PC'ness gone mad... banned after 3 weeks because australians thought it could encourage underage driving!?!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Burning the Bridges
Last Sunday my passport and visa finally returned and i am now able to live and work in Oz unrestricted. So that has released a lot of the frustration we had, without a Visa we couldn't make a decision on what to do with our Flat, we couldn't decide a time line for moving to Sydney, we couldn't organise too ship our stuff.
But now that is all possible and with Rebecca finished on her contract she is able to ready the flat for sale and today we have the estate agent around taking pictures for the ESPC and the particulars for the brochure.
So as of this week the flat will be on sale, we will be organising for a shipment too Sydney and we will be booking our flights, the bridges are being burnt, and we are heading to OZ for our new life. I have to say I'm filled with an equal mix of excitement, joy, and dread!
But now that is all possible and with Rebecca finished on her contract she is able to ready the flat for sale and today we have the estate agent around taking pictures for the ESPC and the particulars for the brochure.
So as of this week the flat will be on sale, we will be organising for a shipment too Sydney and we will be booking our flights, the bridges are being burnt, and we are heading to OZ for our new life. I have to say I'm filled with an equal mix of excitement, joy, and dread!
Parties n Poker
Last Friday, the 13th was my Birthday, 33, Rebecca and i flew over to Belfast (into the Belfast City 'George Best' Airport...why we named an airport after a disgraced footballer who destroyed his liver through drink and drugs, then got a new Liver and went binge drinking again and destroyed that one, when there was far more deserving people waiting for a donor out there; i don't know!) to stay with My Mum. I am not one for fuss and so avoided the big leaving party/birthday party bash, instead having a lovely weekend with my Mum, visited my Aunts, Ester, Heather, and Carol.
I ate loads, had a mince pie (my favourite) and a big ulster fry up, loads of chocolate and ice cream, the typical weekend at my Mums and the reason why i can only go there twice/three times a year... my heart and liver would not be able to survive longer or more frequent.
On Fri 20th, i joined Euan, Sarah, and Neil at a Poker Tournament in the Maybury Casino on the outskirts of Edinburgh, we played Texas hold em no limit... 120 entered and we all made it through the first round, i had the least chips going into the final stage of the 4 of us so expected to go out first. But through hitting it big on 4 hands i was able to get enough chips to see me through to the final table and 9th place with a £100 prize... my first ever real life tourney winnings... I have won $800 and many lesser amounts online but this was my first real tourney win... I have to say Everyone was more chuffed than i was, i was just knackered and truly thought i had went out in 10th place missing the money, but as luck would have it someone went out just before me.
On Sat 21st, Rebecca and I went to a Friends (Irene) for dinner, i haven'thad such a good time for ages, great food, great wine, a flat mate of Irenes and 3 of her old friends and one of their husbands, 8 in all. Its good when you get a group of people together who are all open friendly and sharing, not trying to bring the conversation around to them, or being a wall flower, but participating and listening in equal amounts.
We discussed, everything from racism/sectarianismin football vs. other sport, too teaching and respect, too how we all met our partners. All of which i should write on later...
I hope that we can have more nights like this when we get out to OZ. A very good night but we paid for it in the morning, i was ill but Rebecca was at deaths door... aparently the 1 hr shoulder massage by Leslie a massuse friend of Irenes, must have released toxins into her body...nothing at all to do with the loads or red, rose, and champers she had... but it took her the rest of the weekend and a sizable amount of feeling sorry for herself, chips and crisps to recover!
I ate loads, had a mince pie (my favourite) and a big ulster fry up, loads of chocolate and ice cream, the typical weekend at my Mums and the reason why i can only go there twice/three times a year... my heart and liver would not be able to survive longer or more frequent.
On Fri 20th, i joined Euan, Sarah, and Neil at a Poker Tournament in the Maybury Casino on the outskirts of Edinburgh, we played Texas hold em no limit... 120 entered and we all made it through the first round, i had the least chips going into the final stage of the 4 of us so expected to go out first. But through hitting it big on 4 hands i was able to get enough chips to see me through to the final table and 9th place with a £100 prize... my first ever real life tourney winnings... I have won $800 and many lesser amounts online but this was my first real tourney win... I have to say Everyone was more chuffed than i was, i was just knackered and truly thought i had went out in 10th place missing the money, but as luck would have it someone went out just before me.
