Hair grows on average by 1.25 cm per month, 15 cm per year. I am now 16 cm, the year comes quite relatively, because last August there were rare fluff, the head without a hat frost even sitting in a room.
After living with short hair for months, I used to get a hair clip out of my hair before going to bed. They were carefully hidden a year ago, along with the rest, reminiscent of normal life. Well, I’ve already found almost everything hidden, including a swimsuit. Now everything that reminds of the time of chemotherapy is hidden – hats, leftover medicine. I have to throw out some clothes, because I don’t want to remember that her blouse was on my back for the second chemotherapy, but these pants after the operation. The medicine is carefully packaged and packed in the attic of the house, there is also dexamethasone, which is used during chemotherapy and in severe cases of Covid-19. If you need to!
Well, hair behaves like a human, no longer in the air. My natural, straight hair is growing, its circus was probably only in the first moment after chemistry, and others used to be. Sorry, I was already hoping that there would be beautiful circles.
It’s been over a year since the last chemotherapy, over a year since I last saw a hairdresser. The British government allowed the hairdresser to open only at the beginning of July, huge lines everywhere, so I have cut my husband’s hair very short with a car. This is creepy, because less and less hair is left in the middle of the head, but I am reassured that Girts Kester, who was recognized as the sexiest Latvian actor in polls, has not had any hair at all for a long time, and does it bother anyone? I wonder if I would get the sexiest title without hair.
Fatigue? What is that!
The lighting on the highway is sometimes, sometimes is not, is already commanded, almost midnight, could soon begin to fall asleep. It is good that there are few cars, the cruise control is set at 70 miles per hour, which is about 113 km / h, with the sensor on, following the white lines. As I rode in, it squealed. Once a couple of years ago, with an option-free old car, driving from night to filming, fell asleep for a few seconds. Someone started shaking the seat, woke up and almost had a heart attack. Both from the fact that I was no longer really in my lane, and from the fact that no one could shake the seat of the two-seater from behind.
Probably cancer, however, was to blame for much, and for a very, very long time. I don’t remember when I could have been sitting behind the wheel and filming without rest all day, then late at night to drive the filmed home on my computer and make the batteries charge, maybe even figure out how to hang the house. In the past, after a busy day of filming, I barely got to bed, but the doctors shrugged. Well, probably I’m getting tired quickly, no longer 18.
Oncologist by phone
Finally, I also came to the oncologist for a telephone consultation, because due to the pandemic, it is accepted in person only in very serious cases. This time another doctor. Does your stomach hurt? It doesn’t hurt. Fatigue is? Are not. Not bad, legs don’t swell? No. Any other complaints? Well, the joints still hurt, but less so, and if you think about it, then I’ve gained three pounds. The doctor so laughs, it’s good, if you lose weight, it would be worse. Don’t give me any sounds, you don’t have to radiate unnecessarily. I try to do at least a blood test, but no, I get it with all the tests in the fall.
In London’s hospitals, controlling more closely, at least that is what the ladies from the cancer group say. At least semi-annually computed tomography, blood tests every three months. I have never had a computed tomography in England. Maybe I don’t really know because I’m not a UK citizen?
Citizenship confirmed!
The long-awaited e-mail from the British Home Office has finally arrived, with an answer on my citizenship application attached. Will, will not? The hands tremble, but what more.
The application has been approved, I will be a UK citizen immediately, oncologists will be able to run!
The fixers call their own, mom sounds sad, asking if he really needed it. When you find out that you have both nationalities, you calm down. Chris and I are trying to figure out how to celebrate, but there is no idea, because even McDonald’s suffers during a state of emergency. There are several ice creams in the freezer, we condemn them.
Although the citizenship ceremony has yet to take place, it is not happening due to the pandemic. It’s not that I long for the ceremony I’ve been to. Feeling like on a conveyor belt, a herd of aspiring citizens, mostly dressed in jeans and slippers, are given letters with an oath that they don’t have to memorize. The head of the ceremony talks, jokes, it seems that some of the new citizens do not understand. Believers read the religious oath together, unbelievers read the non-religious oath together, then somehow reach the end of the hymn, drawing each one in their own melody and spelling the words from the given leaflet. The certificate must be picked up by yourself, a special photographer in the picture, the pictures can be bought later for a lot of money. Before the ceremony, special briefings for both young citizens and visitors, water and orange juice in one corner of the room, it is not to blame.
“Life in the UK” exam
The short-term memory after chemotherapy is almost like a goldfish – three seconds, but slowly it gets better, I can’t find an iron on the table in the morning. I know that everything has to be written down and in some cases an alarm clock must be set, but it must also be remembered, so it is good that both citizenship exams were taken in the early spring of last year, just before the onset of the cancer epic.
The biggest fear of citizenship seekers is the “Life in the UK” exam, which is something similar to our own citizenship exam, which hardly a large part of Latvian citizens would pass without mistakes. If our test is still fairly easy, we don’t have to memorize the names of cricket stars and the percentage of Punjabi speakers in 1980, then British citizenship has something to teach, not to mention the fact that British-born Britons can put it down. The test tests the knowledge published in a special book, Life in the UK, which does not have to be bought for ten pounds, as it can be read or even listened to online. I will already calmly learn what will happen to me! But from reading the book, neither warm nor cold, the main conclusion was that the British had a crazy number of kings, and in general there were a terrible number of British. There did not seem to be any slavery at all, the British, if anything were conquered, then only a little. On the other hand, piles of athletes, writers, artists need to know the architect of an old bridge, they need to know the year of the first BBC broadcast. There are issues of politics, I know them for the most part, perhaps except for the number of Members in the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, but at least you can remember that. After reading the book, taking the online tests, it is clear that nothing is clear. What is it about the last name, I should have known now that he has done something? Oh, so she is. But the six wives of King Henry VIII are best remembered after the British pupils’ count – “Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived”, in Latvian – “divorced, beheaded, dead; divorced, beheaded, survived ”.
