Bug Unit

This is just a little note to all South Africans who have been overseas on Schengen visas: STOP TELLING OTHER SOUTH AFRICANS THAT IT IS EASY. IT IS NOT EASY. Today, we are cautiously optimistic about Kyle’s visa. I have been praying hard and it seems to have been approved this morning, thank God. Basically, that was the feedback we got when we spoke to Sam the Visa Technician this morning. So that is a very very good thing. The note at the top of this entry, however, refers to all the people who said ‘Ag, just do the visa when you get to London, it is so easy and it only takes like, a day.’ Ok, stop telling people that, because it is not, like, true. It is very, like, difficult. Sure, it only took two days after a week of information collecting, stress and a little bit of tricksting the system, but it also cost us £200 in flights booked, flights cancelled, stress and money given to Sam the Visa Technician. Basically, it will all be worth it if we pick up a shiney new visa tomorrow, but people should be aware that it takes time, money, string pulling, more money and lots of lots of internet hours. So if you are a South African wanting a Schengen, organise it in the grand old R S of A before you get here, unless you have a month or two before you need the visa. Make it two to be safe.

In other news, today I took steps to organise a bank account at a place called Visa First (?). Basically, they are also tricksting the system, and what they do is this: they are a company, and they vouch for you, so you can get a bank account without having a job or any papers from home. This loophole will cost you £35, and they even help you fill in the banking form. I also tried to get clarification on NIN, NHS, etc etc. The explanation I got was this:

Me: Ok, so what is a National Insurance Number? Is it linked to NHS in some way? How are the two different? (Author’s note: admittedly I wasn’t quite so succinct in my question, but I flatter myself that I got the gist of it)
VF: Rather get an NIN, cause then you get charged less tax.
Me: Ok cool, I will. Now for NHS, do I need a number for that?
VF: NHS stands for National Health Service.
Me: And do I need a number to refer to?
VF: Rather get an National Insurance Number, because you pay less tax.
Me: Ok, but what about NHS? Is there a number to activate it?
VF: NHS stands for National Health Service, but for numbers, rather get a National Insurance Number, because you pay less tax.

And so I decided to look on the internet rather. Which I have not done.
Our dinner plan has just cancelled on us. *curses* to the man who promises me food and then cancels. *curses*

But much love to the rest of you!