Ready to Go (Mostly)

I officially have everything I need to get to the UK and work!

As I said last post, my visa was accepted. Two business days later SWAP sent me my "final kit".
In it was my two passports, my current one has the visa pasted onto one of the pages. However, that was not all that was in it.

My final Kit from SWAP

SWAP also sent along a ton of useful info. Like info about bank accounts: what they require to get an account, how much they cost per month, how long you need to have the account for etc. Another thing SWAP sent was "The Swapper.s Guide to the UK" which has basically everything you need to know. From where the hosting centre is, sample resumes (called CV's in England), travel information, and so much more.

And, of course they sent some Government of Canada safety type guides. Which I'm sure have to helpful information, but are not nearly as interesting.

I have also booked my flights!

They were not the cheapest I could find, it's true, but they do seem the most flexible if I do have to come home early or something. (And I would only have saved 100 dollars, which doesn't make a huge difference when you're spending a thousand)

I'm going to be flying with Air Canada, leaving on May 7th and returning August 22nd. A total of 108 days I believe.

I've also been trying to use my UK network of relatives to see about finding possible jobs. Nothing has turned up so far, but I'm not too worried. Even I end up doing some menial job like washing dishes, I don't mind too much. I'd rather wash dishes in England than here at home! However, if any of you know of some fabulous job I could do for the summer, please let me know!

Stamped, Sealed, Sent, Accepted!

I guess I need to catch up a bit here. I've been pretty busy with school (and visa stuff) so updating has been on the back burner, which is probably good. It means I have got some sense of priorities!

So, when I left off I was just about to hand in my Visa application to my "travel counsellor" who couriered it to SWAP. I was surprised to find that it didn't take that long, I think it took 3 days.
Once the application had been lodged, I needed to get a bank letter (which was super easy it turns out) and book my Visa Application Centre (VAC) appointment to get my biometrics done (fingerprints and digital photo). That was interesting....

To go to my VAC appointment I had to skip school because it was only open Monday to Friday, which meant I could only go every other Monday or Thursdays. Luckily I was able to get one the Monday after the application was lodged at 1:15.
Unfortunately the ferries do not run when I want them to run, therefore I had to catch the 9am ferry (which means leaving my house at 8, but only because I had a car...busing would have been much earlier!). That was not a problem, and even getting to the VAC from the ferry was a piece of cake. A little long, but straightforward.
I knew I was going to have some time to spare, but since the centre was downtown Vancouver I figured I could wander around a bit and grab some lunch. The weather didn't think that was such a good idea because it decided to snow/slush/rain. Oh well...
I ate a delicious bagel and went to the VAC a little early, to make sure I could find the place, and I didn't want to miss the appointment.
What a joke that was!

Taken from http://www.explainthatstuff.com/fingerprintscanners.html

When I arrived, the woman was 2 hours behind. Not kidding.
I could have gone back out, and window shopped or something I guess, but as I said, the weather wasn't particularly inviting. So I read a book while I waited, which was fine in and of itself. I just happened to be waiting for 2 and a half hours.
I finally got to go in, and it was 15 minutes. Tops. She scanned things, stamped things, shoved everything into an envelope. I put my fingers on a scanner, and sat for a picture. The end.
And then I had to go home.
But I missed the bus to the ferry (which only go every hour), so I missed the 5pm ferry. This resulted in an hour wait at the bus station in the middle of nowhere, and then another hour at the ferry terminal.
I got home at 9:30.
Such a long day, all for getting my fingerprints taken...

However, it is now Friday, and my Visa has been accepted by the British High Consulate in New York! I'm officially allowed to work in the UK for two years as of May 7th!

Other good news, is that the company I applied with to work during the Olympics would like me to come in for a training day once I'm in England. I'll need to find another job beforehand, but at least it's something!

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Olympics

Next step: flights!

Looking up London

As many of you know, I'm in University. And what do University students do best? Procrastinate!
Nowadays, my procrastination generally involves things about London. But who can blame me!?

For example, yesterday I learned that London's West End is playing almost every musical I've ever wanted to see. So, as my mother put it "Live on peanut butter: go to musicals :)"

Wicked

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_(musical)

Billy Elliot

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Elliot_the_Musical

The Lion King

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King_(musical)

Les Mis

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Misérables_(musical)

Chicago

Taken from http://www.londonwestendtheatretickets.com/playdetails.asp?showid=1003

Singing in the Rain

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singin'_in_the_Rain

There are some that I've already seen (but would be more than willing to see again!) like Mamma Mia!, The 39 Steps, The Wizard of Oz and The Phantom of the Opera

And some that I've never heard of but sound pretty cool, such as:

•Ghost The Musical   -based on the movie with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze

•Thriller Live   -based on the music of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5

• Shrek The Musical

And so many more! And honestly, I'd go see any of them!

I may have also decided to watch movies set in London.