The happy settlers admit that it is difficult, some have studied for two weeks as crazy, others for longer. For a moment I was discussing with myself whether I really needed British citizenship so much to learn all this, but then I manage to find a website where the people say thank you to the examiners every day, to be very precise. Well, everything is starting to look more real, in less than a week I was able to go through everything countless times and remember which of the four possible answers to each question is correct.
The exam must be placed in a special test center, secrecy and security controls crazier than at the airport.
Upon entering the first room, register all my documents, the girl in broken English asks “puss kud”, I repeatedly asked her what she wanted from me, because what she says there does not sound appropriate.
Turns out she wants to know my postcode, that is, the zip code. I can, yes.
The next test is turning off the phone, which Chris provided me very recently, and installed it myself. But the phone should be left in a special locker, turn off, but how to know where to turn off? There are not many buttons, I find and turn them off. The Lord remains impatient with an Asian accent. So what do I have on hand? Clock? Well yes, the clock. It should also be ruled out. Well, but to turn off their smartwatch, so did her husband. In the end, we don’t even think about it, it allows you to put it in the locker without turning it off, but the security guards and all the staff are already busy, so I am thoroughly checked before being admitted to the exam. Lift the hair, lift the trouser legs, cut out the pockets, pull out the sides. Finally, let go of the computer along with a long explanation of how to use the computer. I say I know, but everything is written the same way. Then leave me alone, in a few minutes I will take a test that is very similar to one of the easiest options, so read the questions so carefully, because the answers are also written a little differently. I am looking at it again, I have to lift my hair, I am also looking at the computer. I can’t find anything, then I can go and wait for the results in the waiting room, I can’t talk to others. Sitting, waiting, phone and clock are still in the locker, which can be locked with a doll’s house key.
At the end, call me, that is, Miss Keilvei, the certificate of laying ready. You can pass the exam with some mistakes, and if you do not pass, you can repeat it at least 10 times, the validity of the exam certificate is indefinite.
However, citizenship also requires an English language exam, which is valid for only two years. According to the website, my old IELTS test would fit, but there are all sorts of nuances, including the fact that the number of the Latvian testing center does not match the British one. Probably a mistake, because the number is the same for Tallinn, but if even the employees do not know what is written on their website, then I better not take the risk and pass the English language exam again.
After watching the English exam on Youtube, it does not become clear how you can become a citizen with such minimal knowledge of English.
“I live in a big city. I really like the city. I work close to home. There is also a park. ” These types of stories should be prepared by choosing one of the topics and then told by being able to answer the questions. I printed out a leaflet where I should write the topic, but I will not try to fill it in to ask what I want!
The exam site again security controls as at the airport, makes a voice recording, takes pictures as well. Checks for hidden microphones. The examiner warns that our conversation will be recorded, concludes that I have not filled in anything. Well, as a journalist, I need to be able to talk about everything! We talk about time, about work, we talk to Brexit, although we can’t really talk about politics in the exam, we soon part with a friendly part. Later, my certificate arrives in the mail, being “excellent”. It would be really funny if you didn’t pass such an elementary exam.
But immediately after the exams, my cancer epic began, it takes more than a year to continue.
“Good character”
One of the most tricky processes is filling out a citizenship application form online. Everything is required, from the mother’s and father’s places of birth to the exact dates and reasons for leaving the country. All possible offenses, including penalties for speeding, must also be reported. My only sin is the punishment of the “yellow box” of London – a place marked in yellow at intersections where entry is not allowed. Often there are cameras installed, and after a while a series of pictures with the location of the car and a bill to pay the penalty arrives in the mailbox. Nothing to do, just guilty, had to endure. I saw a lot of space, but the front stopped so I had to stay in the yellow box. It turns out London drivers are doing so out of confusion.
One of the most interesting requirements for a young citizen is “good character”, which covers a wide range of issues.
If a candidate has ever gone bankrupt, he or she is unlikely to acquire citizenship as soon as possible, as this is not a sign of “good character”.
In addition to the pile of evidence of economic activity, feedback from two people is required, one must be a UK citizen. My family friend, a retired Englishman, would be at peace if I could find my passport, which has been missing for at least the last 15 years. Passports in the UK are mostly only needed when traveling, so those who do not plan to go abroad do not need a passport at all, so many of us miss the expiration date of our Latvian passports.
I have been at risk for the last three days
“Important information to protect you from the coronavirus.” So, on July 28, I finally received a famous letter from the British health service, which makes me squat at home and not put my nose out at the risk. You can leave the house on August 1. Where were these before ?! In the cancer group, most of them received letters and text messages already at the end of March, but in the last three days at home, the doctors suddenly remembered me! I have already been everywhere, including the coronavirus outbreak in Leicester, where many are asymptomatic.
There is also a letter from the hospital calling for an oncologist’s consultation in person. I will hardly get my first computed tomography of England, or will I have to fly to Latvia again?
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