Since Coming to America

[CountryGirl 0]

Hello All ...

I arrived in the United States on my K-1 Visa on July 16th, my Husband's (Fiancee at the time's) 40th birthday.

Since I have arrived we have been very busy, Immunizations completed July 17, Married on July 18, SSN applied for on July 18, Vaccination Supplement by a Civil Surgeon July 19, AOS Filed for on July 27, etc. I have been practicing my driving skills and have become somewhat accustomed to the "Rules of the Road" here and hope to test for my drivers license next Saturday, September 1st.

Being so busy for the first week (my husband took off to be with us) we seldom had time to make dinner at home, this has been the only major culture shock that I have experienced so far .. I REALLY MISSED MY RICE !!!!! Now that everything has settled down, life is great.

The life I have lived here is much different than the one I had in the Philippines. I stayed home most of the time unless I HAD to do something. Donnie's kids are very talented and in demand musicians so we generally have at least two dances/shows to attend every week. I'm not complaining at all, actually it is nice to get out of the house. I have learned, however, that being on time is very much a priority for Donnie .. when I was in the Philippines it didn't matter much to me, but now it is of the utmost importance.

My husbands kids started school on August 15th and Ashley started school on August 17th, so the kids got to know Ashley and me on a full time basis for about a month and we really bonded; I finally feel like I have the family that I have always dreamed of.

Now that Donnie is working and the kids are back in school I feel so alone thru the day, but I try to keep myself busy with house work and such. I have always been such a scaredy cat when it comes to being alone, this and my fear of dogs are going to be real obstacles during the adjustment stage of my life here. (Donnie has a bloodhound .. BIG DOG .. he says all Bluegrass bands have to have one!) We live very far from the city, on a horse ranch with many acres of land (our yard is huge .. alot of mowing) and for the first time in many years I don't have a maid .. wahhhhhh.

Thanks for taking the time to read my BLOG .. hehe, I really just wanted to share with other Filipinas how much life really did change for me when I got to the U.S.

VisaJourney has been a great asset in my understanding of the entire visa process and I want to give a big thumbs up to everyone that helps out here. I seldom post to the forum, but I have spent alot of hours reading and reviewing the posts and to this point they haven't steered me wrong. Thanks everyone !!!!!!

Good luck to everyone out there ...

CountryGirl

[spidergirl 0]

Hello All ...

I arrived in the United States on my K-1 Visa on July 16th, my Husband's (Fiancee at the time's) 40th birthday.

Since I have arrived we have been very busy, Immunizations completed July 17, Married on July 18, SSN applied for on July 18, Vaccination Supplement by a Civil Surgeon July 19, AOS Filed for on July 27, etc. I have been practicing my driving skills and have become somewhat accustomed to the "Rules of the Road" here and hope to test for my drivers license next Saturday, September 1st.

Being so busy for the first week (my husband took off to be with us) we seldom had time to make dinner at home, this has been the only major culture shock that I have experienced so far .. I REALLY MISSED MY RICE !!!!! Now that everything has settled down, life is great.

The life I have lived here is much different than the one I had in the Philippines. I stayed home most of the time unless I HAD to do something. Donnie's kids are very talented and in demand musicians so we generally have at least two dances/shows to attend every week. I'm not complaining at all, actually it is nice to get out of the house. I have learned, however, that being on time is very much a priority for Donnie .. when I was in the Philippines it didn't matter much to me, but now it is of the utmost importance.

My husbands kids started school on August 15th and Ashley started school on August 17th, so the kids got to know Ashley and me on a full time basis for about a month and we really bonded; I finally feel like I have the family that I have always dreamed of.

Now that Donnie is working and the kids are back in school I feel so alone thru the day, but I try to keep myself busy with house work and such. I have always been such a scaredy cat when it comes to being alone, this and my fear of dogs are going to be real obstacles during the adjustment stage of my life here. (Donnie has a bloodhound .. BIG DOG .. he says all Bluegrass bands have to have one!) We live very far from the city, on a horse ranch with many acres of land (our yard is huge .. alot of mowing) and for the first time in many years I don't have a maid .. wahhhhhh.

