today i made a visit to http://www.immigration.govt.nz, signed on to my account, and what did i see? a residency visa staring back at me! "Visa Resident 207724058 - Please apply for transfer of this visa when the passport expires. The holder may travel to NZ and on application shall be granted a residence permit. This returning resident's visa is current for two years from the date of issue of the original residence permit"

wooohoooo, it's even more official now :-P then i went to my bank account online and saw that they have charged me the migrant levy! that's it! now i just have to wait for my passport to find its way home. this was a bit exciting for me.

otherwise, not much new going on. i have been continuing to sell things. a lot of trying and not as much selling, but slowly things are going away. i will probably have a yard sale in a few weeks to try and clear things out. i went through a lot of clothes over the weekend. i'm really getting rid of a lot, i probably need to get rid of a lot more, but i've made a good start.

oh, i found a cheaper place to start off in NZ! Newtown Heights Lodge has rooms for only nz$140/week. This involves shared bathroom and kitchen, but my own private room. they also have tv room. i think that is a pretty good deal. i may be there a few weeks, it just depends.

yes, i think i will leave it at that for now.

jon

My Passport is still in London (best as I can tell) but everything is still progressing smoothly (as best as I can tell) with receiving my Passport and Permanent Residency. So...what do I have to write about?

First, a little on progress. The job search is going nowhere right now, so let's just leave that out. But the living situation seems pretty good. I've been in touch with a few real estate agents about rentals. It's too early to get something, and one agent strongly suggested I wait until arriving before deciding on anything. I will probably take her advice. That is one of the nice things about the agents as well, they really seem to be helpful. The same agent that suggested I wait until arriving to find a place also referred me to another agent (with another company) because she thought the area she covers would be better for me. I found that to be refreshing and would never expect the same here.

So, now I've found a motel pretty close in to downtown that has $210nz weekly rates. That is probably cheaper than the weekly rates I'll be paying for my apt. when I find one, so seems like a pretty good deal. Of course, it may not be the nicest motel ever, but it does sound as though it will be okay.

My other progress is in trying to get rid of all my possessions before moving. That is progressing slowly, but progressing nonetheless. I sold my 20" LCD monitor and my Osterizer Blender to a co-worker. I have sold almost all of my DVDs and a decent chunk of my CDs. I think starting tomorrow I will take my CDs in to my work and try to sell to my co-workers and hope I don't get in trouble for it. I made a little webpage with many of the things I'm trying to sell pictured. Soon I need to start going through all of my clothes and trying to cut down on the clothing load I'm taking with me. That will be difficult. I like my clothes.

What else? Well, the emotional strain of the move is starting to show itself. The idea of leaving family and friends (even though I never see them here) is starting become more real. I was IMing with my niece the other day. She is coming down for a couple of days on her break in April. That will be our goodbye. I started getting a little teary eyed thinking about it. I'm still trying to find the time and money for a trip down to SC to see my mom, sister and nephew before I leave.

All in all, things are going quite well, the most disturbing trend is insomnia. I've had insomnia for a long time, but it had been improving over the past year or so. Now it is getting much worse. So many thoughts are constantly whirring around in my head, it is definitely a challenge to herd them all into their little corral to allow me to sleep.

It is a very windy afternoon here in NYC. I hear that Wellington gets a lot of wind, so this is just more practice.

Take care all,

Jon

Hello my thousands of dedicated readers,

I have taken the big step. I bought my one way plane ticket. I will fly away on the 3rd of May to start my Kiwi life. I arrive in Wellington on the morning of the 5th. Still trying to figure out where I will be living when I arrive, but that is progressing. The job thing...I'm more or less resigned to showing up without work. I will apply for some more jobs before getting there, but I figure it will probably have to wait until I'm there and can attend in-person interviews before I actually get offered work.

Things are good.

Jon

NZIS received my Passport. They said final visa stuff should be processed within 2-3 weeks. Hopefully that means by the very beginning of April I will have my Passport back.

My plan now is to leave either the 3rd or 10th of May. I believe I'll be able to get a one way ticket for about $900. I think i'll try to buy it before the 12th of March on Air NZ so that I get the larger baggage allowance. It is being reduced for all flights purchased after the 12th.

