AMSTERDAM!!!!

Hi Guys!

Still so much to catch up on! Before heading back home for the holidays, Chris and I flew from John Lennon Airport in Liverpool to Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. OMG. One of the most beautiful cities we've ever seen! We were there on the 15th-17th of December and it was FREEZING. We managed to walk around the city and see the sights, but we had to step into random shops in order to defrost enough to move along.

We happened across a dutch doughnut shop and we picked up a few different items. Chris sure enjoyed his picks! Can you see the little bit of powdered sugar on his mouth?

Towards the end of our trek across the city. Noses red and hair blown.

I definitely want to come back here again - maybe in the summer so we can rent some bikes and go on a boat tour!

Chris warming his hands.

So, at first we thought there was only one of these clock towers so we used it as a reference point. Unfortunately, there are like 5 in the city so we got ourselves a little lost for awhile.

Another pretty canal shot.

Ah, here is the infamous Red Light District. Can you spot the girls in the window?

If not, here's a closer shot. They would tap on the windows as we walked by trying to "lure" us in. It was so surreal. I mean, you hear about this place, you know what goes on, but it doesn't completely hit you until you see it in person. Needless to say, we didn't hang around long. 

This was the first time I ever saw swans in real life. I just some some more today when we walked down by the docks. :) One of my fav birds.

The Red Light District is beautiful despite what it's known for. 

Oh yeah, we also saw pot plants in the windows, pot lollies (as the Brits call 'em), pipes, etc. We didn't sample any - swear to God! haha. Been there done that. Oh wait...I guess I should speak for myself and not Chris on that one. :)

The other lovely thing about Amsterdam is their shopping areas. There are trams that run throughout and a lot of the streets are pedestrian only. H&M, Zara, Mango, an awesome tea shop, and many other stores warmed us up along the way. Plus, we enjoyed all the Christmas decorations.

Chris is an extension of the M. How silly.

At this point, my feet were completely frozen.

IAMSTERDAM.

This is where we ate breakfast one morning. Their coffee was so delicious that we sat for another cup (no free refills in the Netherlands - or Niederland as they say).

See the boats on the left side? We could have gone on one of them for a boat tour, but it was just too damn cold!

Oh yeah, the ratio of bikes to cars is like no where else I've ever been. There were probably thousands of bikes all over the city - people riding them even though it had to have been below zero (celcius) and there was a separate bike lane (much nicer than the lanes in Seattle), a pedestrian lane, a lane for cars, and then the tram lane. Talk about having their transportation under control.

And this was a picture we took outside of John Lennon Airport of the famous Yellow Submarine! Isn't it so cute? It used to sit in a park, but they moved it when they opened the airport.

Hopefully we'll be caught up by the end of the month! Hope you've been enjoying all the pictures! Miss you and love you!

Nicole

Ps. Some other trivia for you: Did you know that the Heineken Brewery was in Amsterdam? We walked by it, but didn't go in - figured breweries are breweries right? Also, there was a Vincent Van Gogh museum, but we didn't feel like paying 12 euro each to see it. Maybe next time.

London Part 2

Here are some more pictures from our awesome trip to London. Not exactly sure what church Chris is standing in front of. I just like the expression on his face. Ha!

So, the pictures are a little out of order again. This is us after riding the Eye. It was totally worth it!!

I have no idea what Chris was doing. Silly silly. Us on the eye.

The crazy view from the Eye. 

On the other side...

Chris is having a fun time.

Such a beautiful city!

While walking all over the city, we happened across Her Majesty's Theatre in the West End (loads of theatres - similar to Broadway) where Phantom of the Opera was playing. Chris had never been to a musical and I hadn't seen it since I was 9. This musical changed my life so I was pretty excited!

Unfortunately, we were only able to get seats together with a pole in the middle of us. Other than that though, we were relatively close and had a great time.

The inside of the theatre - isn't it gorgeous?

This is the outside. Quite ornate. The theatre manager of Her Majesty's came in to talk to my class the other day and he said that the sign actually rotates so if there is a King, they can change the name to His Majesty's Theatre. 

Here we are in Trafalgar Square. Luckily we found someone to take a photo for us.

