Separate Adventures - Day 9
Ugh, Day 9? That sounds so sad. Still no visa.
I am trying to finish my homework as soon as possible in case my visa looks like it's going to arrive. We'll see.
As for Pedro, he's officially moving in! Pedro was able to get a partial refund for the hotel; all in all, he lost about $100. Sucks, but it is better than nothing. And now he has a bank account! This is great because cash is kind of useless. I've always liked it for traveling and shopping because it's easier to spend less when you can actually see it disappearing from your wallet. You can't, however, pay your bills with it. Electric, water, internet, *loan disbursement*, all requires a bank account to enable online transactions.
So, after a few calls to set everything up, Pedro can at least use cash at the grocery store. Our apartment came unfurnished with a few things, but he still needs to get the essentials. Toilet paper, soaps, food.
While the apartment is perfectly placed for his school, the main campus is farther away now. So he had to walk another 4 miles to pick up his BRP (Biometric Residency Permit) card. He couldn't pick mine up since he would need my passport, but he could see it. Of course, it was based on my old visa, so it too says "no work". Crap. So once I get into the country, I hope the UK government will reissue my BRP card as well. If not, Pedro will have to make another appointment at the school on my behalf to fix it.
After getting his BRP card, he went back to the Botanical Gardens on the way back to the apartment. I think he really enjoys resting there. The indoor greenhouses were even open today!
Update on Pedro: He was able to go to the grocery store to buy some basic supplies. He said the Morrisons by our place is like Publix. Downside is, neither Morrisons nor Aldi had an air mattress. So he will still be sleeping on the floor. He was able to buy a blanket, and he happened to have a hammock in his suitcase, so that's something.
I am trying to finish my homework as soon as possible in case my visa looks like it's going to arrive. We'll see.
As for Pedro, he's officially moving in! Pedro was able to get a partial refund for the hotel; all in all, he lost about $100. Sucks, but it is better than nothing. And now he has a bank account! This is great because cash is kind of useless. I've always liked it for traveling and shopping because it's easier to spend less when you can actually see it disappearing from your wallet. You can't, however, pay your bills with it. Electric, water, internet, *loan disbursement*, all requires a bank account to enable online transactions.
So, after a few calls to set everything up, Pedro can at least use cash at the grocery store. Our apartment came unfurnished with a few things, but he still needs to get the essentials. Toilet paper, soaps, food.
While the apartment is perfectly placed for his school, the main campus is farther away now. So he had to walk another 4 miles to pick up his BRP (Biometric Residency Permit) card. He couldn't pick mine up since he would need my passport, but he could see it. Of course, it was based on my old visa, so it too says "no work". Crap. So once I get into the country, I hope the UK government will reissue my BRP card as well. If not, Pedro will have to make another appointment at the school on my behalf to fix it.
After getting his BRP card, he went back to the Botanical Gardens on the way back to the apartment. I think he really enjoys resting there. The indoor greenhouses were even open today!
Update on Pedro: He was able to go to the grocery store to buy some basic supplies. He said the Morrisons by our place is like Publix. Downside is, neither Morrisons nor Aldi had an air mattress. So he will still be sleeping on the floor. He was able to buy a blanket, and he happened to have a hammock in his suitcase, so that's something.
