France/America couples

[C&D 0]

Merci!!

Lili We're planning on me arriving at the very beginning of april, if we can expedite the NVC part as well and get a speedy interview date in Paris!! Hopefully i can spend a few days with my husband before he's deployed!

I CAN'T WAIT !!

des moules... avec des frites!!

Edited February 27, 2009 by C&D

[lili&kai 0]

Hi all,

Things are moving on a little for me: last week I did the biometrics and I got my learner's driving license !!

After I struggled with the DMV the first time a couple weeks ago I called 3 or 4 DMV Services and they had never received the request that lady said she had sent. So I ended up going to another DMV (2 houres on the bus to get there.. and it's only 12 miles away... public transportation in Northern Virginia is a joke). I told them I had no foreign driving license (I have a congolese one, no kidding I actually had driving classes there). So they allowed me to take the test and I got my driving learner's DL. The first time I actually failed the test (on the road sign part you're not allowed to make a single mistake and of course I did ONE!) so I had to go again a couple of days later.

Now I can drive with kai during 30 days and then I have to take a road test.

In the meantime the little second hand 2 doors cute Toyota Yaris that I tried last week has been sold

mais c'est cool je commence à voir le bout du tunnel de ma galère de transport )

C&D I really hope you can make it before he gets deployed. brrr I hated when Kai was deployed. Right now he is in a reserve training for 10 days and it reminds me of it.

About the mussels I had very good ones here last month. The only thing is they were so huge it was obsolutely discusting to look at..

Hope all is good with everyone!

Lili&Kai

[C&D 0]

Hi all,

Things are moving on a little for me: last week I did the biometrics and I got my learner's driving license !!

After I struggled with the DMV the first time a couple weeks ago I called 3 or 4 DMV Services and they had never received the request that lady said she had sent. So I ended up going to another DMV (2 houres on the bus to get there.. and it's only 12 miles away... public transportation in Northern Virginia is a joke). I told them I had no foreign driving license (I have a congolese one, no kidding I actually had driving classes there). So they allowed me to take the test and I got my driving learner's DL. The first time I actually failed the test (on the road sign part you're not allowed to make a single mistake and of course I did ONE!) so I had to go again a couple of days later.

Now I can drive with kai during 30 days and then I have to take a road test.

In the meantime the little second hand 2 doors cute Toyota Yaris that I tried last week has been sold

mais c'est cool je commence à voir le bout du tunnel de ma galère de transport )

C&D I really hope you can make it before he gets deployed. brrr I hated when Kai was deployed. Right now he is in a reserve training for 10 days and it reminds me of it.

About the mussels I had very good ones here last month. The only thing is they were so huge it was obsolutely discusting to look at..

Hope all is good with everyone!

Lili&Kai

Congratulations about your driver's license!

Yeah i really hope i can at least see him a couple of days before he goes.. Our case is in limbo between USCIS and NVC.. I hope it's not lost or it won't take 90days to get to NVC (that's what i've been told on the phone)! We have less than four weeks to make it.. i'm starting to lose hope to be honest..

[lucie&damon 0]

Lili and Kai, I m sorry you had to struggle with the DMV. It s known to be the worst bureaucracy in the US. Just need to be patient! I had some problem with them too when I first got here.

Anyway today is a good day! After practicing and practicing driving with Damon, I finally took the driving test and pass it! yeaaaah! The test was not too bad, but I was affraid I ll fail in the morning because there were like 1 metre of snow when I woke up. The roads were crazy icy! but i made it anyway ; )

Now I will be a little bit more free with my DL. Even if I feel like I m not a hundred percent ready to drive alone. I think I ll still need Damon on my side for a while...

[Cécy 44]

I started a new job last monday. Front desk agent for a very nice hotel in our area. It's a lot closer to work and they are unlikely to go bankrupt any time soon like my previous one.

400 people went to their job fait for maybe 15 positions or so. That's when you see how much people are affected by the current economy.

Do you see many thing showing it in your area?

The only thing is that with my new job it's going to be a while until I get the right to have vacations or anything, so I'm not sure if we'll be able to go to France this year like we were hoping

[Pam&Josh 0]

Congratulations on your new job Cécy!