A statue of Oliver Cromwell stands right outside of Parliament. I couldn't remember who he was so I looked him up on Google. He was an English military and political leader best known for making England into a republican Commonwealth and conquered Ireland and Scotland.

I really want to print this picture off and make it into a postcard. 

Wow, can you see how windy it was? My hair is going all over the place.

There was a nice park that we walked through.

Chris was stoked to see so much green!

Yay! We were so lucky that the weather was nice. I'm standing on the Thames River. 

Taking a stroll by our hotel.

A museum that we didn't go into. Just didn't have enough time. Thought it was cool though because the god Neptune is sitting up on top.

Hope you enjoyed all the pictures! We're both a little ill at the moment so I'm going to lie down and rest again. Next blog: Amsterdam!!

Much love,

Nic

London Part 1

Hello Everyone!

We have some MAJOR updating to do! I'm sure as most of you reading this know, Chris and I recently got engaged (Nov. 14th, 2008 to be exact) and it all happened in London - SO MAGICAL!!! So I'm going to post up some pictures of our trip. Unfortunately, they are all out of order, but here we go!

I've always wanted to see Big Ben/Parliament since I was small (I think it was after riding Peter Pan at Disneyland - the part where you're flying over the city of London) and so when it finally happened, I was in awe. It was a beautiful night, clear skies, stars out, not too chilly considering it was November. 

Chris and I also walked through Trafalgar Square after eating at a lovely Thai restaurant. We had recently watched Patriot Games and there was a scene that was shot right in front of this building. :)

This was our amazingly delicious dessert at the Thai restaurant. A chocolate mousse pyramid!!! Total Perfection!

We had to get a picture of Chris in the phone booth. (Well, ok, I made him get in there.)

This was when I first met up with Chris at the hotel. I had school earlier that day and Chris was going to go to a meeting in London but it was cancelled right when he got to the train station. We were celebrating our one year anniversary and I had no idea what was up his sleeve!

This was the first photo as newly engaged!! Don't we look so happy?!

This was our view when Chris proposed. So freakin' beautiful. 

Ok, I'm sure you want to know how it all happened if you don't already know. After eating at the Thai restaurant, we decided to go for a stroll and see the sights. We headed towards Big Ben and took a few of these photos, then we decided to cross the Thames River to get a better view of the whole building. We found a spot right on the water and Chris gave me a card. He wrote about how wonderful the past year had been, that he was glad he made the choice to move with me to the UK, that although the move has been trying, we've been nothing but supportive to each other and grown even stronger. He said that he loved me so much and knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. At the end of the card it said, "and..." and when he could see I was through reading, he pulled out the ring and asked me to marry him!!!!!!!! 

I shouted "OMG! OMG!" a few times and then said YES!!!! of course. I cried and I couldn't believe it was actually happening. And it was so amazingly romantic and it couldn't have been more perfect. 

Ah yes, the London Eye. This is like a GIGANTIC ferris wheel but moves so slowly that you can barely tell that it moves at all. Chris and I rode on it the next night and we got some great aerial shots - I'll include those in the next blog (London Part 2 coming soon!).

Big Ben at its finest!! I definitely have to frame this picture.

I loved the trees by the Parliament building so I had to take a picture.

Anyway, it's getting late for us so I will continue this soon. Hope everyone is well! We heard about the snow last week in Seattle. Crazy! Hope the spring is finally here for us all. 

Over and out -

Nicole

The Visa has arrived!!!!

Hey Guys! 

Just a short post to let you know that Chris received his approved visa earlier this week!!!! That means we're heading back to good ole England around Feb. 17th...haven't booked plane tickets yet - I think subconsciously (or consciously) we don't want to go back - I feel like I live in Seattle again, but at the same time I'm very happy to be able to finish school - at least this first year.

And we're definitely not looking forward to the awful trek across the planet - being stuck in recycled air for 8+ hours - I feel like I'm suffocating towards the end there. Ah well, we just pray birds don't get stuck in our plane's engine!

Oh, and this funny picture of us was taken in Amsterdam. Oh yeah! I haven't even posted up pictures, thoughts, etc. about our short stay there. I'll make sure to do that soon! Promise!

- Nic

Update as of Jan. 21st, 09

Hey Everyone!

Chris and I wanted to thank you for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and support through this crazy experience. Now that we've had a few days to sit with everything, reflect, re-prioritize, and rest we have some updated information for you.

