TerriandEric

I am with you girls on having a cry part over the holidays. I spent most of my day yesterday wrapping gifts for my kids back in AUS. It kills me to not be with them on Christmas especially when they open their gifts...but I am trying to take solace in being with Eric and Bek here while we make our own new traditions. We have decorated the house and now that I am out of hospital we can finish getting our festive preparations done.

On the note of the medical system here...I have to admit I was petrified to be taken to the ER last Saturday night BUT I can not fault their system one bit (well except for the paying part!) I was given excellent care, and no ordering food from a menu left on your table...I had room service...order whenever I was ready to eat & my meal was delivered 45 minutes later. The nursing staff were amazing and the doctors went out of their way to make sure I was ok. Heck even when I got to the point of refusing the nitro patch they didnt object as they understood my reasons for rejecting it (blinding migraines ensued (the worst I have ever had to cope with) -- 4 migraines in 3 days from them)So all in all the medical system here at least isn't as bad as I had imagined..though I did lay there and wonder just how much it all cost...cat scan, heart cath, 4 days in bed, medications by the truck load, ambulance transfer etc.

This is not a happy post at all....today while out driving around for work I lost my wallet...in it was my Green Card, drivers license and credit cards. I have been beside myself and in tears since I found it gone from my pocket. So now we go about replacing my Green Card...all credit cards have been reported..getting a new license tomorrow.

We filed in December last year....it will be 12 months on the 3rd

In regards to lack of evidence, they may very well RFE it and you can submit the missing components that way...keep a positive attitude and it will go smoothly.

Also as little tip for your fiance .... get him involved on this site as well...because Vanessa & I know from experience that the support he will get from here will be priceless. There is a huge transition ahead and it is something that I know I would not have handled as well without the friends I made here....especially Vanessa xxx

I was in NSW & went to Dr Millar in Sydney for my medical. I rang & spoke to his receptionist who is extremely helpful...I didn't need my NVC number to book my medical. I had mine done ahead of the NOA2 but not by much. They recommend you waiting until as close to the guesstimate on the NOA2 being done as the medical is good for 12 months.

The bonus of going to Dr Millar is everything is all in the one building, so you don't have to run all over town.

Best of luck with it all...

Caspar I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving...we enjoyed our very first Thanksgiving & we were surrounded by family and an abundance of food.

Today saw my daughter and I experience our first ever snow! It is absolutely beautiful to wake to see the yard covered in a dusting of snow...though in a couple of months I will be aching to see green peaking through LOL!

An update on us....I am now working...I love my job & the people I work with. I am feeling semi normal now. Life is still very busy and I dont think I would want it any other way.

I still have to pinch myself some days to remember the journey we have been on over the last couple of years to get where we are today..seems kind of surreal.

I want to wish you all a wonderful festive season with your loved ones. May your blessings be all you can handle and your lives always be filled with love, laughter & happiness.

YAY CONGRATS Carey!! :thumbs:

Kaye I am so very sorry for your loss. I am sitting here with my morning coffee in tears after reading that your dad passed. I think your Mum coming for a visit will be good for you both & your Pastor is right, celebrate your dads life and all the wonderful memories you have of him *MASSIVE HUGS*

Carey, I had to giggle at the picture you painted of how you looked upon arrival...I was looking much the same way when I arrived (minus the spilled coffee)

Things have progressed well here in Ohio...we had a light snow over the weekend which was pretty but sheesh I was cold! I start my new job next week so I am excited to be venturing outside the house into the real world again. Bek is coping extremely well with 8th Grade, she is still pulling straight A's in every subject, plus we had her first Choir Performance 2 weeks ago..so proud of her.

Anyway, time for me to hit facebook and tend to farms etc.

You can get your SSN as a K1....BUT in regards drivers licenses...check with state requirements. I had to wait to get my drivers license until I had my GC here in Ohio. Bank account it depends on the bank & if they will allow you to be added as per their system. We waited until we were married to have my added to bank accounts & credit cards.

Sadly I would say be prepared for a world of being in limbo as such until you have your GC...and then it is a whole new ball game.

I have never seen snow either...I am scared witless LMAO! Ohio winters suck I am told...heck I am not a fan of the fall being chilly!

I start in a couple of weeks time...I will be doing the merchandising in the apparel sections of Walmart not too far from home..which I am thankful for because once the snow flies I am petrified to drive in it!

Thanks girls...went for my first job interview yesterday & got the job YAY!! I am so over this limbo feeling. Fixing my SSN tomorrow to my married name & sitting the OH drivers test...finally a feeling of normality is returning.