On Sat 21st, Rebecca and I went to a Friends (Irene) for dinner, i haven'thad such a good time for ages, great food, great wine, a flat mate of Irenes and 3 of her old friends and one of their husbands, 8 in all. Its good when you get a group of people together who are all open friendly and sharing, not trying to bring the conversation around to them, or being a wall flower, but participating and listening in equal amounts.
We discussed, everything from racism/sectarianismin football vs. other sport, too teaching and respect, too how we all met our partners. All of which i should write on later...
I hope that we can have more nights like this when we get out to OZ. A very good night but we paid for it in the morning, i was ill but Rebecca was at deaths door... aparently the 1 hr shoulder massage by Leslie a massuse friend of Irenes, must have released toxins into her body...nothing at all to do with the loads or red, rose, and champers she had... but it took her the rest of the weekend and a sizable amount of feeling sorry for herself, chips and crisps to recover!
Monday, October 09, 2006
VISA application accepted!!!!
Amazingly after on Thursday, thinking it would be another 3 mths waiting for my Visa, because i had to get a NI police check, plus who knows what else. Hearing from the embassy that they would not confirm receiving any of my forms nor would they say if there was any issues with what they had, always getting the response that if they need any further info they will contact me, and that i should not contact them... after all that i get out of the blue a letter on Saturday stating the Visa has been successful... what a relief!
I do feel there is major changes needed in how immigration processing is handled not only in OZ but the UK, there needs to be more information and a tracking process as this is such a big deal in peoples lives and we are paying £500 for the privilege..but for now WOOHOO the visa is through.
So long Edinburgh Winters...
Hello Sydney Winters...
I do feel there is major changes needed in how immigration processing is handled not only in OZ but the UK, there needs to be more information and a tracking process as this is such a big deal in peoples lives and we are paying £500 for the privilege..but for now WOOHOO the visa is through.
So long Edinburgh Winters...
 |
| From Scotland |
Hello Sydney Winters...
 |
| From George Gorman... |
Monday, October 02, 2006
Public Holidays & Deliveries
Just called the Australian Embassy to ask my new case officer if i needed to send in a NI police check since i hadn't lived there for 10 years.
I got his voice mail, he is an American guy, living in the UK and having an Australian public holiday today... the world just needs a reality check i think!
My wife, last week ordered some tops from Miss Selfridges, and asked for them to be delivered, for a charge of £5, she thought it was worth it as they didn't have those tops in the Edinburgh store when she looked.
So a few days later she gets a 'we called and you where not at home card' which by the way was on the ground in our communal stairway near the entrance, the courier hadn't even bothered coming up to our flat on the top floor. So she calls the number provided to organise a time to redeliver and the very unhelpful call centre lady states,
I'm sorry we don't deliver on a Saturday!...
Issue No. 1, why if we are paying a premium for delivery can they not deliver on a Sat?? who would be a typical buyer online... someone with not enough time to go to the store, someone who most likely works, someone who most likelyworks every day and so needs it delivered on a Sat. My wife paid £5 for delivery, i'm sure she would have been happy to pay £10 if it was a premium service to have the delivery on a Sat or before or after 9am-5pm.
Then she says
I'm sorry but we cant deliver to a work address it has to be residential
Issue No. 2, again the client of a web site will most likely be working and so cant just wait around their flat, between 7am and 7pm (the supposed times of delivery), so need to be able to have it delivered to a work address.
Then she says
I'm sorry but we can deliver to the shop for you to pick up, but we can leave it in the depot for you to come and Pick up... we then find out the depot is on the outskirts of Edinburgh (a £40 taxi ride, out and back).
Issue No. 3, Why cant it be sent to the shop, why do you have to pay £5 to then spend £40 going out to get the goods from the depot.
When will companies trying to sell to the online market realise that they have to change their fulfillment options as well to meet the needs of an internet purchaser. 80% of your market at least will be working and need a delivery to either their office, to the shop for pick up or on a Saturday, or at the very worst, a time set when it will be delivered, i.e. between 7-9am or 5 and 7pm so people can organise to leave work early or come in late to pick up the package.
Then, and the epic goes on, Rebecca asked for the package to be cancelled as she had no way to receive the goods, so the call centre woman said ok and 2 weeks on there has been no refund, so Rebecca is now forced to chase a customer care line which just rings out, with no one answering... seriously she has tried several times in a day and no responses.
So my advice... dont buy Miss selfridges online, and avoid sites that don't allow you to choose delivery dates or pay for a weekend delivery, the businesses will learn to meet demand eventually.
