123/365 : Go Me!!

In short... I passed! Woo Hoo! Andy stayed up with me last night and quizzed me and it really did help. I took seventeen practice tests and passed all of them so my confidence was a bit high but still I was nervous that there would be too many questions that I did not know. Here is how the day went.

10:00am : Since we stayed up late studying we let ourselves sleep in a bit.

10:00 - 12:30 : Did a few more online practice tests while Andy played around on the Wii Fit.

12:30 - 1:00 : Making our way to the test centre. It was at a place around 12 miles from where we live and in a building called Red Rose Training. At first I thought we were in the wrong place because it was a truck driving facility but nope we were in the right place... how could I doubt our little Tom Tom?

1:00 : Made our way into the building as we were told that we needed to be there by 1:00pm (no later) as the test was to start at 1:30pm. Inside there was no where to sit and about 20 people crammed into a very tiny space. I walked into one of the offices and was told to go ahead and wait out in the 'waiting area' and they will start checking people in shortly.

1:15 : People start getting checked in.

2:00 : I am finally checked in and Andy decides since there is no proper waiting area he will wait out in the car. They took my £33 and checked my Passport as ID.

2:10 - 2:20 : Moved to a room where we were each called in one by one to verify our information (name, address, etc.) and yet again my Passport was viewed for ID.

2:20 - 2:40 : Moved to another room where we were told to wait until it was time to go into the testing room.

2:40 - 2:50 : Finally were taken into the testing room. Upon walking into the room my Passport was viewed once again for ID. We each sat at a computer and were told guidelines for taking the test, such as no talking, no study materials, etc. Then we were allowed to take a practice test of 4 questions just to get us in the grove of the questions format and how to tick each of them. We are then told that when we are ready to start the actual test they will come around and start it for us.

2:53 : I ask for my test to be started and yet again my Passport is viewed for ID.

2:55 : Started test, time allowed 45 minutes.

3:02 : Ended test.

3:02 - 3:45 : Waiting in yet another room because until everybody has completed the test they can not print the results and hand them out.

3:47 : I am called into another room where again my Passport is viewed for ID and am I told congratulations I have passed and am asked to sign the pass certificate.

So... 2 hours and 47 minutes and 5 checks of my Passport later... I am finally walking out of the testing centre and am very glad that it is all over! The test itself only took me 7 minutes and this was with me answering all of the questions and then going thru each of them again to verify my answers.

What is to happen to my study guide and test question booklet? I am passing them down to Meg so that she can study for her test which she might be taking this summer.

Now I have to call the Home Office on Monday in order to set my in person appointment for my Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa and then hopefully that will be all... until of course when I qualify for citizenship and then it will be yet more work.