“HURRAY!” My ancestry visa has been APPROVED!!!
It’s now official, I’m moving to London. I’m really moving to LONDON!!!
This definitely warrants some full out happy dancing/jumping for joy/hooting and hollering/laughing uncontrollably with joy and relief!
Except, I am the only one who is happy about this news.
According to the visa powers that be, I would know their decision 15 days from when they received my application (November 25th). By November 29th I still hadn’t heard from them. Obviously I began to get anxious and think the worst. They’re not going to approve me! I didn’t provide them with enough information. My travel history is too exotic (I’ve lived in Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nepal). They don’t think I will be able to support myself or get a job. My friends and family stopped asking if I had heard back yet for fear of making me more anxious.
On December 1st, while my mom and I were helping my sister get settled into her new apartment, I received my very anxiously awaited email that I had indeed been APPROVED! The happy joyous bubbles immediatedly began building up, ready to pop and overflow like a champaign bottle. But I had to squish them down, deep into my gut, only allowing a small smile to cross my face. For as soon as I opened the email, and made a tiny squee of excited noise, I saw the expressions of sadness and dread flicker across their faces. They tried to cover with forced smiles and hugs, but nothing could hide the slight welling of tears in their eyes.
When I first told my family and friends that I wanted to move to London, their reactions were mixed. They were surprised, saddened, confused, understanding, and seemingly happy for me. You can tell when someone is truly happy and excited for you though. Their words and actions may be right, but they can’t hide the way they really feel – the tone in their voice, their body language, but most importantly, their eyes give them away. I knew they wouldn’t be as excited for this move as I am and it is nice to know how much I mean to others and that they dread my absence. I would feel the same way if the tables were turned. And I know I will feel this way when I leave them for London.
But it would be nice to have at least one person be as excited as I am, so I can let the happy joyous bubbles burst out of me with “WOOHOOs” and a whole lot of happy dancing! I’ll just have to find a moment when I am alone, with no one in hearing distance, to celebrate.
How do you celebrate your accomplishments, achievements, successes, etc. when you know others aren’t as thrilled, supportive or happy about them?
**********
Next Steps:
– Book my flight to London!
– Organize and narrow down what I’m going to bring to with me
– Give my employer my two weeks notice!
– Spend as much time with loved ones as I possibly can
– Find a field to run silly in while screaming with joy (next best thing to sharing my joy with others)
**********
Quietly Ecstatic,
Lisa
Tea and Giggles 
Congratulations!!!! ^-^
Congratulations! As an ex-Londoner who’s moved to a different country I can empathise with you on both counts. It’s definitely a compliment that they’re a bit sad that you’re going. But my experience (am in Amsterdam now) is that friends and family suddenly cotton on that they’ve got a great new holiday destination to visit and become delighted that you’ve left! Now we find people look sad when we talk about coming back again, ha!
And London is one of the greatest cities in the world … I’m excited for you 🙂
Thank you! I hope they all decide to visit me! But I’ll understand if they don’t – Canada to the UK is not a cheap trip. I’ll just have to win the lottery and fly them all over 😉
On a different note, if you have any tips, tricks, or must do’s in London to share with a newby Londoner, that would be great!
Oh my goodness where to begin. Whereabouts are you moving to? It’s such a fast-moving city in the 4 years I’ve been gone everywhere that was cool isn’t any more haha! – well, not quite … you’re welcome to drop me an email on millysell1981@gmail.com and I’ll give you some of my favourite London activities instead of filling this post with the world’s longest comment 🙂
How exciting for you!x
YAY! How exciting! Family being a little bit sad is really normal I think. My dad kept casually showing ads for great jobs in Belgium in the run up to my move to London, but I think he’s accepted it now. Also: you moving to London is a GREAT excuse for them to come and visit. Good luck with your move!
This is my first blog of yours that i have read as i only started yesterday and i am super excited for you!! London is such an amazing place, Good Luck 🙂 xx
p.s Definitely go covent garden most perfect place ever
Kelly | awinterponder.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks Kelly! I’m super excited too! I can’t wait to go to Covent Garden! I’ll be following your adventures on bloglovin – happy blogging!
Ps. Your pup, Buster, is adorable!
Congratulation, I am sure you will love London, I do. 🙂 And thanks for stopping by on my blog. I hope you will follow it, and I am your follower now. Merry Christmas!
Thanks! I can’t wait to go! (although, I am a little nervous since this will also be my first time in the UK). Merry Christmas to you too!
You’ll be fine, I am sure you will enjoy it!
I’m so happy for you! I would love to move to London some day! Good luck on your travels! Here is my happy dance for you! https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/giraffe-dance
Thanks Elle! I am super excited…and nervous…but mostly excited! That is the strangest happy dance I have ever seen! Lol!
Well if you are moving to London you should probably catch up on Doctor Who!
I’m a huge fan of britcom, most bbc shows, coronation street, and made in chelsea (guilty pleasure), but I’ve never really got into doctor who… I really should try to watch it again. Thanks!
Congrats! I’m thinking of making a similar move. Have you figured where you will stay and have you lined up a job? Or will you just land and see what happens? So exciting.
Thanks! I’m fortunate to have a friend in London whom I’ll be staying with when I first arrive. Other than that I’m pretty much winging it! It’s very exciting and a bit scary…but mostly exciting!