2020--we made it. Survived it, more like. It was perhaps the most eventful and uneventful year many of us have experienced.
Disappointing Beginnings
Though my year started off hopeful, spending the New Year with James in Wales, it quickly took a downward turn. My job of teaching English was suddenly cut by 2/3rds due to class demands and I was suddenly left without a sustainable income. I was feeling fairly dejected and worried as I knew I would have to save a good deal to move to the UK and get married in the latter half of the year. It took me over a month to find a part-time job which didn’t leave my confidence soaring. My anxiety was flaring up and I wasn’t sure of myself at all during January and February.
New Joys
Luckily for me, the part time job that I did end up finding was fantastic. I began working at the Sedgwick County Zoo in the Education and Farms department which was honestly a dream. However, just a month after being hired, the zoo had to shut due to growing COVID concerns. I was increasingly anxious about what would happen to my job and if I would keep it during the pandemic. Thankfully, the zoo managed to keep part time staff employed during the zoo shutdown by having us carry out regular chores and work on projects that had been put on hold. During this time I did tasks like cleaning out a prairie dog enclosure, preparing a confiscated tiger hide, cleaning loads and loads of goat poop, and doing a hefty amount of disinfecting.
Soon, the zoo reopened and things were mostly back to normal. I spent most of my days petting goats and sheep and chatting to people about how great they are. My old boss at the horseback riding academy got in touch and let me ride one of their horses, Ides, over the summer months which was a fantastic privilege. My brother got married in September and it was so beautiful and touching. I felt so honoured to be a part of their day. While I wasn’t able to visit James in May as planned, things were looking up and I was hopeful that our wedding would be relatively unaffected come October.
The Pandemic Continues
Though many of us were hopeful that COVID would leave as quickly as it came, we soon realized that it would be here to stay. My visa plans had been pushed back considerably as many of the immigration centers were closed until late July. This meant that I couldn’t move to the UK in early September like I had hoped and was stuck waiting in what I call “visa purgatory.”
On the 22nd of September, the hits kept coming. The UK announced that it would be shutting things down considerably and that weddings would be limited to just 15 people. Because James and I needed to be married to continue the visa process, we couldn’t postpone our ceremony. I was heartbroken as I realized that most of my family wouldn’t be there for my wedding. My wonderful mother decided to come two weeks early to do the required quarantine so that she could be there for me on the day.
Though our wedding was much smaller than planned, we had a truly amazing day. What started off as a rainy October morning quickly turned into a sunny autumn afternoon. I felt a lot less pressure with there being so few people and felt more relaxed than I probably would’ve originally. We ate, we chatted, we took loads of amazing pictures. It was a truly fantastic day.
In fact, we lucked out quite a bit as the UK headed into another lockdown during the months of November and December. Had our wedding been planned mere weeks after its original date, we would’ve really been in a tough situation. James and I spent our first married month quarantined with his parents while he worked from home and I made jewelry in the garage workshop. It wasn’t the first married month that we dreamed of, but it was pleasant nonetheless.
As predicted, “visa purgatory” struck again. To stay on a more permanent basis, I had to submit another application after we had gotten married. Though I had the application finished a week after our ceremony, my application wouldn't be submitted until I could attend an appointment in Manchester. This was nearly a month after our wedding. What I thought would be less than a two month wait had turned nearly a whole month longer. With me unable to travel outside the country and the pandemic reaching new highs, we decided we wouldn’t be visiting America at Christmas time and postponed our American wedding celebration indefinitely.
A Year of Waiting
Though I am no stranger to waiting (James and I waited the better part of 5 years to be together) this year it felt like all I was doing was waiting. Waiting for the pandemic to be over, waiting for my visa to arrive, waiting to see what new regulations would say. In fact, I am still waiting. My second visa has yet to arrive meaning that I am still unable to work and unable to really move forward and settle into my new life here. I just keep reminding myself that soon the wait will be over and it will all be worth it (fingers crossed).
Looking Ahead
I think most of us are hopeful that 2021 will be better than 2020. I’m dreaming of meeting up with friends, visiting my family, going on a honeymoon, decorating our first house, adopting our own dog, and much more. Of course, nothing goes as we plan, but we can still hope, right?
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone and I wanted to send out my best wishes to everyone reading. I have been extremely fortunate, despite some hiccups, to have friends and family to support me throughout uncertain times. Many people faced life changing challenges and my heart goes out to anyone who has faced these themselves. May your future be the best possible.