hello from n'ern ireland

hi all,

just popping in to say hello from northern ireland.  am originally from chicago and have been here about 6 wks at the moment;)

suz

Hi suzer...welcome to UKY.

Hi Suzer, good to see you here!  Welcome!

Hi Suzer! Welcome to the board.

I am in Northern Ireland as well (originally from NY) whereabouts here are you? I'm just outside Castlederg in Tyrone.

I'm getting along very well. I love it here. I have since the first day I set foot on this soil 4 1/2 years ago. I was lucky to meet the man I am with now 2 years later. It's worth the move. I have no problem with giving up what I did since NY was just getting too hectic for me. Working 50 plus hours a week with no breaks and the traffic and the trains and the people. I needed to slow down or I would have died of a heart attack. My only gripe about NI is the whole political thing. I don't know how or why people can be so petty about such utter nonsense. As long as you stay out of it, you're fine. Enjoy the sheep, the scenery and the....slurry EWWWWWWWWWWW!

I'm in Portrush.  Still have to go home to get a few things done before coming back permanently, but hopefully that won't be for any longer than a few weeks.  I'm here for about the same reason as you, haunted.  Was getting very tired of the hectic life in the city, but wouldn't have wanted to live in the suburbs, and had been to Ireland vfor vacations a few times before meeting the man on-line about a year ago.  Met one in person when I came over to Belfast, then after much convo on-line/on the phone, decided to just go for it:)

Great choice Suzer! I really love it here and I am sure you will too.

Do you have a visa to make it permanent?

Need to go back to the US to get my fiancee visa, which i'm going to do shortly, then I'll be back for good:)  How did you come over...for what reason initially?  Where are ya located?

Glad to hear you are getting the visa. It could have been a nightmare for you if you didn't have something legal to get back in

I came over as a visitor. I came in through Dublin with no problems and had my 3 month stamp through them in March 2003. In May I applied for 6 months by post to the HO and got it with no problem. It was also free at the time to do that as well. My bf's parents gave a letter of sponsorship and bank statements and within 6 weeks I got my stamp. In Nov I went back to NY because I had to with my bf and he stayed there 3 months with me. He almost got questioned at Dublin airport but got into the states with no hitches. In February I came back in through Dublin...once again, no hitches. I guess they like me there In May I applied again (with costs this time ) to the HO for 6 months and they gave me a residence permit in my passport. I am scheduled to go back in Nov to NY and then stay there 2 months until January (the actual 24 month cohab time my bf and I have) to get my unmarried partner visa. I should have no problems based on the fact everything we have done is legit and we have evidence and letters and whatnot. After I get back, he and I can start things a little bit more normal and hopefully work towards getting married on our own terms and time. So that's us then

Glad to hear you are getting the visa. It could have been a nightmare for you if you didn't have something legal to get back in

I'm glad to hear it, too, suzer! 

well, wish me luck as the man is still job hunting.  hoping a month's employment will suffice for the visa app

If you're unsure, it's always safe to have a letter of sponsorship from a co sponsor (ie - parent, friend, etc) At least then you have a back up

yeah, plan to have that from both his and my parents.

You should be just fine then. Good luck!!! Let us know what happens

getting frustrated on the job front.  the man is still looking, but with no luck yet:(  he's applied for plenty of jobs, but gotten very few calls, even for things he feels he is quite qualified for