I managed to open a bank account. It feels that, now, I can do everything. But the question is, what can I do?

On my first day I tried my luck at HSBC to open a nothing-to-loose-simple-no-monthly-fee cash account. But without my passport I cannot prove my address. And with my ID I cannot prove my identity and my address (even though both are proven on that card). My passport lies in a wonderful wooden chest of drawers in Berlin. Lucky me. So I tried my proof of address (ID was my proof of identity) with my tenancy agreement (ok, it’s just a receipt for holding a deposit but that doesn’t matter). But I have a private landlord, so no proof of address. Next, I tried my Offer Letter from uni, but the UK Border Agency has revoked London Metropolitan University’s authorisation for international students who need a visa. As I am from members of the EU, I thought this wouldn’t affect me at all. How naive. The HSBC has to get an „OK“ from the Border Agency that the uni is a sponsor for international students. So my offer letter was not helpful at all. The employee told me either to get a job or come with my passport again and pay a monthly fee of 8 pounds.

Today I went to Barclays and got a cash and a savings account. For free. With my ID. Ha!

It feels like I reached a goal and am now full of energy for everything. I have now much more free time than in the past months. And that’s the problem. Free time and no friends. Well one friend, who’s currently out of town. I have to face it: I have to get in contact with other exchange students. Yuck!

Laura

P.S. I realised that the common thing for women is to make one’s face up in the tube. Is it a time saving thing? I don’t get it. Like putting on make up in cars, it’s too hard for me.