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Well. The time has come. I fly out tonight on Iceland Air.
When I think about the last couple weeks saying goodbye to loved ones, packing, and purging my stuff (which proved a lot harder than expected) I'm just amazed at how fortunate I am to do this. If anything, this experience has made me realize how many people truly love and support me. Saying goodbyes were hard, even if it is just for two years. However, as my mom pointed out, it is a lot easier to live abroad now than it was when she was my age. I'm sure skype and facebook messenger will become a huge part of my life when I'm over there. I do have to constantly remind myself to look forward instead of back. I'm a nostalgic person, so I often get caught in the "remember when" trap. One thing that I do try to remember is that fire that spurred in my body when I had this idea in the first place. The excitement that ejected through me as I talked to my mom on the phone all those months ago. One chapter ends as another begins. I can't wait to see what London has in store for me. Onwards and upwards!
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Days till move: 20
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was just a child, maybe 8 or 9. I was seriously obsessed with Harry Potter, and I told my dad that I wanted to move to England. He informed me I couldn't, because both my parents were born in Canada; but he, however, could. My grandparents were both born in Wales so he was eligible for a UK passport. I however, was not. I remember my heart sinking, all my dreams shattered. You can imagine then, how thrilled I was to learn that, over a decade later, I actually could move to the UK. Not only that, but it was pretty easy for me to do so. I was 25 with two grandparents born in the UK. This made me eligible for two visas: The tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa, and the Ancestry Visa. Here are the requirements for both visas: Youth Mobility: Two year visa. Must return to home country after two years. - Be between the ages of 18-30. - Have British nationality or be from certain commonwealth countries. - Prove you have enough funds in your bank account to support yourself. - Provide address of the place you will be staying in the UK. - Pay visa fee and health surcharge. - Earliest you can apply is 6 months before arrival. Ancestry: Five year visa. Eligible for extension and to settle in the UK permanently. - Be over the age of 17. - Prove ancestry by supplying documents such as grandparents' and parents' birth and marriage certificates, as well as your own birth certificate. - Prove intent to work. - Prove you have enough funds in you bank account to support yourself. - Provide address of the place you will be staying in the UK. - Pay visa fee and health surcharge. - Earliest you can apply is 3 months before arrival. (Click here for more information on UK visas: www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration ) Initially, I was going to apply for the Ancestry Visa. I liked the option to stay in the UK if I wanted after the 5 year mark, especially if I got an acting job that would require me to stay longer. I started collecting documents which proved pretty easy considering both my grandparents are still living. What became stressful, however, was the price difference between the two visas. I was looking at a price difference of about $2000 required for my bank statement, the visa cost, and health surcharge. I was also doubting whether I really did want to stay in the UK for five years since I'm ultimately going in blind, not really knowing anyone or having a plan. I might get there and want to come back in six months. I would rather take that chance on a two year visa rather than a five. Ultimately, I applied for the Youth Mobility Visa with the knowledge that if I wanted to, I could always still apply for the Ancestry Visa later as that option will still be available to me. I wish I could tell my dad that I am moving to the UK after all. Sadly, he passed away three years ago, so I'll never have the opportunity. I'm sure he'd be very excited for me though, since he absolutely loved to travel and live life to the fullest. If you were wondering how I'm able to afford this new life direction, it is because of his inheritance. I firmly believe you should jump at any opportunity life gives you, and my dad did, too. "Is it for school? A job?"
Those are the assumptions I get most of the time; and to be frank, it makes sense. Usually you hear of actors moving to L.A. or New York, but London? That's not something that's common amongst North American actors. So why? The most common response I give is that I was bored. And that is true. It was a dreary January day and I decided that I wanted to do something over the summer that involved travelling and also serving my career, so I thought, why not train internationally? London was an immediate choice because I've always admired British actors such as: Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Julie Andrews, etc. Of course, there was also Shakespeare, amongst many other great playwrights whom the United Kingdom produced. Moreover, I was there for a mere two days two years ago and absolutely fell in love with the city. I should also add that the United States was never on my radar to train because I refuse to enter Trump Land. (No offence to the Americans I know who reject the current POTUS and his administration.) Back to that dreary January day. I decided to take a three week summer course specializing in Shakespeare at Guildhall. After applying, I had this crazy idea that I could just stay there after the program. I looked into visas, purely out of curiosity, and discovered I was eligible for two: the Youth Mobility visa and the Ancestry visa. The sparks in my brain began to stir and for the first time I thought to myself "I could seriously do this." I called my parents with this crazy idea thinking that they would deter me and tell me I was being too impulsive. (I do have a history of impulsivity.) They were thrilled and told me I should definitely do it, and have been a rock of encouragement ever since. But then there was the acting part. I googled "American actors in London" and everything surrounding that concept, but almost nothing came up. This was new territory, apparently. I did find one article that mentioned that the American accent could be a strength because I'd be sent out for distinctly American roles. (By the way, I say "American" because the Canadian and American accents are very similar, and I've also been trained to speak standard American, so my Canadian-isms are almost non-existent anymore.) The long and short of it is that I've always wanted to live abroad, I'm single, I'm finally out of school, I'm not in a committed job, and the acting thing isn't really doing much for me in Toronto. So basically, why the hell not? |
Megan RuthEverything you need to know about my move to London. Archives
December 2020
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