Colombia Club

[buck501 0]

llaureano1.................From where did you send it, how did you send it? If you sent it overnight from the US it may take 4 or five days for them to receive it. Paola sent hers from Buenaventura, it took 2 days to arrive. I would call the NVC towards the end of next week. If they do not have the date yet call back in a few days. They are very helpful and nice. You will need to go through the menu, it takes a while. At the end you will be allowed to speak to a live person. I lost the dang phone number for NVC. Maybe someone here has it. Below is a link to the embassy for Pkt 4.

http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfck1cita_temp.pdf

When Paola was in Bogota to get her invitation letter she met a couple that did not have the DAS certificate, they were told to come back after getting it. For us that was the one that took the most time to get. You can get it in 3 days if you are in Bogota, other wise it is a pain. Things will move fast now. You should have a September appointment date if Pkt 3 is complete. You are way ahead of the cutoff date. Good luck!!!

[lucho562 0]

llaureano1,

Hey. Where did you send the packet 3? To your wife or to the embassy in Colombia? Once I know this, I can point you the right way to get your interiew ASAP.

[buck501 0]

llaureano1,

Hey. Where did you send the packet 3? To your wife or to the embassy in Colombia? Once I know this, I can point you the right way to get your interiew ASAP.

llaureno1...........Lucho helped me a bunch, you can rely on his info to be accurate. He also went the K3 route. There is some difference between the K1 and the K3. However you sent Pkt 3 I hope you can track it. If so, I would keep a close eye on it. Things can, and do get messed up in Colombia.

Meanwhile, I am off to Las Vegas for a biz trip Tuesday through Friday. Then back home for a bit and gone to Bogota on Wednesday. As nervous as I have been, I am strangley calm now. LOL. Paola and I are reviewing everything almost to the point being rediculas. (sp). Both Paola and I are very confident. I think that comes with being prepared. 12 more days!!!!

[Chester y Monica 2]

I'm the IAH right now on my way back to SFO after spending time with my novia. We've just sent Packet 3 and hopefully get the interview date in the next two weeks.

While down there we looked at rings and stuff related to getting married. I was trying to find out whether diamonds are cheaper in Colombia versus the US. Wow, was I wrong, they're a lot more expensive.

Anyway, IF I were to plan a church wedding AFTER the K1 visa has been issued, are there any complications to that? Getting married at the iglesia before we leave for the states has become a daily conversation topic now. What do you guys think?

[buck501 0]

I'm the IAH right now on my way back to SFO after spending time with my novia. We've just sent Packet 3 and hopefully get the interview date in the next two weeks.

While down there we looked at rings and stuff related to getting married. I was trying to find out whether diamonds are cheaper in Colombia versus the US. Wow, was I wrong, they're a lot more expensive.

Anyway, IF I were to plan a church wedding AFTER the K1 visa has been issued, are there any complications to that? Getting married at the iglesia before we leave for the states has become a daily conversation topic now. What do you guys think?

That one would take some thought and research on your part. An K1 visa is to enter the US with the intent of getting married within 90 days. That is the first I have seen this. I am bringing Paola here, get married in a court house, return to Colombia after her AOS and have the big blowout wedding with her family and friends.

[parkpapa 0]

Anyone know of any good english courses that you can download off the internet or dvd's??

You can buy the a program from the "Berlitz Learning Institute" for $39.95. I have the Spanish version and I bought Paola the English version. She has been using it, not sure if she has learned much. I like the Spanish version. It seems better then the English one. For 40 bucks it aint bad though. I paid $300 for another, I can not remember the name of it. You see it in the airports alot. I like the Berlitz better.

Buck, you may have bought Rosetta Stone. It gets high marks from what I've read, but is very expensive.

Lorena was very concerned about English for the boys and we tried for weeks to find classes in the Kansas City area. There are none for children. About three weeks ago we were at a Mexican restaurant we like and the manager came by to visit with us. I asked him about English help for the boys. He said they will learn fastest and best by total immersion (without the crutch of someone or something translating everything). For an adult it's different. Lorena is now enrolled in a FREE English as a Second Language class sponsored through a local community college.

One other thing to think about in this regard.... Last spring I changed my satellite TV package to include a full slate of Spanish language channels. I thought this would be a good thing. As it turns out, Lorena and the boys spend the whole day - since school hasn't started yet - watching everything in Spanish and only occasional cartoons in English. They are learning nothing! A Colombiana friend that Lorena has made here told her today that this was a BIG mistake and that she needs to start watching nothing but English language programs and movies. If your lady is smart like Lorena is, she'll learn quickly.

Somewhat to my shame for not really helping my new family, I have learned more Spanish in the past 6 weeks than they have learned English - all three put together!!

