reasoning for our first application rejection (only rejected because we applied when I was still in the UK). The second rejection was because the officer determined Sam and I's relationship to not be genuine (yes I know, absolutely laughable). The month of May was an absolute celebration with Sam coming over to visit me in New York, and finding out together that I would be back in the UK in the following weeks. I spent loads of time with family and friends and just in complete eagerness to put the last 6 months of misery behind me.

In all the stress of the 6 months being stuck in New York, I learned a lot about myself (lots to time to reflect on life). Mostly the fact that I don't always deal with things in the best way. I looked back at my time in New York, and although I did some amazing things and traveled a bit, on the down time I wasn't taking care of myself. Major stress is not something I had ever really had to deal with, so I never really understood how to cope with it then. It felt like my life was taking huge steps backwards. But now I feel as though a massive weight has been lifted and I can settle into my life. I have a new appreciation for the time I have in my life, and what I do/who I fill it with.

When I got back to London in May, I started the application process to begin teaching. The paperwork took longer than I ever anticipated. I mean I actually had to go and get ink fingerprints done and send them off to the FBI as part of the background check. It was an intense process that basically has taken up to this week to finish up. So unfortunately I was unable to start teaching for the duration of the school year, but luckily the agency I am working with has been incredibly helpful and caring to my situation.

 

It really felt as though everything was beginning to fall into place. I had three really great opportunities come my way for this fall (one including a reality tv show). I was able to take a couple mini getaways to Scotland (to see the Spice Girls), and Germany (for a potential job opportunity). It just felt so nice to have options and thinking about the future.

 

I was only back in London for 2 months before it was time to head back to New York for more celebrations with family and friends. It was satisfying to know that it would just be a visit, and there wasn't any pressure of dealing with immigration on the way back. I landed in New York and a couple days later I was straight off to Nashville for my bestie's bachelorette party. Flew Back to New York for my niece's first birthday party, got to see a lot of friends in the weeks between, and ended the month with my other bestie's wedding, and Sam and I's 2 year wedding anniversary.

I am beyond ready to see what the next few months back in London will have in store for me. But most of all I am very eager to start my career after A YEAR of unemployment.

There is certainly lots more to come!

The one where the visa didn’t come in time…

Mostly Long Island, New York

Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

2 places in New Jersey (but who can actually pronounce them?)

     So here is a quick update to the madness that has been this immigration process. I went in for my screening before I left for California on the 7^th of December but my paperwork wasn’t actually submitted until Monday the 10^th. That had left me just 7 days to hopefully have my paperwork processed and my passport mailed back to me before my flight on the 17^th. Well that was wishful thinking and here I am on the 27^th of December still in New York 1 month later, and its now been 1 month since I have seen Sam. With some luck I was able to change my flight… again.. to the 23^rd of December thinking that had to be it. I tried hard to stay optimistic but when that Thursday rolled around and I still had not heard a word about my visa I knew it is unlikely that I was going to have my visa by that Sunday. So unfortunately I missed Christmas and will now be missing New Years as my new flight is scheduled for January 2^nd. I am not happy about it because I would have obviously loved to be with Sam in our first year in our new home.

     I’m not going to lie though my frustration level is at an all-time high and I’m having a hard time believing how long this has all taken to get done. I know it could be worse and at least I know there is an end to all of this coming but this is the type of human that I am. I need to know dates, I hate not being in control, and I really really hate the lack of empathy from the professionals we are paying to help us make this situation easier.

     But and here is the big BUT, the revelation that I have has after spending the holidays seeing my family on Christmas Eve and all of Christmas day with my parents I know now that I was meant to be here. I've been to some fun Christmas parties where I dressed as the Grinch and was being all sorts of mischievous.... mostly just by drinking all the wine at the party. If being with Sam and our entire relationship has taught me anything it's that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. I could not have planned a better Christmas day with the two most important people in my world. This entire situation has brought the three of us closer than ever. And FINALLY my mother took the time on Christmas day to teach me all of her special recipes. My Italian-American family is cheering for joy reading that I’m sure. I now know how to make baked ziti, spinach pie, broccoli pie, and sweet potato pie! Which I know that Sam will find that more of a Christmas gift/ miracle than anything else I bring back to him.

                         

     I really have had an amazing month in New York so far! I’ve been spending loads of time with my parents and creating some wonderful memories, seeing friends, visiting family, stopping by my school in the Bronx and Queens, took a mini vay cay to Cali, and was asked to be a bridesmaid to my bestie getting married next year! I've been able to spend to major holidays with Thanksgiving and that's made me appreciate the struggle that a lot of people are also going through with immigration. Most of all I have had an out pour of people messaging me asking how it’s all going and sharing their stories with me. I feel so very loved and supported so thank you all so very much! I also have to give a shout out to a few of my cousins who talked me into posting again sooner than I thought. Knowing that you're reading and enjoying it means the world to me!

     So now that it is all a waiting game I will have fingers crossed for a swift return to London but also enjoy the time I have by making the most of it. If you or someone that you know is going through something similar please feel free to share it with me and my story with them. There has been so much comfort in having people reach out to me and even to Sam and helping out in any way that we can.