Africanteacher

Where's the vid?

Where's the Freakin Vid?

WHERE'S THE FREAKIN VID Y'ALL?!!!

I was fed up with my students referring to 'Wednesday' as 'Wen-day', 'Tuesday' as 'Too-day' and 'Thursday' as 'Thur-day'.

I started a classroom drill of writing the letter 'S' on the board every time they walked into my classroom. Then we played games on Days of the week.

I had a tendency of underlining the '-ce' in 'rice', 'ice' 'nice'.. until my learners got the pronunciation right.

There's a student whose name is 'Ice'. I would pretend I forgot her name every time I felt like reminding the rest. They would all say 'ICE' and not 'EYE'. I sometimes would make fun of the way she couldn't pronounce her name well. I'm proud to say lots has changed.

Now my students say 'ThurSday', 'WedneSday' and can pronounce 'ICE' correctly.

Three Little Birds -Bob Marley

Holy Family (Phra Vistuthiwong) School in Lam Lukka Pathumthani, about 20 mins from Don Mueang.

Lovely environment to work in. The staff and students are awesome. The school is run pretty well.

So presumably, this news means an end to the possibility of extending the Skytrain to Don Meuang.............Bugger!!!

I feel your pain. I feel your pain.

I've always used Don Mueang for domestic flights. Now going all the way to Suvarnabhumi is gonna make my taxi ride longer and more expensive. Tsk Tsk

Hello,

Me and my thai boyfriend ended up in a quite difficult visa situation with the UK embassy despite the fact that we always have told them nothing but the truth. Here is the situation we are currently in:

I am from Austria, 30 years old and I came to Thailand for a career break - I met my current boyfriend and we fell in love and travelled together in South East Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) for about 4 months and then after that I stayed until 10th of november 2008 with his family in Ban Fa which is a bit outside of Bangkok. Altogether I stayed in South East Asia with my boyfriend over 7 months (I came to Thailand 23.03.08 and left 10.11.08). I decided that I want to go back to work in Europe. I am quite experienced and have worked in some european countries already - furthermore i have a degree and a very good professional CV. It is not difficult for me to find a well paid job and I got soon a job offer from a company with offices in London. As I liked this offer, the company and overall also the UK I decided to accept this offer and go from Thailand directly to the UK and take my boyfriend with me. Please note I never was exposed to embassies and visa problems before in my life and I thought we just bring all information requested and tell the truth and we get the visa. I was terribly wrong...

First application: category tourist visa

First we applied for a tourist visa and i was the sponsor. As I am austrian and my country part of the european union I have the right to life and work in the UK without any paperwork needed. So I can be my boyfriends sponsor. We had a private health insurance for my boyfriend in place, I sent them my signed working contract that clearly stated that i have a good salary to take care about myself and my boyfriend, a letter of my austrian bank telling about my savings and funds along with a reference that I am a financially trustworthy person, my personal CV that states that I am a highly skilled individual, Bookings of hotel (as we planned to start for searching for flat once the UK), sponsorship letter that explained the whole situation, bank statements of my boyfriend showing 40.000 baht on his bank account, my own bank statements for one year, my passport copy, copy of my boyfriends ID card, flight reservation for my boyfriend (incl. return ticket).

-> we got refused (big shock) - the reason: we could not proof that our relationship is genuine. Here we made a mistake as I was during the first application in Bangkok I went with my boyfriend to the application center and thought I can talk to them and give reference in person. At the application center we found out that I cannot enter with him and the employees there also did not tell my boyfriend go home and get some pictures to proof your relationship otherwise it will get refused. Furthermore - it was my idea - I wrote in the sponsor letter that i want my boyfriend to visit a language school... We found out that this is not possible with a visiting visa - this was again my mistake as i just thought what is wrong with that when he is using his time learning English in a professional language course. Also we applied for 6 months as this is the maximum duration that they give for a visiting visa. So the main reason they refused was that we forgot to put pictures to proof our relationship and also they didnt like the fact that we said that my boyfriend would like to do a language course there.

Second application: category visiting visa

After the first application we just thought alright we just forgot some things - especially the fact that we did not proof our relationship properly was mainly due to the fact that we dont doubt our relationship ourselves so never could think that others may doubt it. That may sound naive but if you dont plan any illegal things you dont think this could happen as you are completely honest. So we put all the pictures we had (from 4 different countries where we travelled to) including my passport stamps that are exactly identical with my boyfriend ones as we travelled together. I already was in England by that time - and we also added some emails. We also wrote that we did not know about the fact that on a visiting visa you cannot do a private language course and excused ourselves for that.

-> we got refused again (!!!!). They said that still they are not sure about our relationship furthermore that they dont believe that he wont do a language course in the UK and overall that he has no family ties and no job in Thailand so he wont come back. Also they requested previous passport copies. We said in our application that he had another passport before but we dont have the passport anymore. That now they pointed out as well. Overall you just could see they dont want to give visa no matter how much papers we bring...