I got his voice mail, he is an American guy, living in the UK and having an Australian public holiday today... the world just needs a reality check i think!
My wife, last week ordered some tops from Miss Selfridges, and asked for them to be delivered, for a charge of £5, she thought it was worth it as they didn't have those tops in the Edinburgh store when she looked.
So a few days later she gets a 'we called and you where not at home card' which by the way was on the ground in our communal stairway near the entrance, the courier hadn't even bothered coming up to our flat on the top floor. So she calls the number provided to organise a time to redeliver and the very unhelpful call centre lady states,
I'm sorry we don't deliver on a Saturday!...
Issue No. 1, why if we are paying a premium for delivery can they not deliver on a Sat?? who would be a typical buyer online... someone with not enough time to go to the store, someone who most likely works, someone who most likelyworks every day and so needs it delivered on a Sat. My wife paid £5 for delivery, i'm sure she would have been happy to pay £10 if it was a premium service to have the delivery on a Sat or before or after 9am-5pm.
Then she says
I'm sorry but we cant deliver to a work address it has to be residential
Issue No. 2, again the client of a web site will most likely be working and so cant just wait around their flat, between 7am and 7pm (the supposed times of delivery), so need to be able to have it delivered to a work address.
Then she says
I'm sorry but we can deliver to the shop for you to pick up, but we can leave it in the depot for you to come and Pick up... we then find out the depot is on the outskirts of Edinburgh (a £40 taxi ride, out and back).
Issue No. 3, Why cant it be sent to the shop, why do you have to pay £5 to then spend £40 going out to get the goods from the depot.
When will companies trying to sell to the online market realise that they have to change their fulfillment options as well to meet the needs of an internet purchaser. 80% of your market at least will be working and need a delivery to either their office, to the shop for pick up or on a Saturday, or at the very worst, a time set when it will be delivered, i.e. between 7-9am or 5 and 7pm so people can organise to leave work early or come in late to pick up the package.
Then, and the epic goes on, Rebecca asked for the package to be cancelled as she had no way to receive the goods, so the call centre woman said ok and 2 weeks on there has been no refund, so Rebecca is now forced to chase a customer care line which just rings out, with no one answering... seriously she has tried several times in a day and no responses.
So my advice... dont buy Miss selfridges online, and avoid sites that don't allow you to choose delivery dates or pay for a weekend delivery, the businesses will learn to meet demand eventually.
Further Frustration
I received an email from the Australian Embassy on the weekend, which i was thinking would have been a response to my simple question 'have you received the post i sent you 3 weeks ago?'
But no, it was from a 3rd case officer who has totally ignored my requests for confirmation and is now asking me to provide a police check for Northern Ireland and too fill in a form 886 which asks me for the 3rd time where i will be living, and 2nd time what languages i speak, what qualifications i have, and at the end asks if i have a trade... its a yes or no question, it doesn't ask what that trade is... it could be butcher, baker, prostitute or igloo maker, i really am starting to despair at the bureaucracy involved in getting an Australian Spouse Visa.
My Wife had to produce a letter from me saying i was married to her and the marriage was legitimate, and she had to fill in a form detailing who she was and show evidence of us living together for 2 years, and that was it she then went to a centre in Glasgow and they processed her UK spouse visa leave to remain in UK that day...
But for the Australian spouse visa, i have had to
fill in 3 separate forms, provide 2 sets of 2 photos, show evidence of our last 2 years marriage, letters, cards from friends, joint bank accounts luckily we had all this gathered, for Rebecca's spouse visa application...
But on top of this, i had to provide 2 letters from Australians, with certified copies of their birth certs/or passports, certified by a lawyer or equiv in Australia to state they knew me and that my marriage was legitimate.
I had to provide a form from my wife detailing our history together, every holiday every trip, i had to provide details of every time i had left the UK in the last 10 years... that was 74 times, as i had worked in Poland and the US and travelled back n forth to the UK.
I had to have an AIDS check, and General health and xrays of my chest where done to ensure i wasn't carrying any health issues that might cost the Australian government money to care for me, down the line.
I also had to provide 2 police checks 1 for the UK from New Scotland yard, and 1 from the Lothian and Borders police for my time living in Scotland... I would have had to provide a police check for every country i had spent more than 10 mths living in over the last 10 years, so luckily i spent just less than that in Poland and the US.
