I'm back from an amazing two weeks in South Africa, which was spent seeing friends and family, with intermittent tanning.
So it wasn't a big secret or anything, but I had applied for a new visa to stay and work in the UK, officially called an Unmarried Partner Dependancy Visa, which does exactly what it says on the tin: I am now Ian's dependant. I've actually gotten over this, although it did feel weird to consider such an option at first. We had to have a little talk about how this doesn't mean Ian gets to boss me around and tell me to make tea whenever he gets the urge! It is a bit strange but you know - to get my passport back and see it stamped in there made me kind of proud. This place we're at is the best possible outcome of the last 7 years of knowing him - we're in our little flat, taking little holidays together, even our arguments are on the littlest scale, and all seem easy to laugh away. The proof positive is the fact that I'm not relishing the week I have at home by myself before he returns from SA, but rather thinking of how I'm going to fill the time until I have him home, when I can listen to what he did in the meantime and reminisce about the great times in the last 2 weeks.
Saying goodbye to my parents didn't get any easier this time around, and I have to make my peace with the fact that it most likely never will. Things change, time moves on, they're a little greyer, I'm a little less brattish. They were lovely enough to take Ian and I away to Keurboomsstrand for a weekend, which was amazing in so many ways. Amazing, because I managed not to drop the F-bomb once in their presence, and also because it was so great to have lunches and dinners and drinks without any uncomfortable feeling. They like him, they always have.
There'll be plenty of photos, which I'll try to upload in chronological sequence. I feel ready for another year of work again.
PS thanks for the sweet comments on the last post - it really was eating me up inside worrying over whether I'd be back.
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Congrats!
Congrats my fabulous friend, you deserve this wonderful news. If it's any consolation, when I come over I'll be your dependant because you'll be showing me around - I'll be the country bumpkin! Glad to hear you sorted out the bossing around of tea-making coz that can be a nightmare ha ha!
Was so lovely to see you again in iKapa. Hope to see you SOOOOOOON xx
Thanks Bennifer - it was so awesome to see you too! Can't wait to show you around the place. Thinking of you xxx
Hmmm... yeah... I'm pretty sure it wasn't "tea" requests that we were talking about. Nope, definitely not...