My visa arrived today!

At 10 a.m. today my passport (with visa) has been delivered to me via Air21. CLAP CLAP CLAP!!! I've checked all the data in it, no problem. Names correctly spelled, right dates... It has a validity period from August 21, 2010 to November11, 2010. Duration of stay is 90 days. I believe that when I will be arriving in Germany, I must immediately go to the City Hall of the town where mein Liebling lives and to the Alien's office. I think there will be some more processing again and this I have to ask mein Liebling to contact the Alien's office for the necessary steps which we need to take. Once too, they told us that I will be taking the Integration Course upon my stay in Germany. I think the purpose of the Integration Course is to determine and or teach the immigrants to understand the German language, orient them on the culture, law, ethical values of Germans and as well to prepare them in acquiring a job.

My visa application was processed really fast! I think it could have been much faster IF I took the A1 exam before June 30 or much earlier. And submitted it together with the visa requirements during my appointment date at the German Embassy, I guess I might be obtaining my visa within a month! Anyway, God knows when and what is best for us!

• May 14, 2010: Phoned the Call Center of German Embassy. Scheduled for visa appointment
• May 18, 2010: Visa appointment date. No visa fee required since I am married to a German national.
• June 30, 2010: A1 Exam at Goethe Institut Manila
• July 1, 2010: Result of A1 Exam
• July 4, 2010: Release of A1 certificate
• July 5, 2010: Claimed my A1 certificate ; mailed it to the German Embassy.
• July 13, 2010: Got a call from German Embassy informing me that the approval of my visa has arrived. And I should submit to them my passport and the departure date.
• July 14, 2010: Personally submitted my passport to the German Embassy
• July 16, 2010: Passport with visa delivered to me

Thank you God for answering our prayers! To God be the glory!



 

Waiting for my Visa

I have just arrived from the German Embassy. I brought my passport with me and surrendered it to them together with the information of my expected date of departure for Germany. Now, I will just sit down and wait for my passport with the visa to arrive. All is going well now. All is done with regards to my visa application.

I am now on the next stage - preparation for my resignation from my job. I feel sad because I will be leaving my colleagues whom I have worked with for almost 7 years(on September). Adding up to my sadness is leaving my mom here. When I informed her yesterday that I got a call from the German Embassy with regards to the approval of my visa, she was already sad because I am finally leaving her. I tried to cheer her up and make her understand that even at our present situation - my mom in Zamboanga City and me staying with my brother in Bulacan is almost the same as me going to Germany and her remaining in Zamboanga City. I said that distance is not a problem. Money is. Money to buy fares to be able to go to Manila or Zamboanga or anywhere else. And we can still send messages to each other via text.

I believe this is one of the big changes or move in anybody's life - migrating abroad and leaving our parents/love ones behind. Yet, it is also one good challenge which we have to learn to accept. Having this kind of sadness is a natural feeling. I guess, giving them the assurance that they will always be remembered in thoughts and prayers would help. As my Uncle Wes told me, "Anyway I am going away for the good reason." This will be the beginning of my new life as married. On the bright side, finally the end of waiting period to be living together with my sweetest husband has finally arrived. This temporary separation since a week after our wedding has been very difficult. We have been communicating everyday via text messaging, emails, ym chat and phone calls. The past two farewells with him has now ended. And this time, nobody is saying goodbye. We will finally be settling down together. All this time, I believe that God has been leading the way...