My failure as an enviormentalist

I've been visiting an acupuncturist and in the Chinese medicine philosophy I am a "Spleen" and my element is "Wood"and since paper is a derivative of wood, this makes perfect sense to me give that my life has been consumed in mass amounts of paper lately.

First, I completed the paperwork for Dempsey transfer. Check

Secondly, I applied for a visa last June and submitted a 20 page health certificate, FBI reports, banking history and the same for Brendan. I was granted an "Extended Visitor's Visa" until August 2009. Basically I was denied anything official but was permitted to stay in the country a year (less the prior trips to New Zealand) in order to build my case for something more permanent. On December 18, 2008 I submitted a very large binder of information to immigration. Their response "this is too much stuff and we can't accept it" hmmm interesting given that I didn't have enough information the first time to support an application for a "Partner Sponsored" visa. Basically I had to provide information to prove that Brendan and I are in a genuine, stable, committed relationship with plans for a future (yeah that's fun to explain and prove to a bunch of bureaucratic strangers). What does that include? Well let's see we gave them every card we've ever exchanged, about 400 copies of emails traded over the past 2.5 years, our joint bank details, phone records, proof of joint travel, proof of common social activities, and about 100 pictures of us together. We also had some of our family and friends submit letters in support of our relationship and my visa. I met one English girl that was told she had to provide proof that their relationship was consummated. umm what? I called the immigration office weekly and the only specificity I ever got was "provide as much information as possible to show that you live together in a stable relationship"

You can imagine our surprise when we gave them our huge binder and they initially refused it saying it had to all fit in a manila envelope. Not Fun! After some negotiating they did except our information and took all the original copies that proved that Brendan and I existed on paper, and my passport. In return we got nothing! Not a receipt, not a client number, nothing (I did get something in the mail a few days later saying that my application had been received). However, this meant that the immigration office had my passport which meant I couldn't leave the country and more importantly I couldn't buy alcohol as most stores won't accept my Colorado license. That was painful!

With this visa application I was also seeking a "Right to Work Permit." Up until now since I was just classified as a tourist I couldn't get a job or collect money for work (girls this is a great angle to get out the long commute and Monday morning meetings, just move abroad)
Therefore, I was eager to see when the visa would come through. I began almost calling daily once the one month mark hit. Every time I called I got new information "It can take 60 business days" "it can take 70 calendar days" .....bottom line I didn't have a visa. Then bam, on February 2nd I got a visa and a work permit mailed to me which is valid until Feb 2011 and I have a very basic piece of paper glued in my passport saying so.

Once when I called about my file they said it was listed with "excessive and copious supporting paperwork).....hey they asked for it!

Yes, once I'm married, there's more visa paperwork to be had!

Third, I finally got a NZ driver's license. Ok I got a piece of paper saying it's a licence until my silly pictured i.d. comes in the mail. The rules here are that if you have a valid US driver's licence you can drive for 12 months after your arrival. Before that time if your license was issued at least 2 years ago and is valid for another 5 years you just pay $45 and they give you a NZ licence. No written test and no driving test. Granted most of the driving rules are the same (except that whole drive on the other side of the road what-not) but their turning rules are very different. For example. If you are making a right turn and a car coming towards you wants to make a right turn they have the right away unless there is another car behind them and then you have the right away. Basically no one ever knows who's turn it is if there is another car within miles of the other right turner. (stay tuned for a crash involving this exact rule)


Finally_I've been writing (obviously not much on this blog). I'm about to complete my journalism course and will be getting a certificate in journalism in March. I was able to publish an article on Brendan, in our local paper and my first magazine article in a national publication will hit stands next month! I've now been busy, thinking up new story ideas and submitting them to editors. Magazine writing isn't a simple process but it's an easier process than the States. I can email directly with editors and get responses within a week. To write for most US magazines you have to sign contracts, send in supporting information and it can take up to a year to hear back! (Reader's Digest takes up to 2 years to respond to a query). Anyhow, it's a huge learning curve but is also a great way to learn about Auckland and New Zealand by interviewing professionals in town, getting to know the libraries and working a job that pays me to read magazines!

I'm also learning how to write in "English" instead of "American" -basically change "z" to "s" and add a "u" to everything i.e. realise, honour, there's a lot of differences in word usage as well. Like "esquire" can only be used to describe a mail diplomat instead of a gender neutral lawyer...the list is long. I have to confer with an Oxford dictionary instead of good 'ole Websters.

So far the writing isn't a cash cow but fingers crossed I can get to see my name in print some more!

So while most Americans are being "Green" and saving paper, I seem to be buy reams of it weekly. Buy hey, what other options does a dog-importing, visa holding, wedding planning, magazine writer have without killing a few trees?