Just a quick note: I received my actual green card in the mail on Friday, so fortunately they didn’t decide to send it to the US… Now I will just have to go sit in Immigration for my residency stamp and ID card, and then go sit in Social Welfare to get my PPS number (like a Social Security number).
I also was able to put in an application for a bank account, which should be active on Monday, so I can start receiving money, spending money, etc. through a local account. The Irish have this thing about proof of address. It’s hard to get anything without proof of address. It baffles me how you could go into a place and say, “Hi, I would like to give you money for service,” to which they respond, “we only take money from people who receive utility bills (the most common proof of residence).” I was able to use a letter from my work to get my bank account only because my employer happens to have accounts with the bank I am applying to, but otherwise proof of employment is not enough. I know the premise behind this, specifically for banks (they have had a lot of problems in the past with shady international bank dealings), but geez! I’m sure it’s only really bad because I’m a “foreigner”, but it’s still crap… In any case, it’s all working out, so I can’t complain too much…only if it’s funny…to me…at least…
It feels good to start getting things more solidified, though. Now I get to start apartment hunting, which is likely to be the least fun and most disappointing part of my immigration process, but we will leave that for another post.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
NEWS FLASH!
This time it’s for real…well…mostly!
Yesterday they received a copy of my Green Card at work (they send a copy to the employer and the original to the employee…me), which means I get to stay in the country!
Woohoo! Woohoo! Woohoo!
I feel like that excited Japanese guy on Heroes (great show)!
I didn’t receive the original yesterday (hence the mostly), but it should come today. In any case, I am officially employed and can start making things more permenant!
Time to go to work…
Yesterday they received a copy of my Green Card at work (they send a copy to the employer and the original to the employee…me), which means I get to stay in the country!
Woohoo! Woohoo! Woohoo!
I feel like that excited Japanese guy on Heroes (great show)!
I didn’t receive the original yesterday (hence the mostly), but it should come today. In any case, I am officially employed and can start making things more permenant!
Time to go to work…
Monday, March 19, 2007
NEWS FLASH!
No…no Green Card yet, but they are still plodding along.
The real news is that Mariah has bought her plane ticket and will be leaving Portland the morning of April 3rd and arriving in Ireland the morning of April 4th (the 8 hour time difference makes for 24 hour travel). Hopefully I will have my Green Card before she leaves (they have been moving slower than expected in processing), but all that really matters is that she will be here.
I should be fully working by then, but conveniently she arrives just before Easter weekend, which is typically a four day holiday weekend in Ireland (Easter Monday is a bank holiday – aka a day off for everyone – and then my work closes up for Good Friday the Friday before, though it is not a bank holiday). I am taking off the day Mariah arrives and the day after as well, so we will have a good six day vacation together before I have to get back into the grind and she has to sit in line at the immigration office and then find herself a job.
It will have been seventy-seven days, seventeen hours, and thirty-some-odd minutes of being without her and I am and will be more than ready for that time to be over.
The real news is that Mariah has bought her plane ticket and will be leaving Portland the morning of April 3rd and arriving in Ireland the morning of April 4th (the 8 hour time difference makes for 24 hour travel). Hopefully I will have my Green Card before she leaves (they have been moving slower than expected in processing), but all that really matters is that she will be here.
I should be fully working by then, but conveniently she arrives just before Easter weekend, which is typically a four day holiday weekend in Ireland (Easter Monday is a bank holiday – aka a day off for everyone – and then my work closes up for Good Friday the Friday before, though it is not a bank holiday). I am taking off the day Mariah arrives and the day after as well, so we will have a good six day vacation together before I have to get back into the grind and she has to sit in line at the immigration office and then find herself a job.
It will have been seventy-seven days, seventeen hours, and thirty-some-odd minutes of being without her and I am and will be more than ready for that time to be over.
