January Filers at the CSC - How are you doing?

[WaitForever 0]

Hi folks...sorry for being away for a while but Mary was in town and we were just a little too busy to post. Hope everyone is doing well! I just dropped her off at the airport this morning

Of course, we did something stupid. Not sure if you saw my earlier post but as I suspected, packet 3 showed up in Canada while Mary was here. So trying to speed things up we had the friend of her that was checking her mail forward the packet here. Of course, due to Murphy's Law and customs and Canada Post and our incredibly bad luck (I'm not sure why we even keep trying to speed any of this process up!) the packet has not shown up here yet! Its about a week overdue as of today. Of course, Mary has gone back now so we've lost that whole week of time and now if it shows I will have to courier it back to her DOH!. My question is - do you think we should call the embassy and have them send us a new one, or do you think its would still be faster to just wait for this one and send it back again? Her friend xpressosted it to us on Jul 3rd. They said 5 business days its now been 8 days.

I know - most of you probably read that other post and said "OMG, I can't believe they did that" - so yes I know we were idiots for trying to be together sooner I guess. So what do the wise sages of VJ think?

Thanks...Carl

[Levi_Heather 0]

Is there any way to track it? If not I would request another packet then which ever shows up first you can use but you have both ends covered. Good luck

[WaitForever 0]

Is there any way to track it? If not I would request another packet then which ever shows up first you can use but you have both ends covered. Good luck

Yes there is tracking but its really terrible. This is what it says:

2008/07/15 00:15 International shipment has arrived in the destination country

2008/07/04 03:11 International shipment has arrived in the destination country

2008/07/03 01:47 International item has left Canada

2008/07/02 16:06 OAKVILLE, ON Item accepted at the Post Office

Notice the huge gap? My guess its that it was sitting on someones desk until they realized - oh ####### this needs to be in California. So I don't know if its going to show or not. Of course, the other question is what do we tell the embassy - that we were stupid and please send us a new one? Do you think they would take pity on us? We'd even pay for a courier to have it sent. Or just play dumb and say we never got it? Course then they might say - what another few weeks and see if it shows

[Levi_Heather 0]

We had a package held up for quite awhile that kept showing it was in Canada from the states but didn't get it for weeks after that. Come to find out it had been held up in customs most of that time. Very frustrating. I'm not sure how you would want to word it when you called the consulate to request a new packet? Maybe its happened to someone else here? You may want to ask in the Canada forum they are always helpful:)

[CourtAndGrey 0]

We had our interview today, and we were APPROVED!! Yay! We have a flight booked for Sunday - that'll make 42 days that we spent apart, but it seemed like a hell of a lot longer than that!!

:star: CONGRATS!!!! :star:

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I've moved into my friend's house. That's the first of three moves I'm having to make this year.

I figure that with each move, I can clear a little more stuff. I was doing really well - I condensed all of my books, DVDs and games to just eight 2.2 ft3 boxes. I've put three sacks of books (all decent quality, as I keep my books nicely and don't bend the corners or edges), so about 100 in all, in the charity book box. I put a huuuuge sack of clothes - I threw out absolutely everything I haven't worn in the past three months - in the charity clothing box and I've got another huge sack of ornaments, jewellery boxes and knick-knacks in the boot of my friend's car, again ready to be sent to a charity shop. It's all really lovely stuff, but it's stuff I really can't afford to take with me. I also threw out two sacks of rubbish and a sack of paper recycling.

However even with all that gone my remaining clothes, toiletries and kitchen ware (I have a few sets of really lovely glasses I'd like to keep) took up another eight small bags or so, so I have to work on getting that sized down, too. I'd ideally like to end up with no more than ten boxes and a suitcase. I reckon that'd cost around £300-400 to ship (about 22 cubic feet) which may be doable.

[sunnybear 0]

Ooh good on you Rachel clearing out your stuff! Gareth shipped I think close to 18 boxes of stuff along with a bed haha! Think it cost him just under 1000 pounds. He used ummm Atlantic something or other....

Ughh I got the worst cramps today and do not want to be at work! Gotta love it aye?

I am so checking USCIS constantly to see if they have put July's processing dates up yet....as soon as they do I am calling AGAIN.....at this point Gareth and I are just hoping and praying to be together for Thanksgiving this year!

Tomorrow I get to have it off my mind a bit as Gabby's Grandma is keeping her over night so I am headed out on the town with a girlfriend of mine since it is our towns 2nd annual Bike Time weekend. Can you say Beer tent galore? heh heh....Gareth is all worried i am gonna pick up a hairy biker LOL

Well hope all are doing well here!

[sunnybear 0]

Ok so I couldn't help it and called again LOL.....I got a different lady then I did last week but pretty much same answer "Your case is still in security checks ma'm" Then I said "Is there anyway of knowing when we will be done with that?" and she said "Just depends on how many cases they have to review"

Ok so why is it March people are already through though?!!?!?!?! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH so irritated.....Think it will hurt me if I call weekly now? LOL....

