We’re celebrating twelve years of marriage this week, a massive achievement whoever and wherever you are in the world. We try to mark the occasion celebrate every year: we struggled for the right to marry in the first place.
Getting married wasn’t – for us – a romantic ideal, but the only practical way we could get Yeshi into the UK.
Our first attempts at marriage were in India. We visited the local government office a couple of times but never found the relevant person on post.
After this, the only remaining option was to bring Yeshi to the UK as my fiancé, and to tie the knot quickly. We put together a huge dossier of evidence to prove our relationship. Lengthy Skype messages that surely nobody in their right minds really wanted to see, pictures of me and Yeshi that indicated we’d been together over time – he even grew a moustache at one point to help the story along.
We still have this folder at home – the UK visa office in Delhi returned it to Yeshi when his application was approved. The paperwork runs at least a couple of inches thick, but most of it clearly wasn’t touched.
Which makes it sound easy: it wasn’t. When we arrived at the British consulate the man behind the counter laughed at the idea that I was taking this man as my husband. They said it would take up to 90 working days for a decision, and we waited every one of these. I was six months pregnant by the time Yeshi joined me in the UK.
Once here, we set set a date and did what everyone has to do to get their papers, only everything was a bit of a challenge. A registrar interviewed us separately, posing basic questions. Yeshi managed to remember the name of his father as given in his birth certificate (not his real dad, a story for another day) but not his date of birth – another piece of fiction that still doesn’t trip off the tongue. Then she asked if we were related – a question they have to pose apparently, even though in our case it’s quite obvious – visually – that we are not. “Oh yes!” replied Yeshi, misinterpreting the question.
After all of this, twelve years of marriage has been a breeze, and ya boo sucks to all the naysayers who doubted that it could work. I love this man, and what joy he has brought to the lives of so many here.
Join us this week as we celebrate! Our opening hours are as follows:
Wednesday – Friday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
This week’s menu is out now – check it! You can dine with us or take away for a night at home. Momos are back in stock in our freezers alongside a wide range of curries, including family-sized boxes.
We look forward to seeing you!
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Sat: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
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