But this gets me to this latest request from the embassy, one for a Northern Irish Police check.... a) i have not spent more than 10 mths in Northern Ireland since i was 18, b) why couldn't they have asked for this 6 weeks back when they asked for the UK and Scottish ones... and c0 no wonder the UK is in such a state if we have a different police system for each part... Criminals just need to move to a different part of the country to avoid a record...
Sigh... so i will call the embassy today and see if i can make them see sense, and convince them that i haven't spent 10 mths in NI over the last 10 years so don't need to spend the next 4 weeks trying to get a police check from them.
But no, it was from a 3rd case officer who has totally ignored my requests for confirmation and is now asking me to provide a police check for Northern Ireland and too fill in a form 886 which asks me for the 3rd time where i will be living, and 2nd time what languages i speak, what qualifications i have, and at the end asks if i have a trade... its a yes or no question, it doesn't ask what that trade is... it could be butcher, baker, prostitute or igloo maker, i really am starting to despair at the bureaucracy involved in getting an Australian Spouse Visa.
My Wife had to produce a letter from me saying i was married to her and the marriage was legitimate, and she had to fill in a form detailing who she was and show evidence of us living together for 2 years, and that was it she then went to a centre in Glasgow and they processed her UK spouse visa leave to remain in UK that day...
But for the Australian spouse visa, i have had to
fill in 3 separate forms, provide 2 sets of 2 photos, show evidence of our last 2 years marriage, letters, cards from friends, joint bank accounts luckily we had all this gathered, for Rebecca's spouse visa application...
But on top of this, i had to provide 2 letters from Australians, with certified copies of their birth certs/or passports, certified by a lawyer or equiv in Australia to state they knew me and that my marriage was legitimate.
I had to provide a form from my wife detailing our history together, every holiday every trip, i had to provide details of every time i had left the UK in the last 10 years... that was 74 times, as i had worked in Poland and the US and travelled back n forth to the UK.
I had to have an AIDS check, and General health and xrays of my chest where done to ensure i wasn't carrying any health issues that might cost the Australian government money to care for me, down the line.
I also had to provide 2 police checks 1 for the UK from New Scotland yard, and 1 from the Lothian and Borders police for my time living in Scotland... I would have had to provide a police check for every country i had spent more than 10 mths living in over the last 10 years, so luckily i spent just less than that in Poland and the US.
But this gets me to this latest request from the embassy, one for a Northern Irish Police check.... a) i have not spent more than 10 mths in Northern Ireland since i was 18, b) why couldn't they have asked for this 6 weeks back when they asked for the UK and Scottish ones... and c0 no wonder the UK is in such a state if we have a different police system for each part... Criminals just need to move to a different part of the country to avoid a record...
Sigh... so i will call the embassy today and see if i can make them see sense, and convince them that i haven't spent 10 mths in NI over the last 10 years so don't need to spend the next 4 weeks trying to get a police check from them.
Friday, September 29, 2006
frustration
I Have to say I'm not the most patient person in the world, but i understand bureaucracy has to turn its cogs when it comes to immigration and visa's...
However coming up to 3 weeks ago on Monday i sent in some final doc's requested by the embassy for my visa by registered post however i heard nothing back from the embassy in terms of confirming they received it.
So i sent an email asking for confirmation that they had my forms,... nothing, i sent a further email up beat and enquiring the same....nothing, so this week i sent another email asking the same saying i was getting concerned because i would have to spend a few weeks getting together replacement documents if the originals had been lost, so could they please confirm they received them......nothing, then wed i get an email saying my case officer is out of office until NOV 15th!!!, and that my case had been handed over to another....sooo i email her asking could she confirm they have received my forms....nothing....
Now I'm starting to get irked so i email today asking please, can they respond telling me if they have received my forms, otherwise i will have to go about getting replacements and finding out what happened to the originals... the response back i got.
------------
Dear Mr Gorman, Thank you for your message. I would like to advise that we are unable to confirm the receipt of post. When the documents you have sent are assessed you will be advised in writing if there are any additional documents required.
Yours sincerely
Blah Blah
------------
What does that mean?, does that mean they have the documents and they will respond in writing with further queries?, does it mean they cant confirm getting the mail! so maybe it hasn't arrived, or does it mean some strange immigration lingo for i cant be bothered handling your case because it was someone Else's work that is now on holiday and so when she gets back she will get back to you!
Argggghhhhh
However coming up to 3 weeks ago on Monday i sent in some final doc's requested by the embassy for my visa by registered post however i heard nothing back from the embassy in terms of confirming they received it.
