June log

Travels:
Barcelona

Movies watched: He’s just not that into you, The Curious case of Benjamin Button, Terminator Salvation

Places visited: Waterloo South bank, World Naked Bike Ride in Hyde Park.

People seen: Polish dinner with Kinga+Miro, SY+Marek, Oskar + SB.

Work: Saw Seosaimb, possible position with Harvey.

Other: Birthday Month!

May log

Travels: 
Cotswolds: Stratford, Cirencester, Bourton-on-the-Water with S and A
Belfast: Dunluce castle, Giant’s causeway, the Titanic tour
 
Movies watched: Angels and Demons, The good, the bad, the weird GORA and AROG.

TV Series: Bones, Life, Dollhouse, Lie to me

Places visited: Tate Britain, National Gallery (Picasso). Westfield discovered. Camden market, Angel, The SciFi movie festival

People seen: South African dinner with friends (made Koeksisters)
Joan and Ross in Belfast
Selly and Jiyeon at the gallery
Drinks and dinner with DJ
Lunch and afternoon stroll with O and Sb

Work: started working on Java. Team changes announced. Application for new post.

Other: New Australian couple moves in. Suffered from flu. Hurt foot quite badly.

April log

Travels: Paris and Versailles
Canterbury, Leeds and Dover and Greenwich

Things seen: Mousetrap, Gran Torino, Changeling, The Reader

Places visited: Billingsgate fish market

Restaurants: River Cafe lunch special, YoshiSushi (꽃게탕 – Blue crab soup)

Others: Moved to a new house. Signed up at the gym, went to a doctor, dentist, optician. Went to Hammersmith Ram pub where T played the guitar. Felix had a stroke.

How the HR dept and a programmer view resumes

Even ancestral visas about to be abolished?

Email received this morning:

The historic links between Britain and hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth citizens are under threat as part of a government overhaul of migration rules.
A new points-based immigration system threatens to end a scheme under which Commonwealth citizens with a British grandparent are allowed to enter and settle in Britain.
The move will mainly affect people from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Zimbabwe who have used the “ancestral visa” scheme to come to Britain.

Under the historic visa scheme Commonwealth citizens who can prove that one grandparent was born in Britain are allowed to enter the country. They must also be prepared to work and keep themselves, without relying on the State. Crucially, after four years in Britain, they can apply for permanent settlement.
More than 60,000 Commonwealth citizens have entered Britain using the ancestral visa system in the past five years, and a smaller number has been allowed to settle permanently.
The disclosure that the future of the scheme is under consideration by the Home Office came after the issue was raised yesterday by the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee. A Home Office spokeswoman said that no decision had been taken.
She said: “We are consulting on the new points system for managed migration to cover routes to work, study and train in the UK. As we develop the new system we will consider how it relates to the existing routes, such as UK ancestry.”
More than 10,000 Commonwealth citizens were allowed to settle in the country in 2003 and 2004 on the basis that one of their grandparents was born in Britain.

The Government’s plans for a points-based migration system means that the focus will shift to attracting migrants to do key jobs.
This would close the door on low-skilled, non-EU workers settling in Britain. Only investors and skilled workers would be allowed to settle.
The new migration work scheme would have five tiers, with points linked to educational attainment and age. It is intended to replace the existing 50 ways that people can come to work and study in Britain.

Life’s unfair.

http://jmkee.egloos.com/4881227

Well it is true that the emotional factor counted greatly towards Paul Pott’s success. A whole army of singers who sing better, but perhaps without such a touching story, are probably struggling in the shadows. But then again, that’s again assuming that the world has to have some kind of justice, or at least a fair system that awards participants exactly according to their talents. Life is not fair. No such system exists. Another army of girls prettier than Britney,  who sing and dance better than Britney (and possibly emotionally more stable too!) didn’t make it. Not because Britney’s especially special. Any reasonably suitable girl could have taken her place. It just happens to be Britney.

Life’s not fair. Nor does it correctly recognize everyone’s merits. That’s why you just appreciate every small bit you get from life and keep trying. No guarantees, no patterns and no justice. That’s life.

Friend down with a stroke

I got a facebook message yesterday at eleven – F just had a stroke. He’s only 27 or so. I got such a fright and called T, F’s friend. Turns out that he had a stroke two days ago in the morning, but collapsed only in the evening. Although his left side of the body was paralysed temporarily, doctors assured that he’s stable, and likely to recover. I’m hoping to get updates again today.

Already three months in the UK

My husband and I landed on the 15th of Jan so it’s already been three months. In the short/long period of time we -

- moved twice

- I got a job

- travelled a bit (France this weekend, Windsor/Stonehenge/Bath last month)

- spent a LOT of money

etc.

So far I have no complaints. People are great. The new place we moved to is 10 minutes on foot from work and the housemates are fantastic. English food is not as bad as people make it out to be (although after the weekend in Paris, I am not so sure…) and there’s so much to do here. I am somewhat over the initial euphoria of ‘oh my god I can walk everywhere’ but I still enjoy walks.

Speed of time flow is inversely proportional to the experiences you have. Three months in South Africa used to fly past us, but now every week feels much longer. I supsect that is the true meaning of living a longer, fuller life.

Much harder to get into the UK now

You need a master’s degree to get the Tier1 visa now.

There were talks about it but I was sure the authorities wouldn’t be able to implement it so quickly. Turns out, they can: check here. The announcement was in February, and it now applies to all applicants submitted after 31st of March.

According to the announcement this should not affect those who have already received HSMP/Tier1 visas. Then again, you never know. Should the recession get worse, political climate may worsen rapidly. So I am considering doing a part-time master’s. The best I have found so far is the University of London external program. It will still cost a minimum of £8000+. It is worth having a look though.