Received my Green Card!!! YAY!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

I got my letter Welcoming me to the USA yesterday. So now I wait for the GC to follow. As frustrating as this process has been at times, I am glad it is all but over (except for the removing conditions in 21 months) time to relax & enjoy our life & who knows find that ever allusive job HAHA!

Sorry for more moaning, I'm having a seriously bad day. I know it was a topic here or somewhere else in this forum about family members back home not liking the fact that we've moved to the US.

Well (as some of you know) my brother has been a constant source of frustration since the move. The other day I told him about a family crisis that was going on here in the US and he reacted with anger, saying that I never should have come here and he knew/said it was a mistake from the beginning. I emailed him the next day saying that it was totally unfair to say that to me, and that life comes with downsides that we don't expect. I told him that I make decisions carefully and I don't regret moving to the US, even though times are cr@ppy right now. Well he failed to call me on our usual talk day, and after sending him an email to ask if everything was OK, he responded by telling me that he's not speaking to me until I "sort myself out" over here (get a job, apartment, etc) and also told me that I forget about my family back home in the UK. He's of the opinion that because there's only me, him and my dad left in our biological family, I'm selfish for moving away while he's trying so hard to keep us all together (we've had a lot of losses over the past few years). Apparently he also told my dad that my husband could've just as easily moved to the UK and that he doesn't know why I'm struggling so much over here when I could 'easily get a job in retail".

I don't want to end my relationship with my brother, especially because I now have a baby nephew. But I can't handle all of the judgment. He said I misunderstand everything he says because ultimately he's looking out for me, I'm his only sister that he worries about me. And I love him to bits. But he has no idea how hard it was for me and my husband to be together (the visa process) and for me to try and adjust to the US. It's never as simple as 'just getting him a visa' or for me to just 'get a job'.

Is it normal for families to be so ignorant? Do I really have to choose between my relationship with him, and my decision to move to the US? It's now been 15 months.

Gemmie, you are truly not alone in that issue with your brother. My brother has been supportive, my issue has been with both my parents! They were great before I left and initially when I arrived in the USA in April. NOW my father refuses to speak to me, my mother is rude & obnoxious and totally unsupportive.

Nobody understands how difficult it is to leave all you have ever known in your life, your entire family & support network. They think we have made a very selfish choice and no matter how hard or eloquently we try to explain it, they still do not understand and they still pass judgment on us for it.

If someone had said to any one of us 5 years ago that we would travel this route in life I am sure we would have all had that person committed. This choice we have all made to immigrate is not an easy one, it is one that you would only do for love...well that is how I think about it.

In regards to the OP...well let me collect my thoughts..

I have days where I struggle immensely with this choice. I left behind 3 of my 4 children. My 2 oldest children chose to stay in Australia, and my youngest daughter her father refused to allow her to leave. My oldest daughter who is 13 came with me and she has adjusted better then I thought she would. That is not to say we have not had some seriously rough times with her. She has made some wonderful friends and because she is in school I guess the transition for her has been a lot easier. I envy her that...sadly.

I miss so many of the little things...foods, smells, familiar sights, things that are familiar to me. I miss my children more then I can ever explain to anyone including my husband. I miss friends who were my support network for most of my adult life. I am extremely grateful for my life here in the USA...I detest not working, I really want a few friends of my own that I can go out for coffee with, have a drink with, share an insider joke. So many things that I do miss and at times I ache for.

As Vanessa said earlier, going from English speaking country to an English speaking country is not as easy as some would believe. It is harder, rougher and a rocky road to adjust for everyone involved...us as immigrants & for our spouses as they do not know how to give us the comfort we desperately crave.

I guess we can only hope that we will all adjust, and find our own form of happiness here in our new home with the spouses we love dearly.

Thanks all. I received my 'Welcome' letter today in the mail. Interview was fairly easy. Here is the link for the review I put up: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/view-dos-cis-reviews.php?entry=6649

It was a stressful process that I would not ever ask anyone to do UNLESS they are truly in love with the person involved. We all know how stressful and anxiety riddled the process is and it is not for those with doubts or who are feint of heart. There needs to be changes made to the process that much is for certain but that is somethign for someone in a little cubicle somewhere to deal with when the time comes...for now...I am going to continue living & loving my life with my husband and share that life with our family & friends who support us.

