Yardies, at home and a farrin' (Part 4)

[DonnaJay 0]

So funny, i was just there a couple months ago and I can't remember showing my ticket...I just showed my passport I think I maybe losing my mind

When I left in January Donna was not allowed to walk in with me even to the ticket counter which is just inside the door. I'll ask next week when I arrive. My concern with printing an itinerary out is getting it to Donna. I don't want to spend $30 to FedEx it to her.

You could fax it, Jay. Andre went to some place in Montego Bay and picked up faxes I sent to him. It cost him like $1.50 a page.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. So it sounds like it is less expensive to buy tickets on-line here in the States. Are tickets purchased in Jamaica that much more in cost?

[SupportOAFJF 0]

Howdy!

So Marlon sent me money to FedEx the DS-156 and DS-157 forms, he will receive them tomorrow. It cost $43.98. I also included the interview questions that Empress provided (thanks!) as well as a letter to the consular officer conducting the interview regarding why I cannot be present. I also included the email from the embassy stating the original date of August 7. So hopefully all will go well!

12 more days!!!!!

I agree with the PRICELESS !!!!!

Yah, me too. But, my charges up to that PRICELESS were a lot higher then yours, Sarah. I couldn't help but think you are lucky when I read it.

I was just thinking the same thing...I spent TONS more before I got to the priceless part...tons I tell ya

How did it not cost you so much?

I'm frugal and a bargain hunter! Not too mention that Marlon and I don't feel the need to talk so often, sometimes we go a couple of weeks but we ALWAYS text each other. We also mail stuff to each other.

A couple of weeks?? Whoa...I can't even go a couple of days!!! But then, I am a talker

A couple of weeks? A couple of days? Are you both crazy? We used to talk for hours a day.

Hahahaaa..ahahaaaa

[Empress 0]

JAY

once she has a passport they'll allow her in. I rarely print my itinerary ( I don't like wasting paper.) Sometimes they make me sign a log other times they just let me in. She'll be fine trust me. Nonetheless I would still fax it to her just so she can feel secure. Nothing beats having it in front of her, for whatever reason. Maybe she has a friend who works where there is a fax machine and can receive two pages for her.

And I'm sorry I called you a lady (I'm still new here and there are significantly more women on this forum) my bad

[Yaads 0]

Good Morning TGIF!

Jay ~ sorry to call you a woman as well It usually is just us ladies.

I can't believe you don't talk for weeks. Whoa! I don't know if there was ever a day we didn't talk and sometimes we talked all day. There was once a glitch with the phone card and it didn't cost us any minutes so we stayed on the phone for 8+ hours. Who wouldn't take advantage of free minutes?

Just for curiosity sake I mentally tallied what I must have spent...made me want to cry as well.

Something like (and these are low estimates):

Phone cards - $3,500+

Plane Tickets - $4,800+

Lodging - $1,200+ I didn't have to pay for as I stayed with our pastors family or his family but I always helped contribute to the household

Then you add in food, entertainment, visa fees, sending packages, renting cars, etc.

Tons of money but well worth it in the end

With the phone card we used you could only add minutes to it every 24 hours. I remember adding a $20 credit and using it all up and impatiently waiting for my 24 hours to be up to add more minutes. I knew some of the phone center people by name I even called once and they told me "Jamie call back in 38 minutes" and started laughing. It always sucked when things were getting heated (good or bad ) and the credit would run out. I don't know how many times I cussed out those phone card people

Edited August 3, 2007 by Jme3584

[JA Tam 7]

I can't believe you don't talk for weeks. Whoa! I don't know if there was ever a day we didn't talk and sometimes we talked all day. There was once a glitch with the phone card and it didn't cost us any minutes so we stayed on the phone for 8+ hours. Who wouldn't take advantage of free minutes?

That is too funny. My best friend also got lucky with the phone card going beyond the allotted minutes. They did not get off the phone until the next morning when they had to go to work and school. They went to sleep and woke up to start their day off right.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

Anytime that happens, problems such as poverty, poor healthcare, crime etc will be solved in Jamaica.

Unfortunately it sems to be everyone for themselves to see how much they can get from the country, not what they have to GIVE Jamaica

Did you know Jamaica IMPORTS sugar????

Yes, I know, as well as milk powder since the dairy industry is pretty much non-existent. You should watch "Life & Debt". It's a documentary that was done sometime ago with how globalization and so forth have affected Jamaica's economy. It's so heartbreaking and I recommend it. You can get the documentary in its entirety on google video.

