Plans to go back home/elsewhere!

Went to see my agent yesterday, and I received some good and bad news from him.

Bad news: My PR application from 1.5 years ago is only a Priority/Level 5 application. That means it is the last, and least important priority. I have not even got a case manager assigned. Other than processing top priority applications, other application proccessing is only up til 2008 applications. I submitted my application July 2010. That means I still have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG way to go. God knows how long more I'll have to wait. It is not uncommon to be waiting 2-3 years minimum. I am perhaps only half way through. 

Good news: Expressing my concerns for delaying my future prospects with this long wait, I told my agent I wish to return to Singapore and see if I could possibly work there. My agent told me about Bridging Visa B, which is now valid for 1 year, allows me to travel and be away for 1 full year whilst waiting for my PR. I already knew that Bridging B allows me to travel for a year, but I have always thought it meant multiple travel, each not exceeding 3 months. Least I know it is now actually valid for us to stay overseas for 1 year with no worries. Asked my agent if being away from Australia will further delay their PR processing, my agent said it wouldn't. Apparently the immigrations department has recognized all these immigrants who are waiting for a grant to their PR, and they are just letting time pass in Australia without any achievements... No hope, no future, no way of fulfilling any ambitions... Just waiting (dumbly) for something with no expiry date. Thus, they came up with this Bridging B policy. Yeah you pay like AUD 120 in exchange to go away for a year. Who cares if it is quite expensive? This is indeed good news for me!


At least, I have more than one option instead of waiting around like sitting in jail. I can move freely if I choose to~ 

After receiving this I was elated. Straight away my mind starts whirring, planning what my next move would be. Definitely I won't be able to go like NOW. I want to though, but I have concerns:

1. First, I want to gain at least 1 year experience at my current company. It will look better on my resume anyway if I have that experience in my current company, especially so that it is a globally recognized market/media research firm. 

2. Then, I want to earn enough money and save up enough before I leave. No matter what, the money here is definitely better than that of Singapore's. Especially so when I hold 2 jobs, I have a better opportunity to save up a lot more than I can if I return to Singapore. 

3. If I leave definitely I will need to think of ways to settle my current house, and the things in my house. Sell my furniture? Give them away? Pack and send things back? Or keep some things in storage so that if I choose to come back again I can get them back again? Piles of clothes - sell/donate/give away/store/bring with me? If I choose to give/sell/donate most of my things away, what happens if I choose to return? If I choose to store my things here, what happens if I don't want to return?? There are certainly a LOT of things to carefully measure and consider.  

4. Make sure I can get a job in Singapore. So that means I need to start looking soon. I don't want to go back home but end up jobless, and eating myself. 

5. Think carefully what my next steps will/could be. What happens if I go back to Singapore? How long do I stay? Do I really still want to return to Australia? What if things failed in Singapore? What if I went back and started work, and realized that I hated it? What do I do then? Come back to Australia, yes, but I am sick of here. Do I just come back and survive, or do I go elsewhere? What should I do, and what CAN I do before hitting the big 3-0s? 

Tentatively, it seems like going back to Singapore will be the most feasible idea, though I have another plan:

** Go to Korea for between 4-6 months. Take up a course. If I choose to live more than 6 months I will take up a part time job there (I can convert my visa to legally work in Korea after 6 months stay). Though it may mean I may have to eat instant noodles everyday and strictly NO SHOPPING. But this is something I want to  do before I become too old to do anything like that. 

Of course, whether this plan will work or not depends on whether or not I can save as well. And how much I can save. Given that I probably will be eating on my savings instead of earning money.... 

In any case, all my plans can only be fulfilled end of the year, or early next year. My bank account balance is on red alert now, especially so having just returned from a trip. Therefore I really need to save up as much as I can before leaving again. And given all the above considerations I have, I will definitely need time to work things out. And of course, I will need to convince my parents that I am going back for the good, and not to waste more time, money and the hope for better life/future (since they perceive life is better here). 

I am excited with this! I am so sick of Australia now. I don't see myself living here forever anyway, so why not get out and experience something new? Furthermore, it is not as if I am giving up my PR. If I receive my PR in the near future, I can still return back here if things did not go well in Singapore. 

What is life gonna be like towards the end of 2012? Let's just wait, anticipate and see! :)