Chris' company is very supportive and is in the process of setting up a legitimate UK branch, seeking legal counsel, and helping Chris with his Visa application. It looks like he'll have to apply for a Sole Representative of a US company Visa (not sure if this is the correct terminology - I'm sure Chris will get on here to give you more details about all that stuff). 

My school is being very supportive of our situation and I've been emailing them to figure out the details. We both want to return to Liverpool so I am at the very least able to finish the first year and receive a certificate of higher education. If I finish the second year, I would receive a diploma, and finally after the third year, I would receive a BA. I'm still unsure if I can complete the first year along with the rest of my classmates - not sure how long this Visa stuff will take and also not sure what the deadline would be for me to resume classes. Trying to get an answer from school. Also, if I am unable to return in a timely manner, I should be able to pick up where I left off in Jan. 2010 and since I have paid for the entire year it should still apply to next year should I come back then. I am also trying to get definite answers to all of this, but my instructors want to help in any way they can. 

On a side note, I just got my marketing essay grade, and I got a 78% which is like 110% in the UK grading scale!!!! My teachers told all of us that if we get a 70% that is really great so I am totally stoked!!!!! YAY!!!!

Anyway, Chris and I have been talking about all of our possible options with a lot of clarity and although this has been a traumatic experience we have come out the other end stronger and with a better sense of where our priorities lie: each other. We know no matter what decisions we make or what is thrown in our face, we will get through it as long as we are together as a unit. I feel comforted to know I have a partner through all of this who is still very supportive of my dreams. He has worked so hard to make everything work and has done everything in his power to stay in the UK with me - he still is. And I can not thank him enough for his efforts. My dreams have changed from a year ago and although I want to go back, it's not the most important thing in the world anymore. Going to school in England is still an amazing opportunity and I am still grateful for the experience, but now, I just want us to be happy - whether that means we leave England after a year or stay over there for the full three or more - we won't really know. One thing is for sure - we both hope to have a routine again soon. I never thought I would say that.

Talk to you soon!

Nicole

PS. We watched the inauguration this morning and I am SO happy to say that our leader is now the inspiring, amazing, wonderful President Barack Obama!!!! Whoo Hoo!!!! I wear my shirt proudly!

Now we know what it feels like to be treated like terrorists.

So...I will try to keep this as short as possible but it may be hard since we have so many thoughts and feelings on the matter.

Yesterday, we arrived in Manchester at 9:30am. We didn't leave the airport until 5pm. Yes, that's right. Chris was held up in UK Customs for 7 HOURS - 7 FREAKING HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We stood in line and decided to go through separately just because we didn't want to take any chances. I went through the line fine. I was going to meet Chris in baggage claim after using the restroom. I came out, looked around, and he wasn't there. Our bags came - he still wasn't there. I was starting to panic by this point and plugged in my cell phone and proceeded to text both his UK and US phone to see what the hold up was. A few minutes later Chris lets me know that they pulled him aside so I just sat with our bags and waited. 

An hour later, a UK Customs guy comes out of nowhere and asks me in an unnecessary harsh voice, "What do you have charging in that socket?" 

I told him that I was charging my cell phone.

"Take that out of the socket right now! How rude! You are using tax payer's money!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes I'm serious! Take that out right now and leave! You are so rude!"

OMG - it took EVERYTHING IN MY POWER not to curse him out right then and there. Luckily, my brain overpowered my raging emotions. 

"Fine I'll unplug it, but I'm not leaving. And you're the one who's being rude. There is no reason for you to just come out and speak to me that way." (muttering ASSHOLE! under my breath).

A few minutes after, a different guy comes out and asks me if the other guy informed me of what was going on. Of course I told him no - the guy just came out and scolded me for charging my phone. So, the guy proceeds to tell me what is going on with Chris and asks me questions about what he does for work etc. Then he says that some agents need to look through our bags. I said, fine - whatever you need to do.

Two agents come out with Chris (mind you this is at least 2 hours of waiting). They lead us down to a separate area and take apart our luggage one item at a time. At least they were nice and packed everything better than it was packed in the first place. Of course, I had a TON of wedding magazines and related papers so we told them we were engaged and going to get married back in the States in 2010. They took out any documents they felt were related to the situation so they could have a closer look.

