Another Anniversary

Yes, it was a year ago today, February 20, 2006, that I arrived at Heathrow airport, ready for my grand British adventure...living and working in the UK! There was definitely a rough patch in there. At first I was all excited to finally be here, having had to wait almost a year to get everything in order to move, and then a few months after being here I hit a rough patch--largely due to intensely disliking the rotation I was on, feeling bored and useless, although it also took awhile to make friends and get settled in. And since then, I've pretty much been loving it, and so I'm staying! I'm in the process of waiting to interview for a Senior II position here, but I will continue to apply for other neuro rehab jobs, though I don't expect to get very far with that since I need a work permit :(

A Canadian girl that I met on the yoga weekend told me that I should look at the Highly Skilled Migrant Visa (HSMV) again, because the regulations changed recently. So I did, I used the bloody HSMV calculator for all the good that it did me (yes, I'm still sulking about it). Ironically, if I had stayed in the US for another year, I would have qualified for the visa, which would have meant I could work anywhere I wanted to/could get a job (I wouldn't need a work permit, the visa itself would have entitled me to work). But because I have been living and working here, at a much lower salary level, I miss out on qualifying by 10 points. Argh. However, there's no guarantee I would have still moved here had I waited another year, nor that I would have been able to find work (given the current job shortage). So there you have it. I continue to require a work permit.

To change the topic completely, HAPPY PANCAKE DAY! I remember writing a little post last year on why it is pancake day, so I won't repeat myself, but I do intend to gorge myself on crepe-like pancakes with lemon and sugar before heading out to the theatre in the West End to celebrate my anniversary. Hope everyone is having a good week so far.