A dose of perspective for me

[olafgypsy 0]

I was feeling impatient that VSC has not cashed my check yet, and then I read this story on bbc.com, which made me realize that my fiance and I are comparatively fortunate and I should stop complaining :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6405799.stm

[Kath 0]

hi

you are totally right...we are fortunate not to be in that kind of situation...

thanks for sharing that with us was a good reality check for sure..

good luck in your journey and fingers crossed that all goes well for you

kath

[JimandSarha 0]

They have an impossible situation. It doesn't make anyone else's situation fortunate. Some certainly are. But generally, fortunate is a relative situation. Some people are fortunate. They marry one of the lucky races. Others are less fortunate. They have married a person from a country teeming with people who are on some unapproved list.

Take my situation for example. My wife is Chinese. We have been married almost 2 years. She can't even come for a visit. Now, say she had been Taiwanese. No visa required to come for a visit from Taiwan. Same race, same everything. But 100 miles of water and she is welcome to come for a visit. I wouldn't even ask for a immigrant visa if she was Taiwanese. I'd go there, she's come here. Life would be relatively normal. In/out, in/out ......

But because she's from one of THOSE countries, there is no visiting. And since she isn't a Mexican, she doesn't get the benefit of being from a super-special country either. We take it and like a Dickens novel ask "Please sir, I'd like some more."

Instead of looking on in dismay at others plight and saying but for the grace of God go I, we should instead demand the treatment our birthright as citizens of The United States of Mexico Jr. gives us.

[olafgypsy 0]

They have an impossible situation. It doesn't make anyone else's situation fortunate. Some certainly are. But generally, fortunate is a relative situation. Some people are fortunate. They marry one of the lucky races. Others are less fortunate. They have married a person from a country teeming with people who are on some unapproved list.

Take my situation for example. My wife is Chinese. We have been married almost 2 years. She can't even come for a visit. Now, say she had been Taiwanese. No visa required to come for a visit from Taiwan. Same race, same everything. But 100 miles of water and she is welcome to come for a visit. I wouldn't even ask for a immigrant visa if she was Taiwanese. I'd go there, she's come here. Life would be relatively normal. In/out, in/out ......

But because she's from one of THOSE countries, there is no visiting. And since she isn't a Mexican, she doesn't get the benefit of being from a super-special country either. We take it and like a Dickens novel ask "Please sir, I'd like some more."

Instead of looking on in dismay at others plight and saying but for the grace of God go I, we should instead demand the treatment our birthright as citizens of The United States of Mexico Jr. gives us.

Yes, your situation does indeed sound frustrating. Sorry to seem so ignorant, but what makes Mexico "super-special"? I thought it was actually more difficult for Mexicans to emigrate, because of the huge numbers trying to come illegally every year.

I am sure there must be many others in your situation. It must be difficult, for example, to be engaged to someone of a Muslim background in our current political situation.

Ironic (and appropriate) that you bring up _Oliver Twist_: Dickens was satirizing beauracracy and its policies, and in asking for more Oliver enraged the "powers that were" because he revealed just how ridiculous (not to mention inhumane) their philosophy really was.

[JimandSarha 0]

They have an impossible situation. It doesn't make anyone else's situation fortunate. Some certainly are. But generally, fortunate is a relative situation. Some people are fortunate. They marry one of the lucky races. Others are less fortunate. They have married a person from a country teeming with people who are on some unapproved list.

Take my situation for example. My wife is Chinese. We have been married almost 2 years. She can't even come for a visit. Now, say she had been Taiwanese. No visa required to come for a visit from Taiwan. Same race, same everything. But 100 miles of water and she is welcome to come for a visit. I wouldn't even ask for a immigrant visa if she was Taiwanese. I'd go there, she's come here. Life would be relatively normal. In/out, in/out ......

But because she's from one of THOSE countries, there is no visiting. And since she isn't a Mexican, she doesn't get the benefit of being from a super-special country either. We take it and like a Dickens novel ask "Please sir, I'd like some more."

Instead of looking on in dismay at others plight and saying but for the grace of God go I, we should instead demand the treatment our birthright as citizens of The United States of Mexico Jr. gives us.

Yes, your situation does indeed sound frustrating. Sorry to seem so ignorant, but what makes Mexico "super-special"? I thought it was actually more difficult for Mexicans to emigrate, because of the huge numbers trying to come illegally every year.

I am sure there must be many others in your situation. It must be difficult, for example, to be engaged to someone of a Muslim background in our current political situation.

Ironic (and appropriate) that you bring up _Oliver Twist_: Dickens was satirizing beauracracy and its policies, and in asking for more Oliver enraged the "powers that were" because he revealed just how ridiculous (not to mention inhumane) their philosophy really was.

Exactly. Why is Mexico Super-Special? Because it most certainly is, in fact, super special.

Only the Mexican's get their "own" immigration offices in this country to help them when they are clearly here illegally. By all rights, those should be called deportation centers. Showing up for one should get you marched to the back door and put on a bus for Tijuana.

But that is definitely not the case. It is hard to get into the USA legally from Mexico because its just plain hard from anywhere. That's why they walk in. And we let them because they are super special.

Walk in, apply legally, shoot your way in, make the US attorney come looking for you to give you immunity and LPR. Whatever it takes to get Mexicans into the country by hook or by crook is just peachy.

But try and get in as a legal spouse. Oh no you don't. Who do you think you are, a Mexican?

Well since its hard to get HER in, I'll get ME out.

Jim

[RosaMystica7 0]

Awww, what a sad story in that article. The picture of them hugging goodbye reminded me of our last goodbye. You're right, it's been torture being apart for 14 months, but at least our lives aren't in danger, and we both don't have to move to a completely different country because neither of our countries will accept us. This is a good reminder of while my situation is bad, it could always be worse.