Yallah Middle East 2.0

[tnh9479 1]

Congrats Amy! I am glad to hear POSITIVE news (and on Valentines)!

Twila

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BTW...we should have a thread...the infuriating comments others on VJ say.

"I also think that the UK applicants get a 'slightly' easier ride than applicants from countries such as the Phillipines, Isreal, Egypt, Morroco etc. This does not mean I think it is right, but with the terrorism and illegal immigrant threat as it is right now, I understand why this happens."

This post from someone in the AOS section pi$$ed me off (mainly because I expect it in off-topic and not there). I could post all the ways this irritates me, but I won't. I just needed to vent and I know all of you understand.

Edited February 15, 2006 by tnh9479

[lamaestra 0]

Hi ladies! It's been a while since I've posted anything here, but I have to share my great news. My fiance was interviewed on Feb. 14 in Cairo. He may have seen Amy and her fiance while he was waiting. We both got the best Valentine's gift ever! The interview was a success. They told him they would mail his passport within a month.

Can anyone explain this delay? They didn't tell him why he had to wait a month. We are both really happy now that he will be coming here.

I'm not sure when to set the wedding date. Is mid-April too soon? Does anyone have any ideas about this? Will it really be a month or longer? Could he get it sooner? I would hate to sent out wedding invitations and then have to sent out notices saying the wedding has been postponed for another month. We both want to get married about a month after he arrives in the US. I am living on Cloud 9.

I'm just a little nervous about seeing him again too. It's been 8 months since I've seen him. How have some of you handled getting reacquainted? Does anyone have any great advice?

[cbd2cai 0]

Hi ladies! It's been a while since I've posted anything here, but I have to share my great news. My fiance was interviewed on Feb. 14 in Cairo. He may have seen Amy and her fiance while he was waiting. We both got the best Valentine's gift ever! The interview was a success. They told him they would mail his passport within a month.

Can anyone explain this delay? They didn't tell him why he had to wait a month. We are both really happy now that he will be coming here.

I'm not sure when to set the wedding date. Is mid-April too soon? Does anyone have any ideas about this? Will it really be a month or longer? Could he get it sooner? I would hate to sent out wedding invitations and then have to sent out notices saying the wedding has been postponed for another month. We both want to get married about a month after he arrives in the US. I am living on Cloud 9.

I'm just a little nervous about seeing him again too. It's been 8 months since I've seen him. How have some of you handled getting reacquainted? Does anyone have any great advice?

Advice? Wait to send out the invitations until he actually has the visa in his passport. That month wait might be longer then 30 days, LOL.

Oh, and MABRUK on getting approved. I know how exciting that is . . . .

Edited February 16, 2006 by cbarrosmostafa

[dollface41601 0]

Twila, unfortunately, it is the truth, sad we are the ones that have to deal with it

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Hi ladies! It's been a while since I've posted anything here, but I have to share my great news. My fiance was interviewed on Feb. 14 in Cairo. He may have seen Amy and her fiance while he was waiting. We both got the best Valentine's gift ever! The interview was a success. They told him they would mail his passport within a month.

Can anyone explain this delay? They didn't tell him why he had to wait a month. We are both really happy now that he will be coming here.

They have to "review" the paperwork, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. It seems that a month+ is par for the course after the interview before getting the visa.

I'm just a little nervous about seeing him again too. It's been 8 months since I've seen him. How have some of you handled getting reacquainted? Does anyone have any great advice?

Well, for the first few days, it will seem like you've never left each other. Then, you'll start to get on each other's nerves. After that, you'll wonder why the heck you went through all the trouble and that you were better off living alone Only slightly kidding in this, adjusting from an online relationship to a full time real life one is a tough adjustment to make. Both parties have to make big changes in their daily routines, etc etc etc. Don't be suprised if it doesn't all go smoothly. I had a wonderful dream of what our life would be like together, but life isn't a dream, unfortunatly. My biggest piece of advice - be patient! Oh, and have fun

Also, on a less metaphysical level, I tried to have lots of Egyptian food around, and kept the apartment very very neat. I got a ton of fairouz, fresh fruits and veggies, egyptian style bread, tahina, and attempted to make mashi. I'm not the best cook in the world, but since my husband is patient, and I'm attempting to be patient, we can laugh when the mashi falls apart.

Also, one of the biggest mistakes I've made thus far is to not listen to my husband or ask what would make him happy. I assume that since I'm happy in my daily routine, he's also happy. Being the polite guy he is, he doesn't say anything, until he gets so frustrated, he explodes. It's really tough moving to a new country, and having a person who is attentive to your needs can help make that adjustment easier.

inshaAllah everything will go well for ya'll!

[honeyblonde 0]

Rahma, You put that all very well. I think the best moment for me was when we were both exhausted from renovation at the end of a hard day and Abdel finally got a little short with me. All this time he has been quite and not shown his emotions, which I knew he had to be feeling sometimes. It felt so good for him to finally let me see him get grouchy too. Goodness knows I've had my grouchy moments with the mess we've had in the house.