An Irishman, an Australian, and an American Walk Into A Bar…er Pub…
I sat down the other day and realized that there is something incredibly cool about being surrounded at a table in a pub with people from all around the world.
Every time I go out to a pub, or have dinner at someone’s house, or even ride the train, I am surrounded by people from all over – Irish of course, but also Polish, Australians, South Africans, Portuguese, British, New Zealanders, Welsh, French, Scotts, Argentineans – the list goes on. I am regularly meeting and making friends with people from different countries and having conversations comparing cultures – how the Portuguese are always late for informal meetings, how Ireland has a whole social culture built around Pubs, how the French and Portuguese greet with a kiss on each cheek (pseudo kisses really), or how you spell the word “curb” (spelled “kerb”) in Ireland.
And then I think, this probably isn’t all that special a situation for someone who lives in Europe. This is just how it is. Ireland is particularly full of people from all over at the moment, but in any European city you can find folks from all around the world. But because I am American and very few of us even have a passport let alone go hopping around Europe (in our defense, traveling to Europe isn’t exactly a weekend trip), it is something I haven’t really ever experienced.
I am making friends from around the world; hopefully friends that I will know for a long time. People that I can visit when I am hopping around Europe, passport in hand.
This alone makes this whole experience worthwhile.
Every time I go out to a pub, or have dinner at someone’s house, or even ride the train, I am surrounded by people from all over – Irish of course, but also Polish, Australians, South Africans, Portuguese, British, New Zealanders, Welsh, French, Scotts, Argentineans – the list goes on. I am regularly meeting and making friends with people from different countries and having conversations comparing cultures – how the Portuguese are always late for informal meetings, how Ireland has a whole social culture built around Pubs, how the French and Portuguese greet with a kiss on each cheek (pseudo kisses really), or how you spell the word “curb” (spelled “kerb”) in Ireland.
And then I think, this probably isn’t all that special a situation for someone who lives in Europe. This is just how it is. Ireland is particularly full of people from all over at the moment, but in any European city you can find folks from all around the world. But because I am American and very few of us even have a passport let alone go hopping around Europe (in our defense, traveling to Europe isn’t exactly a weekend trip), it is something I haven’t really ever experienced.
I am making friends from around the world; hopefully friends that I will know for a long time. People that I can visit when I am hopping around Europe, passport in hand.
This alone makes this whole experience worthwhile.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Trains Of Sardines
They fill the trains with fish here!
No, not really…Yeah…they do…
There are no trains full of fish…nod yes…NO!…yes…
(Don’t worry if you don’t get this…)
My first few trips on the LUAS were quite enjoyable and I have always loved the concept of the commuter train, as it is much more efficient a system than the bus, having its own movement system, so you aren’t just sitting in traffic in someone else’s vehicle instead of your own. Recently I have had more opportunities to be on the train in the throng of commuter rush hour and, I would have to say, it is slightly less pleasant. Still much, much, much better than a bus (which I will reinforce in a later post) but…I AM NO SARDINE!
Being tightly packed into a train is something that everyone who rides a commuter train during rush hour probably has experienced (I have heard that London is worse than Dublin, and I would guess that New York is the similar), but for me these things are new and interesting (in a tonguing-the-new-cut-on-the-inside-of-your-cheek sort of way). The train during this time is, by no means, a place for someone with a tendency toward claustrophobia. Or, for that matter, any kind of aversion to rubbing up against strangers…
My stop on the train line is the fourth or so stop heading into City Center. The seats (what few there are in comparison to the number of commuters) are completely full by the time I board. There is a good amount of standing space and quite a few poles and bars to get a grip on. The drivers never seem particularly skillful about easing into a start or stop, so the handholds are very necessary. I don’t mind standing. By the next stop after mine, the train is typically full to the brim. Somehow, though, at every consecutive stop after, a few people decide there is room to squeeze in one more. Every once in a while someone will squeeze there way out at a stop and, in the wake of that one person’s passing, four people will slide into the gap that was left.