I was quite shocked to be honest because we never intended to commit any crime or violate UK laws! I consulted shortly in UK a lawyer for immigration and he told me that I have to be in the UK for 6 months before i can get somebody on a visiting visa to the UK and also my boyfriend needs to have a job. And even if I would marry him this could mean he wont get a spousal visa... Another lawyer told me that UK is always refusing visiting visas when they suspect that a couple would live together in the UK. I am confused but one thing I can say we never lied and were always honest. Yes my boyfriend is without work and we said that! But I have enough money so were is the problem?

Anyway so we said alright lets take it slowly and you prepare for taking some courses in the meantime and to proof that you come back we try to get a visiting visa over christmas/new year to austria. Additionally i really wanted to see him and show him my country!!! Currently my boyfriend has an entrance exam for the Bangkok Oriental thai chef programme which lasts 3 months so he wont be able to come to UK before June...

As I am not resident of my country anymore my sister guaranteed as a sponsor for my boyfriend so that he gets a Schengen visa to Austria - reason was that we want to see each other over Christmas and that I want to introduce him to my family we wanted a visa from 19.12 - 05.01. I took holiday from work we applied gave them ALL papers needed including complete guarantee of my sister (she did that in front of the austrian police authorities, a guarantee if my boyfriend does not go back she is paying for everything). We explained austrian embassy the whole case... Result we did not get visa - just a letter asking for further information as they suspect my boyfriend does not come back from austria and causes costs to the austrian state. It is nearly unbelievable even my own countrie acting so terrible. We have brought all papers and I could not see my boyfriend in Austria - took holidays and they tell us now after the time we wanted the visa for already has gone by that they want more information before they finally come to a decision if they give a visa or not. Well it is too late anyway but now we have to get that fixed to avoid a third refused stamp in my boyfriends passport!!!! Additionally if I would have known that they make problems too I would have spend my holidays in Thailand!

As you can understand we are extremely confused, demotivated and insecure. I want to consult a immigration specialist to make sure the next steps are perfect. Also I plan to marry my boyfriend in April when i go to Bangkok but I am not sure possibly british authorities keep their stance towards us... I really would like to get some feedback on my case as I personally think we get treaten very unfair... Yes i have more money as my boyfriend and yes I have a degree and he does not but finally that is my private decision. That we wont fall back on UK benefits I can guarantee as I always could take care very well about myself.

I feel really discrimanted and I need to find answers and ways that my boyfriend gets the visas needed so that he can live with me. The best would be of course if we get a UK visa if not and we are married we also should be able to get a visa for Austria and then in Austria apply for EU family member visa for my boyfriend then he can go to the UK anyway if my own country makes problems the last chance i have is to relocate to Germany (I am German countrymanager but based in UK and could go there workwise) and try to get visa for this country...

I really need some advise, some ideas some thoughts as soon as possible as I want to organise things properly and I really miss my boyfriend and dont enjoy it to be now alone here in the UK!!!

Lorelei30

Sorry about your tight situation. You are not the first. Take heart.

I'm wondering why you wouldn't get a good job in this beautiful country and live happily ever after with your boyfriend.....

Marry your boyfriend as soon as he steps into Europe. ('',) Your chances of maintaining him there would have been higher.

As it is, your boyfriend doesn't have favourable qualifications to be productive in the UK and this could be a major setback especially considering he is male....

Just my advice. All the best.

Adibas / Nikke/ Samsssung/ Ifone/ Ipood/ Reebook/ MTTV/ CNM News/ ....

Aint life grand!

You are a funny one.

Let us know what happens when you send it. We may learn some lessons.

Anyone know how dangerous a lady-boy could be?

I mean violently dangerous.

Just asking.

This is sad. Sorry man.

Hmmm... Interesting forum. I'm learning lots. Especially about Phuket.

Maybe I should think twice about my 45K Baht job offer.

Hello!

I have not been following the progress on the findings about the fire at Santika.

What's the outcome?

Who's been charged? Sentenced?

Thanks

Good job! ('',)

Now wait till Chatuchak Market burns and lives are lost then they'll start installing fire equipment and emergency exits....

But good job, still there!

Where is Santika located in BKK?

Santika is located along Thonglor street off Sukhumvit.

As much as this is just some bad luck, I know I made a good decision to stay in tonight.

Sad news here.

Sorry y'all!

I once accepted my salary in cash and had to give back Three 1,000 Bank notes When I went to the bank and they told me they were counterfeit.

I went to so much trouble trying to explain to the police how I came into possession of the notes. Luckily my boss was a few blocks away and came to my rescue. She had to trace the origin of the notes.

I'm gonna be there.

('',)

I know a good cure for this. The military could use my advice for once.

It's known as ASS WHOOPING! Get the Yellow to work and build their dwindling economy.

Silly impatient people clad in Yellow T-shirts holding a country at ransom just cause they want to be in power by force. I wonder where they were during the elections.

Mate, just have your lunch and move on.

You're most likely not to fit into their system. You will try all you can, from drinking your beer from a glass half-filled with ice, to walking around in sandals and socks.

You will most likely not fit into their lunch system.

Eat and walk.

At least you've got your farang mate near you.

On a lighter note, you may try talking to them, if you feel you must interfere with their Thai-speaking routine. There sure must be someone who would be willing to talk.