Chasing The Dream: How I Made It To The UK

-

London Heathrow Airport, February 2021

As I am writing this, I’m currently in my 8th day of mandatory isolation post arrival in the UK, as things are quite stable now, I got plenty of time to think and reflect on what happened to me during past few months. 

Thought I owe myself a write-up to catch up with life per se. 

I’d like to begin with the idea of a dream I planned to pursue which started in 2019. To provide some back story, I had a stable job back then, even quite promising in terms of security and career growth. However, I had felt that I was yearning for something more, something bigger. I was hungry to do one thing that will prove myself that I can. And I wanted it so bad. I wanted to liberate myself from my own doubts and fears. I have long been in search for true freedom - the freedom to become who I am destined to be. And so was the dream seeking greener pasture, in the hopes of reaching greater heights and endless possibilities. 

Hence, the road to UK. šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§

But truth to be told, mine was rather rough and tough. It truly wasn’t a walk in the park. I found myself faced with hurdle after hurdle, almost giving up the idea of having this seemingly elusive dream come true. 

Reasons. There were a number of reasons as to why I nearly gave up, if not postponed, this once in a lifetime opportunity. Just as all of us were afflicted in one way or another, it was COVID that has made much of the difference. From contracting the disease itself, with the anxiety brought about by waiting for the uncertain, up to bearing the delays and additional costs/requirements brought about by the pandemic’s new norms, clearly, year 2020 wasn’t the right time for me. For a time, I have surrendered this battle. I succumbed to the things I cannot control. I surrendered it all to God. 

As they say, things happen for a reason. I am a firm believer of that. Everything occurred to me as if it was  well planned and time bound, even up to the last minute. With everything that has happened, I have felt that God was there all along, directing my life according to His divine plans. Through this pursuit, I learned to be patient, passionate, and prayerful. And I will always be grateful and appreciative of this blessing. 


My UK Timeline: In a nutshell

2019
Jan - started reviewing for IELTS
May - took and passed IELTS
June - processed HCPC
Oct - HCPC registered
Nov - applied for NHS / received job offer

2020
Jan - started processing application
Feb - IOM appointment 1
March - COVID HAPPENED! 
April - tested positive for COVID
July - IOM appointment 2
Oct - job offer withdrawn by employer
Dec - job offer resumed, tested POSITIVE AGAIN for COVID

2021
Jan - medical exam and VISA application
Feb - deployment to UK



“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Year-End Reflections

-
Image
In few days’ time, another year is about to end and it’s that time of the year again to reflect on the sentimental journey it has been. I would say that this, by far, was one of the most challenging years I’ve had. And to be able to emerge from it eventually is something I am more than grateful of. There are five particular things which I’d like to focus my thoughts on and as part of my reflection process, I am asking my 30-year-old self these questions. #1. What did you accomplish this year? Life seemed latent for me for quite some time - until this year. I feel I have done many things in 2019 that I would consider as great achievements. It was a year of growth in terms of career and personal development. The greatest among these is being able to gain an international qualification in my profession. Apart from that, I was able to learn and apply another imaging modality (i.e., ultrasonography) which I was dreading to learn in the past. This is also the year that I obtained...
Read more

The Starting Point

-
Image
Mt. Tapyas, Coron, Palawan, September 2018 It all dates back to the time I was hit with a dawning realization. I started year 2019 on a low note without much expectation yet with good grounds for hope. I thought I was already satisfied with how my life's going. I have a decent job with a reasonable salary. On top of that, I get to travel for recreation in an attempt to maintain work-life balance. Everything seemed fine until I began to question the way I was living life - go to work, get back home, eat out, travel out of town. Eventually, it felt dull and repetitive. It's like draining my energy inefficiently and I knew something  was lacking. I didn't have a clear direction or blueprint for my life. I can't tell exactly if I stopped dreaming or I stopped believing in my dreams (or both), to the extent that I felt I was no longer growing, not even making an impact.  This led me to decide to look at life on a different vantage point. Somewhere unfamiliar ...
Read more

IELTS Journey

-
Image
IDP Manila, May 2019 IELTS, or International English Language Testing System,  is one of the most widely accepted english language exams  for non-native English speakers necessary for purposes such as immigration, international studies, and employment in English countries across the globe. And never in my dreams have I considered giving this a try. Yes, being employed  as a health care provider overseas crossed my mind but I didn't have a clear vision of how to realize this ambitious daydream. Not until such time that I've learned how necessary it is to sit an IELTS exam in order to meet the language proficiency standards of English countries such as US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Each country has its own required Overall Band Score which will serve as an individual's basis for qualification, and as a radiographer wishing to apply in the UK, I needed an OBS of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in any of the four subtests.   You might be wond...
Read more