Accomplishing the basics... finally!!

So, today I feel like I actually made some progress in getting set up here. I am in an online certificate program with Berklee College of Music and so my brain is pretty preoccupied with that at the moment. But I am trying really hard to get life going here in the UK! I need to feel some normalcy again!

Went to NatWest (that's where my husband banks) and found out what they need from me to open an account. Picture ID and home address verification. Sooo....

Went over to the town hall and requested a copy of a council tax statement with my name added on (we added my name to the council tax bill online last week) and boom! Easy as pie.
(*side note - it's amazing to me how easygoing things are around here. We walked in to the town hall and basically just told them who we are. They never even asked for our ID. They just handed over the council tax bill. Very trusting!!)

Now I can go open a bank account. Yay! And now I can go back over to the GP and show them my address verification as well to finish up my registration.

Stopped at the post office and got an application for my provisional driving license! Took the little ID photo for the application right there in the post office. Quick and simple! Now to get the application filled out and sent off.

Still have to figure out about the NIN though... But I'm not stressing it as I haven't really started the job hunt yet. Probably best to try to get the ball rolling anyway.

I feel like I'm like 20 years old all over again (not in a good way), just starting out in life by having to do all of these things I've already done in the US. You never really consider all it entails to move to a new country until you're in the midst of it. But I'm still looking at it all as an adventure and trying not to begrudge it at all. It's the only way to stay sane I think. 

Any other things that I'm forgetting about that need to be done?

After picking up your BRP, those are the biggest things

Have you found any new favorite restaurants or cafes yet?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Apply for your NI number? Or did they assign that when you got your visa? (I'm here as EU so I had a slightly different route.)

I know what you mean about being 20 again though. I'm taking driving lessons. And not doing very well. Apparently almost everything I do is not how it's "supposed to be done". 

On the good side, I've bought the DVSA online testing and hazard video practice series, and I am now uniformly passing both. (Although I always miss the stopping distances questions.) I have sorted out that I was failing the video hazard tests because I was reacting TOO quickly. So now when I detect a potential hazard I do a "click-and-a-second-click" saying that outloud. And it usually gets me inside the target click range. 

Apply for your NI number? Or did they assign that when you got your visa? (I'm here as EU so I had a slightly different route.)

I know what you mean about being 20 again though. I'm taking driving lessons. And not doing very well. Apparently almost everything I do is not how it's "supposed to be done". 

On the good side, I've bought the DVSA online testing and hazard video practice series, and I am now uniformly passing both. (Although I always miss the stopping distances questions.) I have sorted out that I was failing the video hazard tests because I was reacting TOO quickly. So now when I detect a potential hazard I do a "click-and-a-second-click" saying that outloud. And it usually gets me inside the target click range. 

Click a few times sporadically after you see the hazard. There's no maximum clicks, but if it seems like you never stop clicking they won't give you the points

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Find a dentist. Don't want to leave that until you have an emergency! 

After picking up your BRP, those are the biggest things

Have you found any new favorite restaurants or cafes yet?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Well, I've been coming here to visit my husband for the last couple of years so I definitely have my favorite spots. There are some nice cafes around town. Easy to walk to. I also love just going for walks around here. Getting to know the place... and I guess letting the place get to know me! 

Apply for your NI number? Or did they assign that when you got your visa? (I'm here as EU so I had a slightly different route.)

I know what you mean about being 20 again though. I'm taking driving lessons. And not doing very well. Apparently almost everything I do is not how it's "supposed to be done". 

On the good side, I've bought the DVSA online testing and hazard video practice series, and I am now uniformly passing both. (Although I always miss the stopping distances questions.) I have sorted out that I was failing the video hazard tests because I was reacting TOO quickly. So now when I detect a potential hazard I do a "click-and-a-second-click" saying that outloud. And it usually gets me inside the target click range. 

Yep, I've got the NIN on my list of things to take up next week! I need to do driving lessons too. I have been driving around town and feel pretty comfortable with it now but I still don't know what all the signs on the road mean. 

I need to try those online practice tests!! Amazing how much easier it is to accomplish these sorts of tasks in America! But then again, there are lots of horrible drivers in America as well. 

I have been driving around town and feel pretty comfortable with it now but I still don't know what all the signs on the road mean. 

Get the DVSA app. Those signs are important

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Find a dentist. Don't want to leave that until you have an emergency! 

Ahh! Yes, good idea! I didn't think of that one. Thanks!

Click a few times sporadically after you see the hazard. There's no maximum clicks, but if it seems like you never stop clicking they won't give you the points

There is a maximum.  If you click too much, you'll get 0 points for that clip.  It's to prevent the strategy you just described.  Er.  I think I misread your last sentence.  But, yeah.  Try to find the ideal clicking point through lots of practice.  Don't rely on multiple clicks too much.

There is a maximum.  If you click too much, you'll get 0 points for that clip.  It's to prevent the strategy you just described.  Er.  I think I misread your last sentence.  But, yeah.  Try to find the ideal clicking point through lots of practice.  Don't rely on multiple clicks too much.

Ok now I'm really curious. Is this test THAT difficult? Like, what is it about where you click? Is it a question of clicking ahead of the hazard, directly on the hazard, or something else?

Ok now I'm really curious. Is this test THAT difficult? Like, what is it about where you click? Is it a question of clicking ahead of the hazard, directly on the hazard, or something else?

It's not,  once you know what you need to do.  As Nan said, you have to get a feel for when to click.  You watch the video clip, and when you see an "emerging hazard", you keep an eye on it and click when it becomes an actual hazard.  Like, if you see a person on the pavement as you're approaching, click when they step out into the road and become a hazard.

I think the clips I practiced from the DVD set were the same as, or nearly identical to, the ones on my test, so if you practice the DVD ones, you'll learn when to click.  You don't need to click any particular part of the screen (like, no need to point at the hazard).  Just click the mouse button to indicate you see the hazard.

It's not,  once you know what you need to do.  As Nan said, you have to get a feel for when to click.  You watch the video clip, and when you see an "emerging hazard", you keep an eye on it and click when it becomes an actual hazard.  Like, if you see a person on the pavement as you're approaching, click when they step out into the road and become a hazard.

I think the clips I practiced from the DVD set were the same as, or nearly identical to, the ones on my test, so if you practice the DVD ones, you'll learn when to click.  You don't need to click any particular part of the screen (like, no need to point at the hazard).  Just click the mouse button to indicate you see the hazard.

Got ya! That's very helpful and makes sense. I guess I better get practicing right away. I really want to get the license thing out of the way as quickly as possible.

Got ya! That's very helpful and makes sense. I guess I better get practicing right away. I really want to get the license thing out of the way as quickly as possible.

Yeah, don't be like me.  I arrived in February, 2013.  I got my license in April, 2017.  I could drive for the first year on my US license, of course, but then I was a "learner driver" for three years.  Not cool. 

Yeah, don't be like me.  I arrived in February, 2013.  I got my license in April, 2017.  I could drive for the first year on my US license, of course, but then I was a "learner driver" for three years.  Not cool. 

Yeah, I don't want to get stuck with the dreaded "L"... I think my husband would be totally annoyed at me. LOL!

Yeah, I don't want to get stuck with the dreaded "L"... I think my husband would be totally annoyed at me. LOL!

I just didn't drive after my 1 year on my US license ran out, except for hired lessons in a learner car with an instructor.  So, those 6 hours were with the L plates on, but otherwise, I was merely a passenger in an unmarked car.