Another hour has gone by after they are done searching through everything we have. We head back to the baggage claim area and they told me I could wait there. I waited.....and waited....and got hungry and thirsty, but still waited. Chris would send me text messages whenever he could. I figured he had to text me when he was alone in the room. A few hours later, another guy came out to let me know he would be awhile and said I could go home or grab food and water if needed, but I said I was fine. I just ate the snacks my mom prepared for us (thanks Mom! They saved me!!!). I watched people come and go - from Grenoble, Geneva, Paris, and Knock - wherever the hell that is. I read a quarter of "Eat, Pray, Love" which was the only thing that alleviated my boredom and worry.

I looked at the time and it was now 4:30pm. I couldn't believe how long we had been held up! We were EXHAUSTED almost to the point of delirium (at least I was - not sure how Chris was doing in the holding cell all this time). I was worried Chris was starving and dying of thirst. I feared they would make him get back on a plane. So many things were rushing through my head. I knew it was now 8:30am back in Seattle and figured I could call my mom. 

After telling her the situation and venting and saying "FUCK" like a MILLION times I couldn't hold it together anymore. I sat there sobbing as quietly as possible and felt like I was 5 again wishing for my momma. I decided the bathroom was a much better place to collect myself so I lugged our two HUGE suitcases along with my carry-ons across baggage claim and just wept in a stall. 

A few minutes later I get a call and Chris tells me he's finally out. He let me know that they decided (after much debate) that he has to go back to the States on Tuesday (tomorrow). They're giving him enough time to rest and collect things. He's talked to the agents about his situation, his multiple visa applications, our relationship and our wedding plans, my school situation, everything. The customs agents were actually sympathetic (a little) and searched for him to see what type of visa would fit his situation. We almost wanted to tell them, "Look we're not idiots and we're not trying to cheat the system. Tell us what visa he needs and we'll apply for it." This is what they came up with.

He can't get a work visa because he's working for a UK company. 

He can't get a visitors visa because he is "transferring his base" of work temporarily from the US to the UK.

He can't get a Highly Skilled Migrant Worker permit because he doesn't qualify (not enough points - weird system - not going to get into it).

He can't get a sole proprietor business visa because his company would have to set up a legitimate business within the UK and who knows how long that would take anyway?

We've talked about our options over and over. We thought, hey, maybe we could go back to the States, get married on paper, apply for a visa for married dependents of students. But he's NOT a dependent. And I wouldn't be able to prove that I have enough funds to cover him the whole time while being here. Plus, Chris has now been "black listed" and when he tries to come through UK Customs again, a red flag will go up and we don't think that type of visa will hold up. 

Chris had mentioned that right before they let him go, a French student WITH a Visa was going through customs. The customs agent asked him why he was going to school in the UK when he could go to school in France since he didn't speak English very well. The student said he wanted to study in a different country to practice his English. Apparently, a VISA and his reasons were not enough evidence because they pulled him aside as well to further investigate him. I mean, JESUS!!! What the FUCK are they trying to PROVE here?!?!? We felt so bad for the guy. He just wants to study in your FUCKING country and has the correct documents!!!! It's like it's a crime to want to study abroad and experience a different culture. 

This whole experience has left such a bad taste in our mouths. 

In terms of my school, I have a meeting with a school counselor in an hour. I'm going to talk about my options of finishing school or taking a sabbatical or just leaving altogether. At this point, I want to go with the third option because I am not going to stay over here without Chris. I feel the other two options come with more stress and heartache than is necessary and really I am fed up with this place. 

While back in Seattle, we were both so much happier. Seattle has everything that suits our lives which England lacks. Family, friends, amazing food, amazing people, yoga, Green Lake, the vibrant music scene, and it would be SO MUCH EASIER to plan the wedding. Yes, the economy sucks right now, but we should be able to find jobs. There would be a lot of things we'd need to figure out besides work - a place to stay, buying a car, blah, blah, blah, but it would be so much easier to settle ourselves back in Seattle as opposed to trying to start a life here. 

Anyway, I will let you know what I find out about school. Chris is already in the process of closing accounts and what have you. Right now, I just need to tend to the most simple of human needs - shower and eat!!

Over and out.

-Nic