First, Let me apologize for disappearing....

[Marriednow 4]

Hi friends, the former DJTNDOG here. I had to change my identity and disappear on here because a former friend of my SO had been harrassing us and I didn't want him to mess up anything when we were so close to getting our visa.

The good news (and truly a miracle, we are convinced), is that my SO GOT HIS VISA!!!!!!! We were truly and utterly in shock. I had to change airline tickets, get him one (2700.00 one way, which sucks--my entire ticket was 1000.00) and get all of this together in a short time.

I think I left you guys after he had his interview scheduled. I want to share all of this to help others, so if I repeat or whatever, hope you understand. His interview was scheduled, he got his physical, and got to Casa. The bad part is during this whole time, he had just had eardrum repair surgery and was running back and forth to Casa and is just now recovering. Anyway, here goes:

We are still not sure who he had the interview with. He described the men and women there as not being Moroccan, perhaps Syrian for a couple, with different accents from him. He also said none of the interviewers were really blonde, so I am not sure who his was. This is what he said:

His interview was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. His good friend went with him, and they spent the night in a fleabag hotel. Both got some kind of cooties, but that is a story for another time...lol. Anyway, he went over there at 7:30 and was called in. He said there were about 35 people in the room. He was told to give his papers to a woman whom he described as mean, like the milatary. (I am using my own words and some of his as to what he meant.) He said she was rude to all of them, like she had power over them and wanted to show it off.

Then he sat down. Two others went before him. One was a woman. He couldn't hear much of what was said, but he thinks the woman was lying and caught in her lies. Something about she told the woman that she talked to her fiance every night, then changed her answer when the woman questioned her. She left upset and mad. He said he thought maybe the main thing was what the person said had better match up with what is on the paperwork in front of the person that is conducting the interview.

Then a man went for his interview. My SO wasn't sure what happened there, but the man also left upset. Then it was his turn. He said the woman was very nice, very respectful, and that he could understand what she said. My SO has been speaking English about a year and we had practiced the questions and talked about the answers. So he was prepared for what she might ask. He had to ask her to repeat a couple of times, but had no trouble answering. I am going to list the questions on another post so that people can read those separately. Anyway, she talked to him about 15 min. He said she typed while she asked him, but she managed to look him in the eye a lot. He thought she was trying to see if he was lying. Then at the end, she said, "Everything is ok. We will call you next week." Of course, he didn't ask if he was gonna get his visa or anything, so I was freaking. His interview was on a Thursday. They called the following Friday. Asked him to come in on Monday and bring his passport. Back to Casa, which is a 4 hour bus ride from Marrakech, by the way. Then when he gave them his passport, they told him to come back tomorrow. I said, Did you ask them why? No again....lol. So the next day, he went and they gave him his passport.

I had planned already to be there for three weeks, leaving the US on Sept. 21 and to return Oct. 13. But I had to change my ticket, add him to my flight, etc. All in a short time.

So, now he is here with me since Saturday. Of course, being Ramadan, it has been different than we had planned. BUT he is doing great. We applied for his SS#, went to a couple of job prospects. But he has to learn how to drive and we have no bus service from here to Knoxville, where the sewing jobs are that he wants. We have found two places that sell halal meat, etc, in Knoxville, gone to the mall (Don't take me here again, just go alone...lol). His biggest adjustment so far is that he has trouble understanding what is said, so he wants to begin English classes immediately. They offered some from Jan.to May for free through our local college, so I am hoping they will offer more soon. We have talked to his relatives, he plays lots of Algerian music, chats on internet with his friends, etc. But he is sort of quiet, I think, cuz he is sooo hungry all the time and it has been 3 weeks of Ramadan. I will keep you posted as we go along. As I said, I will post the questions he was asked on another entry. I was totally surprised that the interviewer was nice to him, so I can't complain too much about that.

I have no clue as to why we got our visa and others did not. I know several people with similar issues whose papers were turned down. I can only speculate why, but that is for another time.

[~*Dorothy*~ 2]

Good to see you back and huge congratulations on your reunion!

D.

[Jasman0717 9]

Congratulations on the visa Owch, $2700 for a plane ticket, that hurts Is it coach???

[sara535 15]

Glad you both made it back and congrats on everything

[Nutty 2]

Hi friends, the former DJTNDOG here. I had to change my identity and disappear on here because a former friend of my SO had been harrassing us and I didn't want him to mess up anything when we were so close to getting our visa.

The good news (and truly a miracle, we are convinced), is that my SO GOT HIS VISA!!!!!!! We were truly and utterly in shock. I had to change airline tickets, get him one (2700.00 one way, which sucks--my entire ticket was 1000.00) and get all of this together in a short time.