Still no job. That will be dealt with in time though. If I have to move without a job, it will be okay. I can temp.

Today I sent my payment and my passport to NZIS. Hopefully within a month I will receive my passport back with the blue stickers I've heard so much about. Then, the only thing keeping me from NZ will be myself. That is an exciting thought.

In other news...I am fostering another little Maltese dog. The first boy I've had. He's a great guy, very sweet and cuddly but he's aggressive to everyone else. He also has diabetes and HATES getting shots and isn't fond of his diabetic food. So, it has been a bit of a struggle and I feel that maybe he would be better off with a foster parent that doesn't work. It is fun having a little dog around though.

Just a quick update.

The next day, still excited and overwhelmed how much i need to do in order to prepare for liftoff. I really hope to be in NZ by the first week of May or earlier and the logistics involved are somewhat overwhelming (i find myself close to hyperventilating often).

What am I going to take with me? How am I going to take it? How on earth do I figure out how many cubic metres of possessions I own and wish to have shipped over. Not to mention where I will be once I get there...

So many things to figure out and I'm sure I will keep posting more and more of them on here. It is an exciting time. All of these things, in spite of how frightening they may be, still make me smile. In the end it will all be worthwhile. Especially once ms. lafavilla finds her way as well.

Hello,

It has happened! This morning, I received (after one more prod from my email stick) an email from NZIS telling me that I have been approved for residency. I need to send in one more document, and my fee and my passport they will put little stickers in the passport, send it back to me and that's the deal!

NOW I HAVE TO FIND A JOB!!!

I am a little bit excited today.

jon

Still no news from NZIS, I have decided that if I hear nothing before Monday noonish, I will give them a call. That is, indeed, the plan.

So, i've decided that this is, "the Winter that Fall met Spring" in New York. I feel like we've not had a true winter at all. We have had a some cold days, we've had a sprinkling of snow, but that's about it. Plenty of rain, and plenty of springlike days.

I am a little disappointed by this (not that there isn't still time). As this may be my final winter ever in the City I was looking forward to some blizzards. I have to do some research on google to find out if anyone has a SnowDance I can co-opt or whether I need to create my own.

and the beat goes on...

jdr

Hi All,

As I've still not heard back from NZIS, I decided I should write something to keep you all coming back for more whining.

I just went on a little sampling spree of enzed music. I found out that a hit from about a million years ago was by an artist from New Zealand. The song is Sway and it was on the American Pie OST album. It was quite popular in the US. The artist's name is Bic Runga. If a name like Bic Runga isn't enough to make you fall in love, then there is still the music. She has just released a new album, it hasn't made it to these shores yet, but I've heard it's quite good. I like what I have heard from her. A couple other bands I've been listening too are Fat Freddy's Drop and Scribe.

I have also been spending a LOT of time at move2nz.com, if you are interested in moving to New Zealand and have not yet visited that site, you are really missing out. People ask and answer many questions you may not have ever thought of, but you will certainly enjoy learning the answers to.

Beyond that, trying to sell all of my worldly possessions. Hoping to lighten the load before moving and trying to pad the bank account as much as possible. This is not a bank account you would want to use as a pillow, the cushioning is really more like a sheet over a rock, don't lay your head on that!

So, the wait continues. Still no word on my official status. I will restrain myself until Monday, if still no word I think I'll make a phone call to London and see if I can get anything concrete.

And that is about that...

jdr

hey all, brief update! i have been impatiently awaiting word from nzis. i wrote a couple of email requesting update and finally this morning i received this:

Sorry for the delay, I have been unexpectedly swamped with urgent
applications over the past week. I will be making a decision on your
application in the next couple of days so will be in touch soon.

hopefully this means that i will know before this weekend what my status is. everyone keep their fingers crossed!

and if you haven't already, please visit the links along the right side of the page, these are other pages, friends, nz folk, more me...and PICTURES

jon

...and it's been like a hundred years and i've still not heard anything back from them, why do they choose to torture me so??? what have i done to deserve this??? now i'm convinced that i completely aurally hallucinated the interviewer telling me that declination wasn't an option at this point. or maybe it wasn't at that point, but as soon as she got off the phone, all of a sudden it was an option again!!! what am i to do? wait patiently? i can't do that!!! ack.