Thanks for taking the time to read my BLOG .. hehe, I really just wanted to share with other Filipinas how much life really did change for me when I got to the U.S.

VisaJourney has been a great asset in my understanding of the entire visa process and I want to give a big thumbs up to everyone that helps out here. I seldom post to the forum, but I have spent alot of hours reading and reviewing the posts and to this point they haven't steered me wrong. Thanks everyone !!!!!!

Good luck to everyone out there ...

CountryGirl

Hi Countrygirl, we have the same thing in common and i guess also with everybody who came in with K-1 or K-3 Visa. I am stucked at home too for more than six months now. I already have my Greencard and SSN but im still working for my driver's license so i can get a job. I understand the loneliness and boredome but its just temporary, your right just keep ourselves busy. Oh, but i ddnt miss my rice, my husband made a grocery shopping before i came and he bought few bags of rice for me, im cooking filipino foods at home too such as beef caldereta, tocino (home made) and lumpia and my husband and our American friends love it. Try to find a filipino store around your place, as for the rice you can buy it in the grocery store anywhere.

God Bless

Edited August 27, 2007 by spidergirl

[CountryGirl 0]

Hello All ...

I arrived in the United States on my K-1 Visa on July 16th, my Husband's (Fiancee at the time's) 40th birthday.

Since I have arrived we have been very busy, Immunizations completed July 17, Married on July 18, SSN applied for on July 18, Vaccination Supplement by a Civil Surgeon July 19, AOS Filed for on July 27, etc. I have been practicing my driving skills and have become somewhat accustomed to the "Rules of the Road" here and hope to test for my drivers license next Saturday, September 1st.

Being so busy for the first week (my husband took off to be with us) we seldom had time to make dinner at home, this has been the only major culture shock that I have experienced so far .. I REALLY MISSED MY RICE !!!!! Now that everything has settled down, life is great.

The life I have lived here is much different than the one I had in the Philippines. I stayed home most of the time unless I HAD to do something. Donnie's kids are very talented and in demand musicians so we generally have at least two dances/shows to attend every week. I'm not complaining at all, actually it is nice to get out of the house. I have learned, however, that being on time is very much a priority for Donnie .. when I was in the Philippines it didn't matter much to me, but now it is of the utmost importance.

My husbands kids started school on August 15th and Ashley started school on August 17th, so the kids got to know Ashley and me on a full time basis for about a month and we really bonded; I finally feel like I have the family that I have always dreamed of.

Now that Donnie is working and the kids are back in school I feel so alone thru the day, but I try to keep myself busy with house work and such. I have always been such a scaredy cat when it comes to being alone, this and my fear of dogs are going to be real obstacles during the adjustment stage of my life here. (Donnie has a bloodhound .. BIG DOG .. he says all Bluegrass bands have to have one!) We live very far from the city, on a horse ranch with many acres of land (our yard is huge .. alot of mowing) and for the first time in many years I don't have a maid .. wahhhhhh.

Thanks for taking the time to read my BLOG .. hehe, I really just wanted to share with other Filipinas how much life really did change for me when I got to the U.S.

VisaJourney has been a great asset in my understanding of the entire visa process and I want to give a big thumbs up to everyone that helps out here. I seldom post to the forum, but I have spent alot of hours reading and reviewing the posts and to this point they haven't steered me wrong. Thanks everyone !!!!!!

Good luck to everyone out there ...

CountryGirl

Hi Countrygirl, we have the same thing in common and i guess also with everybody who came in with K-1 or K-3 Visa. I am stucked at home too for more than six months now. I already have my Greencard and SSN but im still working for my driver's license so i can get a job. I understand the loneliness and boredome but its just temporary, your right just keep ourselves busy. Oh, but i ddnt miss my rice, my husband made a grocery shopping before i came and he bought few bags of rice for me, im cooking filipino foods at home too such as beef caldereta, tocino (home made) and lumpia and my husband and our American friends love it. Try to find a filipino store around your place, as for the rice you can buy it in the grocery store anywhere.

