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First blog post
This is the post excerpt.
my journey to remain
This is the post excerpt.
This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it, or start a new post. If you like, use this post to tell readers why you started this blog and what you plan to do with it.
DAY 321
It had never been my life‘s ambition
To bring into fruition
More than one nationality
Now I am going for number three
(If you count East Germany )
You will not believe it
I got married today
In a snowflake flurry
To the Isle of Theresa May
We have been courting
For 25 years
Mutually supporting
Each other as peers
We shared many a sandwich
We did not need stealth
I learned your language
And helped with your health
The last 18 months have been very hard
As somehow you refused to play your part
I thought we‘d agreed to stay together
Facing the worse and the better
We have come to an agreement
That allows me to vote
To voice my opinion
And For you to take note
From today I am British
I am happy to say
I no longer feel skittish
About being able to stay
The ceremony was respectful
To the seven of us
Who boarded successful
The citizen bus
They gave us some shortbread
And a wee cup of tea
Then we left city chambers
Deportation anxiety free
There is still a chance that we may part
You are asking why?
Well- there is the issue of Scotland
For a start
They sent me a letter
It was very brief
Do I feel better?
It is a relief
After months of agonising
And using gin for tranquillising
It is just sinking in
I can now join my kin
At the polling station
For the next election in this nation
I am happy to say
I was given the right to stay
I am happy and sad
Because Brexit is quite mad
It makes no sense and us Europeans feel bad
It makes us have to chose
If our current place we don’t want to lose
I hope it turns out alright
For anyone who wants to join-
That they might
For me
A day to remember
the 6th of November
”Those who already have permanent residence will have to reapply although the process will be as “streamlined” as possible.”- This is the statement that propels me to put down some more musings. Musing is possibly not the right word- because I am not in a state of contemplation or reflection or deliberation or rarely in celebration. I am bloody angry. I wish somebody would be brave enough to say: Let’s stop cutting our nose to spite our face.
After passing the language test I went to Dunfermline and lodged my citizenship application, paid my fee of £1282 and was told the process takes 4-6 months. Three weeks later I received a letter sending me to a specialist post office- this time in Dundee to have my biometrics taken- finger prints that is. Imagine my relief when the person behind the counter told me the machine had just got fixed 10 minutes ago. £19.95 later and I was wondering what if I had gotten somehow on the Interpol wanted list? This was followed by quiet hope when the passport office sent me a text the next day telling me by 24th June I would know if they either wanted more information or required me to come for interview or I would get my passport be then. I could not decide if the date had been chosen as commemoration of the Brexit vote date the year before or tied in somehow with my birthday. But surely the Home Office would not be that considerate to me personally- and it was not. Each day I drove home in quiet anticipation- Would my shiny British passport be waiting for me? (That is assuming I am allowed to join the nation and am not on the Interpol wanted list or not working hard enough in the NHS). But it was not. Imagine when the bell rang on my birthday and I lept to the door expecting the postie in his red polo shirt- and it was a friend- bringing me FLOWERS!
It is Monday today, the anticipated date passed and now I have read: ”Those who already have permanent residence will have to reapply although the process will be as “streamlined” as possible.”
Am I really back to the beginning? I feel my blood pressure going the same way as my stress level. I must admit I did look at at job adverts in Germany last week and am starting to wonder when this home will start to feel not like home anymore.
Only some people know today what they will be doing on Saturday. I am one of them. I will be sitting an English language test. I am angry and frustrated – not only there was no plan for Brexit- there is also no empathy or consideration for European citizens who have found themselves to be in the position to apply for citizenship. Note my use of English after almost 25 years in Britain, working in the NHS in a very language based job is excellent. Yet I will have to sit a GCSE type exam to prove I can speak the lingo. I have sat extensive exams and have supportive statements from the GMC and the Royal College of Psychiatrists- which count for nothing. I am very frustrated and disheartened by the process.
I might submit my blog to the Home Office with my application- but unfortunately I do not think anybody will care.