Waiting for a NOA2 from CSC for your I-129F?

[StillThePrettiest 3]

you didn't see me quote because I generally feel there is far too much quoting in here

nevertheless, I answered it

and I still maintain that if you want to raise it with Ewok, do so in the site section and get a discussion going

[u2rsobad 0]

Strange..I lived in Japan for 15 years and was never homesick for the states, but I've been back here 4 1/2 years and I'm still immensely homesick for Japan.

Germany...was there 5 years ago with my fiance visiting with friends and being tourists...had a great time! Hope you have fun with your friends while you're there

Aww...and don't cry StillThePrettiest...you can always visit home and who knows what the future may bring, your fiance may want to move to your hometown someday...as long as your together, it really doesn't matter

[TBoneTX 44,674]

you didn't see me quote because I generally feel there is far too much quoting in here

nevertheless, I answered it

and I still maintain that if you want to raise it with Ewok, do so in the site section and get a discussion going

---

Still not sure if I'm being understood. I did write to Ewok (personal message, not via forum), and he did reply to me personally, and I posted his reply on this forum, but people still seem to be talking about the same issue without apparently having paid attention to what Ewok said. (I could be mistaken, and EVERYBODY has paid attention and is merely continuing the debate. But, if so, our debate on this forum is fruitless unless we receive a firm, final, definitive answer -- a consensus -- from ALL of the moderators who KNOW how the system works.)

See this forum, page 157, Post #2354 (Nov. 30, 10:29 a.m.) for what Ewok said to me.

T-B. (who agrees with the overquoting, and who usually tries not to be a major offender)

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

Strange..I lived in Japan for 15 years and was never homesick for the states, but I've been back here 4 1/2 years and I'm still immensely homesick for Japan.

Germany...was there 5 years ago with my fiance visiting with friends and being tourists...had a great time! Hope you have fun with your friends while you're there

Aww...and don't cry StillThePrettiest...you can always visit home and who knows what the future may bring, your fiance may want to move to your hometown someday...as long as your together, it really doesn't matter

but her hometown would be in Australia and she will be homesick for Europe mostly I think..

[u2rsobad 0]

but her hometown would be in Australia and she will be homesick for Europe mostly I think..

Then they could make a new home together in Europe somewhere As they say, home is where the heart is. And if your hearts are together, you can make "your" home anywhere!

[StillThePrettiest 3]

got it in one, Marta

I'm only very rarely homesick for Aus, and then mostly for people, but when I'm away from Europe I often find myself longing for it... the first time I visited (Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia - as it was then - London and Paris) I was 19, stayed for 10 weeks, and when I had to go home I sat in the airport chapel in Frankfurt and cried and cried

I just love it here... the weather, the history, the culture, the architecture, the traditions, the nearness of everything...

*sigh*

you're right though; I'll be with my partner, and that's the most important thing... and he's very up for moving about, so who knows? we might end up back here some day

and yes, TBone; I can only speak for myself, but I saw your post, and Ewok's answer, and I disagree, and said so... I thought I had phrased it in such a way as to make that clear, but evidently not

and yes, I also saw that you'd sent him a PM, which is why I again posted my advice to make it a public discussion so that more people can get in on it

by all means continue asking him if you want, but don't see his answers as gospel - a month or so back there was a similar discussion re received dates vs sent dates, for the NOA1, and the general consensus ended up being that what's Official Policy on VJ isn't actually the most logical or helpful

[DKM 0]

Well since we have the usual slowdown on Monday its good to see people keeping the thread alive. I wonder if bzoom realized this will be a perpetual thread...

One thing I've learned on here (and dealing with my own situation) is that a lot of people are not happy to move to the USA. I don't get it, besides the economic immigrants, nobody seems to want to live here anymore. But why? I've been all over and as much as I love other places, I can't imagine living my life in a different country except maybe Aus or Canada. Maybe because I live in a rather European part of the country (Porltand, OR), but I just don't get the reasons people don't want to live here. We have a very high standard of living, most of the US has a favorable climate, the people are friendly, economic freedom and mobility, an average household can afford a decent home, the universities are excellent, etc etc. I hate the standard of living in Europe (dollar for dollar) but I guess that's just me. If I was rich I'd sing a different tune though.

[u2rsobad 0]

Hey DKM, what part of Portland are you in? I was born and raised there, but when I moved back to the USA, I moved across the river to Vancouver, WA.