God Bless

I only missed my rice for a week while we were so busy that there was no time to cook at home, my husband bought long grain rice but it wasn't what I wanted. I found that Wal-Mart carries Jasmine rice and now I am happy. I am cooking filipino food too, and most of the dishes have been well received but once in a while it isn't .. like the bagoong and dinuguan was very quickly dismissed. I have learned to make many american dishes and will keep making the filipino dishes that they like... but will make rice with every meal none the less.

[spidergirl 0]

Hello All ...

I arrived in the United States on my K-1 Visa on July 16th, my Husband's (Fiancee at the time's) 40th birthday.

Since I have arrived we have been very busy, Immunizations completed July 17, Married on July 18, SSN applied for on July 18, Vaccination Supplement by a Civil Surgeon July 19, AOS Filed for on July 27, etc. I have been practicing my driving skills and have become somewhat accustomed to the "Rules of the Road" here and hope to test for my drivers license next Saturday, September 1st.

Being so busy for the first week (my husband took off to be with us) we seldom had time to make dinner at home, this has been the only major culture shock that I have experienced so far .. I REALLY MISSED MY RICE !!!!! Now that everything has settled down, life is great.

The life I have lived here is much different than the one I had in the Philippines. I stayed home most of the time unless I HAD to do something. Donnie's kids are very talented and in demand musicians so we generally have at least two dances/shows to attend every week. I'm not complaining at all, actually it is nice to get out of the house. I have learned, however, that being on time is very much a priority for Donnie .. when I was in the Philippines it didn't matter much to me, but now it is of the utmost importance.

My husbands kids started school on August 15th and Ashley started school on August 17th, so the kids got to know Ashley and me on a full time basis for about a month and we really bonded; I finally feel like I have the family that I have always dreamed of.

Now that Donnie is working and the kids are back in school I feel so alone thru the day, but I try to keep myself busy with house work and such. I have always been such a scaredy cat when it comes to being alone, this and my fear of dogs are going to be real obstacles during the adjustment stage of my life here. (Donnie has a bloodhound .. BIG DOG .. he says all Bluegrass bands have to have one!) We live very far from the city, on a horse ranch with many acres of land (our yard is huge .. alot of mowing) and for the first time in many years I don't have a maid .. wahhhhhh.

Thanks for taking the time to read my BLOG .. hehe, I really just wanted to share with other Filipinas how much life really did change for me when I got to the U.S.

VisaJourney has been a great asset in my understanding of the entire visa process and I want to give a big thumbs up to everyone that helps out here. I seldom post to the forum, but I have spent alot of hours reading and reviewing the posts and to this point they haven't steered me wrong. Thanks everyone !!!!!!

Good luck to everyone out there ...

CountryGirl

Hi Countrygirl, we have the same thing in common and i guess also with everybody who came in with K-1 or K-3 Visa. I am stucked at home too for more than six months now. I already have my Greencard and SSN but im still working for my driver's license so i can get a job. I understand the loneliness and boredome but its just temporary, your right just keep ourselves busy. Oh, but i ddnt miss my rice, my husband made a grocery shopping before i came and he bought few bags of rice for me, im cooking filipino foods at home too such as beef caldereta, tocino (home made) and lumpia and my husband and our American friends love it. Try to find a filipino store around your place, as for the rice you can buy it in the grocery store anywhere.

God Bless

I only missed my rice for a week while we were so busy that there was no time to cook at home, my husband bought long grain rice but it wasn't what I wanted. I found that Wal-Mart carries Jasmine rice and now I am happy. I am cooking filipino food too, and most of the dishes have been well received but once in a while it isn't .. like the bagoong and dinuguan was very quickly dismissed. I have learned to make many american dishes and will keep making the filipino dishes that they like... but will make rice with every meal none the less.

