Visa Journey Survival Tips anyone?

[Pman's Wife 0]

After getting kicked around and pouring our guts out to 1-3 agencies, I thought it might be helpful for those who have developed a solid coping method to post it for the good of your fellow VJers. I have the mechanics of the thing down, but the waiting and the emotions involved... sheesh!

Sometimes package tracking and AVR listening just aren't enough!

Here are a few of my other outlets:

1. Scour the VJ visa forums, guides and sample forms.
2. Pour out my heart to hubby on phone.
3. Work long hours.
4. Play computer games.
5. Pray.
6. Rant.

Clearly I need more to help lighten up. Cry? Drink? Anybody?

Thanks in advance.

[sachinky 465]

I play a lot of Super Mario Brothers online. I read and watch Gossip Girl on DVD.

Also, I obsess/stress and cry. DAILY. Without fail.

[Pman's Wife 0]

I play a lot of Super Mario Brothers online. I read and watch Gossip Girl on DVD.

Also, I obsess/stress and cry. DAILY. Without fail.

Thanks Sachinky. I can totally relate to the obsess/stress and cry thing. I have about 5 minutes of peace in the morning when I wake up before the 'weight of the world' sets in and weighs me down... He's STILL not here

I feel like I've aged 10 years in this process. As Pman says, 'each day is like 20.' We've been apart for a lifetime already

...okay, I'm ranting again

[Chris_Жанна 11]

I cut myself, it helps to have a greater pain then the one in my heart........

Actually, that's not true at all. I don't cut myself. I just make dumb comments on VJ to amuse myself and hopefully amuse others.....and cry (shhhhh) I don't wanna loose street cred on VJ.

But in all seriousness it sucks, every day I wake up and go through the motions and count down the days until our interview. Just try to talk as much as I can to my fiancee is the only thing that helps.

Hope everyone here is reunited soon.

[Pman's Wife 0]

I cut myself, it helps to have a greater pain then the one in my heart........

Actually, that's not true at all. I don't cut myself. I just make dumb comments on VJ to amuse myself and hopefully amuse others.....and cry (shhhhh) I don't wanna loose street cred on VJ.

But in all seriousness it sucks, every day I wake up and go through the motions and count down the days until our interview. Just try to talk as much as I can to my fiancee is the only thing that helps.

Hope everyone here is reunited soon.

Too funny

Well, at least you have an interview date. There must be some comfort in that. I have nervous twitches and crazy concerns

Maybe I should work on developing VJ street cred... That sounds like fun

Thanks Chris_HaHHa

[Darnell 8,478]

I exercise every day, and do something in my 2 acre-micro farm as well. Otherwise, it's just work, sleep, touch base with lao po.

I'm gonna miss my farm when she comes in - she won't live in such a rustic place

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

The fact that I've thrown myself so completely into the VisaJourney forums tells me that it's filling a need for me to be doing something edifying during this process. I'm not an overly social guy (sociable, not so much social), but this process has made me feel the need to network with others in the same boat. It's actually been my biggest help in dealing with it.

I love my wife fully, utterly, completely, but she's not good with all the intermediate steps of the process...she just wants me there. So VJ has helped let me talk at length about the ups and downs of the process, which has certainly helped me "survive" it, so to speak.

[MsSheka 0]

After getting kicked around and pouring our guts out to 1-3 agencies, I thought it might be helpful for those who have developed a solid coping method to post it for the good of your fellow VJers. I have the mechanics of the thing down, but the waiting and the emotions involved... sheesh!

Sometimes package tracking and AVR listening just aren't enough!

Here are a few of my other outlets:

1. Scour the VJ visa forums, guides and sample forms.
2. Pour out my heart to hubby on phone.
3. Work long hours.
4. Play computer games.
5. Pray.
6. Rant.

Clearly I need more to help lighten up. Cry? Drink? Anybody?

Thanks in advance.

I play games on FB! ...and read all the good news (approvals) on VJ and try to help people who are stuck in this process , cook, clean, talk to hubby every chance i get, and watch a lot of movies (action or animated no romance or drama ) i hardly check my case status anymore on USCIS.

[Bern. 3]

Ever since my husband I and I started this process...I've been reading a lot more. So far I've gone through over 50 books since March and I'm currently reading Shutter Island which will be coming out as a movie in February 2010! I've been watching a lot more TV lately. I find watching comedy keeps the spirits up! Currently, The Big Bang Theory is my savior. I love the general nerdiness of it. and I've been playing a lot more Sudoku. And of course, I talk to my husband every chance we get! It wouldn't be so bad if he were still in the US, but he's deployed so we can't even call each other often or see each other. I want March 2010 to come already!

But basically, I found the trick to keeping your sanity, is to keep busy...and it's natural to obsess just don't go overboard.

[Egbosimbas 2]

After getting kicked around and pouring our guts out to 1-3 agencies, I thought it might be helpful for those who have developed a solid coping method to post it for the good of your fellow VJers. I have the mechanics of the thing down, but the waiting and the emotions involved... sheesh!

Sometimes package tracking and AVR listening just aren't enough!

Here are a few of my other outlets:

1. Scour the VJ visa forums, guides and sample forms.
2. Pour out my heart to hubby on phone.
3. Work long hours.
4. Play computer games.
5. Pray.
6. Rant.

