Truants

 Our visa extension process came to a halt today as we ran into another snag.  Each day we have worked on the forms online.  (Interestingly enough, we received notice that the internet will be connected in two days!)  I googled how to extend a visa, and was not surprised that there are many attorneys waiting to help any hapless traveler obtain visas.  I think it really takes an attorney to wade through the instructions alone.

We discovered several things today:

If you are in the country and you have completed the application process online, you may stay here until a judgement is made.

The visa office was closed for months and is now open again.  However, they are so backlogged that they hardly know how to swim out of the situation they are in.  We waited exactly 2 hours today on the telephone to speak with a live person who could give us some direction.  I don't know how capricious they might be in deciding who stays and who doesn't, but it sounds like it could be as late as November before we know.  And if the decision does not go well, we may be returning to America soon thereafter.  There is no way to know what lies ahead.

We still have to make an appointment to get our biometrics done (fingerprints and photo).  We did that last year in Salt Lake City, but obviously this year we'll do it here.  There are several sites all over England where you can get it done,  Yet each site says there are no available appointments.  The lady on the phone said that as soon as whomever gets our applications, they will determine if we ought to be moved to the front of the line.  We will be notified when and where we can get that taken care of.

We made large payments for a health care card and the visa application, and the biometrics will be less.  I am left wondering how anyone who doesn't speak English well gets by.  I am also wondering if anyone gets in who doesn't have some extra money on hand.

All of these things we are learning come by way of telephone calls, emails, texts and reading and re-reading instructions.  The day sluggishly moves forward as we work.  The good news is that all the buttons have been pushed.  Everything we put on the applications is now set in stone.  It can't be changed.  But it is also now our of our hands.  Now we wait.

In the midst of all this we had visits from some of the young adults we love.  Ellie (who married last year) came by on her bicycle.  She is a nurse and is her way north to put in some more college work.  She and her husband will live there since he also will be attending college.  She rang the doorbell to our flat and then back out on her bicycle.  

I opened the kitchen window wide and leaned out to talk to her.  She was on her way to the train station and came to say goodbye....which we did separated by two stories.  She is cute, and looked so young.  She has copper-colored curls, a trim - almost boyish figure, beautiful skin with a light dusting of freckles, large eyes and bright-red lips.  She's cute.

Gabby and her husband Riley came to drop off two large bags of rice for the YSA meals and to say goodbye since they are leaving for the states.  We stood outside our flat visiting for about 20 minutes standing 10 or 12 feet from each other and all wearing masks.  They are both so talented, she sings and writes music beautifully and he is just gifted at whatever.  We will miss them.

Berklee called this afternoon and we visited for about an hour and a half.  She is also here in isolation before school starts.  We have spent a lot of time with her, and love her.  She told me that the authorities will call several times while we are in isolation, and if you don't answer, they may show up at your door!!!!

You may remember that #1 - our phones weren't working at first, #2 -  with the Church SIM cards now installed, the telephone numbers we put on the form when we entered the country are useless.  We are wondering if anyone is going to show up at our door to check on whether or not we are isolating.

Who knows, we may be calling one of you in the middle of your night to bail us out!


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