We're waiting to hear from prospective tenants, waiting for my remote network fob, waiting for the family passports, waiting to buy airline tickets for the family, waiting.
It's hard to wait.
I'm not sure this is a good post to my blog, but it'll have to do for today.
Dave
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Patience and Faith
It occurred to me today how much patience and faith are related.
I had an appointment with the British Consulate to get my visa today. I allowed an hour to travel the 17 miles from my office to the Consulate. I knew the 405 would be congested this morning, so I took surface streets. Lincoln Blvd was all torn up and down to two lanes, that weren't moving. So I cut over to Sepulveda and wound my way through the streets of west LA. I had to call my friend Patrick to help with directions and he helped a lot. But at 9:27 I was still a few miles away. I called my family and asked them to pray that I'd get there in time (even though I knew that it was physically impossible). I got to the Consulate at 9:40 for my 9:30 appointment. I was a little stressed, but since I knew they were praying for me, I just kept going. When I finally got through security and up to the 12th floor, the very nice security officer let me know they were running a little behind and not to worry. He told me where to sit, what forms to copy before I got to the window. There were about 15 people in the waiting area already, so I took a seat. After one more person, they called my name, I went right up, handed in my papers and everything went great. No problems. In fact, it went so smoothly and quickly, I forgot to ask about whether I could have my family come over for less than 6 months without a visa!
I had to return later this afternoon to pick up my passport with its new visa inside, and I asked the question then. Yes, if they are coming to "visit" for less than 6 months, they do not need a visa. That's a savings of $2100!
So here's where faith and patience fit in: I had to be patient with the traffic and not get flustered by my circumstances. I had to have faith that if God was to make this happen, it would happen in His time, not mine. And what good would it do to get things done outside of His timing? It would be like eating fruit from trees that we weren't invited to eat from.
Dave
I had an appointment with the British Consulate to get my visa today. I allowed an hour to travel the 17 miles from my office to the Consulate. I knew the 405 would be congested this morning, so I took surface streets. Lincoln Blvd was all torn up and down to two lanes, that weren't moving. So I cut over to Sepulveda and wound my way through the streets of west LA. I had to call my friend Patrick to help with directions and he helped a lot. But at 9:27 I was still a few miles away. I called my family and asked them to pray that I'd get there in time (even though I knew that it was physically impossible). I got to the Consulate at 9:40 for my 9:30 appointment. I was a little stressed, but since I knew they were praying for me, I just kept going. When I finally got through security and up to the 12th floor, the very nice security officer let me know they were running a little behind and not to worry. He told me where to sit, what forms to copy before I got to the window. There were about 15 people in the waiting area already, so I took a seat. After one more person, they called my name, I went right up, handed in my papers and everything went great. No problems. In fact, it went so smoothly and quickly, I forgot to ask about whether I could have my family come over for less than 6 months without a visa!
I had to return later this afternoon to pick up my passport with its new visa inside, and I asked the question then. Yes, if they are coming to "visit" for less than 6 months, they do not need a visa. That's a savings of $2100!
So here's where faith and patience fit in: I had to be patient with the traffic and not get flustered by my circumstances. I had to have faith that if God was to make this happen, it would happen in His time, not mine. And what good would it do to get things done outside of His timing? It would be like eating fruit from trees that we weren't invited to eat from.
Dave
Monday, August 27, 2007
Good News/Bad News
The good news is that I went back to the website and someone else had cancelled their appointment, and I grabbed it for tomorrow. This is good news because I should be able to get my Entrance Clearance in a day and be cleared to go.
The bad news is that I have to pay $420 for each of my other family members to bring them--$2100!!
This is not the easy process that simple travel is. If we were just visiting, it wouldn't cost us anything, but the regular airfare, hotel, food, etc. But since there's work and money involved, it's not easy. The governments all have clever ways of separating people from their money. Ah well, it's an adventure, right?
I'm hoping that if I delay their arrival so that they are coming for less than 6 months, there might be some relief on this. Six months seems to be some magic number for them.
If anyone else is planning this kind of thing, 6 months is a very magical number for the UK Home Office. If you can get your contract under 6 months, the immigration part will be much easier.
Dave
The bad news is that I have to pay $420 for each of my other family members to bring them--$2100!!
This is not the easy process that simple travel is. If we were just visiting, it wouldn't cost us anything, but the regular airfare, hotel, food, etc. But since there's work and money involved, it's not easy. The governments all have clever ways of separating people from their money. Ah well, it's an adventure, right?
I'm hoping that if I delay their arrival so that they are coming for less than 6 months, there might be some relief on this. Six months seems to be some magic number for them.
If anyone else is planning this kind of thing, 6 months is a very magical number for the UK Home Office. If you can get your contract under 6 months, the immigration part will be much easier.
Dave
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Baby steps
I got my work permit approved, hooray!! I thought that was the big hurdle in getting into the UK. Well it was one of them. Next I had to apply for a VISA, no small task. The online application took me about 2 hours to complete. Fortunately, you can save it and go back, but still...
Another odd thing about the application process is that I couldn't use a lower case "t" without copying and pasting it. I finally gave up and started typing everything in all caps.
In a number of places on the website, they tell you that you must complete the application process before you can make your appointment to get to the VISA office at the embassy. But not until I had paid the $420 fee did I find out that the soonest appointment I could make was Sept 11th! I'm not superstitious about that day, but it is about 4 days after I'm supposed to leave to get to England. Dang!
I'll have to call them on Monday to see if there's any way to either mail my application or get an earlier appointment.
Dave
Another odd thing about the application process is that I couldn't use a lower case "t" without copying and pasting it. I finally gave up and started typing everything in all caps.
In a number of places on the website, they tell you that you must complete the application process before you can make your appointment to get to the VISA office at the embassy. But not until I had paid the $420 fee did I find out that the soonest appointment I could make was Sept 11th! I'm not superstitious about that day, but it is about 4 days after I'm supposed to leave to get to England. Dang!
I'll have to call them on Monday to see if there's any way to either mail my application or get an earlier appointment.
Dave
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Nothing New
Not much new to report today, but I feel strangely compelled to write something here. I told my friend Patrick today that this feels a little like writing on the bathroom wall to keep in touch with my friends, but it's much cleaner.
I still don't know what's the status of my work permit.
Dave
I still don't know what's the status of my work permit.
Dave
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Starting Out
Three weeks from now, I'll be in London, starting work on Prince Caspian. I'm not sure how much about the actual production I'll be able to write about (probably not much). But I'll be posting my adventures of working overseas, finding housing, using the public transportation, and maybe even some Houdini tips and tricks as I learn them.
Right now, I'm wondering how long it takes to get a work permit, since that's the piece that I have no control over and there seems to be some doubt as to whether it will be done in time for me to get on the airplane. It all becomes a big exercise in faith.
Right now, I'm wondering how long it takes to get a work permit, since that's the piece that I have no control over and there seems to be some doubt as to whether it will be done in time for me to get on the airplane. It all becomes a big exercise in faith.
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