I came from Scotland to Boston in 1999 on a J1 visa, after getting my PhD. Did the 3 years of J1, as well as a 6 month extension, before applying for a waiver to the home rule. Turns out that UK citizens shouldn't even have that clause on their visas...money down the tube!
Met Mendy while working there. She became a great friend but we were usually seeing other people during that time.
Adjusted onto an H1B at the end of the J1 and continued working.
We finally started seeing each other romatically in 2004 but Mendy was planning on leaving Boston to move to Atlanta and so we spent a year apart while I looked for a job down there...never happened! But...I was offered one in Chicago and she offered to move there instead.
Proposed at New Year of 2004/5.
Married on July 8th, 2006 and entered the greencard process in March 2007.
