Much Ado About Nothing

Today was a big milestone for us in our journey to Scotland--we submitted the final documents for our visa applications. Now....we wait. If was pretty anti-climatic today at the post office mailing off the cursed thing. After all the hoops and hurdles, it is finally done with no fanfare, no fireworks, no hooplah. I don't know what I was expecting--opera to suddenly blare through the heavens? Choreographed song and dance? The postal clerk showering me with confetti? Whatever I expected, it ended up being a little underwhelming. But, to help you have an idea of all the "ado," here are some numbers to help you have an idea of the visa application process:

• 1: Number of times I hope to have to apply for a visa
• 4: Number of months since the new UK Visa regulations went into effect
• 1: Number of months since they published the new UK Visa regulations for students (hmm....)
  
• 2: Number of times we had to get the photographs taken (because it wasn't done correctly the first time)
  
• 2: Number of weeks it took to get the bank to give me the correct document
• 3: Number of trips to the bank I had to make to get the correct document
  
• 8: Number of phone calls made to the bank to get the correct document
• 3: Number of hours I didn't sleep last night because I was stressing about how I was going to get the correct bank document
  
• 35: Number of dollars of fees we incurred, inappropriately, from the bank in the process of getting the correct bank document
  
• 106: Number of total pages of supplemental documentation provided to the Consulate General (not including the 4 passports that were sent in)

So, now we are waiting....we're not sure how long the process with take. They should receive the information tomorrow by noon, then it's really anybody's guess about how long it will take. We'll keep you posted.