Depressing times... If you let them...

I read several blogs, on a daily basis... I read posts on Facebook, on a daily basis... Posts and blogs about the government, at the moment particularly regarding the Department of Work and Pensions. Posts and blogs about the NHS and the cutbacks, downgrading, selling off of hospitals... Damning 'articles'... Every single one of them enough to bring a tear to my eyes, together enough to send even the most positive of people into a depression... But all this also has a redeeming factor... (Every coin has two sides, so does every story...)

I have seen people from all walks of life come together for one common goal; to save their hospital, or to save the NHS, or to put forward a 'vote of no confidence', or to make a difference in local politics (Burnley, I am proud of you), or to help ban certain pesticides to help save the bees...

In times of trouble, of depression and negativity, it is more than ever important to find something to be positive about; a new (grand)child, puppies in a basket, a new friend, Spring finally returning to earth, a stranger helping you out in a time of need, someone asking you how you are doing and actually wanting to hear the truth (no matter how difficult it may be), or maybe you find something to smile about in the fact that people can come together in times of dire needs to stand up for what they believe...

Don't get me wrong; I don't think that thinking positive thoughts makes all the negativity disappear. I do think that it helps to breathe a little easier during difficult times... Like Kelly Clarkson said in Stronger:

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Have a listen to Port Isaac's Fishermans Friends version of 'The Union of Different Kinds' or listen to 'No Hopers, Jokers & Rogues'

It won't make everything better but it might just make things more bearable... Give it a try, it will definitely not make things worse...

Just a story???

In 2008, a young woman decided to follow her heart and moved to a new country. She spoke the language fluently, had a place to live and the man she loved by her side; she had no idea what would await her. Here is her story, in her own words...

I was born in the Netherlands, to Dutch parents, and have always had a Dutch passport. Over the years, I have lived both in Belgium and Ireland and never had any issues in moving their (and back) and setting up a life for myself. So, when I moved to the UK, I honestly thought that I could just do that...
My first issue arose when I needed to open a bank account; I had found a job within just a couple of months and could not start without one. I was treated like I was an illegal immigrant; the fact that I was an EU citizen was of no consequence (getting my CRB done was done in just a couple of weeks, no hassle involved)... In the end it was HSBC who helped me out and I could, finally, start work and my then boyfriend and I lived fully on that income. It wasn't great money but we managed. My boyfriend cancelled his benefits straight away and, within a month, we moved out of his 1-bedroom council flat. We just simply did not want to receive anything we weren't entitled to.

A year later we married, not the big fancy wedding of a young girl's dreams but I didn't care. He loved me, I loved him; that was all that mattered. It was, and still is, the best day of my life.

After two years, I lost my job over something stupid and we had to apply for JobSeeker's Allowance (JSA)... No real issues there, although it wasn't easy and, again, I felt like an illegal immigrant. The fact that I had been working for the last two years, paying National Insurance and tax, meant absolutely nothing... But we did receive the benefits... and I hated every minute of the year and a half that it took me to find a new job... But I did find a new job, not with help from Jobcentre Plus (JCP) - or the work programme I had been forced into - but with the help of an agency...

Early last year, my passport would expire and I started looking into getting it renewed, or perhaps even getting a British passport as I have no intention of leaving this country... I 'googled' like mad but everything I could find was regarding people from outside the EU. I contacted my local council, not helpful... I contacted the Dutch embassy, again, not helpful... Since we had no plans to travel outside the country, I left it... and my passport expired...

Last year, my husband suffered two strokes. As he was still on JSA, not receiving a penny but still having to sign on every two weeks, he was advised to change his claim over to an Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). He wouldn't (and didn't) receive any money from this, as I was still working, but this way at least the systems were all showing the correct information...
Earlier this year, that job finished due to reorganisations and my husband now had to claim for me on his ESA... So,we filled in the questionnaire, send it back and hoped for the best... Until we received a phone call from the Department of Work and Pensions... Guess what??? They need to see a copy of my passport... The lady on the phone was brilliant, the fact that my passport had expired was no problem. The man at the local JCP, however, had not a clue; he would take a copy but was sure that it would come back... Would we mind if they gave us a ring about it? No, we don't mind, we just want to get this solved...

As I am now again looking for work, my agency asked me if they could do a CRB for me. They have a possible position for me but I would need the CRB. Having had a CRB in the past (in my maiden name), I saw no issue and filled in the form, returned it to the agency with all the necessary paper work and explained that I do have a passport but that it has expired... No problem; the police will contact me to get my fingerprints...

About a week ago, I found a website where I can apply for a British passport, being Dutch is not a problem. I just have to give the full names and birth dates of my parents and their wedding date, my mother's parents full names, birth dates and wedding date... Or, I can give in the details of my naturalisation papers... I give up... My husband and I are near breaking point; we have done everything we could to our best abilities but it never seems to be enough...

So, there you have it... Perhaps she has just been naive? Or she could have been more vigilant with her passport? Or maybe, just maybe, she has tried her best but the system has failed her... You be the judge...