Just Turkish

[tanyakaraman 0]

Hi all. B) My father in law arrives today. We can't wait. He's such a fun guy. He's in his 60s but acts more like a hippy teenager. He will stay for a full week and then we will all leave next Monday.

I still haven't decided if I want to brave a 1hr.50 min. layover in NY or book a longer layover. The flight would arrive at 5pm which is the start of the busy time at JFK. Even though there is a better schedule if we make a connecting flight in Amsterdam we're booking the direct flight from IST to JFK because we're worried about the transit visa issue. If I chicken out on the 110 min. layover then I think we will book one of the 20 hour NY layover flights and get a hotel room and see some more of NY than the 12 hour layover would allow.

If you want to see NYC it's very easy to get to the subway from the airport. Just take the airtrain (the tram that takes people to the different terminals at the airport) to Jamaica Station and you can connect to the NYC subway. You can download print a map of the city and the subway (or get one at the subway station) and it's very easy to get around as the whole city is just a big grid. Of course if you are reclaiming your bags at JFK, you might want to book a hotel room and take your bags there before you venture out to the city. You'll see what I mean when you get there, but there is really no "area" near the airport...JFK is HUGE and is more of a city unto itself...but it's just a 15 or so minute subway (or cab) ride to Manhattan. Definitely take the long layover and see the city! You'll have fun and create some great memories!!

[Gil + Pel 2]

hi everybody!

I hope everything is just fine with all you!

I sent my AOS application last week on tuesday.I keep checking my bank account but they haven't cashed the check yet.do you guys know how long it usually takes them to cash it???

[Yahya54 4]

hi everybody!

im from palestine and we love the turkish tv (show) they start have the turkish show in the arbic tv and i did watch coupl of show on of them is (noor gumus )i feel in love with show have any body see it

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

I've booked everything. I picked a flight with a 20hr. layover in NY and booked a cheap hotel near the airport and a subway stop. Since we will probably arrive at our hotel when it is dark we might just get information on the top things to see and how to get there, starting with the statue of liberty, from the concierge. Then we'll just crash early for the night so we can get up at 6am, load up on the hotel's free breakfast and head out to sight-see until 11. Then we'll return to the hotel so we can freshen up and check out at noon and head back to the airport to catch our connecting flight at 3pm. We are so excited. I'm so glad the first thing he will see in the US is NY instead of my family's boring old small town in the south.

[tanyakaraman 0]

I've booked everything. I picked a flight with a 20hr. layover in NY and booked a cheap hotel near the airport and a subway stop. Since we will probably arrive at our hotel when it is dark we might just get information on the top things to see and how to get there, starting with the statue of liberty, from the concierge. Then we'll just crash early for the night so we can get up at 6am, load up on the hotel's free breakfast and head out to sight-see until 11. Then we'll return to the hotel so we can freshen up and check out at noon and head back to the airport to catch our connecting flight at 3pm. We are so excited. I'm so glad the first thing he will see in the US is NY instead of my family's boring old small town in the south.

Sounds great!! If you want to see the statue of liberty, it's a good idea to book ferry tickets ahead of time as it actually sells out....here's a link if you're interested. It gives ferry departure times, directions, and you can buy tickets online....http://www.statuecruises.com Keep in mind it's going to be Verrrry cold on that ferry in February!!! It takes time too....it might be the only thing you have time to do if you need to head back to the hotel by 11.

Have a safe flight home & a great time in NYC!!

Tanya

[tanyakaraman 0]

hi everybody!

I hope everything is just fine with all you!

I sent my AOS application last week on tuesday.I keep checking my bank account but they haven't cashed the check yet.do you guys know how long it usually takes them to cash it???

It might take a week or two...don't worry though, they will take your money LOL! Did you send the package with delivery confirmation?

[Gil + Pel 2]

It might take a week or two...don't worry though, they will take your money LOL! Did you send the package with delivery confirmation?

thanks for your reply tanya!I sent it visa usps (express) and checked it online the next day.it said it was delivered.

they cashed the check this morning! I hope everything will be just fine and I will have an interview date soon!