I like that Jasmine rice too. My husband dosnt like bagoong, "it's icky " he said and also dinuguan and daing so im trying to get rid of that from our grocery list. When i cook Filipino dishes i let my husband approve it first because if he likes it other american will like it too. I have learned to cook american foods too, but most of the time im cooking filipino dishes because when i cook Filipino dishes it was more appreciated than my american dishes.

[Jenn! 918]

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your pictures. What a beautiful family you have!

[brentsheila 0]

Hello All ...

I arrived in the United States on my K-1 Visa on July 16th, my Husband's (Fiancee at the time's) 40th birthday.

Since I have arrived we have been very busy, Immunizations completed July 17, Married on July 18, SSN applied for on July 18, Vaccination Supplement by a Civil Surgeon July 19, AOS Filed for on July 27, etc. I have been practicing my driving skills and have become somewhat accustomed to the "Rules of the Road" here and hope to test for my drivers license next Saturday, September 1st.

Being so busy for the first week (my husband took off to be with us) we seldom had time to make dinner at home, this has been the only major culture shock that I have experienced so far .. I REALLY MISSED MY RICE !!!!! Now that everything has settled down, life is great.

The life I have lived here is much different than the one I had in the Philippines. I stayed home most of the time unless I HAD to do something. Donnie's kids are very talented and in demand musicians so we generally have at least two dances/shows to attend every week. I'm not complaining at all, actually it is nice to get out of the house. I have learned, however, that being on time is very much a priority for Donnie .. when I was in the Philippines it didn't matter much to me, but now it is of the utmost importance.

My husbands kids started school on August 15th and Ashley started school on August 17th, so the kids got to know Ashley and me on a full time basis for about a month and we really bonded; I finally feel like I have the family that I have always dreamed of.

Now that Donnie is working and the kids are back in school I feel so alone thru the day, but I try to keep myself busy with house work and such. I have always been such a scaredy cat when it comes to being alone, this and my fear of dogs are going to be real obstacles during the adjustment stage of my life here. (Donnie has a bloodhound .. BIG DOG .. he says all Bluegrass bands have to have one!) We live very far from the city, on a horse ranch with many acres of land (our yard is huge .. alot of mowing) and for the first time in many years I don't have a maid .. wahhhhhh.

Thanks for taking the time to read my BLOG .. hehe, I really just wanted to share with other Filipinas how much life really did change for me when I got to the U.S.

VisaJourney has been a great asset in my understanding of the entire visa process and I want to give a big thumbs up to everyone that helps out here. I seldom post to the forum, but I have spent alot of hours reading and reviewing the posts and to this point they haven't steered me wrong. Thanks everyone !!!!!!

Good luck to everyone out there ...

CountryGirl

I am waiting for my filipina fiancee to get her visa. i like being able to read posts like this so that i can learn what i can to do help my woman adjust to being here in the USA. i do live in an area with a filipino culture already so i know that will help ( im near Bremerton WA). thanks for the post on some of the changes you are dealing with and good luck to you also

[Sheriff Uling 3]

CG

When you and your hubby made up the VJ IDs CountryBoy and CountryGirl, you meant it! Hey, I know who we're going to visit when we want to get away from the high stress of city life (((SMILE))).

Take care...

Sheriff Uling

[Epiphany 0]

Hello All ...

I arrived in the United States on my K-1 Visa on July 16th, my Husband's (Fiancee at the time's) 40th birthday.

Since I have arrived we have been very busy, Immunizations completed July 17, Married on July 18, SSN applied for on July 18, Vaccination Supplement by a Civil Surgeon July 19, AOS Filed for on July 27, etc. I have been practicing my driving skills and have become somewhat accustomed to the "Rules of the Road" here and hope to test for my drivers license next Saturday, September 1st.