I will not say I have had a charmed time of it all. My family back in Australia have given me untold amounts of grief, guilt trips and stress. I was told 'that I should not be enthusiastic about my new life in the USA' by my parents & my children in AUS because it makes them feel 'upset that I am not missing them' All this was played out on my facebook wall over the last few months. I have since been ignored by my parents, my children & I talked it through...and thankfully they understand that I am happy & admitted that they were jealous not to be here with me even though they chose to stay there because of jobs & schooling. I have spent so many days crying because of it & have once again suffered migraines to the point of not being able to get out of bed...and here I can not get the over the counter medications I am used to using to deal with these migraines.

All I can say is thank heavens for each & every one of you for being there as a support...I may not have said much but knowing you were all there going through this right along side me gave me untold strength to fight another day.

XXXX

Green Card APPROVED!! YAY! No more USCIS for 21 months. :dance: :dance:

Hey all,

Caspar I am glad you had a great honeymoon

Well today is our AOS interview up in Cleveland, we have a folder larger then the K1 full of evidence, photos & assorted paperwork. Life has been plodding along here...I have been actively looking for work but not having a work history here in the USA makes filling out applications a joy (NOT!) We have also been preparing for Winter...wood pellets are stacked in the basement ready for the stove to be on..the yard is all winter ready for the most part. Other then baking to keep my sanity not much is new here lol.

Will keep you all posted as to how today goes

I used the forms online to fill out all our AOS forms so they were typed, but we signed ours in black ink as well...no issue for us with that..though we have our AOS interview in just under 2 weeks.

CONGRATS on your Visa arrive Carebear :dance: :dance:

Those luggage tags are too cute Bex :D

hi alex & astrid

tnx for the message

where i can find terri and eric?

by the way were the same birthday....

thank you very much for your time

God bless us all ......

Hi Heart Broken,

I immigrated with my daughter on the K1 and her as the K2. What step of the process are you wondering about? I assembled for my daughter's AOS basically the same documents for myself. We have come through with your AP's & EAD's..we have our AOS interview on the 23rd September.

Believe me Terri I know I can but I have already fought with 11 people on this subject who work in the building and I gave up. I will wait to get it after. I just wanted to be able to drive!!

I am so sorry Stephanie. I wish you guys the best of luck and please keep updating us and letting us know how things are progressing for you.

ditto on the massive hug

Meggy you can drive. The USA allows you to use your license from Canada so you can still drive on it while living here. I drive on my Australian license daily..but then again it could also depend on your car insurance carrier & their policy too. Eric's insurance allows me to drive as the vehicle is insured not me as such ..if that makes sense.

Thanks guys! We had such a great time.

Got married at 9:30 am

went for a nice lunch at 11:00

Drank till 3:00 pm to 1 am. LOL

Best wedding ever!

Some bad news though. I have spoken to many people and they will not allow me to get a SSN until I have completed the AOS.

I mean it is not a big deal I just really wanted to get my drivers license.

Anywho we are just enjoying married life and just hanging out together. Things couldn't be better

Good luck on the interview I doubt you guys will need it though!

Meggy you CAN get your SSN without doing AOS. I got mine within 10 days of being in the USA. You CAN NOT get your OH drivers licence UNTIL you have the NOA2 for AOS. I sat the tests and everything...I rang state head office in Columbus to argue the point only to be told that until I have that I can not be given my license. Frustrating process all round.

Stephanie-- I sat here & read your update & cried. Eric asked me what was wrong & I read it to him & he jut sat in his chair speechless. I really wish there was soemthing, anything we could do for you. Know that we would love for you to stick around as you are one of the group regardless of the outcome. If there is anything at all we can do just drop us a line. *massive hugs*

Congrats Meggy & Caspar on your weddings!!

Congrats on the job front Emma..that's awesome news!!

Stephanie I hope everything is going extremely well for you.

We have our AOS interview this Friday...I didnt expect an interview as most others had been transferred & I was hoping for the same but I have put together all the things we need for it...now to sweat bullets until Friday afternoon!

Ness -- I am sorry for what oyu are going through -- we have discussed it at length and you know I am right here anytime you need me to be *hugs*

Bacon, I understand all too well the AOS predicament. We put mine & Beks on a credit card & are slowly paying it off...we did it that way so at least I will have it to then look for work. What is driving me insane at present is the jobs being advertised all over town that I cant apply for because I dont have my EAD or my GC ARRGGHH!!

All is well here otherwise...Bek returns to school in 2 weeks YAY! I have spent more time baking & cooking over the last 4 months then I ever have...but the food I have been making is so good!

I have shipped to AUS from here using USPS and found it to be not too bad in pricing. It all depends on weight. Also the local post office told us if it can fit in a satchel it works out a little cheaper too as opposed to a bulky box. You can add tracking to it too -- I always do so I can keep track of it.