Another year

So many things have been going on, it's hard to know where to start!  But first, it must be to wish Mr John a very happy birthday today.  He's getting very close to being in the thirty several club.  I should explain that Mr John's Nan was nearly 80 when she died but if you asked her how old she was, her standard response was thirty several.  She was an amazing woman and quite frankly, if it was good enough for Nan then it's good enough for me.

A year ago today we were celebrating Mr John's birthday at the Pullman Hotel in Bangkok having arrived on April 26th.  So we've been here over a year now and I can't believe how quickly it's gone.  Having given up work on March 31 last year, to be honest, I expected as some point to wake up one morning and say "Know what, I fancy going to work", but as it turns out, I don't miss it at all.  Of course I miss lovely people that I've worked with but really enjoy getting to choose everyday what I'll do.

So on Friday, with Mr John having secured a new contract with a local Primary school on their English Programme, we've headed to the school for our 9am appointment to get his visa and hopefully mine.  We had to go to the Labour Office first for work permits.  One of the administrators, Goi, was with us and she had seven to do in total.  Because there were so many, they suggested we come back in the afternoon when they'd had time to process them.

So off we went to the Immigration Office.  As my regular readers will know, I dread going to this place as there always seems to be a problem for me to tackle.  So with my heart in my mouth, all three of us enter the office.    It's relatively busy and so there's a bit of sitting and waiting.  Mr John is sent a couple of time to the small office across the hall for photocopies and what a great business they must have, handy for photocopying and they also have a camera to snap your visa photos - genius.  His seems to be progressing OK until they ask for the work permit.  This of course, is still at the Labour Office and so they advise us to come back  but to make sure it's before 4pm.

Goi heads back to school having mentioned the medical test Mr John will need and suggests he gets that done.  She will call us when it's time to go back to the Labour Office.  I get dropped off at Brunch to have coffee whilst Mr John goes to get stabbed with a needle.  I must point out that he has a bit of a fear of needles and if you want to teach in Thailand you have to get a syphilis test...I know!  Apparently it's because there was an outbreak of syphilis a long time ago which killed many Thai people and so this test is mandatory.

Mr John, free of syphilis, picks me up having been contacted by Goi.  We're to meet her at the Labour Office.  More waiting but finally she gets a piece of paper confirming Mr John will get his work permit and off we go back to Immigration.  I needed to visit the ladies whilst I was here and there was a sign for the "Toilet Lady".  Feeling hopeful I headed in to find three toilets - 2 squat and one sit down.  Opting for the sit down, I was very grateful I had my trusty tissues in my handbag as the newspaper's quite stiff.

Meanwhile, back at Immigration Mr John gets his visa and they start on mine.  He needs more photocopies wonder if it's a relative who runs the business over the hall and I have to sign a form saying I will abide by the conditions only the bottom half of the form is in English and I have no idea what conditions I'm agreeing to.  More sitting and waiting, I hand over my 1900 baht just like Mr John has and then....... we've got them.  We're here for another year, hurrah! 

Not only that but now my 90 day reporting is linked to Mr John's and I don't have to leave the country every three months.  What a result and Goi was so good to us acting not only as guide but interpreter.  Finally, we can relax and think about getting away for break before Mr John starts school in about three weeks.