Pressed against each other, no eye contact is made. Everyone stares out the window (if they can see it) or at the ceiling, or closes their eyes. Hopefully they aren’t talking to friends if they are close to you because likely their breath reeks ode to morning coffee and there’s no way to escape it. 75% of the riders are pod people (they have iPods, or some other form of MP3 playing device). I am one of these. There are loads of people reading newspapers as well. Less when the trains are really packed, but there are always people handing out free newspapers at the train stops and many people have developed the skill to read, holding their paper in one hand, while riding on a packed train. I am not one of these.
There is a definite strategy to how a person must position him or herself when getting on the train as well. If I am going to the end of the line at City Center, I can pack deeper into the car, away from the doors, between the seats, where there is a lot more breathing room. If I need to get off before the end of the line, like I usually do, I must position myself strategically so that I can squeeze my way to the door after the train stops, but before the door closes again. If I get myself too far from the doors, I won’t make it, or I have to start pushing my way out before the train stops, which makes for unstable footing and nothing to hold on to when it does. If I choose a place too close to the door, I constantly am dealing with people coming in and out, and the tightest packing of people occurs right at the door. My personal favorite place is straight across from the door in the standing area where you can lean against a bar or the wall. It is plenty close to get out when it’s time, you are against something, so you can’t be pushed around, and leaning against something makes the standing ride a great deal more pleasant.
So, despite the fact that I like train systems, it won’t break my heart if (when the time comes) I can find a place for us to live that is more in the heart of things and definitely within walking distance of work. That way, the train can be ridden and enjoyed when going shopping at the mall and other such activities that don’t occur at rush hour.
No, not really…Yeah…they do…
There are no trains full of fish…nod yes…NO!…yes…
(Don’t worry if you don’t get this…)
My first few trips on the LUAS were quite enjoyable and I have always loved the concept of the commuter train, as it is much more efficient a system than the bus, having its own movement system, so you aren’t just sitting in traffic in someone else’s vehicle instead of your own. Recently I have had more opportunities to be on the train in the throng of commuter rush hour and, I would have to say, it is slightly less pleasant. Still much, much, much better than a bus (which I will reinforce in a later post) but…I AM NO SARDINE!
Being tightly packed into a train is something that everyone who rides a commuter train during rush hour probably has experienced (I have heard that London is worse than Dublin, and I would guess that New York is the similar), but for me these things are new and interesting (in a tonguing-the-new-cut-on-the-inside-of-your-cheek sort of way). The train during this time is, by no means, a place for someone with a tendency toward claustrophobia. Or, for that matter, any kind of aversion to rubbing up against strangers…
My stop on the train line is the fourth or so stop heading into City Center. The seats (what few there are in comparison to the number of commuters) are completely full by the time I board. There is a good amount of standing space and quite a few poles and bars to get a grip on. The drivers never seem particularly skillful about easing into a start or stop, so the handholds are very necessary. I don’t mind standing. By the next stop after mine, the train is typically full to the brim. Somehow, though, at every consecutive stop after, a few people decide there is room to squeeze in one more. Every once in a while someone will squeeze there way out at a stop and, in the wake of that one person’s passing, four people will slide into the gap that was left.
Pressed against each other, no eye contact is made. Everyone stares out the window (if they can see it) or at the ceiling, or closes their eyes. Hopefully they aren’t talking to friends if they are close to you because likely their breath reeks ode to morning coffee and there’s no way to escape it. 75% of the riders are pod people (they have iPods, or some other form of MP3 playing device). I am one of these. There are loads of people reading newspapers as well. Less when the trains are really packed, but there are always people handing out free newspapers at the train stops and many people have developed the skill to read, holding their paper in one hand, while riding on a packed train. I am not one of these.
