A jolly good day to everyone!
I was wondering if I should wait until I secured my visa and moved to London before I wrote something in this forum, but I figured I could tell you a little about me now. I'm a 26 gay man of color, born and raised in Chicago. In 2000, I made my first visit to NYC and fell in love with the city immediately. By early 2002 (after numerous trips to the Big Apple over the course of 2 years), I was living in NYC. Those first few months were rough because I had no family, friends, job or $$$ and barely a place to stay. But that that which does not kill us will only make us stronger, and I certainly am a testament to that. Somewhere between the madness and mayheim I met my partner Eric, an outgoing and funny Australian native and permanent British resident. We hit it off instantly and wound up moving in together.
In the Spring of 2004, Eric's old employers from London said that one of their employers was leaving and they would need someone to fill the position. Because they liked him so much, they asked Eric if he'd be willing. At the same time, his old flat-mate said that his current flat-mate was moving out of the room Eric once occupied and he would need a new flat-mate. After some discussion we decided it would be in his best interest, financially, to take the job. Of course, Eric's biggest concern was what did this mean for our future? Although he could go back to England, I wasn't a citizen of the UK and could only stay for 6 months.
After a lot research, we both discovered that same-sex couples are granted unmarried partnership visas if certain criterias were met. Imagine how surprised I was to find that out. I mean, I come a from a country where states (and the current President) are trying to ban same-sex marriages and here was a country that was willing to recognize our relationship as valid and legal (even if it doesn't recognize same-sex marriages, it acknowledges same-sex couples on the record). Even after all that, though, I still needed some convincing. I had never been to England and neither had anyone in my family. I had heard stories about the gloomy weather and the bad food and the British distate for all things American. So in May of 2004, I made my first trip to England (also my first trip across the Atlantic) and boy was I surprised.
The weather was sunny for most of my 5 day visit, the food was pretty good and I found that most people were particularly interested in me because I was American and made me feel welcome. I was simply riveted (sp?) by the British culture and fascinated by the Tube and double-decker red buses. I remember thinking what a shame it was that I hadn't been born and raised in the UK, but oh well. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and was quite dissatisfied when the time came for me to return to NYC. Once I came back, I longed for my partner and longed to be back in the UK. Since then, I have returned to London for another visit and I will be going again in late November for a final visit before going through with the visa application. So you see, I put a question mark in the subject section next to London because my being able to live and work there will depend on UK immigration. When I first came to NYC, I never dreamed that an opportunity to live abroad would ever present itself in the way that it has. I'm excited and scared all at the same time. Excited because, if approved, I can be with my partner and live abroad in a wonderful country and scared because if I'm denied, I risk facing heavy scrutiny and/or deportation when trying to re-enter the UK for a visit on top of trying to keep up a long distance relationship. I'll be much more relaxed and more inclined to post things after the visa issue this December.
