Finally a reply...

Finally after near 20 days
I received an email reply from the embassy

the correct department - Checked
the correct person in charge - Checked
the correct email about paris marriage application - Checked
so nothing can go wrong right?

The first statement is...
"As you are going to marry in France, I am not really the right person to answer your questions"

Anyway he did managed to answer a few questions

such as the costs & procedures to legalise French documents

That I need to get 1 document from Singapore embassy in France

The only concern now is he inform the documents need to be valid for 3 months

while fiancé heard from the paris townhall is documents to be valid 6 months

The difference in months going to make a huge difference for me

because it means I can only prepare my documents in December?!

 

But anyway

his reply saved me from not making another trip down to Embassy

 







 



 

365 days since the beach...

It has been 365 days since we met at the beach..
And the sweetest fiancé surprise me at office
with these beautiful roses..
<3 <3 <3

 

 

 



Change is the only constant

I guess plans are changing again
Sometimes the changes happens faster than I can catch up

I need some sanity.

Embassy Embassy Embassy

Today I received an email
from the correct department of the embassy
So i was really happy
Till i open the email

And realized is a reply about my email 
sent 3 weeks ago
About ROM application procedures in Singapore

So when will you reply me about marriage application documents in france?!

I hate my job..

How is my job related to this blog?
Aven once asked me
"If my boss is really nice, my job is great, will i change my mind?" 
The answer is... 
i will still choose to get marry
But maybe ill fight to stay in singapore
get the fiance to keep trying for a job in singapore

But since I have a abusive boss
A job in a company where im unsure when it will collapse
It is definitely easier for me to accept relocation

As always
I have been ding-donging about when to resign
It is more difficult when i need to give 3 months notice
and a stupid SOP that we can only resign on the 1st of the month
That i cant really be flexible to choose when to leave

Resigning in aug is great
I will soon get out of this job
I can celebrate my birthday in paris
And need not be away from the fiance
(Long distance relationship sucks)
(Long distance marriage preparation sucks double)

Resigning in sept will be good for our pocket
Yes, is just a month of income
but it will make a difference
especially with the upcoming wedding expenses
and my upcoming unemployment

Tonight while i was thinking about the singapore wedding expenses
I have decided

I will take an additional month of:
-Being away from the fiance
- Mental and emotional abuse from boss
- Slaving like a dog at work
...And resign in Sept 

My mind keeps changing
especially when i have a bad day(s) at work
but i hope to stay strong in this decision.

Everytime when i whine to you
or wants to change my mind
Please encourage me to be strong
(or just tell me "$$$$$$$$$$") 

Pray for me to be strong
That the additional month will not destroy my sanity.

Current job

Initially the plan was to resign in Sept
Do my 3 months notice till end November

My boss say I should consider take my bonus
but that will mean quitting in Jan 2014
and work till April 2014

With the daily mental abuse
And worry that I may need 1-2 weeks before I leave
to settle on last minute issues
if I am to work to end of November
and reach paris in middle December
the townhall may already be closed for the holiday period
and delay our application of marriage

I thought of quitting in aug
Do my notice and leave in Nov
Even have time to celebrate my birthday

But money is too good to give it a miss
Money VS Sanity
How to choose?

Nightmare at Embassy

Since the application of long stay visa
I exchanged a few emails with the France embassy (Visa section)
And I asked about marriage application documents
The reply was:
"You can walk in every Thursday
8.30am to 1.00pm without appointment
To ask the consular section"

Although the fiancé has checked with Paris Townhall
on the required documents
I thought it will be good to make a trip
to double check with France Embassy

So yesterday I took time off
The whole day because I got a feeling I will feel bad
Happens each time doing such documents

I reached the embassy at 10.45am
Went in without queue
Everything seems great
No queue and crazy crowd
so is good...

As I waited for someone to speak to me
FInally a Singaporean looking lady came
and spoke French with me
Okay, is weird we are singaporeans
she like to assume every singaporeans
who walk in france embassy
speaks French

Anyway then the bomb came
I cant speak to anyone because
I don't have an appointment
There is only 1 guy who is in charge of life, death, marriage matters
The guy was fully booked for the day

I tried to explain how I was misled by the email
The lady then asked me
"How can the visa section advise you on this"
Hello...is not my fault that your colleagues are blur

At the end
I stayed less than 5 mins in the embassy
But the good part is:
- I know where is the embassy now
- At least is not crowded (even on the Thursdays)
- I got the namecard of the man in-charge

I will try survive this...

Titanium

This song is so powerful!


