NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!

[amaciar 0]

The doctor in Wellington was very thorough. Our appointment was about 45 minutes not including the blood tests and X-Ray. He checked my husbands reflexes, eyes, made a list of all his scars asked about all immunizations and wouldn't trust that they had been done unless there was written proof and he was pretty expensive. I know I have said it before but if you the Doctor in Auckland sounds more reasonable. Ohh yeah and the doctor wouldn't give him the shots he needed so he had to make a seperate appointment when we were back in his hometown for those which was yet another step.

[amaciar 0]

Congrats Kim and Russ. Great weather for a fall wedding too.

[kiwiana 2]

amaciar: yikes! your doctor was pretty thorough!

Will definitely try and see Dr Stone when the time comes. Not sure what this 'checking down below" is all about? Are they making sure you are a woman? It's going to be nerve wracking as it is to go to the medical, so you really want a doc that is going to make you feel at ease and not more stressed out.

I know one can't take the timelines here as gospel but was pleasantly surprised this morning to see my timeline has jumped ahead once more. The estimated time is now nov 31st! It was anything up to December 19th . So am hoping it will stay on that path!!

Big day for Kim and Russell today! Best wishes to you guys!!!

[cdneh 3,112]

I was just thinking todays the big day for Kim and Russ !

[gshennen 0]

Hi All

Been a while since I have posted, so I thought i'd catch everyone up with our progress.

Firstly congratulations to Kim and Russ.

I also hope that everyone else is making progress as well.

Today we moved out of our house and into a hotel for the last few days. We have now sold all the bits and pieces that we wanted to sell on trademe (the remaining bits will be picked up in the next day or so). We have 80% packed anything we wanted to keep into storage, with the remainder to go in tomorrow and tuesday.

I am also unemployed for the first time in my life (I finished up my last two projects on Friday) - although have a bit of freelance stuff I can carry on with for a couple of clients here, once I am in the US.

It is hard to believe that we are only three days away from leaving. Brook's father has come over to give us a hand for the last few days and will head back with us, makes it easier with the two kids.

It is has not been all that easy getting prepared. Last weekend the remaining car we kept hold of broke down in the middle of nowhere up the Coromandel with us all in, and in the end had to get back to Auckland on a tow truck (also with the auction on trade me closing for it last Tuesday). But got it fixed and sold without too much drame.

Also Brook got hospitalised in the early hours of this morning with severe food poisoning. They kept her till about lunchtime pumped her with fluids and she seems to be on the mend. Made for an interesting and stressful morning, as the house was getting emptied (my mates were brilliant and took care of it all for me without me lifting a finger in the end, and left me to look after Ash and Clay). So again, very stressful all round, and the last thing we needed, but we have come through the other side.

Anyway, it must be my bed time, again hope everyone is well, and making progress.

I may not post again before we arrive in CA, but will update everyone then.

Cheers

Grant

[cdneh 3,112]

All the best Grant, I hope the trip goes well

[bobsagetti 0]

Bobsagetti: has your EAD arrived yet?

Hi everyone,

It's been a busy past few weeks so I've only just checked back on here. Congrats to all of you who are making progress and also to Kim and Russ who are probably married by now.

Yes the EAD finally arrived about three weeks ago. Less than a week later Jasmine got offered a job in Virginia so we've just spent 10 days driving across the country and are now settling in here. I really like being close to DC as there's lots to see and do. They sure do have real winters though, not like southern Cal where we've been.

So now that we're settled I'm ramping up the job hunting and hope to get something this side of Xmas.

Good luck to the rest of you who are still waiting.

[kiwiana 2]

Grant: Have a safe, trouble free trip! All the best!!

Bobsagetti: It didn't take too long to receive the EAD. Wow! 10 days driving! Would never be able to drive for that long,going one way in NZ!! (would run out of land ) Hope you are settling in Virginia ok. Good luck with the job hunting!

[kelzm 0]

Hi all, been a little while since I checked in but good to see everyone is still coping with the process and some of you are moving forward. Grant, must be exciting to be just about on your way. No news from Kim and Russ I see, here's hoping they're having a fantastic time after the wedding and we'll get some pics soon.

For those of you that are worrying about driving over here, I think that once you've been doing it a little while it feels fine. It's actually not that scary driving on the other side of the road, because you sit on the other side of the car, so that still feels right. What I have the most trouble with is turning, at first I was muttering 'stay right' under my breath as it's tempting to want to turn over to the wrong lane. The four way stop signs always give me a shudder too. But I'm getting used to the 'whoever gets their first goes first' rule. I've even driven up to San Francisco which is about an hour and a half from where I live.

As an update, I too was planning a life of leisure and looking forward to some time off but I soon found myself going stir crazy. I've got a two week temp job as a secretary/receptionist just to fill in time and give me a little bit of extra money. I'm going to start my serious job searching after that. I'm looking at a commute though which after living 10 minutes from my workplace is going to be tough.

