Im a Student!!!!!

Well thankfully the stress has all ended! There were still more loopholes to jump thru but somehow I managed to pull it off. I got the call around noon on Wednesday from the funding agency and was told that the only thing holding up my application was the lack of a letter from Rev Can. And even though I had given approval for them to talk to the agent at RC in regards to the many conversations that I had had with her, he was not allowed to make the phone call to her. Nor would she call him as she is too busy harrassing others for money. Nice bureaucratic catch 22!!!!! Here we go on the edge again not sure what the hell to do as RC was adamant that they wouldnt write a letter and Amber (the funding agency) were not allowed to contact RC for verbal confirmation. Amber did suggest that if I were on a payment plan with them and that they gave me something on paper that that would also suffice.

So back on the phone on the edge of complete breakdown, leave a message for the RC agent to call back ASAP. Then I called Len and started freaking out, trying to figure out a way around this mess. Then I spoke to Mountain as well asking what he thought. He said yes if you are on a payment plan that they do give some kind of documentation stating that, so I would try that giving her a whole $20 per month while in school. He also suggested going to my MLA and see if they would intervene on my behalf. While waiting for RC to call back we finished the job we were on and Mountain wanted us to head to the site he was on. Just before leaving RC called back and even with a payment plan there is still no paper trail to be had. Well phuk me, now what. I headed to the other job site and was going to search out the MLA when Mountain told to me to go home as I was going to be useless to him the rest of the day. He also suggested to go to m,y RC agent and sit there and bug until she did something. Well that is a little impossible as she is in Surrey. I head out with either the intent to track down the MLA or head to Vic and see if I can get someone there to write a damn letter.

I fly in the door to change my clothes and grab the bike as parking is easier and can get thru traffic better as now Im on a tight schedule to get there before they close. Just as Im about to jump the bike the phone goes and it is RC. Half an hour later and under some strict guidelines she agrees to send a letter stating my life history just about and the agreement we have made. Hope the hell it is sufficient for Amber. She said she would fax it directly to them for me and mail me the original. I called Amber to let them know that something would be coming within the hour from RC.

Now the waiting game continues. I went to the post office and when I arrived my phone was beeping a message, I listened and it was Amber please call back. OK is this good or bad, will call when done in the post office. While finishing up in the post office the phone goes off again and I answer. It is Amber again, he is calling to let me know that he got the letter from RC and yes it is sufficient. And so that I dont have another sleepless night, YES Im approved for funding!!!!!!!!
Hurray this means Im going to school!!!!

Well from all the stress and tears and ups and downs, I succeeded in cutting thru the red tape and got the funding I required. Now I got tears of happiness going on. What a friggin roller coaster ride, let me tell you.

Few more papers to sign at both the school and Amber and I start my first day on Tuesday in Victoria. I will be working towards a diploma as a Community Support Worker - Social Services and then eventually may look into taking the course at the Justice Institute for being a Probation Officer, but that is down the road a ways.

This is going to be a big change for me, starting school again 20 years outta high school, but I know if I got thru all this crap then Im sure I can pull it off!