Yes, it is crazy to see all the effects of the economy! My husband and I work in a resort; and like in your area, every department had to lay off some employees, and all the managers had a 5% decrease of their salary...including my husband! It sucked, but still way better than loosing his job!

Hopefully for us, we will be saved with the weddings this summer; couples don't want to lose their deposits! so we know we will have some business!

I am sorry that you maybe won't be able to go back in France. We actually just came back from Fce, and we used all his vacation time! and me, I didn't have any pay check because I just came back several months ago... I understand how you might feel!

[Lili 3]

Congrats Cecy on the new job! I am sorry about the lack of vacation time for a while, I definitely sympathize.

Hubby might lose his job too. The restaurant he works at, is getting bought by the hotel next door. He has been told that him and two other people will be getting the new job but nothing is in writing so who knows.

The change of ownership happens on May 1rst and then, they are closing for remodeling. So he is gonna hang there and see what happens, worst case scenario, he can file for unemployment.

This economy sucks for everyone.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Congrats Cecy! I'm still looking for a job right now. I've had a few interviews, some negative answers and at this point I'm still waiting. It sucks. So, good thing you found a job

[Ginger cat 3]

*feels at home*

[Ginger cat 3]

whooops!

I have a questions too, that worries me abtou my future in USA.

I have a question for the ones who found a job. Did you find something that matched your competencies, or you found something that used your french ability but that was not your first field, or others?

and about the delays, does the process to get hired seem for you faster than in France?

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Hello GingerCat!

I haven't found a job yet but I can answer half of the question. I've been looking for 3 months for jobs in my field (IT, but I only have a year and a half of experience back in France, so not that much). So far no luck. I have also looked for jobs with French but there is pretty much nothing here in St Louis where they want an English-French bilingual individual, except in audit. It probably depends where you live though, it's different in every city.

[Lili 3]

whooops!

I have a questions too, that worries me abtou my future in USA.

I have a question for the ones who found a job. Did you find something that matched your competencies, or you found something that used your french ability but that was not your first field, or others?

and about the delays, does the process to get hired seem for you faster than in France?

I can help with some of your questions but not most. I earned a bachelor here in Accounting and had two jobs since graduating. I had a lot of problems finding a job in accounting at first. Till I join a temp agency, that got me the foot in the door!

Regarding the hiring process, my first job process was pretty quick. The second job took a lot longer, it is a government/state job and god knows they have to follow protocols.

But now with the economy, everything is harder but not impossible. Gaining experience working for a temp agency will help getting that so loved American experience on your resume. Do not refuse any job just because you think it is beneath you, any kind of American experience will look good on your resume.

[Ginger cat 3]

Thanks for your answers!

So that's not totally lost case in advance, but "hang in there" will be my line, once i am over there. I shall really dig the temporary agencies. That's a good idea.

[jeffmelody 0]

I just found this thread in this subforum. it has been 5 weeks since national visa center sent me a letter regarding the K1 case which will be sent to US embassey in paris. we still haven't got the package 3.

I tried to call the embassey and was told they only accept fax for queries. now we have sent 3 fax, 3/11, 3/23 and 3/24. still no any response. i am going to call the embassey again on Monday.

Have any of you had this kind of experience? it's not smooth on every steps of this journey. i am so tired these days.

Edited March 30, 2009 by jeffmelody

[lili&kai 0]

Hi Jeff,

Welcome on this thread. it has been the best one for me on VJ so far

As I told you by pm they contacted me by phone something like 5 days after I sent them a fax.

I also heard of a US citizen who managed to get them on the phone. I think no answer after 3 fax is a good reason for you to insist on that one.

In any case don't try to call the number that they charge you 15 euros for. I tried when I couldn't figure whether our case was in France or Niger and got a guy on the phone who was a pure idiot.

I'm not sure 5 weeks is that long though, is it?

well... courage!!!

Lili&Kai

I just found this thread in this subforum. it has been 5 weeks since national visa center sent me a letter regarding the K1 case which will be sent to US embassey in paris. we still haven't got the package 3.

I tried to call the embassey and was told they only accept fax for queries. now we have sent 3 fax, 3/11, 3/23 and 3/24. still no any response. i am going to call the embassey again on Monday.

Have any of you had this kind of experience? it's not smooth on every steps of this journey. i am so tired these days.