This week is a small milestone. The UK, like Germany, allows for permanent residency after 5 years of residence. Different from Germany, however, the UK in addition allows for a path to dual citizenship after a few additional activities.
Even though I had Germany permanent residency, it did not count for anything in the UK, so the clock started over again for me in 2009.
5 years x 365 days = 1825 days
This week I dropped into triple digits, so below the 1000 day mark.
The next milestone will be the half-way point of 5 years, in August 2011.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Life in Germany: the Department of Order
A short article about Germany's Ordnungsbehörde, or Department of Order. If you're planning to move to Germany, it's worth a quick read:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/magazine/you-are-here-germanys-anti-chaos-crusaders.html?_r=1&ref=magazine
I personally never met them, but a few work colleagues in Cologne (both German and not), have mentioned experiences with them, mainly those crossing the street (empty or not) against the light, and for bicyclists going through red lights rather than following the rules of stopping with the cars.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/magazine/you-are-here-germanys-anti-chaos-crusaders.html?_r=1&ref=magazine
I personally never met them, but a few work colleagues in Cologne (both German and not), have mentioned experiences with them, mainly those crossing the street (empty or not) against the light, and for bicyclists going through red lights rather than following the rules of stopping with the cars.
Friday, May 20, 2011
An impressive UK border agent
If you read this blog regularly, you know that I don't have the highest of opinions on the folks controlling the UK borders, in particular, because I'm irritated with playing 20 questions with them when I have a legitimate work permit that is valid into 2012.
Although I'm as equally annoyed when they play 20 questions with you tourists and I'm usually in the queue behind you, although their questioning of how you are getting from London to Shakespeare's house, and the waiting while you get out the Rick Steve's book all marked up with post-its can be endearing (or would be if I wasn't so jet-lagged).
Yesterday, I went through the usual at Heathrow:
what kind of work do you do?
how long have you been doing that?
what is the company?
where is the company?
etc.
Then, a brand new one:
Are you planning to stay for residency and perhaps citizenship?
Why yes, that is the plan. And my tired heart soared, as no one usually thinks that one can have both, or maybe people expect that Americans go home, but no one ever asks that question. In particular, no one has ever asked me that at the border, so it made my dream a little more tangible, that I didn't have to present it or explain it, that someone can see the path, that it seems feasible.
As he stamped my passport he then explained:
In that case, you'll want to take care, they will want to review all of these entry stamps, and we must stamp in the page next to or behind your permit. It those pages start to become too full and the stamps not legible, you'll probably want to get a new passport to avoid any hassles later on with your application.
Not a concern as I need to get a new passport anyway late this year, but I was impressed that he proactively presented the tip.
Although I'm as equally annoyed when they play 20 questions with you tourists and I'm usually in the queue behind you, although their questioning of how you are getting from London to Shakespeare's house, and the waiting while you get out the Rick Steve's book all marked up with post-its can be endearing (or would be if I wasn't so jet-lagged).
Yesterday, I went through the usual at Heathrow:
what kind of work do you do?
how long have you been doing that?
what is the company?
where is the company?
etc.
Then, a brand new one:
Are you planning to stay for residency and perhaps citizenship?
Why yes, that is the plan. And my tired heart soared, as no one usually thinks that one can have both, or maybe people expect that Americans go home, but no one ever asks that question. In particular, no one has ever asked me that at the border, so it made my dream a little more tangible, that I didn't have to present it or explain it, that someone can see the path, that it seems feasible.
As he stamped my passport he then explained:
In that case, you'll want to take care, they will want to review all of these entry stamps, and we must stamp in the page next to or behind your permit. It those pages start to become too full and the stamps not legible, you'll probably want to get a new passport to avoid any hassles later on with your application.
Not a concern as I need to get a new passport anyway late this year, but I was impressed that he proactively presented the tip.
Back in the UK
After 2.5 weeks (mainly work related), I am back in the UK. Our plane was 4 hours late to take off due to storms in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Jet lag gives me a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the time prior to sunrise here. In the UK our winter days are very short, but our summers are very long.
Sunrise today: 04.57
Sunset: 20.50
Jet lag gives me a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the time prior to sunrise here. In the UK our winter days are very short, but our summers are very long.
Sunrise today: 04.57
Sunset: 20.50
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)