Hello friends and family and neighbours and passers-by
My new and personal domain is now up and running – my blog has been moved here and I will be adding so much more to the experience
Please join me there for future updates and a selection of photography, health and lifestyle information, and FOOD PORN!
love
A
After collecting my passport from HA on Tuesday, I then made copies of everything, got them certified (at the police station – pretty sure those guys are starting to recognise me…) and took them to Postnet to send off via DHL.
They said 2 to 3 working days – so most likely there on Wednesday the next week.
Super!
They said sometimes the Germans like to open document packages and “query” them… which takes about 2 weeks extra.
I blanched. The lady said “but that’s VERY seldom!” when she saw my face.
So, that was done.
And, thankfully, it arrived on Wednesday afternoon.
I *heart* DHL. I tracked it ALL the way to courier and delivery. I even know which one of my husband’s fellows signed for it.
Thank you Diaz!
The man could do nothing, as it is (yet another) 4 day weekend for them, and he was driving all day Thursday.
So he will begin all the processes to enroll me, on Tuesday this week coming.
It was a weight off my mind when I got the mail to say the documents had arrived.
It’s all a waiting game, but at last this one thing is done. One more step closer to my man. One more check list item with a tick next to it.
Ball is in his court now, and hopefully all the help he was offered by work will actually come through.
This part CAN take months – I hope it doesn’t, if his bosses step up and help, it shouldn’t.
Then I start the German process.
Not sure I can do that without my originals. They do require copies of everything, but they need my original passport etc.
I guess I can fill in the forms so long.
And get my international drivers license? Will that work with a certified copy of my new passport?
They only need verification – they don’t put the license in my passport or anything.
I’ll research that a bit more.
Will also do what my friend K did (the Princess) for the green card interviews.
She got hers recently – nice and smooth.
She said she read everything about it and had everything ready.
I want to be ready too.
I want everything to go smoothly and easily.
I’m tired of hitches and issues.
And “you can’t do this if you don’t do this”
It’s mentally draining. Emotionally tiring.
SO anyway… everything has begun… or.. _will_ begin on Tuesday next week!
I’m excited.
But also wary – I don’t want to get my hopes up.
But the Universe is behind me, I know this.
Just have to be positive. And believe that it will all be ok.
At least I can hear out my right ear again – thanks to Megs for the Waxsol suggestion.
Waxsol! Waxoff!
But I think it’s now infected my throat. Cos it is SORE.
Anyhoo.
Life goes on
and I love my husband so much.
Can’t wait to be with him.
got my text from Home Affairs around 9am today – saying my passport had been dispatched to WHA.
i then got a text around 1300 saying it had arrived at WHA and was ready for collection – so I RACED to HA (Broomhilda took offense at my bad driving and did her jerky jerky stall thing most of the way there and all the way home) after work and dashed inside.
(parking guard tapping his watch as I ran passed – they close at 5pm)
“vinnig vinning, mevrou!” he said
While I was there, I asked about my birth certificate too, which was about 5 months now (2 to 3 months they said and I applied in October last year) and apparently I must be on some sort of “watch list” now (after throwing my toys quite vehemently last time) because the guy JUMPED to help and went and spoke to the head of that department and she gave me her direct line and said she would check it out in the morning etc. Which is pretty cool.
I should have asked about my marriage license too… the unabridged one.
I’ll mail Andred about that.
so now i have my passport.
now the real processes can begin!
Have to DHL my stuff – need to make copies and get them certified before i send them of course. So i can start things on my side too.
Not that i can start much – oh! can get my international drivers license!
That’s a step.
so tired
what an awful day
but that’s at least one bright little light in my day.
we carry on
tally ho
on the beaches
in the trenches
and f**k you stupid blonde freshman – so WHAT if I am a geek? So what if I tripped? You’re not in high school any more, grow up.
“I’ll step down in September…” he says… and “I was not going to run for another term of office…” he says…
How come he didn’t announce that before?
Because it’s bullshit. Everybody knows it.
September ain’t soon enough, dude – get the hint from the PEOPLE… the MILLIONS of them out there on your doorstep.
The ones you are trying to burn alive and beat down and shoot…
oh snap!
and then Home Affairs let me down.
badly.
i was so ready to be enthusiastic and positive – and not be one of THOSE people who do nothing but complain about DHA… but alas… i am now one of those people.
I applied for my new ID and Passport, together, on the 6th of January. Fingerprints done. Photos in. Paid for.
Yesterday (the 18th – coincidentally the 1 month anniversary of our marriage) I get a DHA text saying they “acknowledge receiving APPLICATION for ID” on the 18th.
Guys.
seriously?