so, my plan, assuming i still have an opportunity here, is to move in april or may. my mind has now started focusing on may 3rd as my move date, not sure why, just that's where my brain has settled. and, why haven't those paypal emails of offered monetary assistance started rolling in yet? obviously, my audience is not made up of the generously affluent crowd i was hoping for...well...well...well...

had my interview today. as best i can tell, at the end of it the woman said that i will either receive permanent residency or work to residency (in which case i receive a work visa and have to keep a job for three months to qualify for residency). i will find out which officially within the next week. then i send in my passport, get my stickers and that's it! now i just have to get a job and/or save up enough money to move there and look for a job for a while. if anyone has extra money they want to send my way, just let me know.

thanks...jon

NEWS ALERT NEWS ALERT NEWS ALERT NEWS ALERT

This morning I received an email from NZIS telling me that everything was in order with my application and that they would like to interview me via telephone during the week of the ninth of January.

That is the last step! After the interview I should receive my residency.

More news at eleven on this breaking story!

Hi, well, somehow I've passed 1,000 unique page views. Or so the counter claims. That's almost enough to make me want to update more. Actually, I'd love to have more to report, unfortunately, nothing much is happening.

I plan to apply for a couple more positions this weekend if I find suitable ones to apply for. Other than that, really not much new to share. Just keep hoping that I will get residency and a job offer sooner rather than latter. I am still very much hoping to be in NZ before May.

Updating...I have been looking for jobs to apply for. Actually applied for two over the weekend and am in contact with someone at University of Auckland who has been very nice and might be helpful in getting me there (NZ) sooner than I might otherwise.

Other than that, trying to figure out a way to get to Manila cheaply before mid-January. Was hoping to go for New Years, but the cost is too much and the income is too little to make it that soon. Sad.

Still fostering the little dog. She had to have surgery to remove a bunch of mammary tumors. Now she is a few nipples lighter and is stuck wearing a lampshade for 10 days so she isn't able to tear out the stables holding her belly together. I am amazed at how well she is handling it all. This is one sweet little dog.

Thanksgiving was uneventful but nice. My niece was here for the weekend and so we went to the Met and also saw the new Harry Potter. Spent a lot of time just chilling at home too. Had not spent time with her in quite awhile so that was nice.

My newest joy is playing online Scrabble. I'm not great but I find myself winning more than losing, and even when I am losing I really enjoy it. Yes, I just let people know how much of a nerd I am a little bit at a time.

Enough...

Hi All,

I do not have any new news to report, but I do not want to disappoint my 919 fans (what??? that's what the counter says, right?).

I received an email from U. of Auckland about a job that I was considering applying for. The person I wrote sounded encouraging about applying, so I will do that this weekend. Anyone want to write a cover letter for me?

That is the closest thing to progress on my end. Well, that's not entirely true, I have been getting my financial affairs in order so it will be easier to jump on the plane when the time comes.

I am also fostering a dog for a rescue organization. What does that have to do with my move to NZ? Well, how can I connect it? Oh, here's a couple ways: I am not able to adopt this incredibly cute sweet dog because I think it would be unfair to put her through the hell of transporting to and living through quarantine in NZ, so I will have to get a dog after I move. And the other way it's related is that having this sweet little girl around makes it clear that I want to have a yard and a dog once I am settled in NZ.

Also, Celeste is almost ready to send in her application, just a few more steps and she'll be in the same waiting game as I am.

Hope all is well with my hundreds of faithful readers.

The Application is in, the $925 fee has been paid, now I wait and wait and wait. I was told via email that I will hopefully be assigned to a case officer within "the next four months" after which time, if everything is deemed to be in order it will be another 1-3 months.

Of course the one thing that would speed the process up immensely would be a job offer. Lately I have not even found positions available that I am qualified/interested in to apply for. Must keep on that though, now that my application is officially being processed maybe the universities will take my application a little more seriously (hopehopehope).

Otherwise, still being a temp for the Rockefeller Foundation. It is really great, the work is not the most intellectually stimulating, but it does keep me busy and some of it is interesting. The people I work with are great, the organization is great. I am pet-sitting two crazy terriers for one of my co-workers for 11 days.

