rachel.blog

There’s no getting rid of me now

We got some very exciting news today. The home office emailed us to say:

I’m sorry, Britain, but this means you’re now stuck with us!

I love living in the UK. I always have. As a 20-year-old I came here on a young person’s working holiday visa and I knew then that I wanted to make it my permanent home. This was despite being broke and not even owning a coat. I flew to London in winter without a coat. I still can’t believe it. I froze but I loved it.

I love the landscapes, the climate, the history, the culture, the people. I’m sorry I’m sometimes opinionated and complain about things – like lack of cycling infrastructure – but that’s just because I want to make the world a better place. I’m very glad they don’t reject applications from people who go to protest marches but that’s one of the things I love about this country. I’m free to think and say whatever I want. It’s the best place in the world to be vegan. The people say sorry even when they do nothing wrong. British TV is the best in the world. And who doesn’t love Pret A Manger and Marks & Spencer?

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Rachel M

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Comments

23 responses to “There’s no getting rid of me now”

  1. matayaya Avatar
    matayaya

    Well said.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks!

      Reply
  2. TanGental Avatar
    TanGental

    aw, well, from one born here and equally enamoured of this place for all its manifest failings, welcome to the madhouse. Obviously the lack of a coat prepared you for Aberdeen! And keep rattling those cages; I love it that my two, now in their twenties, protest and challenge and call out what the see as wrongheadedness, especially in their father. Now all you need to do is learn to speak with an appropriately regional accent… maybe not.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Yes, I think that freezing first winter I spent here has prepared me for all sorts of cold, including swimming in the north sea in January.

      Reply
  3. Katrina Avatar
    Katrina

    I must confess that I’m a little jealous 😊 I’ve never been to the UK, but from what I’ve heard (both the good and the bad) I think I’d like it, too. I was going to be there for three weeks from the 21 Sept this year, but covid put paid to that. Maybe I’ll get there sometime in the next couple of years. Of course, NZ is a great place, too, but in a different way.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      This pandemic will be over before too long – I feel confident there’ll be a vaccine soon – and then you’ll be able to resume your travel planning. And NZ is a great place to live too.

      Reply
  4. Jamie Adams Avatar
    Jamie Adams

    Congratulations 🙂

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks, Jamie.

      Reply
  5. Chaitanya Avatar
    Chaitanya

    Congratulations, Rachel!

    It’s great to be able to live in a place where you would love to and feel belonged!

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks, Chait. You have been through all this too, I know. We still have to get citizenship – that’s the next step 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jonathan Avatar
    Jonathan

    We’re very good at complaining about inconsequential things too 🙂

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Ah yes, I forgot about that. I’m very good at that one too.

      Reply
  7. cbegg1950 Avatar
    cbegg1950

    Many congratulations. The world is your oyster, or Aberdeen is!

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks, Colin. It certainly feels that way.

      Reply
  8. Denise Avatar
    Denise

    Well done. You are a very welcome addition to the UK!

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks, Denise 🙂

      Reply
  9. Sérgio Estêvão Avatar
    Sérgio Estêvão

    Congratulations Rachel!

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks, Sergio!

      Reply
  10. I Survived Pret A Manger Avatar
    I Survived Pret A Manger

    Hi,

    congratulation on your stay. I too got mail from the home office 2 years ago that I have settled status now after Brexit was voted for. I lived in London many years.

    Regrading loving Pret A Manger. I write as a former employee who knows the REAL Pret fro behind the scenes. Many of my current and ex- colleagues have serious reasons to NOT love Pret. I list them here, please scroll down to the screenshots:

    > https://expret.org/2019/10/28/caught-in-the-act-at-pret <

    .

    Kind regards.

    expret.org

    .

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks for your comment. I’ll check out your blog.

      Reply
  11. nagpai Avatar
    nagpai

    Congratulations, Rachel!

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks!

      Reply
  12. I Survived Pret A Manger Avatar
    I Survived Pret A Manger

    Hi,

    I write on Pret A Manger from a behind the scenes perspective. Pret is trying anything to survive including keeping food overnight. Staff leak info that food is expired and customers complain on social media that chicken tastes off or bread is stale etc.

    A list of issues here:

    Pret A Manger Will INDEED Try Anything to Survive

    .

    Reply

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