Excerpt from an email

Just got an email from Jen:

WE GOT THE VISAS!!!!!!! THEY ARE SHINY AND GOOD!!!!! HURRAY!!!!!! WE ARE GOING TO NEW ZEALAND!!!!!!!

Visas Are in the Mail (Part 2)

Jen got an email this morning from UPS indicating that the prepaid envelope, which we included with our visa applications, has been shipped. This could mean one of any of the following:

1. Both of our visas were approved


2. Only Jen's visa was approved


3. Neither visa was approved


4. The NZ consulate decided to send us some fascinating catalogs of NZ made goods to keep us busy while they dilly-dally over our applications

Needless to say, we are hoping for option 1 (though option 4 is a close second). Were options 2 or 3 to be be case, it would be very bad. Especially since we've already given our move-out notice and given/thrown away most of our worldly possessions (or pledged to do so) and paid some fairly large quantities of non refundable monies.

The envelope should be arriving today or tomorrow.

Visa's Are in the Mail!

Hello all! There was a big weight lifted off my shoulders today when I put Scott and my Visa applications in the mail. We ended up actually filling out 2 applications a piece because each of us ended up having a supplemental application for our application, and I still have one more addendum to the application that cannot be completed until I actually obtain the Student Visa. It has been a long strange trip including 3 visits to UofM Hospital (for me and 2 for Scott) to get everything squared away. We can only hope that 4ish weeks is enough time for the NZ Embassy in Washington DC to process them before we try to board our plane on February 18th.
Now I am mainly working on the cat's "passports" which requires me to go to East Lansing to the USDA Veterinarian's office. That is for next week I think. I just made them reservations at the Pussy Cat Lodge in Auckland for their quarantine stint.
Anyways, just wanted to give an update on the countdown to Auckland! Also one more amusing note, our temporary housing provided by the University of Auckland until we find a place to live is the YHA Youth Hostel in Auckland City. That should be interesting...We at least have a private bedroom...as far as I know...

We've Booked the Plane Tickets!!!

We just booked the plane tickets!

We are departing Detroit on 2/18, arriving in Auckland on 2/20. The cheapest fare was one with a layover in French Polynesia, which should be cool.

Tuition Paid!

On the way home from our various families' Christmases, we stopped by Jen's bank and wired a large sum of money to Auckland. Once we get a receipt from the U, Jen will have one more piece of the "Student Visa Application" puzzle.

We felt all high rollerish, what with our wiring money internationally. Ooh! :)

Applying for a Student Visa

Jen is currently trying to navigate the treacherous waters of applying for a student visa. Apparently this entails fingerprinting, the FBI, her permanent record dating back to kindergarten, a full employment history, dental records, chest x-rays, rabies vaccination records, an essay (1000 words or less) titled "Why I Love New Zealand", and notarized affidavits from our cats regarding her fitness of character.*

Yay bureaucracy!

Jen's mood: Enraged, possibly homicidal.

* - only some of these are jokes, can you figure out which ones?

Letter of Acceptance

So, Jen just received an email from the University of Auckland indicating that she has been accepted into their Forensic Science Master's program.

Yup. We're going back!

New student orientation is the last week of February 2009, so we are probably moving in mid February.

We'll try to keep this blog up to date as we go through the process of moving across the world and living upside down.

Cheers!