I've had a few moments of homesickness, and I've definitely started to notice differences between NZ and the USA. I've visited many times but living here is just different.

[kiwiana 2]

Hi all, been a little while since I checked in but good to see everyone is still coping with the process and some of you are moving forward. Grant, must be exciting to be just about on your way. No news from Kim and Russ I see, here's hoping they're having a fantastic time after the wedding and we'll get some pics soon.

For those of you that are worrying about driving over here, I think that once you've been doing it a little while it feels fine. It's actually not that scary driving on the other side of the road, because you sit on the other side of the car, so that still feels right. What I have the most trouble with is turning, at first I was muttering 'stay right' under my breath as it's tempting to want to turn over to the wrong lane. The four way stop signs always give me a shudder too. But I'm getting used to the 'whoever gets their first goes first' rule. I've even driven up to San Francisco which is about an hour and a half from where I live.

As an update, I too was planning a life of leisure and looking forward to some time off but I soon found myself going stir crazy. I've got a two week temp job as a secretary/receptionist just to fill in time and give me a little bit of extra money. I'm going to start my serious job searching after that. I'm looking at a commute though which after living 10 minutes from my workplace is going to be tough.

I've had a few moments of homesickness, and I've definitely started to notice differences between NZ and the USA. I've visited many times but living here is just different.

That's good that you have got a temp job. Like you, i KNOW i will go stir crazy if i have to be idle for 3 months or more waiting for an EAD! So it looks like volunteer work will be the option for me.

Thats pretty good that you have driven up to San Fran. It certainly sounds like it didn't take long to get the hang of it. Those four way stop signs always baffle me when i am in my fiances car and he approaches them. I am like.. how on earth do you know... who gives way to who? But everyone always seem to be courteous and it all works out ok ...

What differences have you started to notice between USA and NZ? One thing that i still can't get my head around, no matter how many times i have been there is their currency.

I kind of wonder who on earth invented their coins? The five cent coin is bigger than their 10cent. While the 1c coin should be put out to retirement!! And their notes all look the same to me. The shopkeepers definitely know i am a foreigner when i purchase anything.

Have you missed any foods from NZ yet?

I haven't seen milo over there in the shops and I am going to miss not being able to drink it when i move there and will probably get withdrawal symptoms

[amaciar 0]

My husband has warned his Dad that he will need to send us over Choysa Tea every few months. Haven't found any decent tea here yet. Nic also misses pies and I miss purple kumara it only took three years to get hooked on it. Ohh and Nic is always dissappointed when he buys chocolate here. Milo is kinda light maybe you can jam a tin in one of your bags.

You will eventually get the four way stops. It is kinda first come first serve

Edited October 22, 2008 by amaciar

[KimandRuss 0]

Hi folks.

Thank you all for the warm wishes and congrats. It means a lot to us. Our day turned out just beautiful. Gorgeous fall colors and the bright sun kept it pretty warm. The ceremony was quite short but Russell and I wrote our own vows which made it very special to us. Our group of 20 turned into about 60-80 throughout the day and night but it was nice to share our special day with many of those we love. Russell's family got up to toast us at 4am (sun nz time)...very sweet we thought. We're quite glad it's over... well, until we do it again in 6 months anyway.

Grant, I do hope you arrived in the U.S. safe and sound and that your wife is feeling 100% again. That sounds like a lot of stress just when you didn't need it. Hopefully everything falls into place for you once you're here.

Kel, good to see you. I'm sorry you're missing home.

You can get MILO here in the States (forgot where) but Russell (big MILO drinker) just uses our instant 'hot chocolate'. If you google it, you'll probably be able to find pretty much anything you're looking for. I only know this because my love is a fantastic cook and many of the recipes he uses (many from Edmonds) calls for things normally found in NZ. We have found most things here with a little looking.

We're headed to Social Security tomorrow and I need to go renew my license and change my name as well. I suppose we'll be dishing out the cash for AOS soon enough too.

Well, happy thoughts to all. Will try to get some pics online sometime soon.

[cdneh 3,112]

Congratulations Kim and Russ! I can't wait to see your pictures. Glad the day went so well for you

[kiwiana 2]

Hi folks!!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend (a long one if in NZ with Labour day) It's pretty much windy city here in Auckland today!

KimandRuss: how did it go at social security? Did Russell get a ssn? hope it all went smoothly.

cdneh: I have an appointment on tuesday at central police station for fingerprints for Aussie police check. Do you have to pay a fee for the fingerprints?

amaciar and Kim: thanks for the tips with milo. I guess i could take a tin of milo with me when i leave At least they do have hot chocolate over there as a substitute. All the hassles and stress we all have, going through K1 process and i am worried about MILO!!

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

Hey guys

I know they sell milo at walmart in statesville nc, saw it there when i was visiting Rob

and..... we're 227 on Igor's list, hehe, i am excited, taking into account cdneh's calculations of duplicates and dormants that makes us 199 hehe

silly how excited i am over that and how depressed i'll be if/when we head back the other way.