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

Sounds great!! If you want to see the statue of liberty, it's a good idea to book ferry tickets ahead of time as it actually sells out....here's a link if you're interested. It gives ferry departure times, directions, and you can buy tickets online....http://www.statuecruises.com Keep in mind it's going to be Verrrry cold on that ferry in February!!! It takes time too....it might be the only thing you have time to do if you need to head back to the hotel by 11.

Have a safe flight home & a great time in NYC!!

Tanya

Oh, wow. I'll have to see what is more important for him to see then and let him decide if he'd rather just see it from shore at a distance before going to see other things maybe on one of those bus tours. Can you still go to the top of the statue and see the city skyline? I'd kind of like that to be the first thing he sees in the US. But if he'd rather hop on a bus to tour the city a bit we'll do that. I know the bus tours are expensive tourist traps but we don't know the city and have a limited amount of time and wouldn't want to waste any time trying to decipher which subway will take us to which pt. of interest. If we were staying a few days we would definitely use the public transport but for just a morning we might just fork over the cash for the tour if that's what he prefers. We will always have the option to take a vacation there some other time to see whatever we miss.

Thanks for the info.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

Oh, wow. I'll have to see what is more important for him to see then and let him decide if he'd rather just see it from shore at a distance before going to see other things maybe on one of those bus tours. Can you still go to the top of the statue and see the city skyline? I'd kind of like that to be the first thing he sees in the US. But if he'd rather hop on a bus to tour the city a bit we'll do that. I know the bus tours are expensive tourist traps but we don't know the city and have a limited amount of time and wouldn't want to waste any time trying to decipher which subway will take us to which pt. of interest. If we were staying a few days we would definitely use the public transport but for just a morning we might just fork over the cash for the tour if that's what he prefers. We will always have the option to take a vacation there some other time to see whatever we miss.

Thanks for the info.

The red line or blue line bus tours are pretty good.( actually I think it's called Greyline tours and they have a red route and a blue route). I think it was $40 person when I was there last year, and the ticket was good for 48 hours. If you want to see the whole city, stay on the bus. The entire route takes 2 hours.

What I did was took the bus all the way around.. and then got off at the places I wanted to see, but you won't have enough time for that.

You may do well if you buy the ticket the night you get there and then can ride around and see things and get back on the bus the next morning. Depending on how late you get in that night.

I think the first bus is at 9:00am and the last bus was at 9:00pm. I know you can find the routes and times on the internet. You can buy the tickets on line.. or just walk to any street corner in time square and there are guys standing around selling tickets.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

Our interview is in 18 days and I'm leaving in 14.. reading a lot of the consulate reviews again and, for some reason, they are giving me small panic attacks tonight. I know there is no reason to panic, but I am sure I am not the only one who has gone through this.

I know they will allow me into the embassy with him, and I have read that some of you were actually asked questions as well, but I guess I am wondering if I will be allowed to stand with him during his interview. When he is called to the window, can I go up with him? Will I be given instructions, beforehand, that I need to sit and wait? Will I walk up to the window with him and they will tell me to go sit down? We are both hoping and praying that I will be allowed to stand there with him for the whole thing.. but there more I am reading in the reviews, the more I think this won't happen.

What should I expect?

[nicole&efe 0]

Oh, wow. I'll have to see what is more important for him to see then and let him decide if he'd rather just see it from shore at a distance before going to see other things maybe on one of those bus tours. Can you still go to the top of the statue and see the city skyline? I'd kind of like that to be the first thing he sees in the US. But if he'd rather hop on a bus to tour the city a bit we'll do that. I know the bus tours are expensive tourist traps but we don't know the city and have a limited amount of time and wouldn't want to waste any time trying to decipher which subway will take us to which pt. of interest. If we were staying a few days we would definitely use the public transport but for just a morning we might just fork over the cash for the tour if that's what he prefers. We will always have the option to take a vacation there some other time to see whatever we miss.

Thanks for the info.

