Homecoming!

As of yesterday, a (un)fortunate series of events unfolded in such a way that I decided to go back to Turkey (for at least a good month's time) around mid-December.

Here's a copy from an email I sent to a friend that might help reveal the secret:


The "lovely" London School of Economics has disappointed me greatly.

I wanted to apply for the Post-Study Worker scheme (Tier 1) to get a residence/work permit and I made the application before the 30 October 2008 deadline, by when the Home Office (the guys who will give me the Visa) only had a 1-month backtrack of my bank account (to prove that I have money to stay in their country). Otherwise they have 3-months backtrack and I hadn't had sufficient funds back then to cover a 3-month period (I didn't have money in my bank account counting 3 months back from October).

Therefore I urged LSE (actually almost begged them, emailing back and forth for 10 days, emailing them even from a remote village in noth Slovakia) to provide me a letter by 30 Oct. 2008 saying I completed my courses, I passed them and I'll get my diploma (they don't even have to tell my grades). I know that this request of mine was put before their official release of grades but on the LSE website, at a "Post-Study Work Visa" section, they were saying that they could provide such a letter if our Board of Examiners (people who read our essays, exams and Thesis who are objective, meaning Prof. outside the LSE) met by 30 Oct (and for my Department, they met 17 Oct.) This means by that day they finalise my grades (not officially stamped but my degree is finalised).

Anyhow, they gave me a shitty letter instead of a letter that confirmed I passed (I even suspected for a few weeks that they didn't give me a letter because I faield) and the Home Office (guys who give me the visa) refused my application. To my further dislike, 2 days ago, LSE prepared that fucking letter saying "Omer has passed his courses on 1 November 2008 (2 days after I applied!!) and will receive his Diploma). And this is so disgraceful because, actually I already learned all of my grades officially already 1 week ago!!

This meant I'd apply again now, and spend all of December stucj here (because my passport would be kept there), but i found out yesterday that on 27 November 2008, they changed a rule! An imporntant one!! Nationals of Turkey, and some other countries that have signed the European Social Rights Charter are exempt from paying visa fees (they are considered almost as EU members because they abide by Human Rights rules set by a European Commission, and right of work and right of travel are amongst them).

However, because the UK doesn't abide by all European laws (they want to stand out in the crowd, only that they don't know they're not a world-wide respected empire anymore), I think they took an initiative to lift this exemption and rip us off £400 for each application, considering the financial crisis they're going through.

This means that, now, if I have to apply again, I pay either £400 (applying within the UK) or the Turkish Lira equivalent of £205, if applied in Istanbul. Considering the fact that, it is cheaper back home, and that I would be saving up on renting (because I was about to move houses this Friday but hadn't paid any rent or deposit yet) and that over the Christmas and new Year's, I will bore myself to death instead of finding any jobs (come on, who will sit at recruitment desks of companies in a city like London that is sinking to the depths of the economical world?), I decided I'll go back home in 2 weeks time and apply from there...

I know, this is a bit confusing already, but such is my life! If you want to hear the story again, clarified by vocals and my body expressions, then we'll have the chance to go for a coffee or beer soon in London, or in Istanbul..