2 weeks later and you have only SUBMITTED the ID document?
What about the passport?
It was STAPLED TO THE ID DOCUMENT!!!!
WHERE THE F**K DID THAT GO?
SO I called the toll free DHA number – no help – no record of my passport being submitted. And yes… according to them, i only submitted my form yesterday for my ID.
i nearly cried. with frustration and anger.
EVERYTHING rides on getting that passport – ID i’m not really bothered about, as I will only use that for South African things – but no other processes can begin until I get that document.
i am gutted.
i feel… deflated like an empty foil packet from a box of wine.
i am SO let down by them… and i was totally their cheerleader before – telling everyone how GREAT and how EFFICIENT Wynberg Home Affairs was.
So tomorrow I am going there after work – hopefully it won’t be busy – and I am going to beg and cry and scream and throw my toys until SOMETHING gets done.
Going to take extra photos, just in case. But I’ll NOT be paying again. NO f**king way.
So. DHA, Wynberg – you have lost a very keen voice for your cause.
You won’t get it back unless you perform miracles tomorrow.
seriously.
Got a letter from Lulu Publishing to tell me that my book, The Photographer’s Choice, is still published and available on Amazon.com (and eBay too apparently)
Pretty cool! Didn’t have to do a thing – was selected a few years ago and voila…
Now I need to get my butt in gear and make a new and updated Volume 2, and maybe some personalised ones for people.
Can still make calendars too. Just haven’t had the time – but will have it soon!!!
I *heart* Lulu.com…
Everyone gets the Monday blues. Well, everyone who works an office job, gets the Monday blues.
2 months and 21 days till I am no longer at this office job. Â 11 Mondays. Â 11 weekends.
I should add a count down widget or something. Just to help me get through without losing my marbles.
And in much sadder news – Another victim of this stupid war.
RIP Ethan H. 7 January 2011. IED. Too close to home.
Fuck you Taliban.
One: The babe and I have decided that we absolutely positively MUST have 2 or 3 of these:
http://www.fatsak.co.za/products/view/fatsak/size:1
And B:
This is probably one of my all time favourite photos of my amazing man:
Don’t know why, but it just is.
Ok so at some point in October, my amazing man decided that we needed to stop this long distance hogwash, and Be Together.
He asked me to marry him – it was a mutual decision after much discussion – not so much an “OH WOW!” proposal as an “I think it would be awesome, what do you think?” kind of thing. We both agreed – it would be sheer brilliance.
I said it would NOT be Official until he got there in December and got down on one knee and did the whole asking thing. I wanted that. It was actually my only condition in this whole thing. He agreed.
So unofficially we were engaged.
It was surreal.
And so I started planning things and getting quotes and looking for a dress.
This was going to be the most totally awesome laid back relaxed Saffy wedding we could possibly want/afford/organise in such a short time.
Luckily I had the help of my amazing friends, and my steady and full-of-ideas mother. Â I wasn’t panicked – EVER. I wasn’t stressed – EVER. No seriously. The number of shop assistants and people who said “OMG! THIS Saturday?! Why are you so freakishly calm!?” led me to believe that I am some sort of wedding mutant. But I’m totally cool with that. Oh and the comments about my bizarrely skinny and long fingers added to that.
Only time I felt any anxiety of any sort, was the few steps I took down the stairs (I didn’t fall! Much to my future husbands pride) (to have my arm grabbed by my socially shy brother who went WAY out of his comfort zone, to give me away – his offer) and down the (very short) aisle (with the soothing sounds of Bob Marley’s 3 Little Birds as my wedding anthem) towards my future husband. He looked calm. But that was a facade, as his voice gave a warble a few times when we spoke our vows. It was adorable. And it made me feel so much better. He always makes me feel better. About so many things. But I digress….
This moment of panic was brief – my heart pounded its way up my throat for a few moments and then slowed to a normal speed after that. My hands had also stopped shaking by the time I had to put the ring on his finger. Luckily the ceremony was short (and very sweet) and before we knew it we were signing the register. Slightly dazed looking.
It was done. I was Mrs V. Then the party started!
I’m still pretty much wafting on a cloud – of happiness and sheer disbelief. I’m a married woman.
I have a husband.
I’ve introduced him now to a few people and paused… strangely.. “And this is my … <breath> Â husband.”
It’s both weird and wonderful.
I love it.
I love him. He loves me.
Now we can move FORWARD together. Looking in the same direction – but never losing what makes us each special – our individuality.
Now also comes the extraordinarily fun bit – lots of paperwork and red tape and changing names and changing details. (That was sarcasm, in case you missed it)
And the waiting.
Lots of waiting.
The Harmonious Crow 