Actually going to the Statue of Liberty will definitely take a few hours. When I took Efe to NYC, we actually just took the metro to Battery Park, and it had a pretty good view of the Statue of Liberty (at least the best view from Manhattan). We were on a time restraint so we just did that, and in the future, we'll go back and do the full tour. I'm sure the view of NYC from the Statue of Liberty is gorgeous, but like I mentioned in my other post, the Top of the Rock was awesome (and there's a small NBC tour/gallery on the way to the top of the building), and the Rockefeller area of the city is really cool in general; there's the plaza, Radio City Music hall, etc. Also, if you are considering the not doing a bus tour, I promise that the metro is really easy to use. We got a map from one of the metro stations, and at first we looked at it and were so confused. So we asked a person standing next to us how to read it, and we couldn't believe how easy it was to use the map/get around the city. As I'm sure most of the US knows, NYC traffic is terrible, and if you do a bus tour, you could be sitting in traffic for most of the time. But, the bus is probably heated! That's a major plus. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Check this out if you have the time: http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/

Edited February 5, 2010 by nicole&efe

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

Our interview is in 18 days and I'm leaving in 14.. reading a lot of the consulate reviews again and, for some reason, they are giving me small panic attacks tonight. I know there is no reason to panic, but I am sure I am not the only one who has gone through this.

I know they will allow me into the embassy with him, and I have read that some of you were actually asked questions as well, but I guess I am wondering if I will be allowed to stand with him during his interview. When he is called to the window, can I go up with him? Will I be given instructions, beforehand, that I need to sit and wait? Will I walk up to the window with him and they will tell me to go sit down? We are both hoping and praying that I will be allowed to stand there with him for the whole thing.. but there more I am reading in the reviews, the more I think this won't happen.

What should I expect?

Thanks for the info. on NY, Jenn & Nicole.

Jenn- When we had our interview in Dec. we went up to the window together. They asked us who attended our wedding, where we lived, asked what my husband and I do for a living, again asked where we live here, where we'll live in the US...(The CO asked all the questions VERY quickly as if they are trying to put you off balance.) Then they asked me to sit down so they could interview my husband alone. They again asked him what he did for a living and where we lived, asked what my father's name is and if I had any siblings, a few questions about me and told him some additional processing would be needed. My husband asked when he would get the visa and the CO told him a month, maybe two. I guess they know exactly how long the additional processing will take because we did get the visa about a month and a half later. Just know your stuff and be prepared to answer all the questions at a mile a minute. Good luck.

[ErikaAndHamit 73]

Jenn I went up with him just to let them know I am there and she asked me who I am (duh) and had me sit down and said she would call me up if they ahd anymore questions (she did) but if it isn't busy, you will be able to hear everything. It is set up DMV style with the number system dinger and all lol

[tanyakaraman 0]

Our interview is in 18 days and I'm leaving in 14.. reading a lot of the consulate reviews again and, for some reason, they are giving me small panic attacks tonight. I know there is no reason to panic, but I am sure I am not the only one who has gone through this.

I know they will allow me into the embassy with him, and I have read that some of you were actually asked questions as well, but I guess I am wondering if I will be allowed to stand with him during his interview. When he is called to the window, can I go up with him? Will I be given instructions, beforehand, that I need to sit and wait? Will I walk up to the window with him and they will tell me to go sit down? We are both hoping and praying that I will be allowed to stand there with him for the whole thing.. but there more I am reading in the reviews, the more I think this won't happen.

What should I expect?

I was allowed to go up with Ozzy and stand there the whole time. The CO alternately asked questions of me and him. However, others have had different experiences and even others who were there the same day and interveiwed by the same CO as us were asked to sit down while the fiance was being interviewed. I think it depends on the CO and what mood he or she is in at that particular moment. As Erika said, you can hear everything though (and everyone else in the room can hear everything too!) and you will likely have a chance to speak or clarify anything that needs clarifying....

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

Thanks for the info. I will have to prepare him that I may not be allowed to stand with him the whole time.. he's really worried about questions that have to do with dates, because he has a horrible time remembering dates. Yesterday was his sister's birthday and I had to remind him

For some reason he can never remember my brother's name. He can remember my niece and nephew's names.. but not my brother's For my mom, he just usually calls her "mom" and I think he will stumble on that if he's asked.

We will probably be prepared for tons of hard questions and only end up getting asked a few easy ones. I could deal with that

Edited February 5, 2010 by Jenn and Fuat