I'm Highly Skilled (and highly stoked)
So I guess the news of the summer is
I've been approved to live and work in the UK under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP).
{{ jumping in the air shrieking like a mad-woman }}
For those of you who haven't been following the saga, I applied for the HSMP last - what was it? - February! Good god! The application was refused. I reworked my app and resubmitted, only to be refused yet again. Unwilling to pay yet another application fee, but also unwilling to give up, I wrote a 4-page appeal letter to the HSMP office. Last Tuesday, I received their approval letter. Much jumping and hooting and phone calls and celebration ensued shortly thereafter.
The good news was aptly timed: Tuesday was my last full day in Austin. And so saying goodbye to my friends, my job, my apartment, and my favorite beer was not the "best of luck" cocktail (with a twist of uncertainty) that I feared it would be. I closed the door on Austin with a few close friends, a Hitchcock movie at the Paramount, and a Full Moon Pale Rye Ale at the Draughthouse.
The future looks bright.
I flew from Austin to Chicago, where I'm staying with my parents inbetween various last-minute jaunts around the US. Right now I'm in Madison, WI, visiting my sister. My EDA in London is July 13th. Happy.