And off I go...

Here we go again

More silly NZIS Drama. Because i'm a flake i had not been paying very close attention to when the four month limit for turning in my application for permanent residency was coming to an end. The main issue that was delaying my sending it in was cash. The application fee is 520 pounds, that is more than a hair over $900 U.S. Shockingly for those who know me, I don't have that money handy. So, I was waiting for the last possible moment to send in the app in the hopes that someone might just give me a thousand dollars to cover it.

I started to realize that time must be running out, but I had received an email on September 23rd saying I had a month left so was kinda basing my schedule around that. Then I was going through my application to be certain all was well and saw that on my original ITA letter the date was June 13th and in the letter it said four months from that date. I saw that letter on Saturday the 15th of October.

A little bit of panic set in. Having to completely redo the entire application process was not appealing (my medical info would have to be redone as it is only valid for a certain period of time, plus another few hundred dollars). I wrote NZIS on Sunday night explaining my situation (minus the cash issue, i figure they don't really want a poor person moving in and wouldn't understand that i really am getting my money under control).

So, luckily when I woke up at 4:30 (or so) on Monday morning I had an email saying that my application was officially due that day and so long as it was in the mail before the end of Monday and arrived in their offices by the end of the week all would be good. Phew!

But still issues of course, I had to send it Fed-Ex express service which cost about $65, OUCH. And still, no money in the bank to cover the application fee. I figured though that I would get paid on Thursday and that would get me enough money in the bank to cover the application fee. So, of course they tried running the debit card on Thursday before I could get the check into the bank. Luckily they just sent me an email saying I should talk to my bank about the charge not going through and let them know when it was ready to go :-P So, Monday I will call and hopefully everything will be cleared up.

Then the waiting begins. And that isn't even likely to be it, I will still likely have to have an interview if I am not able to get a job offer before they finish processing my application. Craziness. I just want to get to the end of this tunnel and see some light.

In other news, I heard back from the owner of Kitsault (www.kitsault.com) and I will have to be in touch with him to see if I can be involved in that project (at least while i'm stuck waiting to hear from NZ).

Enough for now? Yes, me thinks. Write me!!!

So much to share! Firstly, have you seen the iPod Nano? I know that iPods don't have much to do with my move to NZ, but I love them and plane rides are much more enjoyable with an MP3 player don't you think? I own the U2 black version, very nice methinks. I think the Nano is a beautiful little creature.

This past week I was in Berlin. I applied for a position as a Residence Life Officer at the European College of Liberal Arts-Berlin (www.ecla.de) as sort of a lark. They asked for a phone interview and then flew me out for an on-campus interview as well. I think the position would be a challenge, but hopefully I am up for it. I know Germany is not quite New Zealand, but ever since I studied abroad in Berlin oh so many years ago I have dreamt of returning. Celeste is supportive of the idea and thinks that she might be able to find work in Berlin also.

I flew to Berlin on Aer Lingus through Dublin. I thought that I might stay in Dublin for the weekend on my way back to the U.S. but I caught a bit of a cold and decided to days sick spending money I don't have in Dublin wasn't the best of ideas. I came directly home instead and have been sleeping a lot. Hopefully I will feel all better for work tomorrow.

On the NZ front, I am quite close to sending in my application, I need certified copies of a few things. Hopefully I can find a Notary Public through my temp job that I can use for free. Then I need to figure out how to pay the application fee which is around $800 I believe. I do not really have that kind of cash hanging out. Ooops. If all works out I may be able to send it in within two weeks or so.

The biggest news for NZ is that Celeste's status finally changed to ITA (invitation to apply). Of course, since she is about 10,000 times more organized and motivated than I am, she will probably have her application turned in before I do. It is exciting to think that one way or the other we should be together within three or four months.

Oh, my temp job is pretty cool so I will mention it as well. I am doing pretty boring office type work, but it is for the Rockefeller Foundation. Great organization and really beautiful offices.

I feel that is enough of an update for now. Thanks for reading.

Hey, I'm back in the U.S. of A. Though it was sad leaving Let, it is good to be back to clean things up. I returned to my FBI report, happy to see that I have no arrest record with them! Now I need to get some copies of documents certified and then scrap together the application fee and all can be sent off.