Oooofff we just cannot take all this waiting it is so hard....so wish he could come visit me since no way I could visit him until Christmas time but we are too scared to have him try and visit since well he didn't make it in the last time!!!

[CourtAndGrey 0]

I can't even imagine how tough it is. Just know all of us here are sending you happy thoughts every day. Enjoy your time out with the girls... have a beer for me too!

Ok so I couldn't help it and called again LOL.....I got a different lady then I did last week but pretty much same answer "Your case is still in security checks ma'm" Then I said "Is there anyway of knowing when we will be done with that?" and she said "Just depends on how many cases they have to review"

Ok so why is it March people are already through though?!!?!?!?! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH so irritated.....Think it will hurt me if I call weekly now? LOL....

Oooofff we just cannot take all this waiting it is so hard....so wish he could come visit me since no way I could visit him until Christmas time but we are too scared to have him try and visit since well he didn't make it in the last time!!!

[Pam&Josh 0]

I can't even imagine how tough it is. Just know all of us here are sending you happy thoughts every day. Enjoy your time out with the girls... have a beer for me too!

Courtney said it all..... still hoping to hear good news from you, but at least , have a good time tomorrow!

Rachel, I have to say you are quite organized!!

The good thing about moving in and out is to see what you're still using. I am impressed with what you've done already.

Me, I haven't pack yet....even I keep telling myself I should start! Actually, that's not true, Josh already came back with one suitcase full of my stuff......but there is still so much more!!

I am lazy about packing, but I need to start going through my stuff, and see what I will keep, throw away or give to charity too.

My worst worry right now is more about selling my car! I really need to sell it, so I won't bother any of my familly to do that for me. Well, I hope someone will buy it, and buy it soon!

Anybody interested in buying a car?

[sunnybear 0]

Well those USCIS folks posted new processing times and it now states January 17th......our stuff was posted to them and they say on the site that we got NOA1 on Jan 18th I believe it is.......so wonder if this means I have to officially give them one more month?! ARGHHHH anyway I will call again next Thursday or Friday and see what is up.....

On happy news front we ordered my engagement ring finally!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I hope it is as gorgeous in person as it looks online! I am in love with it. Center stone is a diamond they have made blue and then white diamonds on the side set in white gold. I LOVE it! Gareth doesn't want me to wear it until he is here to put on my finger but I told him that is not fair as I am sick of people looking down at my empty finger when I say I am engaged LOL....what do you all think? haha He said I will prob wear it then take off day he gets here and stick inthe box LOL....said "Maybeeeee" hahah....

Ooooh and I will post a pic of it hang on....

Oooh I am sooo in love with it! Hahahah! Gareth said my band better only cost 50 cents now hahahahah

[BlakeandOlha 0]

I've moved into my friend's house. That's the first of three moves I'm having to make this year.

The first two moves, not so fun... The last move, fantastic. I'm happy things are moving forward according to plan.

Exciting times reading about what everyone is doing.

Beautiful ring sunny!!

Edited July 17, 2008 by BlakeandOlha

[KimandRuss 0]

very pretty sunny

[guster4lovers 0]

Thanks guys! :-)

Rachel, I'm glad you finally have an interview date. That must relieve your mind greatly. And yeah, they're oddly efficient at the medical place...except for the X-ray technician that left my husband waiting for 40 minutes in the X-ray room! My sweet husband was too polite to go looking for him, and was SO afraid the whole time that he'd screw something up somehow. I have never talked through such minute details as we did through this process (like, literally, line by line through EVERY form, and why didn't I include THREE pay stubs instead of two, and blah blah blah).

And sunny, I love non-diamond rings (at least not as the main jewel) and yours is BEAUTIFUL!! Congrats. And keep the faith...those bastards at CSC will be done soon. I'm really appalled at how long it's taking you. It's criminal.

Our visa arrived this morning, so we're all set for him to fly out on Sunday, which is a great relief, especially to his mind, which is prone to excessive worry anyhow.

And of course, he paid $70 for the fastest courier option, and it wasn't even necessary. He could have saved $40 and still had it in plenty of time. Bastards.

[MissYoko 4]

Well those USCIS folks posted new processing times and it now states January 17th......our stuff was posted to them and they say on the site that we got NOA1 on Jan 18th I believe it is.......so wonder if this means I have to officially give them one more month?! ARGHHHH anyway I will call again next Thursday or Friday and see what is up.....

On happy news front we ordered my engagement ring finally!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I hope it is as gorgeous in person as it looks online! I am in love with it. Center stone is a diamond they have made blue and then white diamonds on the side set in white gold. I LOVE it! Gareth doesn't want me to wear it until he is here to put on my finger but I told him that is not fair as I am sick of people looking down at my empty finger when I say I am engaged LOL....what do you all think? haha He said I will prob wear it then take off day he gets here and stick inthe box LOL....said "Maybeeeee" hahah....

Ooooh and I will post a pic of it hang on....

Oooh I am sooo in love with it! Hahahah! Gareth said my band better only cost 50 cents now hahahahah

Its a wonderful ring Sunny, I see that you choose your favorite blue