Charles

[buck501 0]

Parkpapa.........................I was going to get the Spanish channels for Paola, I thought it would be nice. MMMMMMM, maybe not now. We have agreed, I speak only spanish around her and she speaks only english around me. Wer are bringing here son up to the US after she gets her green card. I have no worries for him, put him in school and he will be speakling english in no time. I am going to enroll Paola in a english class and I am going to enroll her in my spanish class. Reverse english. Worth a try.

As for why I am waitng to bring her son up. You guys amaze me, bringing your wife and kids up at the same time. I want Paola to get used to the way of life here so she can help communicate that to her son. I live in a small town. 2 taxis......a bus system that might as well be non exsistant. No Colombians. This is not the same as Miami, New York or any other large city. Here? if you don't drive, you don't eat. I will, and can relocate if this becomes to much for her. A good friend of ours is getting married to a guy from Miami. If need be I will fly her to see her friend for company. We could go there togeather a couple times a year, or they can come here to Oregon. Man, life is changing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HAL 9000 96]

I'm the IAH right now on my way back to SFO after spending time with my novia. We've just sent Packet 3 and hopefully get the interview date in the next two weeks.

While down there we looked at rings and stuff related to getting married. I was trying to find out whether diamonds are cheaper in Colombia versus the US. Wow, was I wrong, they're a lot more expensive.

Anyway, IF I were to plan a church wedding AFTER the K1 visa has been issued, are there any complications to that? Getting married at the iglesia before we leave for the states has become a daily conversation topic now. What do you guys think?

Gotta look at the exchange rate for one, Chester. When I bought a diamond down there in February, it as 2100 COP to the $, and even without it the savings was about 15% cheaper than what I would have paid for on Jeweler's Row on Wabash here in Chicago since I priced some identically sized and cut rocks over there. Now, however, the exchange rate has pretty much made thinking about buying much of anything down there seem silly.

As for the Church wedding in Colombia all you need is time to get ready for it... and LOTS of it.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Mavi, when i was in Colombia last month, we went to a couple of reception halls, and they were beautiful!!! and to top it off ...very very economical....this was on the outskirts of bogota...i got a quote from one place that provided everything from video, pictures , classic convertible car, buses for the guests , full menu..wedding cake, reception hall for about 300+...and too much more to list..the price for me in dollars was about 7 to 8 thousand...and they said its negotiable if i didnt want a written receipt...guess they didnt want toreport the earned money...Colombianos vivos!!!!!!!!

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Oh and for the ring... also shopped for diamonds there and the prices were great!!!!!! My fiance's father has a restaurant in a jewelry exchnge in the center of Bogota and they showed me some 1ct diamonds , clear , almost flawless and they were about 6 to 7 grand

[OjosAzules 0]

I think we've all thought about the English issue, the TV issue, the classes issue.....I'll throw in my 2 cents, and always open to hearing other opinions...

First on classes...

The New york public library has free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes that start every 8 weeks. There is such a strong interest that there is a lottery. We went to the lottery and didn't get drawn for one of the 40 open spots. I encourage everyone to check their local public library to see if they offer something similar. I signed her up for a 6 week class in the mornings at New York University. Not cheap, but I thought it was important for her to have something she goes to do everyday. Something to get up for, people who are waiting for her, something to work towards and be proud of. Psychologically, I felt it was important for her to have that. I work all day, and I work on wall street, so the hours aren't short. Knowing that she had a program she was part of and people other than me to share the experience with was well worth the cost.

Regarding the TV- We actually get the Digital Spanish TV through our cable....and even better, most people have spanish subtitles on many programs of normal TV. I didn't even know we got it, but we just changed a setting on the Cable box and they pop up when they're available. Spanish subtitles on English TV actually help learning because you're hearing and reading. Even if you don't have spanish subtitles, use the English hearing impaired subtitles, it helps a ton for their understanding and learning.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Ojosazules...not to change the topic on you..but wow!!!! i just noticed your timeline....you got through this fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CHRIS AND JUNNELL 0]

q vo a todo .. thnx so much for this post !!!!!!!! ...every second counts and every bit helps ... haven't felt mi nena's abrazos in almost a year ..just got our petition in under tha' wire before the change in fees .. if we can shave off even a couple of days all the better; maybe feliz navidad indeed ! .. peace and blessings to all on your journeys.. and remember: "Be bold and great forces will come to your aide" - Goethe .. chao

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Whats up MPLS...welcome....im going to tell you what i was told by all the people on this thread that are now experts...If you want to learn ways to maybe make things go faster and also to be prepared go all the way back to about Oct or Nov posts on here and READ!!! I actually went all the way to page one and read it all...You will learn so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mononoke28 135]

Ojosazules...not to change the topic on you..but wow!!!! i just noticed your timeline....you got through this fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's because he went through the Vermont Service Center before May. Back in the day the VSC was cranking those approvals within 3-4 weeks, I even saw someone get approved in 2 weeks. Not the case anymore.