You shout it loud,
but I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet

you shoot me down, But I get up
I'm bulletproof,
nothing to lose

Fire away, fire away
ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away

you shoot me down,
but I won't fall
I am titanium
you shoot me down,
but I won't fall
I am titanium

Cut me down,
but it's you who'll have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice,
sticks and stones may break my bones

I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm bulletproof,
Nothing to lose

Fire away, fire away
ricochet, you take your aim
 fire away, fire away
you shoot me down,
I am titanium

you shoot me down,
but I won't fall
I am titanium

Stone hard, machine gun
Fired at the ones who run
Stone hard, as bulletproof glass

Uncertainty of future job

I don't know is it a good or bad news
I discover there is a France accreditation board for art therapist
http://ffat-federation.org/

The good news is I think I qualify for the accreditation
The bad news is I must be able to do speak and read French just to fill up the form
(which probably means I need to be able to do therapy in French)

The good news is I need not be accredited under the UK (is hard to accrediated)  
The bad news is my current accreditation from Australia and New Zealand may be useless
Sigh.

Updated: Earrings

Based on previous experience
I went to buy thinner flowers
Although it still protrude from my ears
Due to the length of the earring
But I guess is still good enough for photographs.

My kind of wedding

When i was younger
I dreamt about a grand wedding
The typical full of people chinese wedding dinner.

As i get older
I want a wedding that is about us
No about the many people
Or the no of dresses ill change into

I remember on our  first date
I told cyril
My dream wedding will be one 
Where my husband and i will be at the beach
With a solemiser (priest)
2 best friends (witness)
And me and husband
(Hmm i dont know why we spoke
 about this on the first date
And he even joked that we can marry that moment
And we didnt expect to really be married)

As i think of our wedding
The ep of how i meet your mother came to mind
My kind of wedding
A nice garden
Best friends
A man playing guitar...

Although now we have our wedding at townhall
For administrative purpose
We are still keeping it simple
Me in a simple white dress
He in a simple suit
A simple bouquet of flowers
With his immediate family to witness
Our exchange of vows..

And is still my dream wedding
Because its all about us and sinplicity happiness :)

Pre wedding anxiety?

My mood seems to be on a roller coaster
Sometimes im really excited
Sometimes im really down

Pre wedding anxiety?
I have my fair share of bad relationships
Heard and seen many bad marriages
And in 6months
Ill be saying "oui je le veux"

Expectations of wedding plans
Expectations of being a wife
Uncertainty of relocation
Uncertainty of future life
Uncertainty of future job
Is scary and overwhelming

I know uncertainty affects me
But i need to be brave
Is just anxiety i need to overcome

A serious case of pre wedding anxiety?
Or im just suffering from a job burnout?
Or just uncertainty about what may come?

God grant me the serenity... 

Marriage application documents

Although the nightmare for visa documents has ended
I will need prepare the marriage application documents
4 documents compared to 13 documents
I think is still easier

1)Valid passport

2) Birth certificate (6months valid)

3) Certificate of celibacy (3 / 6months valid)

4) An Affidavit of law (3/ 6 months valid)

 

All the documents I need to get it translated into French (Alliance Francaise)

All copies of documents I need to get them certified true copies (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Certificate of celibacy (To apply from Singapore ROM)

The last document I have no idea where to get it

Suppose to be a document to state the marriage law in Singapore and France are the same

 

It means many trips to the different places

I am not so worried about the different places

More worried about the validity

Especially if is 3months

And whether that include the marriage date

 

In any case, I cant do anything now

But to check on internet and send emails

and bother the fiancé

 

Wish me luck!

 

The informal bride

Last night I went shopping at JEM

For some working clothes

H&M was having sale

and I saw this dress

The fitting room was too crowded

And it was on sale

So I took the risk to buy it

without trying

 

I was thinking whether I can use it for paris townhall ceremony

since it will only be for 10mins

its winter (I will be wrapped in coat)

and I will prefer something I can wear again

as mentioned in previous post

And not looking like a traditional wedding dress

A part of me is thinking that even if I cant use for wedding

it suits the cold weather of paris

Hooray to buying thick clothes without worrying its too hot!

 

After trying it (after I bought it)

I really like it

Its comfortable

And I think it looks chic

Simple and nice

The fiancé likes it as well

 

I know it can be seen as too informal

not looking like a bride.

Maybe fiancé family will be more formal than me

But im happy to get this

Till I see another dress

or we can just stay with this

:)

 

And the search starts...again

 

Since we decided to just have the paper signing first
Between Dec to Jan
After the ceremony will be a simple meal with family
It means I will need to think what to wear
(Im saving my long wedding dress for the wedding dinner)

It makes no sense to get another long dress
or formal dress
because that will make 2 dresses that I may never wear again
and bring 2 dresses over will be a nightmare
so I decided to search for a short white dress
Maybe someday I can wear when I have nice dinner
or at someone's wedding

And is the winter
so it means my dress will be seen 10mins in Townhall
and the rest of the day will be wrapped in a coat

I start searching online for the dress
and I think I will like something with sleeves and lace.
The fiancé's criteria will be it must be white.
Actually I hope to find different (cool)
But this few looks alright.

This is my favourite choice
But I think is a summer dress than a winter dress
Alright, the search starts again
But I think it will be easier this time.
*Fingers & toes crossed*