For Schools and School Librarians
Here are the Schools Catalogue Information Service (SCIS) listings for both the eBook and the paperback editions of Love versus Goliath! Both editions are available from Wheelers Books. If you know a teacher, please spread the word! 
First the paperback:
Love versus Goliath paperback listing
Mummy’s got swag!
That is the kids’ assessment of my first speaking appearance resulting from our book, Love versus Goliath. Mummy’s got swag!
Mike Jeremy hired me as a guest speaker at a migration agent seminar. This was my first speaking engagement related to our book. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mike very much for taking the risk. Mike had never actually met me, he knew me only from social media. He had no personal experience of my public speaking skills, but he was intrigued by our case. I could tell over lunch he was nervous, but once I took the floor I do believe he was happy. Risk and reward – the risk paid off. 
I did warn Mike I would go over time – I ALWAYS go over time. Actually, I don’t think I was too bad, I did try to watch the clock!
I really enjoyed doing the presentation. It was an opportunity to share information and our experience to a wonderfully attentive and interested audience. I have noticed some search terms hitting the web site tonight that are obviously the result of people wishing they had written down my website URL at the time! 
So many of the course attendees came up to me at the end and thanked me, congratulated me and asked questions. It was really lovely.
Mike sent these Tweets:
Mike’s reaction
I am doing it all again tomorrow!
Statement of History of Relationship Partner Visa 309/100
Recently I asked a regular reader of this website what else she would like to see me write about as she expressed how helpful she had found other articles I had written.
She responded, on Why do I do this?:
In my humble opinion, I think the Statutory Declarations and Relationship Statements would be good. I, myself found that a lot of people don’t know what to write. When I sat down the other day and wrote my Relationship statement, I started writing and didn’t stop, because I kept thinking I should put this in or that, or what if they ask me about this and it just kept going.
My husband on the other hand is even more direct than me, he kept it simple and to the point.
I also receive a LOT of search terms seeking examples of Statements of Relationship, so given Yolanda’s request, here are my thoughts. As usual, I must remind all readers I am not a migration agent and these articles DO NOT constitute formal or legal advice. If you have any concerns about aspects of your application, you should seek professional advice. My articles are merely intended to assist those trying to understand the bureaucratic paper warfare and point to references that may be useful!
This article also does NOT necessarily apply to arranged marriages. I have no idea how a Statement of Relationship for an arranged marriage should be approached. Also, this article is about the statements for the initial application, NOT the Statutory Declarations for the second stage processing (the final grant of permanent residency, sub-class 100).
While I have mentioned the Relationship History before, in Applying for a Partner Visa? (Suggestion Number 2), I haven’t gone into a lot of detail. The reason I haven’t is because every relationship is unique. What I wrote about my own relationship would be entirely irrelevant for Yolanda’s relationship, for example.
Why do I do this?
I am sure many people, especially those late to our saga, wonder why I continue to publish, why I am editing my manuscript, why I don’t just give up now our personal battle is over and “get on with life”.
I’d like to share two experiences of the last 24 hours to help explain why I do this.
Yesterday another Australian commented on this site. A person who holds a very similar perspective to mine. So far it has taken her and her partner five years to get to the point they feel they can afford to battle the system. She wants to drive change.
This morning a woman in a shop asked me if I might be able to give some support to her sister, a woman fighting to have her husband and the father of her child granted a partner visa. I gave her the URL of this website and my email address, stressing I am not a migration agent. If nothing else, the poor woman may feel not so alone which is all her sister is seeking for her, from me.
One article I wrote early this year, about Form 888, has now passed 6,600 page views. Most readers don’t comment, but a few do, thanking me for providing information. As you can see the readership has gradually grown since January.
Stats for Form 888 Article
The BEST news: Visa Grant Day! Permanent Residency!
Last night Miss O 1 was cooking stir-fry for dinner. I wasn’t as late as I might have been, so we were all home.
I had checked my emails earlier in the day as I had received a phone call from DIAC last Thursday which gave me the impression we might hear something soon. There had been no email at that time and I hadn’t had time to check again.
Mr O commented, “I’ll just check my emails.”
Over the chatter of eating children there was suddenly lots of noise. Mr O leapt out of his chair and started dancing around the diningroom!
“We got it, we got it! I love you, my forever wife!”
Lots of hugs and kisses followed. We are not sure the children really understand the importance, but we do! Attached to the email was a copy of the formal letter, which we will receive in the snail-mail shortly.
Permanent Residency!
Although I have mentioned before it is stressful waiting, I don’t think we realised just how stressful until that stress was gone. We did not expect there to be a problem with the final grant of permanent residency, but no matter how confident one is, until it is signed, sealed and delivered, there is always that nagging fear. It hangs there like a cloud, blocking the sunshine of life.
Partner (Spouse) Visa Applications and certified copies
I have written several articles about Partner (Spouse) Visa applications in the past, yet not once have I explained “certified copies”. In speaking to several people lately who are submitting Partner Visa applications I have realised the concept of certified copies of documents is a mystery to many people.
Just photocopying your birth certificate, marriage certificate and other required documents and sending those copies in with your application is NOT sufficient. Certified copies are required in most cases and it will be specified when required. I have a feeling applicants and sponsors ignore the word “certified” because the term is unfamiliar to them.
A certified copy is a copy (usually these days a photocopy) of an original document, that has on it an endorsement or certification that it is a true copy of the original document of which it is a copy. It does not certify that the original document is genuine, only that the copy is a true copy of the original document.
Wikipedia, that wonderful authority on everything, tells us:
A certified copy is largely a creation of English-speaking common law countries, and was designed for administrative convenience. It is usually inexpensive to obtain. A certified copy may be required for official government or court purposes and for commercial purposes. It avoids the owner of important documents (especially identity documents) giving up possession of those documents which might mean a risk of their loss or damage.
This time last year I was at the airport
This is the fastest, shortest article on record, but I can’t let the occasion pass without an official acknowledgement.
This time last year I was standing at the airport waiting for my family to get through Immigration and Customs.
We’ve clocked up twelve months as a family, all in the same location!
I still do not have the photos from Mrs Bryson of that night!
If you weren’t following Team Oyeniyi a year ago, look back at these articles.
If you haven’t “met” us, check out these articles:
Team Oyeniyi interview (video)
