Year 2 Day 33: Pesky Immigrant

Oh trust that I am completely referring to myself here. I am the immigrant in question -- although it's open to interpretation just how "pesky" I am. Feel free to keep that to yourself, though. It's all apparently about entitlement...and I don't seem to have much at the moment.

Today was a very productive day in my opinion. I made loads of phone calls and I've nearly narrowed down and mapped out a budget and plan for once bunny is here. It's common sense that things will change and there will be expenses that weren't necessary before, so I'm trying my best to get things in order now so I won't be running around like a headless chicken whilst in labour...or worse, a fatigued headless chicken once he IS here and has achieved our mutual goal of  'outside baby' status.

One item on the agenda was good ole Child Benefit -- a mere £20/week 'social security' payment to the parent/guardian for the eldest child under 16 (which I believe was initiated to help supplement cost of care for working parents, or something of that nature). Since I am a foreigner and my immigration status does not allow me access to certain funds, I am limited to what I have permission to claim for that for a typical British Citizen or person with "settled" status might otherwise be privy to and Child Benefit is one of them. The frustrating bit is that this all seems down to the luck of the draw on my geographical location at birth (my own birth, that is). Luckily for us, Matt can still claim for this...so have no fear, UK-Yanks! Your British counterparts still have your back!

To further explain a bit, however, America, despite having such a good relationship with Britain, is not part of the EU or EEA which means we lose out on certain rights that I might otherwise have if I were from New Zealand or even Canada in some cases. It really doesn't make sense to me. But I will refrain from jumping on a soap-box about fairness and how much more illegal immigrants seem to be entitled to.

(Even if I am lawfully employed and contributing to society rather than on my rump on the dole and have forked over a crap-ton of dosh to the government for the 'right' to be here)

Yeah, I'm done now. I'll stop.

Still, you gotta like how I'm not bitter about it. Right?

Day 57 of 365: Round Two! *ding, ding*

I received my paperwork yesterday in the mail from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs to apply (AGAIN) for my National Insurance Number. I filled it out this afternoon and now it's ready to go back in the post for Timeplan to send off. The one which was sent previous (6th of Nov) was sent with a photocopy of my fiance visa rather than my residence permit and I received a response back within 10 days saying that my application itself was refused because I "did not need a National Insurance Number." Clearly this was because I am not legal to work on a fiance visa which makes it pointless to have a NINo. Little did they know, Timeplan made a big ole boo boo and should have sent different documentation to prove my eligibility to work in the UK -- namely via my Residence Permit, valid until Nov. 2010.

Now it's all settled and I hope to know something more at least by my first itty bitty pay on the 5th of December. As of tomorrow I will have two day's pay from supply posts, possibly three if I get called to a post for Friday as well.

Tomorrow is my trial day with a Year 5 class. This time it's at a Catholic school just outside Birmingham City Centre, so I'm hoping behaviour will be a little more in line. The up side to this is that if things are successful, I may be offered a long-term post there teaching Year 4 in January for the rest of the school year. This time, I not only have more backup lesson plans, but some fun brain-teasers as well, as long as there's time.




Thought I would also include a piccy of the little Prince Myst. He fell asleep on the footstool in front of me shortly after Matt passed out on the sofa. He must have been resting up for his main snooze! Not sure how comfy the Xbox remote was, however.