Being so busy for the first week (my husband took off to be with us) we seldom had time to make dinner at home, this has been the only major culture shock that I have experienced so far .. I REALLY MISSED MY RICE !!!!! Now that everything has settled down, life is great.

The life I have lived here is much different than the one I had in the Philippines. I stayed home most of the time unless I HAD to do something. Donnie's kids are very talented and in demand musicians so we generally have at least two dances/shows to attend every week. I'm not complaining at all, actually it is nice to get out of the house. I have learned, however, that being on time is very much a priority for Donnie .. when I was in the Philippines it didn't matter much to me, but now it is of the utmost importance.

My husbands kids started school on August 15th and Ashley started school on August 17th, so the kids got to know Ashley and me on a full time basis for about a month and we really bonded; I finally feel like I have the family that I have always dreamed of.

Now that Donnie is working and the kids are back in school I feel so alone thru the day, but I try to keep myself busy with house work and such. I have always been such a scaredy cat when it comes to being alone, this and my fear of dogs are going to be real obstacles during the adjustment stage of my life here. (Donnie has a bloodhound .. BIG DOG .. he says all Bluegrass bands have to have one!) We live very far from the city, on a horse ranch with many acres of land (our yard is huge .. alot of mowing) and for the first time in many years I don't have a maid .. wahhhhhh.

Thanks for taking the time to read my BLOG .. hehe, I really just wanted to share with other Filipinas how much life really did change for me when I got to the U.S.

VisaJourney has been a great asset in my understanding of the entire visa process and I want to give a big thumbs up to everyone that helps out here. I seldom post to the forum, but I have spent alot of hours reading and reviewing the posts and to this point they haven't steered me wrong. Thanks everyone !!!!!!

Good luck to everyone out there ...

CountryGirl

Your English skills are very good. I'm trying to teach my gal English now. She has some skills but they are near the 1st grade level. As far as driving goes your lucky you dont live in the Big City as I do. Its going to be a challenge (understatement) to teach my gal to drive my 4x4 Diesel 2500 Heavy Duty truck.

Edited August 27, 2007 by Epiphany

[David-and-Mae 15]

Nice BLOG CountryGirl! More! More!

Life, indeed, is really different here in US. The homesickness is my only enemy because I'm very close to my family. We live in the city of Springfield that's why there are so many things to see and enjoy. Good thing my husband is retired and I don't have to be alone. He was single for more than 15 years and when I came here we both had to make adjustments. Except for minor misunderstanding every now and then, (which is usually my fault ) things are more than wonderful for us. It still amazes me how well-adjusted I am now. Like you, I was used to having someone do almost everything for me when I was still in the PI. We don't have Filipino restaurants here but we got an oriental store that sells products from the PI. The last time I was there, I bought tuyo (dried fish) and some Pinoy snacks. The problem is, I cannot cook the tuyo because our kitchen doesn't have an exhaust. It will surely "stink" the entire house. My husband suggested that I cook it outside on the grill. Good thinking! Never missed rice since we have bags of it here at home. My husband made a mistake of buying "malagkit" (fancy rice). I just mixed it with ordinary rice and it wasn't so bad, in fact, it tastes great. I also found tilapia (with head and tail) at WalMart. It was kind of rare here since the tilapia that they usually sell is fillet style, no head, no tail, no bones. I'm learning how to drive too and my first lesson was driving a lawn mower. After running over a newly bought garden hose (caused irrepairable damages), my husband says I will make a good driver, of which I'm sure, he only said it to make me feel better after crying over a ruined hose because after I settled down, he said his drank Filipina mowed our lawn. I'm making progress with my mowing skills and he's been giving me "real" driving lessons during weekends.

Here's to us Pinays!

--Mae

P.S.

Nice pictures CG! Donnie has adorable kids and so's Ashley.

[TracyTN 237]

Hallllllloooooooo Country Girl! Glad to see you posting here, and thanks for updating us on your adjustment to the States.

Your AOS case and my husband's were filed on the same day! So we can keep track of each other's progress.