I saw it and it was truly devastating. I did a paper on it in my Macroeconomics (sp?) class in college.

would love to see the paper you　did if you still have it!

[SupportOAFJF 0]

AlienUK,

Are you counting down due date yet..It drove me nuts waiting for her arrival

[brownnskinn 0]

Hello VJ family.

I have a question - does anyone how much it cost to attend regular high school in JA? And the average cost for books, uniforms, etc? Thanks.

I'd Like to know as well.

[Yaads 0]

I am sure the school fees vary by thousands in regards to what school you attend and where it is located. I found this little bit of info from a website.

Education is expensive in Jamaica. For instance, to have their child attend a Jamaican high school, the family must pay tuition (“school fees”); plus, the family must bear the full cost of transportation, books, uniforms, and school supplies. Depending upon which high school a student attends (determined by the results of the GSAT—Sixth Grade Achievement Test), the cost for one year of high school (including school lunches) ranges from about $1,250 to $2,750 (U.S.).

Link

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

AlienUK,

Are you counting down due date yet..It drove me nuts waiting for her arrival

I know to the SECOND when this baby should be evicted

We are crossing our fingers for a August baby, my husband and son are both August!

Mi nuh feel mi can telk much more, foot dem swell, finga swell, mi tiyad like dawg...cha

[luvtravlin 0]

So funny, i was just there a couple months ago and I can't remember showing my ticket...I just showed my passport I think I maybe losing my mind

When I left in January Donna was not allowed to walk in with me even to the ticket counter which is just inside the door. I'll ask next week when I arrive. My concern with printing an itinerary out is getting it to Donna. I don't want to spend $30 to FedEx it to her.

You could fax it, Jay. Andre went to some place in Montego Bay and picked up faxes I sent to him. It cost him like $1.50 a page.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. So it sounds like it is less expensive to buy tickets on-line here in the States. Are tickets purchased in Jamaica that much more in cost?

Jay I apologize for not getting back to you this morning, I'm out of the office until 5pm-ish. I'll email you when I get in.....

Airfare, from my travel agent experience, has never been "cheaper" buying in Jamaica instead of here in the US.

Airlines do not issue "paper tickets"....haven't for quite some time. A very few will still do it, but for a fee....can be anywhere from $50 to $100.

She will not need anything to travel..ie - itinerary or "tickets" to travel. Just will just show her passport (and other paperwork for immigration). Craig did not have anything---thank god, because I know for sure he would have lost or misplaced it!!

Airline tickets are "electronic". For international flights you won't have a boarding pass ahead of time because you have to show proof of citizenship, etc.

I haven't flown to Jamaica since last May, but can't you still go into the airport.....to the ticket counter section, shops, etc, but of course can't get through the doors to the right (inside)???

Hope that helps...

[SupportOAFJF 0]

AlienUK,

Are you counting down due date yet..It drove me nuts waiting for her arrival

I know to the SECOND when this baby should be evicted

We are crossing our fingers for a August baby, my husband and son are both August!

Mi nuh feel mi can telk much more, foot dem swell, finga swell, mi tiyad like dawg...cha

Girl I hear yah..Kimora was turned b4 she was 5ths and from then on it was pain every step i made..was so happy when she was born

[nyseness 0]

Anytime that happens, problems such as poverty, poor healthcare, crime etc will be solved in Jamaica.

Unfortunately it sems to be everyone for themselves to see how much they can get from the country, not what they have to GIVE Jamaica

Did you know Jamaica IMPORTS sugar????

Yes, I know, as well as milk powder since the dairy industry is pretty much non-existent. You should watch "Life & Debt". It's a documentary that was done sometime ago with how globalization and so forth have affected Jamaica's economy. It's so heartbreaking and I recommend it. You can get the documentary in its entirety on google video.

I saw it and it was truly devastating. I did a paper on it in my Macroeconomics (sp?) class in college.

would love to see the paper you　did if you still have it!

No sorry. My computer crashed on me and I had to get another one.

[SupportOAFJF 0]

Hubby was just called to come pick up his PASSPORT !! ) hurraaaayyyy !!

[^KK^ 3]

Hubby was just called to come pick up his PASSPORT !! ) hurraaaayyyy !!

Thank you God!!!!

Kimmy, I'm so happy for you.

Edited August 3, 2007 by kkholiday2006