For example: Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant

Julia Roberts just happens to play a girl named Anna =)

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notting_Hill_(film)

But I'm probably getting ahead of myself..

I still have a bunch of things to do before I get to London.

Such as finishing the semester.

And exams.

Oh well!

Oh the Visa Process..

So, I think I'm finally going to be able to hand in my visa application. Hopefully.
As I knew it would, the Visa has been a bit of an adventure. Little did I know that it would start with printing the darn thing off...

Of course it wasn't as easy as just plugging the printer cord into my computer and pressing print, but I didn't realize that at first. So, 9 pages later I realize that it doesn't fit on letter size paper, I would have to go find some legal size. None of my roommates had some, and neither did Spencer's. I went to the bookstore, they didn't have any either. Luckily, the photocopy shop in the student union building did, because I would not have been impressed if I had to bus to Staples to buy some.. Anyways, I bought 11 thinking that 2 extra pages would be just fine to figure out how to print with legal size on my printer. Of course I was wrong. It took 6.
The manual feeder wouldn't work, it kept jamming.
I couldn't figure out how to elongate the tray until I finally downloaded the manual from the internet.
I made the tray longer, it still jammed, but less often.

I eventually had 5 out of 9 pages printed...had to buy more paper. Sigh.

So, I started filling it out. Most of the questions were pretty straightforward, and SWAP did provide me with step-by-step instructions. I had some questions, so I went to see my "travel counsellor", he emailed some SWAP coordinator, and their response was something along the lines of "read the welcome package". Thanks SWAP, I didn't think to do that first...
I think I have it filled out properly though. Fingers crossed!

All filled out!

I also need to submit a passport photo with the Visa application. It said one colour passport photo (45mm by 35mm) in my Welcome Package. I assumed that was regular Canadian Passport size, honestly, how was I to know differently? Alas, I come home with my photo (after going to Walmart, where the portrait studio was closed because my mum and I took too long eating dinner, and then going to London Drugs), and looked at the dimensions. It was not 45mm by 35mm.
Not impressed. SO not impressed...

So, tomorrow after class I will be going to get more passport photos.
Then I will be photocopying everything.
And handing my Visa application in (which includes a list of times I've been out of the country in the last 10 years. Which is a lot. I guess they want to make sure I'm not a terrorist).

Current passport, old passport, unusable passport photo!

Hopefully, everything will go smoothly after that.. but I still need to get a bank letter and go to Vancouver for biometric testing. So we'll see.

Next Step - Visa!

Once I registered with SWAP, they said they'd email me a welcome package within 2-3 days. It arrived the next day which impressed me! In it are all the steps to apply for my Youth Mobility Visa.

Visa's are not an short process:
-I have 2 lengthy forms to fill out
-I have to get passport photos (for my visa, I already have a passport)
-I have to mail in my passport, as well as any expired passports or a written explanation of where my expired passports are
-I have to have a bank statement showing I have enough funds to support myself before I get a job
-I also have to go to Vancouver to get my fingerprints and digital photograph taken.. and the centre is not open on weekends. Looks like I'll be skipping class folks.

And these are just the things I remember off the top of my head!
I also have to get these things done in the next 2 weeks so that my visa has time to be processed, and returned etc. Guess I'm going to be a busy girl in the next while, balancing this with all my school work!

More exciting news!
As soon as I was registered, SWAP was able to give me information on applying to work during the Olympics. I sent in an application yesterday, and they want me to submit an interview video!

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Olympics

Encouragement has come from everywhere, which is wonderful! I've had offers of contacts from multiple places, not just my own family. Also, within one day of my blog being up I've had over 100 views, and visitors from 7 countries (including Canada)! I don't even know people from one of the countries (Spain)!

Registered!

I officially registered with SWAP this afternoon to start the process of moving to the UK to work for the summer.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_flags

It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'll be going.
Partly because I still won't be leaving for 2 months, and I have a billion things to do before then.
And partly because I didn't find out about the SWAP program until last Wednesday, and it's only Monday. It all happened really quickly.

SWAP is a Canadian program that helps young people, students and non-students alike, to get visas for a variety of countries, and provides support before leaving and after you arrive. Visit www.swap.ca for more detailed info.

Out of all the countries available, I chose the UK for a variety of reasons:
a) They speak English. For my first long term travel abroad by myself, I figured baby steps are in order.
b) I have a ton of family who live there, who will be willing to help me out, guide me around, or give me a place to crash as I roam around
c) I love history. England is full of history. Queens, Castles, Shakespeare, Oh my!
d) Harry Potter and The Beatles (just kidding! kind of...)

Anyways, I think it will be a good experience and a lot of fun!
My parents have been especially supportive of me in this endeavour, for which I'm extremely grateful. As soon as I brought it up they were all for it. In fact all my family are very encouraging. As is Spencer, which means a lot to me.