You are so right - a real relationship is much different from an online one. I'm glad I'm not one who gets nuts about my "personal space" but it would be nice to wake up in the morning with some of the sheet and blanket still on my side of the bed. For some reason they seem to run to his side. Little things like that can make life frustrating so I've learned that I need to be sure to get enough sleep and try to relax some each day so I'm not so tense that they can start a fight.

[AngelK96 0]

Well ladies just wanted to say a quick hello, and tell you that anmar is adjusting fine, i guess since we been together more than once it was fairly a quick adjustment, we both know each other's habits so no surprises. We are just both happy to finally be together all the time after about 2 years of being apart. We applied for the SS card and no problems there, now just waiting for the green card. I'm not really sure he likes my town considering he's the only arab here besides an egyptian doctor, but he sure likes the houses here because of the warmth, he didn't have the heat on but to him it was still warm and not like the stone houses in the middle east. He keeps in touch with his family daily and his mother told him not to be calling every day because she knows he is ok with me.. he also talks to a friend from irbid who lives in detroit and from what his friend said he would like to move to nebraska because anmar told him how the life was here.

Well that's my update.

Good luck to Dawn and her husband on their upcoming interview!!!

Good luck to Kelly and her husband the days are just flying by..

everyone else keep posting!!

Angel

[AInfante-Saraireh 0]

Oh Ladies! I had such a hard time getting here to post. Chatted with VJ many times, finally, and I mean finally I figured it all out and saved it in my favorites. I was homesick for here, LOL

Angel, glad to hear your husband is adjusting fine and so happy for you. I've thought about you quite a bit.

Well my husbands packet has been sitting in the embassy now for two weeks. They sent me an email when they'd received it and that was on February 5th.

I am moving next week. It was a sudden thing coz the building I stay in has been sold and they want to go up way to much on the rent for an older apt and made me turn down the heat. Also discovered mold, and am sicker than a dog.

Anyway, keeping my finger crossed that the embassy will call Faisal soon. I know it's a long haul, but hey, doesn't hurt to be positive.

Hope all is well. Hadn't had a chance to go back and read every post, but did anyone get a visa issued as of lately?

Take care!

Andrea

[dawnnhatem 0]

Andrea,

which packet? the cr1 from the nvc? the return pkt from your husband? the k-3? I'm sorry, I just don't remember which one you were waiting on. If its the cr1 from the nvc they got on the 5th, then on the 6th or so (its the only fast thing they do I think) they probably sent his paperwork to you (not him, even if they say they will and you try really hard to get it sent to him directly) here in the us. For me it took 5 weeks to get it, came by regular mail. If you are moving, make sure that your mail gets forwarded so you don't miss it. Sorry about the sudden move. I know moving sucks even when you plan for it so I can imagine your sudden uproot...You're in the chicago area, right?

Angel,

Thanks! time really is going fast. Its only a few days now. I'm glad your husband is settling in well. I hope Hatem adjusts as well. I am getting kinda nervous about that, but one thing at a time, right? we have to see how thursday goes before getting anxious about anything else.

Hey Kelly

Hatem says its really been so so cold this week. you holding up ok?

[dollface41601 0]

Its freeeeeeeeeezing, but im ok....Im off to the doctor now, i have been VERY sick and i think it may be an ulcer or im preggo....ill let ya'll know...but im sooo scared

[dollface41601 0]

well im not preggo, it was negative, so now i can take the appropriate medicine to fix this problemo im having....yes dawn i know, we would make some good lookin kids....but im happy now is not the time....

[dawnnhatem 0]

I see, well I hope you are feeling better soon. Its really cold here too, -5F at the moment with wind chill of -29. I was just walking my dog and it hurt to be out there.

Later

[~Jackie~ 30]

Dawn ya want to get together for lunch or shopping today? I am between jobs and have the weekend off!

Kelly, hope you are feeling better.

Jackie

[dawnnhatem 0]

Dawn ya want to get together for lunch or shopping today? I am between jobs and have the weekend off!

Kelly, hope you are feeling better.

Jackie

between jobs...in a good way I hope. me too btw. I'm totally in. I'm sposta be scanning stuff for Hatem<--guess who's getting nervous? so I should finish that up and then I'll call you in a little bit.

Kelly, maybe its early?? c'mon, I want babies.

[dollface41601 0]

nah, its not early....its some time of indigestion/gastro problem i really didnt understand between the translations from the doc to sofyan to me....i got some medicine and im hoping it works, i have been sleepless for 10 days with shooting pains in between my ribs at the top and into my upper back....it sucks....ive only got 31 more days to go....I will make it! sofyan and i are soooo excited...and dawn...i bet you both are nervous...what? 5 more days? i would be crazy! you and jack....lucky ducks....i wanna get together

kelly