Will You Marry Me?

Are there any single UK men out there who are looking to get hitched?  'Cause I'm open to offers.  Clearly that is the only way US performers can now stay in this country.  Now I am not in anyway sure that I'd want to stay here after graduating.  But I don't like the idea that it's not even an option.

Allow me to elaborate...

We had a meeting today with an immigration specialist that was to explain the changes in UK visa regulations.  Now, in the US for example, a foreign study performer can work IN THEIR FIELD during studies and then following graduation, they have a year to gain employment before they either apply for visa extension or get booted out of the country.
Here, during your studies you can work...but NOT in your field.  Then the old regulation would be that you graduate and can apply for a two year visa that you can stay in the country to gain employment, go to auditions, and try to convince the UK that you are an exceptional artist and they want to keep you. 
HOWEVERRRRRRRR, as of this April 2012, they have discontinued that visa.  Now we can only qualify for what is called a general Tier 2 visa.  This requires you to have already gained a job BEFORE graduation that is 1. long term, 2. a company that is from a certain list of sponsors, 3. that pays you a minimum of something like 20,000 pounds a year.  ...uh buh????  This would be ok for a nuclear physicist, or an engineer, or an accountant.  But for those of you that don't understand the way the entertainment business works, the likelihood of this happening would be like me saying I could learn Yiddish in a day while having winged monkeys flying out of my butt.  (I may be talented but bat monkeys are not in my repertoire.)
1.  Long term rarely exists in acting.  Even most broadway shows give you a 6-9 mo contract.  And if you gain a tier 2 visa, it only lasts as long as your contract.  The visa itself costs a couple grand at least. You have to leave the country to apply for it, so that means you are spending hundreds of dollars just going home to fill out a piece of paper, then spending hundreds of dollars flying back here if they give it to you.  All that for 6 months?  I think not.
2.  The likelihood of you finding a UK company to sponsor you and doing the paperwork rather than just going with a european who looks just like you anyway is incredibly slim.
3.  and getting 20,000 pounds for one gig is...well who do I look like?  Dame Judi Dench?

Sigh.  So.  For those of you back home that worried that Europe would swallow me and keep me, never fear.  They pretty much give you your diploma and show you the way to the airport at the same time. 

As for todays shenanigans, we were in rehearsal from 9-6pm.  I was feeling well below par.  Bit under the weather and run down.  But it was a VERY productive day.  We presented our piece to the class at the end of the day and it went way better than I think even we expected.  Orgy and all.  By Friday's performance I think we'll have something pretty darn good.

Bumps and bruises, aches and pains all over.  And well earned.

p.s.  Mom and Dad, I miss you.  But can you believe I'll be home for xmas in less than two months??

p.p.s.  I have already received one proposal since posting this.  any other takers??  :)