If there is anything I should be the poster child of, it should be of completely changing one's living circumstances.
About little more than two months ago, I was living on tenterhooks because I, like many other people, was waiting for a response on my settlement visa application to the UK.
Before I launch into the details of it all, I first want to say that I've decided to use this platform for both my personal and professional blogging. If I've learnt anything in the past couple of years, one aspect definitely affects the other, so it makes sense to bring both into the mix.
Russell and me being ultra cool as usual
So, the story is that about five years ago, I met a wonderful man who I'm now married to. We ran into the pesky obstacle of both being from different countries and the red tape that goes into that. A settlement visa is what someone like myself has to apply for in order to live and work in the UK.
My circumstances were unlucky, but definitely luckier than most. I had the benefit of being able to live with my family back in Singapore while trying to sort things out with my visa over the course of two years, and also having the unwavering support of many people along the way. While it did seem very hard at times, I now feel eternally grateful at the opportunities I have now.
So as you can probably guess, it finally happened for me. And... now I'm a little overwhelmed with all the possibilities ahead of me in the future.
My current place
But, as Russell says, I'm taking a little time to get my bearings, work out the business of being an adult in another country which is always a little strange and unwieldy and get into some kind of rhythm. Besides, it's lovely being able to type with a view of a pretty cobblestone path and knowledge that Russell will be swinging by during his lunchtime so we can have sandwiches together.