[Jeraly 4]

Lol - Jeremy's family live in Portland

[mox 298]

I just don't get the reasons people don't want to live here. We have a very high standard of living, most of the US has a favorable climate, the people are friendly, economic freedom and mobility, an average household can afford a decent home, the universities are excellent, etc etc. I hate the standard of living in Europe (dollar for dollar) but I guess that's just me. If I was rich I'd sing a different tune though.

Maybe it's because of all the Americans. :)

I've done some pretty extensive travels abroad, and I think one of the things that's such a big turnoff about the US (from a foreign perspective) is how inwardly focused Americans are. Compared to your average European, the average American knows little to nothing about the rest of the world. We call our Superbowl champions the "world champions," without a clue to the irony. We think we know what's best for the rest of the world, but most of us can't find those other countries on a map. (a recent poll showed most high schoolers still can't find Iraq on a map!) And the recent wave of anti-immigrant sentiment that's been spreading hasn't made matters any easier.

There's a lot to love about America, and I'm glad I live here. But from an immigration standpoint, we go anywhere from paranoid to openly hostile. If you have brown skin and an accent these days in America, you are a target of suspicion. So I can definitely see why some immigrants would rather move elsewhere. This is a great country, but there's also a lot to be desired.

p.s. I've only been to Portland a couple times, but it's definitely a city I'd live in.

Edited December 3, 2007 by mox

[u2rsobad 0]

It's a great city! :-)

I do agree with you mox and after living abroad for many years, it's not the country, but the people and their attitudes towards just about anything. However, as a foreigner living abroad, we are also sometimes treated with suspicion based on what's seen and heard in the media and other peoples experiences with Americans or visiting here. There are wonderful, caring people all over the world, but unfortunately for everyone, there have to be bad apples everywhere to spoil things.

[mox 298]

It's a great city! :-)

I do agree with you mox and after living abroad for many years, it's not the country, but the people and their attitudes towards just about anything. However, as a foreigner living abroad, we are also sometimes treated with suspicion based on what's seen and heard in the media and other peoples experiences with Americans or visiting here. There are wonderful, caring people all over the world, but unfortunately for everyone, there have to be bad apples everywhere to spoil things.

The worst I've ever been treated as an American was in France, and even then it was just general rudeness (sorry to promote that stereotype, but it was true in my case). Mostly I think we bring it on ourselves. Whenever I'm abroad, I cringe when I hear an American accent. We are loud, animated, and we have to make fun of everything that's different from what we're used to. Taking the tube one time in London, there were 2 Americans sitting in the seat across from me. They were yapping in fake British accents and just thought they were so funny when they made fun of the various British differences. Everyone in the car could hear them, and it was embarrassing.

The best I've ever been treated was Scotland. I've found that most places in Europe are pretty good to Americans, despite our behavior. Especially if you at least make an attempt to speak the language. I was treated with slight disdain in Moscow, but the people in Kazan and Yoshkar-Ola treated me like a long lost relative.

I was always treated well in Portland.

[SSAH 0]

Probably stating the obvious here, but not every American is loud, or animated (although I think being excited about being in a new country is a natural reaction), or makes fun of things that are different from what they know.

People are the same everywhere, some are nice, some make fun of others on the tube.

[mox 298]

Probably stating the obvious here, but not every American is loud, or animated (although I think being excited about being in a new country is a natural reaction), or makes fun of things that are different from what they know.

People are the same everywhere, some are nice, some make fun of others on the tube.

True enough, but by definition you never see them. I live in a city that's frequented by European and Asian travellers. I never see the behaviors from them that I see from American tourists when I'm abroad. Maybe I'm being harder on Americans because I am one, and especially in this day and age when we've pretty much alienated the rest of the world I'm more sensitive to it. But I do wish Americans abroad would do a little less talking, and more observing.

[Masha2008 0]

SOS. Pls HELP ME. My fiance (USC) sent pictures to prove that we met each other. However, now, I found a huge problem. He sent 6 pictures. and once of the pictures has a wrong date. He put 07/10/2006. But, I returned to Japan on 07/08/2006. It does not make any sense. I guess he was remembering the night before we were together and it was 07/07/2006. but he put a wrong date. After he prepared entire packages, he got copies of my passport. I am really freaking out because USCIS might take this as dishonesty. I am asking him to call USCIS and tell them, But he kept telling me the line was busy and he said just wait RFE. Ahhhh Pls help me. What should I do?

5 Nov 2007