Clearly I need more to help lighten up. Cry? Drink? Anybody?

Okay ~ first and foremost ... change #1 on your list to PRAY! For me the key has been finding something to occupy my time ~ but still lets part of my brain think about all of this a little bit. I crochet. I'm on my 4th blanket!!!!!!!! LOL I, too, work long hours at work and at home. Crying is inevitable, you know it just happens when we least expect it. Drinking starts out fun, but usually turns out bad ... lol I also watch a lot of movies. It takes my mind away for a couple of hours which during this time is like a mini vacation of sorts! I am an avid reader but right now ~ I can't do books. Some people can but for me I get to the end of a page and realize I have no idea what I just read so I haven't picked up a book in months! You'll find your "thing" girl ~ you will. Try something you've never tried before that you have to learn. Something that takes ALL of your concentration ~ at least for a little while. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks in advance.

[Egbosimbas 2]

Okay ~ first and foremost ... change #1 on your list to PRAY! For me the key has been finding something to occupy my time ~ but still lets part of my brain think about all of this a little bit. I crochet. I'm on my 4th blanket!!!!!!!! LOL I, too, work long hours at work and at home. Crying is inevitable, you know it just happens when we least expect it. Drinking starts out fun, but usually turns out bad ... lol I also watch a lot of movies. It takes my mind away for a couple of hours which during this time is like a mini vacation of sorts! I am an avid reader but right now ~ I can't do books. Some people can but for me I get to the end of a page and realize I have no idea what I just read so I haven't picked up a book in months! You'll find your "thing" girl ~ you will. Try something you've never tried before that you have to learn. Something that takes ALL of your concentration ~ at least for a little while. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I think I need to work on my "posting" skills ...

Erica

[FinnLove 0]

Well, working at least 50 hours a week keeps me busy! Besides that, I talk to my hubby a lot via phone/emails (we keep in constant contact unless one or both of us is sleeping!), I try to exercise daily, I hang out with my teen, I am also very social so try to get together with friends often, I read, I watch movies, I exercise my dog, I take Finnish classes every Tuesday night, I'm in a book club once a month...whew. The list goes on. With my schedule, I'm also on VJ way too much!

My secret of being so cheery during all of this (for the most part-I do slip up!) is being extremely busy!!!!!

[Nik+Heather 121]

I got really active on Visa Journey. When I couldn't do anything on my process (wait for NOA2, wait for interview, wait for POE) I learned as much as I could about the process and tried to help others when they were at one of those rare points where they could do something to move their process forward. It helped me because I was much more tuned into the visa process than Nik was, so I couldn't go on and on to him about things without him feeling like I was "nagging" him to get his part(s) done. Also, don't forget the sometimes soap opera like parts which are my guilty pleasure to read.

I also half accidentally acquired a roommate (actually, a months long guest as she never paid rent!! HA!) part way through, so I got back into the habit of having someone to consult with on the "what's for dinner?" question. The timing was great, she moved to the Czech Republic (expat for work- soooo jealous) just as Nik arrived.

I also became a lot more active on the weekends - nothing makes you feel lonelier than sitting at home alone - I went on day hikes, visited the parents' etc.

[lovesStrawberry 0]

Well as of for me, my fiance and I usually talk ALMOST 24/7 online, exceptions of course when we need to rest but often even we are asleep our skype webcam is still ON.. So I consumes almost all of my time in the net and it really made me and my fiance know each other more deeper everyday. We usually talk about anything from Politics, Religion, Science, Family, Work, Previous Relationships, Customs, Traditions, Weather, Life, Sex and even any funny, pointless and weird topics and ideas I guarantee that we already discuss about that..

There are some days that I am usually down and cry infront of my computer with him online because of either missing him, worrying, stress, want to see him badly,etc,etc and we then started to argue then fight and finally compromise and make-up... I really admire him for he usually played the STRONG ONE and I'm usually the CHICKEN but we always stand up, strongly travel our journey together and fight till the end..

I usually do multi-tasking when I'm online with my baby, here are few:

1. FACEBOOK Games

2. Cleaning the House

3. Reading a Book

4. Sleeping

5. VISA JOURNEY

Goodluck everyone in their own coping style.. and your journey ahead!

[thongd4me 69]

Go out and buy khaki shorts & shirt, a pith helmet, monocle, magnifying glass, cheesecloth insect net,

recite endlessly "tally ho" and if that doesn't work go to a glue factory, find a suitable steed and

look up online "Jousting Lances 4 Rent" and "Windmills RUs."

Any questions?

After getting kicked around and pouring our guts out to 1-3 agencies, I thought it might be helpful for those who have developed a solid coping method to post it for the good of your fellow VJers. I have the mechanics of the thing down, but the waiting and the emotions involved... sheesh!

Sometimes package tracking and AVR listening just aren't enough!

Here are a few of my other outlets:

1. Scour the VJ visa forums, guides and sample forms.
2. Pour out my heart to hubby on phone.
3. Work long hours.
4. Play computer games.
5. Pray.
6. Rant.

Clearly I need more to help lighten up. Cry? Drink? Anybody?

Thanks in advance.