There is a definite strategy to how a person must position him or herself when getting on the train as well. If I am going to the end of the line at City Center, I can pack deeper into the car, away from the doors, between the seats, where there is a lot more breathing room. If I need to get off before the end of the line, like I usually do, I must position myself strategically so that I can squeeze my way to the door after the train stops, but before the door closes again. If I get myself too far from the doors, I won’t make it, or I have to start pushing my way out before the train stops, which makes for unstable footing and nothing to hold on to when it does. If I choose a place too close to the door, I constantly am dealing with people coming in and out, and the tightest packing of people occurs right at the door. My personal favorite place is straight across from the door in the standing area where you can lean against a bar or the wall. It is plenty close to get out when it’s time, you are against something, so you can’t be pushed around, and leaning against something makes the standing ride a great deal more pleasant.
So, despite the fact that I like train systems, it won’t break my heart if (when the time comes) I can find a place for us to live that is more in the heart of things and definitely within walking distance of work. That way, the train can be ridden and enjoyed when going shopping at the mall and other such activities that don’t occur at rush hour.
NEWS FLASH!
Well, it’s been four weeks since I turned in my Green Card application (yes, you heard me right…I just posted last week about turning in my application and now it’s been four weeks since I turned it in...You do the math…) and…it will be two or three more before I get it (assuming they find no problems with the application). I did confirm that they have it in their system and, once they get to it, I should have it in a few days.
Six weeks of sitting in a pile and two days of actual attention…
Makes a tear come to yer eye, don’t it…
One improvement that the DETE have made in regard to giving people a sense of how long things will take is that they are updating (and when I say updating, I mean sometimes, if they get around to it, maybe current, but…maybe not…) the employment permit page of their website with the date turned in for applications they are currently processing, so I can kind of get a sense of how things are going and see how they are progressing (although sometimes they leave the same date up all week...like last week…).
I am looking forward to getting this small (or large – I don’t really know), green (assuming it is actually a green card) card in my hot little hand (figure of speech here – my hands are not really little)…not only because it is a major component for me officially getting to stay in the country, but also because I really want to MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE!
At the moment a good chunk of things are just on hold. I can’t really commit to anything major before I know for sure that everything is going to work and, even if I wanted to, no one would let me anyway. Until I get my Green Card, I can’t get my PPS number (Irish social security number) or ID card. Without a PPS number and a letter from my company saying I am employed (which I can’t get until I can officially be employed) I can’t get a bank account. Without the same letter from my company and the ability to write a check, I can’t start shopping for a place to live. The chicken and egg scenario has been getting repeated more than I’d care to say.
In any case, fortunately, things are moving along and with any luck, in a few more weeks I can move on to worrying about something new…
Six weeks of sitting in a pile and two days of actual attention…
Makes a tear come to yer eye, don’t it…
One improvement that the DETE have made in regard to giving people a sense of how long things will take is that they are updating (and when I say updating, I mean sometimes, if they get around to it, maybe current, but…maybe not…) the employment permit page of their website with the date turned in for applications they are currently processing, so I can kind of get a sense of how things are going and see how they are progressing (although sometimes they leave the same date up all week...like last week…).
I am looking forward to getting this small (or large – I don’t really know), green (assuming it is actually a green card) card in my hot little hand (figure of speech here – my hands are not really little)…not only because it is a major component for me officially getting to stay in the country, but also because I really want to MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE!
At the moment a good chunk of things are just on hold. I can’t really commit to anything major before I know for sure that everything is going to work and, even if I wanted to, no one would let me anyway. Until I get my Green Card, I can’t get my PPS number (Irish social security number) or ID card. Without a PPS number and a letter from my company saying I am employed (which I can’t get until I can officially be employed) I can’t get a bank account. Without the same letter from my company and the ability to write a check, I can’t start shopping for a place to live. The chicken and egg scenario has been getting repeated more than I’d care to say.
In any case, fortunately, things are moving along and with any luck, in a few more weeks I can move on to worrying about something new…
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