Best of luck to you and your soooper hubby.

[fish 0]

Hello yawl (like how we say it here in the south)

Country girl ,

Hurray to you for adjusting very well. Like you I'd also like to share my adjustment here in the US. I'm now a "certified southern filipina country girl" too. We live in a smalltown with a population of about 2k and acre upon acre of land before us. My nearest neighbor is my mother-in-law and my step daughter and so many trees in between us so I couldn't even see their houses from where we live and my stepson lives at the hill behind the woods from us. I need to drive to their place everytime I want to visit them. They are all good to me.

It was a big adjustment for me. I used to work at the 35th Flr of RCBC Tower in Makati (one of the tallest building in business district) and commute by FX or MRT everyday. When I got here six months ago I was in shock. At night, and you're driving it is dark on the road not unless you're in the city but outside of city limits your car's light is the only thing that illuminates the road. There's no row of lamp posts in the street unlike back home.

Back in Manila, we have easy access to a shopping mall and anytime you get bored you could just commute and window shop even if we don't have the money. Here if you don't know how to drive and husband is working you're useless and will be stucked at home. So for someone like me that only know jeepney, MRT, cabs or FX as a means of transportation, driving was one of my first few days order of business so we speak.

I've never drove back home and they say that country driving is easy but here our road is mostly hilly or curvy and I've cried bucket full of tears while my husband has been teaching me how to drive. It was really a struggle, my husband is the nicest person on earth but when it comes to my driving he's got zero tolerance and I understand him since his dad and his little brother we're both killed in a wrecked six mos apart. I used to tease him that my driving will be the cause of our divorce but now that I'm chauffering him anywhere we go and he has been complementing me, said I've improved alot getting a license for someone like me has been very empowering and liberating.

Also, I've now become adjusted with the southern food. I've learned how to cook beans, baked biscuits and cornbread from scratch, cajun, caserole but still I have my rice. I've been all by myself at night since my husband works third shift as Correctional Captain but the good thing is he only works 2 or 5x every other week. And he got me two beagle puppies for companion.

I'm loving it here, the people are so nice. It's very laidback and simple far cry from the very toxic life I've been living back in Manila. I used to spend almost 12hrs a day at work most times and at month end closing we stay overnight and sometimes work on sat and sun. I do get bored here many times cried from missing my family but messenger is a big help and my wonderful husband has been so good to me. We do so many things together tho' I still let him go out to see and talk to his buddies. We go to the gym together, we go out on dates every other friday that he's off from work, dine out, watch movie, church, going to the bookstore, car shows, harley davidson shop, ebay or me driving the country road stopping only for a little treat of ice cream or coffee or we just take off on his Harley and drive miles upon miles as I watch the world goes by.

I'm now starting to find work and got so many calls in the big city which I couldn't accept because it's all either an hr or two hrs away from our place. Like I said in another post I think for now my only chance to find work here is at the county or community college which is 20 mins away from our place.

I know it will still be along journey but couldn't ask for anything more, life has been great and I'm so blessed... Goodluck to yawl!

[lirachadsbaby 0]

adjustment and all is really normal if a certain thing or place is new to us. we just have to bear with it coz this is the life that we chose.

[Ta Ta 1]

Hi Country girl, glad your adjustment has gone well. I don't live too far from you, in the Belleville area.

[Jasman0717 9]

Nice post, I am going to show it to Claudeth! I liked the part about missing your rice We did find a Filipino store near us so I take Claudeth there all the time. They sell Filipino rice in 25 kilo sacks so she can stock up

[vsmtghdy 2]

Country girl, thanks for sharing and that goes with the pics too. You have a nice family. There will be more adjustments and I'm sure you'll be just fine. My husband always buys Jasmine rice and some of the veggies at an Asian store here and I'm lucky that my husband likes eating rice with meals and he also likes Adobo, Sinigang and Beef Mechado.

God bless and good luck on your driver's license exam.