Category: Fascinating Facts

The Dreaded Form 80!

26/1/2023

January 2023 has been a month filled with paperwork. I don't think I have ever had so much form filling to do in all my life. Not that long ago, I used to think the bureaucracy in Spain was bad, when we moved there in 2018, but Australia beats it by a mile. I have always been mindful of just how difficult it is to move here, which is why I have constantly avoided making the decision to live in Perth full-time. After everything Darrell and I have been through over the years, it just wasn't something we really wanted to go through. However, circumstances change, and it has become a necessary evil; we have had to bite the bullet and do what is necessary.

From Medicare, the tax office, work related documents and now the dreaded 'form 80,' my life is just drowning in paperwork and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight quite yet. This week, my Immigration lawyer contacted me, saying I would need to fill in a form to assess my character. This isn't usual practice with a partner visa application, but because of several minor infringements when I was young, it is something I have to do.

To be honest, I never really imagined I would have to fill in such a form, since the convictions are twenty-five years old and committed as a rash, young twenty-year-old, after a rather intoxicating night out - that will teach me, never to act in such an impulsive manner again. A small altercation in 1997, is enough for the Department of Home Affairs in Australia, to delve deeper into my life. When I say deeper, I literally mean, as deep as it can get; it isn't, no laughing matter.

Providing job and address history since the year of my birth is no mean feat; I am lucky however to have documented my life over many years, and hold much of that information on my laptop. Going through all of that data has proved rather time-consuming, nevertheless. My computer filing system isn't the most logical, and the biggest challenge has been hunting down the important files. Thankfully, I have found the majority of what I need, and was able to submit the form to my lawyer yesterday.

I was always warned how difficult moving to Australia would be, so was aware such difficulties were bound to arise. Despite this, Darrell and I are very committed to this country and being close to his Mother at what is a crucial time. We are also lucky, to have the luxury, of time on our side. Both of us have been together for nearly twenty-seven years now, so proving our relationship together isn't difficult. The events and milestones that make up our time together, annoyingly, aren't always consistent in the same way, as a heterosexual couple, which can prove problematic. As gay men growing up in the eighties and nineties, our life was very much dictated by circumstances beyond our control. A lack of support, no access to help and advice, and the stigma of homosexuality imposed by successive Governments and less than desirable people, has always tried to thwart our relationship at every turn.

We are well-used to having to fight to stay together, forging a way through the red tape and despite the heartache and pain this causes, we have always managed to come back stronger than ever before. I understand how important it is for Australia to check our commitment together and my background as an individual. I personally have nothing to hide and have always been open and transparent with the authorities here. It is always best to be honest, tell the truth and admit your failings in life. A momentary indiscretion twenty-five years ago, may not be a reason to bar me from settling with my husband down under, but lying about it, certainly is.

This week, will end in the same way it began. With our completion date only days away now, it is important to focus on the end goals and not dwell on things I have no control over. I hope things turn out for the best, but I am always a realist at heart; if the worst comes to the worst, we will head back to the UK and restart where we left off. For now, that is a long way off; let's hope my honesty will pay dividends, and we can finally begin to live the rest of our life together.

Happy Australia Day

On a much lighter note, today is Australia Day, and a national holiday here in Australia. Unlike Darrell, I have had the day off and spent it relaxing, something I don't do very often at the moment. Australia Day is a controversial date; it marks the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and the raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip in 1788. This is therefore a white settler holiday and, for the aboriginal community, marks the destruction of their way of life and the culture they hold dear. Everyone who celebrates this day, should be conscious of that fact!

I have not celebrated today in the traditional sense, but I have followed events closely on television, purely out of curiosity. It is important for me to immerse myself in all aspects of Australian culture, and today is just a part of that process!

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Fascinating Facts - 10 Facts About Spain!

28/1/2018

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Did You Know?

1.   Spain produces 45% of the Worlds olive oil, the most out of any other nation!

2.   31 countries have Spanish as their official language!

3.   Spain has the largest tourism industry in the World!

4.   The Spanish have to use two surnames, as well as their own name; the surname of their Mother and Father!

5. 71% of Spaniards are Catholics!

6.   Madrid isn't only the capital city of Spain, it is also its geographical centre!

7. The national anthem of Spain has no words!

8.   Spain is the Worlds biggest producer of wine!

9.   The Spanish letter 'ñ' is the only letter of Spanish origin!

10.   The Tower of Hercules, in Spain, is the oldest lighthouse in the World, erected in the 1st century!

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Fascinating Facts - 12 Grapes!

27/12/2017

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At the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, people gather in squares around Spain, or with their families at home, observing the quaint Spanish tradition, of eating twelve grapes, for each strike of the clock, as they welcome in the New Year. The ceremony is relatively new, dating back to 1895, when vine growers introduced the custom to better sell their bumper crops of grapes, during the winter months. The consuming of 'The twelve grapes of luck' would, according to convention, bring prosperity to all those taking part. In some parts of Spain, it is also believed this practice, wards away evil magic and witches!

The ritual of consuming twelve grapes was popularised by a working class group of madrileños, (residents of Madrid,) early in the last century; mocking the elite who gathered in Madrid's Puerta Del Sol, eating grapes and drinking champagne, pouring scorn on all those who took part. The ceremonies throughout Spain hark back to this time, leading to the observances we see today!

On New Years Eve families gather to pay homage to this ceremony, eating each grape in quick succession. With the family formalities over, the younger generation will depart to party the night away. As for me, well, I will be following this age old Spanish practice, as I did last year, minus the partying into the early hours; I'm much too old for that now!

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Fascinating Facts - Window Grills!

11/12/2017

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Here is a photograph, taken from my front window, as you can see there are metal grills adorning the front, a very common convention in Spain. I've always wondered why, well today I found out!

It has long been common practice to fit window grills to Spanish homes; it is said to be a cultural tradition, where an unmarried woman could safely talk to a male suitor, from relative safety, behind a grilled window or door.

Barred windows have their roots in the Moorish architecture of the past. At a time when glass was expensive or in many cases non existent, bars or grills on windows were used as a security measure. This has not only become part of Spanish culture, but also a necessary requirement.

Grilled windows allow a household to keep windows and doors open, during the hot summer months, without fear of being broken into. Today it is also a feature that many Spanish insurance companies demand, to insure properties, especially in more rural areas. Apart from anything else, the grills give an aesthetically pleasing aspect to a home and can be used to hang ones smalls out to dry, as I often do; functional, practical and traditional, typically Spanish and a must for the security conscious!

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From a new life in spain, to an old life in britain, 'roaming brit' documents uncertain times!

The Dreaded Form 80!

Fascinating Facts - 10 Facts About Spain!

Did You Know?

Fascinating Facts - 12 Grapes!

Fascinating Facts - Window Grills!

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