So i sent an email asking for confirmation that they had my forms,... nothing, i sent a further email up beat and enquiring the same....nothing, so this week i sent another email asking the same saying i was getting concerned because i would have to spend a few weeks getting together replacement documents if the originals had been lost, so could they please confirm they received them......nothing, then wed i get an email saying my case officer is out of office until NOV 15th!!!, and that my case had been handed over to another....sooo i email her asking could she confirm they have received my forms....nothing....
Now I'm starting to get irked so i email today asking please, can they respond telling me if they have received my forms, otherwise i will have to go about getting replacements and finding out what happened to the originals... the response back i got.
------------
Dear Mr Gorman, Thank you for your message. I would like to advise that we are unable to confirm the receipt of post. When the documents you have sent are assessed you will be advised in writing if there are any additional documents required.
Yours sincerely
Blah Blah
------------
What does that mean?, does that mean they have the documents and they will respond in writing with further queries?, does it mean they cant confirm getting the mail! so maybe it hasn't arrived, or does it mean some strange immigration lingo for i cant be bothered handling your case because it was someone Else's work that is now on holiday and so when she gets back she will get back to you!
Argggghhhhh
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
In an effort to unify the contacts i have in business and IT i have joined Linkedin, and along with FriendsReunited, and this Blog i will hopefully be able to keep in regular contact with old Uni friends, work friends and family.
N - Day
Well i handed in my notice on Friday and have now announced it to my team, to be honest i am sad, there is a lot of opportunities open to DXL now that they have got themselves onto a solid platform and environment. I see a good future for several of their applications and honestly wish them well.
But its all about getting to Oz now, we have to look at selling/renting our flat, completing the Visa application and shipping our life to OZ.
Of course there has to be the organising of several leaving doo's, my Mum has already booked up my birthday so we will be going to N.I for that, Rebecca wants one last trip to Moscow and St Petersberg for late Oct, and I would like to see Amsterdam and have a final party with my ex Uni friends and ex All-Hotelers and DXL'ers.
Loads to do and plan and i just love stress....
But its all about getting to Oz now, we have to look at selling/renting our flat, completing the Visa application and shipping our life to OZ.
Of course there has to be the organising of several leaving doo's, my Mum has already booked up my birthday so we will be going to N.I for that, Rebecca wants one last trip to Moscow and St Petersberg for late Oct, and I would like to see Amsterdam and have a final party with my ex Uni friends and ex All-Hotelers and DXL'ers.
Loads to do and plan and i just love stress....
Friday, August 11, 2006
Visa off
So after much tooing and frooing, discussion and argument we have decided to move to OZ this year before we hit winter. Rebecca finds the winters quite tough and is missing her family and looking for a more settled life, i will miss the UK and of course will miss my family but have a lot to look forward to in OZ, warm weather, new opportunities and travel destinations to see. I will actually miss the company I'm working for as they are a good group of people.
So we downloaded the required documents and the Visa was sent off, luckily we had most of the required supporting material from Rebecca's application for a UK spouse Visa so it was quite quick. I just need to carry out a health check and police check to progress the visa now a process which should take several weeks...
When i handed in my Police check form yesterday to the most unhelpful police woman ever, first she refused to give me change of a £20 note, (the police check costs £10) then when i come back with the correct change she has a face like a bulldog eating wasps. Grunting and making effort noises all along... but its now in, and 6 weeks from now i should hopefully get a clean police record sent to me...
Health Checks are booked with the radiograpgher (xrays of chest to show im not bringing some chest disease into the country), and the doctor to give me a once over, and AIDS test. Which should all be complete by the time the police check is back.
So we downloaded the required documents and the Visa was sent off, luckily we had most of the required supporting material from Rebecca's application for a UK spouse Visa so it was quite quick. I just need to carry out a health check and police check to progress the visa now a process which should take several weeks...
When i handed in my Police check form yesterday to the most unhelpful police woman ever, first she refused to give me change of a £20 note, (the police check costs £10) then when i come back with the correct change she has a face like a bulldog eating wasps. Grunting and making effort noises all along... but its now in, and 6 weeks from now i should hopefully get a clean police record sent to me...
Health Checks are booked with the radiograpgher (xrays of chest to show im not bringing some chest disease into the country), and the doctor to give me a once over, and AIDS test. Which should all be complete by the time the police check is back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