I think I left you guys after he had his interview scheduled. I want to share all of this to help others, so if I repeat or whatever, hope you understand. His interview was scheduled, he got his physical, and got to Casa. The bad part is during this whole time, he had just had eardrum repair surgery and was running back and forth to Casa and is just now recovering. Anyway, here goes:

We are still not sure who he had the interview with. He described the men and women there as not being Moroccan, perhaps Syrian for a couple, with different accents from him. He also said none of the interviewers were really blonde, so I am not sure who his was. This is what he said:

His interview was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. His good friend went with him, and they spent the night in a fleabag hotel. Both got some kind of cooties, but that is a story for another time...lol. Anyway, he went over there at 7:30 and was called in. He said there were about 35 people in the room. He was told to give his papers to a woman whom he described as mean, like the milatary. (I am using my own words and some of his as to what he meant.) He said she was rude to all of them, like she had power over them and wanted to show it off.

Then he sat down. Two others went before him. One was a woman. He couldn't hear much of what was said, but he thinks the woman was lying and caught in her lies. Something about she told the woman that she talked to her fiance every night, then changed her answer when the woman questioned her. She left upset and mad. He said he thought maybe the main thing was what the person said had better match up with what is on the paperwork in front of the person that is conducting the interview.

Then a man went for his interview. My SO wasn't sure what happened there, but the man also left upset. Then it was his turn. He said the woman was very nice, very respectful, and that he could understand what she said. My SO has been speaking English about a year and we had practiced the questions and talked about the answers. So he was prepared for what she might ask. He had to ask her to repeat a couple of times, but had no trouble answering. I am going to list the questions on another post so that people can read those separately. Anyway, she talked to him about 15 min. He said she typed while she asked him, but she managed to look him in the eye a lot. He thought she was trying to see if he was lying. Then at the end, she said, "Everything is ok. We will call you next week." Of course, he didn't ask if he was gonna get his visa or anything, so I was freaking. His interview was on a Thursday. They called the following Friday. Asked him to come in on Monday and bring his passport. Back to Casa, which is a 4 hour bus ride from Marrakech, by the way. Then when he gave them his passport, they told him to come back tomorrow. I said, Did you ask them why? No again....lol. So the next day, he went and they gave him his passport.

I had planned already to be there for three weeks, leaving the US on Sept. 21 and to return Oct. 13. But I had to change my ticket, add him to my flight, etc. All in a short time.

So, now he is here with me since Saturday. Of course, being Ramadan, it has been different than we had planned. BUT he is doing great. We applied for his SS#, went to a couple of job prospects. But he has to learn how to drive and we have no bus service from here to Knoxville, where the sewing jobs are that he wants. We have found two places that sell halal meat, etc, in Knoxville, gone to the mall (Don't take me here again, just go alone...lol). His biggest adjustment so far is that he has trouble understanding what is said, so he wants to begin English classes immediately. They offered some from Jan.to May for free through our local college, so I am hoping they will offer more soon. We have talked to his relatives, he plays lots of Algerian music, chats on internet with his friends, etc. But he is sort of quiet, I think, cuz he is sooo hungry all the time and it has been 3 weeks of Ramadan. I will keep you posted as we go along. As I said, I will post the questions he was asked on another entry. I was totally surprised that the interviewer was nice to him, so I can't complain too much about that.

I have no clue as to why we got our visa and others did not. I know several people with similar issues whose papers were turned down. I can only speculate why, but that is for another time.

You should order some dates online for him to break fast with. Besides, there just nice to have around to snack on. Secondly, maybe you could find out if Kosher meat would be acceptable to your SO. I think Kosher meat is "dispatched" in the same method as Halal. Geez. I am so lucky. My husband is much more secular and can tolerate non halal meat once in a while.

[janaus 0]

Congrats and good luck to you both.

[maggieNomar 0]

Welcome back to VJ and congrats on the visa.

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Congratulations

[doodlebug 3]

Congratulations! That was one BIGTIME expensive ticket though!!!

[Sonshyne 2]

Congratulations

[MaryandMian 1]

http://www.zabihah.com/ Check out this site for halal stores and it will go by the area you live in. I also know that the Meditterian Stores here sell halal meats as well. Good luck.

Big congratulations on the visa.

Mary

[polarbear 0]

Congrats on the Visa!!

[amal 4]

Congrats on the visa. It definitely takes time to adjust (especially during Ramadan) so just be patient and take 1 day at a time I can't believe the ticket cost that much..OUCH!!! I wish you both much luck and happiness together here in the states!

welcome back

amal

[Queen Jenn 0]

Congratulations on getting the visa. I know Casa is a tough one. Best of luck in adjusting to your new life together.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Yes! Congrats!