Somehow this post got on Facebook last year, but not on my travel blog!! I think I had great intentions of writing a more in-depth post for my blog, but it never seemed to be the right time as I processed through my experience and lived my life back at home in 2016!! So here is last year's UK Border experience in a nutshell....
(Written on Jan 3, 2016)...Some of you may have noticed that I'm in Indiana instead of the UK, so I figured I'd give you the short version of my "ordeal" with the UK Border & Customs people a few days ago!!
I arrived assuming I would be okay as a visitor under their "Visitor 6-month visa" but when I got there the Border agent decided I was a "high risk" for overstaying my welcome!! Bottom line (which doesn't apply at ALL to me, but she couldn't see that)....I had already been in France for 3 months - add on a couple months in the UK and she was concerned that I might decide to stay illegally and "use up their resources" because I didn't appear to have solid ties in the US (seriously??!?). She was concerned that I wouldn't return because I would have been away from the US for almost 6 months. (Well, YES!!! - that was the whole idea, right?!?!) ;)
So they detained me over 24 hours while they made their decision (eventually agreeing to let me use the return portion of my ticket home instead of making me go back to France), then kept me in an overnight detention center until the next day when I could catch a flight home!! Overall it was a fairly traumatic ordeal, but I was gifted with some really kind people all along the way to make it less scary! The worst thing for me was letting down the two ladies who were counting on me to care for their home and cats (one in London for a week and one in the Cotswolds for 2 months)!!
There were many miracles, lessons, kindnesses and laughter along my journey the last few days (along with a lot of tears, frustration, sadness and disappointment), but I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason - and there is a Divine Plan that is in the works - and I guess I am NOT meant to be in the UK at this time! I always hope that the meaning and/or lessons in experiences like this become clear so I know WHY, but I'm trusting that there's a reason I was unceremoniously shipped home (at my expense, mind you)!! :(
I'll be in Indiana enjoying "my babies" for about a week, then I'll head back to Oregon to regroup and figure out what's next! One of these days I might get a blog post written with more details because there truly were many miracles and kindness along the way that I would love to share, but right now I'm ready to put that experience behind me and let it go....releasing it with the rest of 2015 - gleaning the lessons and moving onto the next step in my journey!! :)
Sending all of you dear friends Love & Light - and wishing you a wonderful journey in 2016!!
(Written on Jan 3, 2016)...Some of you may have noticed that I'm in Indiana instead of the UK, so I figured I'd give you the short version of my "ordeal" with the UK Border & Customs people a few days ago!!
I arrived assuming I would be okay as a visitor under their "Visitor 6-month visa" but when I got there the Border agent decided I was a "high risk" for overstaying my welcome!! Bottom line (which doesn't apply at ALL to me, but she couldn't see that)....I had already been in France for 3 months - add on a couple months in the UK and she was concerned that I might decide to stay illegally and "use up their resources" because I didn't appear to have solid ties in the US (seriously??!?). She was concerned that I wouldn't return because I would have been away from the US for almost 6 months. (Well, YES!!! - that was the whole idea, right?!?!) ;)
So they detained me over 24 hours while they made their decision (eventually agreeing to let me use the return portion of my ticket home instead of making me go back to France), then kept me in an overnight detention center until the next day when I could catch a flight home!! Overall it was a fairly traumatic ordeal, but I was gifted with some really kind people all along the way to make it less scary! The worst thing for me was letting down the two ladies who were counting on me to care for their home and cats (one in London for a week and one in the Cotswolds for 2 months)!!
There were many miracles, lessons, kindnesses and laughter along my journey the last few days (along with a lot of tears, frustration, sadness and disappointment), but I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason - and there is a Divine Plan that is in the works - and I guess I am NOT meant to be in the UK at this time! I always hope that the meaning and/or lessons in experiences like this become clear so I know WHY, but I'm trusting that there's a reason I was unceremoniously shipped home (at my expense, mind you)!! :(
I'll be in Indiana enjoying "my babies" for about a week, then I'll head back to Oregon to regroup and figure out what's next! One of these days I might get a blog post written with more details because there truly were many miracles and kindness along the way that I would love to share, but right now I'm ready to put that experience behind me and let it go....releasing it with the rest of 2015 - gleaning the lessons and moving onto the next step in my journey!! :)
Sending all of you dear friends Love & Light - and wishing you a wonderful journey in 2016!!
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