I have certainly become familiar with the feeling of frustration in recent weeks. More familiar than I ever wanted to be, that’s for sure. In my last post, I wrote about my boyfriend, Murray. Never fear, he’s not the source of my frustration (yet). The source of my frustration is the UK government.
Big surprise that government can make a person frustrated right? I know I’m not the first person, and certainly won’t be the last, to be frustrated by government run-around. It’s a time honored tradition for the government of every country to be impossibly complicated and defy straightforward logic. We simple citizens are surrounded by miles and miles of Red Tape. Allow me to explain (if I can).
I may have mentioned in my last post that I’m looking for a way to get back to Scotland. Last month I had the brilliant idea of getting a work visa and moving to Scotland for about 6-12 months. Should be an easy thing right? I get a visa, go to Scotland, find a job and a place to live, and enjoy having a normal relationship with Murray. In the process, I get my circle of friends back, learn to live away from home, become less dependent on my parents, and grow and develop a stronger since of myself and my abilities. A simple process if I’ve ever seen one.
Some of you are already laughing at my naive thoughts. I can hear you saying, “The government? Easy? Get real!” I am real now. It turns out that there are two basic kinds of visas. A work visa, and a student visa. To get a work visa, I need a job waiting for me in the UK. Someone tell me how I am supposed to get that job from 4,000 miles away. In addition to that little snag, there are several subcategories for work visas. I appear to fit into none of them. I’m not a migrant worker, I’m not a caregiver, I’m not part of a religious group, nor have I been invited to participate in a sports group. I’m just a simple girl who wants a job to get by on for awhile. Apparently I am the only person who has ever wanted that. I am an anomaly. Curse me for wanting something simple from a government program.
Getting a student visa also appears to be too complicated for words. I can’t have a full time job, nor depend on any public funds. I would have to support myself entirely. How does one do that without a job? I found a program offering something called a Blue Card that seemed promising. They would help me find a job and go to school. A good deal, right? Wrong. I’m not eligible because the program of study I’m currently a part of is an online program. According to the Blue Card people, online classes seldom count toward eligibility. Blast these impossibly complicated programs!!
So here I am, mired in frustration, fighting back tears as I try to figure out why nothing run by the government can be straightforward. I apologize to my friends and family (particularly Murray) who have had to deal with a rather unpleasant Brave Gal in their midst of late. I know inside my heart that this is the right thing for me to do, I know that I need this. I need to go to Scotland and experience a new and different life. For reasons I can’t understand, I’m being blocked at every turn. I’ve prayed and I haven’t felt God saying that this isn’t a good plan. Am I ignoring His signs, or am I missing the signs pointing the way? Am I too wrapped up in myself? Are my motivations not as pure as I like to think? Is there something wrong with this plan, something I can’t see because I’ve blinded myself to all the negatives? What on earth can I do to fix this, and push past the red tape out into an actual plan? I just don’t know what else to do.
Queen Kelley said,
August 18, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I am still very much in love with my husband, but I’ll admit there’s nothing quite like new love, and I imagine that the, shall we say, somewhat obsessive feelings are even more powerful when you’re separated by distance.
I’m sure it’s tough to face to many obstacles to what you perceive as being a noble and normal desire to get across the ocean for a while. I’m proud of you for even considering it. Try not to get too frustrated. I’m one of those people who believes that, if you do all you can to make something happen, it’s either going to happen or you’re going to realize you don’t need it to happen anyway.
Now press on, and share more about the Katie I know! You’re more than your frustrations.
Patrick M. said,
August 19, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I still love Kelley’s husband, too, but not quite like new love.
A wise man once said, “If everything was easy, nothing would be hard.”
Wait, that might have been me who said that.
bravegal10 said,
August 22, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Update: Frustration reared it’s ugly today when my advisor basically shot down a promising hope for a student exchange opportunity. I am not understanding why all doors appear to be slamming shut, and none opening. This type of frustration is extremely hard to fight. Is there someone out there who feels an overwhelming desire to sponsor a lonely, flustered woman to go overseas? Anyone?
Also, I can’t resist saying that I had to edit my sister’s post. She’s an editor, isn’t that ironic. She said she made mistakes because she was busy. I can’t imagine what was distracting her at the time, she only had two kids and a lovesick sister running around. Really, anyone should be able to achieve perfection with that.