Update Culture Shock Welcome to America

[chess 1]

We finally made it here to US and its been pretty stressful. We just finally settled on a place. We went to Albania for a month then visited my family in New York and Texas and I was just so overwhelmed by trying to pick a place to live that I just randomly picked Arkansas for the low cost of living. My honey is going through culture shock. He speaks no English and just got a job in a chicken factory. His background is in construction but we ended up going for the factory cause they have health coverage and we're hoping to get pregnant soon. Plus pay is not too bad at $9/hour and talked our way onto first shift. We probably won't be eating chicken for a while though! I figured it could be a transition place in order to have time to learn English but seems he will probably learn Spanish much quicker. Just advice to others, I basically got him the job and in fact served as translator in the job interview. They said it was the strangest interview they had ever done. One big problem is getting him a drivers license. If you can do it in NY state its better cause they have written tests in all different languages but in most other states they only have English and Spanish. Yeah, Spanish is similar to Italian but there is a reason they are two different languages. He bombed the test. Also, if you can, get an international drivers license cause some states will accept them for a year. Also JFK airport did issue us the temp work stamp. Which is good cause now he was able to start working before we have adjusted status. So if that's important to you fly into JFK.

Anyone want to see a short clip, we had an awesome wedding ceremony in Albania. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoID=29630543

Well, I keep marking off things on the to-do list. Rented a house, he got a job, health insurance in one month. Still to go, File Taxes!!, file adjustment of status, find me a job, and hopefully a bun in the oven soon. Little by little.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

We finally made it here to US and its been pretty stressful. We just finally settled on a place. We went to Albania for a month then visited my family in New York and Texas and I was just so overwhelmed by trying to pick a place to live that I just randomly picked Arkansas for the low cost of living. My honey is going through culture shock. He speaks no English and just got a job in a chicken factory. His background is in construction but we ended up going for the factory cause they have health coverage and we're hoping to get pregnant soon. Plus pay is not too bad at $9/hour and talked our way onto first shift. We probably won't be eating chicken for a while though! I figured it could be a transition place in order to have time to learn English but seems he will probably learn Spanish much quicker. Just advice to others, I basically got him the job and in fact served as translator in the job interview. They said it was the strangest interview they had ever done. One big problem is getting him a drivers license. If you can do it in NY state its better cause they have written tests in all different languages but in most other states they only have English and Spanish. Yeah, Spanish is similar to Italian but there is a reason they are two different languages. He bombed the test. Also, if you can, get an international drivers license cause some states will accept them for a year. Also JFK airport did issue us the temp work stamp. Which is good cause now he was able to start working before we have adjusted status. So if that's important to you fly into JFK.

Anyone want to see a short clip, we had an awesome wedding ceremony in Albania. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoID=29630543

Well, I keep marking off things on the to-do list. Rented a house, he got a job, health insurance in one month. Still to go, File Taxes!!, file adjustment of status, find me a job, and hopefully a bun in the oven soon. Little by little.

awwww the clip was sooooooo cute and made me think of my fiance's family precious really

good luck in arkansas, im sure all he needs is time...if he learns spanish, thats a good thing because its very useful here too!! much more than italian i would say, and DEFINITELY more useful than albanian...lol

we will soon be enjoying the middle of the country and the cheap cost of living in indiana though...im not sure how we will both adjust to that life...anyway, good luck with your baby making =) and it was good to hear from you!!

[*JG* 2]

Sounds like everything is moving along just fine. I wish you the best.

Middle America is the bomb. I'd never move anywhere else!

[chris4gretchen 1]

We finally made it here to US and its been pretty stressful. We just finally settled on a place. We went to Albania for a month then visited my family in New York and Texas and I was just so overwhelmed by trying to pick a place to live that I just randomly picked Arkansas for the low cost of living. My honey is going through culture shock. He speaks no English and just got a job in a chicken factory. His background is in construction but we ended up going for the factory cause they have health coverage and we're hoping to get pregnant soon. Plus pay is not too bad at $9/hour and talked our way onto first shift. We probably won't be eating chicken for a while though! I figured it could be a transition place in order to have time to learn English but seems he will probably learn Spanish much quicker. Just advice to others, I basically got him the job and in fact served as translator in the job interview. They said it was the strangest interview they had ever done. One big problem is getting him a drivers license. If you can do it in NY state its better cause they have written tests in all different languages but in most other states they only have English and Spanish. Yeah, Spanish is similar to Italian but there is a reason they are two different languages. He bombed the test. Also, if you can, get an international drivers license cause some states will accept them for a year. Also JFK airport did issue us the temp work stamp. Which is good cause now he was able to start working before we have adjusted status. So if that's important to you fly into JFK.

Anyone want to see a short clip, we had an awesome wedding ceremony in Albania. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoID=29630543

Well, I keep marking off things on the to-do list. Rented a house, he got a job, health insurance in one month. Still to go, File Taxes!!, file adjustment of status, find me a job, and hopefully a bun in the oven soon. Little by little.

Nice wedding video, but im confused, how did you have a wedding in Albania and come to the USA on a K1 visa?

Chris

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

We finally made it here to US and its been pretty stressful. We just finally settled on a place. We went to Albania for a month then visited my family in New York and Texas and I was just so overwhelmed by trying to pick a place to live that I just randomly picked Arkansas for the low cost of living. My honey is going through culture shock. He speaks no English and just got a job in a chicken factory. His background is in construction but we ended up going for the factory cause they have health coverage and we're hoping to get pregnant soon. Plus pay is not too bad at $9/hour and talked our way onto first shift. We probably won't be eating chicken for a while though! I figured it could be a transition place in order to have time to learn English but seems he will probably learn Spanish much quicker. Just advice to others, I basically got him the job and in fact served as translator in the job interview. They said it was the strangest interview they had ever done. One big problem is getting him a drivers license. If you can do it in NY state its better cause they have written tests in all different languages but in most other states they only have English and Spanish. Yeah, Spanish is similar to Italian but there is a reason they are two different languages. He bombed the test. Also, if you can, get an international drivers license cause some states will accept them for a year. Also JFK airport did issue us the temp work stamp. Which is good cause now he was able to start working before we have adjusted status. So if that's important to you fly into JFK.

Anyone want to see a short clip, we had an awesome wedding ceremony in Albania. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoID=29630543

Well, I keep marking off things on the to-do list. Rented a house, he got a job, health insurance in one month. Still to go, File Taxes!!, file adjustment of status, find me a job, and hopefully a bun in the oven soon. Little by little.

Nice wedding video, but im confused, how did you have a wedding in Albania and come to the USA on a K1 visa?

Chris

my guess is that they had a religious ceremony and then a reception afterwards

[Creel 0]

OK, I love the video. Change the faces and it could have beem ours. Getting used to America takes time. My Husband has been here 1 1/2 years and still doesn't like little town America and we are only 1 1/2 hours to San Francisco. It just takes time. I think working and learning the language will help.

I also had an Albanian wedding before my fiance came to America. We just din't make it legal there, but went through the cermony so his family could participate in our joyous time.