United Economy Plus seating is so much better than regular coach. United sells the Economy Plus Access membership for $300/year, but you can buy United Premier memberships (the same thing) on eBay for half that price.

On my SYD-LAX flight, not only did I have the extra half a foot of legroom, but I had a whole ROW of seats to myself. And there wasn't a single empty seat in regular coach ... they were packed in like sardines back there, while I was sleeping on practically a bed. It was the best $200 I ever spent.

hi ya duke
i see congrats is in order for you...glad your interview on the 31st went well.. and have a lovely wedding if we dont see ya in here ...

dont forget to add yourselves to the aussie map we got going..

so happy for you two..
take care
kath
omg i just read my other post i cant believe i spelt specific wrong..my mum would tell me off for that one if she saw it lol..

Thats for checked in luggage, I am not quite sure if you have to be a mileage plus member for that, but it is easy to become a member when you book with them, just get your travel agent to help if you wanted to go that way.

Duke-I know, I should have gone with Economy Plus, cause I def need the extra leg room!

When I flew Air NZ I looked it up and they will allow a third back for a fee of $150 according to the website. If you have a connecting flight you should be able to get away with international sized bags/weights. My flight from SYD to Auckland was a domestic flight but since I was connecting to the long haul flight to LA the baggage limit was always for international.

When we traveled from LA to B'more we traded my stuff into Tony's bag to even out the weight, we were still over but the baggage guy saw Tony's military ID and let us go through without an extra fee. Military perks eh?

As for driving, unlike everywhere else, Maryland has the MVA instead of the DMV.

You can do the Economy Plus upgrade up until the moment you fly. And it's good for a year. And only one person has to be a member, for two to fly in economy Plus. We used ours, nto only for Oz, but also to go to Europe in April. I got my value out of that $200 I spent on Ebay, lol.

hi all!!!

CONGRATS on selling ur car Pris!!!

CONGRATS KYM!!

Moonie, Rings & Loke & Jess - congrats on ur nuptials! Great wedding pix! I love the beach weddings!!

Jodee -- hope you are having fun w/ ur hubby!! God bless the troops

sharyna - not sure if u have booked ur flight but I would fly would QANTAS, simply cuz last time Eric flew w/ them which was May this yr, he got free 32kg each for two luggages. I flew United and was only allowed 23kg for two luggages. Also, if you have a one way ticket -- Id call them and ask if there is a limit to the weight and number of bags you can carry. If they say you will still have to pay for extra luggages..just to give you an idea..Eric took an extra luggage w/ him (my stuff lol) and it was $149 for an extra 32 kgs.

Goodluck for your next driving test Kath!! Im sure you'll kill it this time around.

Jess -- bout the driving test. Erics got younger cousins learning how to drive and I believe they take you to a parking lot...not on the road...but they make ya do stop signs and parallel parking...I thought it was ODD they dont do a road test but parking lot test sounds better to me!! heehee.

Just was browsing the luggage thing...I flew w/ United and was on Economy (im a short ### so the leg room didnt bother me)... it was 23kg for two free checked in luggage -- you can pay $50US if you want to pack each of those suitcase up to 32kg. I ended up doing that then paying like another $240AU for 2 extra luggages at 23kg each. I didnt want to ship anything cuz it seemed like a waste of money cuz all my stuff was clothes, shoes and handbags -- and I cant part w/ them!! I also had a prett big carry on -- it fit in the overheard compartment tho, it was just heavy!! Also had a big hangbag. So you are allowed carry on and personal item.

Eric & I just got back from Florida. That vacation went tooo quick! So now to real world...have to fix my SSN cuz it doesnt have my middle name in it. Then do the house move, driving ed and a job! Whew!!! But having Eric here just makes it all worthwhile

thanks everyone for your information on baggage and flights!!!
i'm going to look at my flights tomorrow... better book it all in time so i dont end up with nothing...

oh and i officially resigned from my work today - 3 months notice lol... my boss knew but thought i'd give it to him in writing...............

So, even though I have booked my ticket, can I still do the upgrade. cause that would be excellent if I could...I am dreading of being squashed up for 14 hours!

Yes, you can still do the upgrade. The eBay United Premier memebrships (which are cheaper, and better) take about 2 weeks to be active. The united Economy Plus Access memberships activate immediately: https://www.unitedpromotions.com/epahome/control/epa Once you purchase the membership, you can change your seat (online) to the better seats.

I wanted the better eBay United Premier membeship, but I needed to fly immediately, so I bought the united Economy Plus Access form United, got my great seat, and then bought the United Premier membeship from Ebay the same day. After I flew, I cancelled the united Economy Plus Access and got a refund (there's a 7-day cancellation window) and then my United Premier membeship from Ebay kicked in in tiem for my return flight.

hi all
just a quick note..went into to start my orientation yesterday..went well..after 11 videos and 3 dvd's..i start on the registers today at 2pm...then on saturday another shift to finish the computer testing to see if it all sunk in and im set lol...they dont wear uniforms like we use to teressa..just a white shirt and a smock thing without even the company logo on it..so slack looking to what were use to..didnt finish work till 10pm .. then went shopping with robbie so didnt get home till about 2am lol

so im ooffically a working gal again...gawd help me tody on the registers havent been on them for 2 years lol but its only for a month training then im put somewhere else so fingers crossed im going into a department that suits me lol

will catch up with all that has been going on in here on sunday..i have read all the emails but i gotta get some phone calls done before i leave here and get ready..lol...

take care
kath

Hi All,

Love this thread. It's like the only one where I see lots of cheer.

Good luck on your second try Kath. I failed my first one back in the day and I live here! Granted, you did get blind-sided with that avoidance test. I think that's cool and want to try that hee hee. I'll fail for scaring the instructor (I participate in performance driving courses on race tracks).

I can't believe I fly in 8 days back to my wife! Before it felt like eternity. Right now it's coming a little too fast. I need to finalize a few more wedding tasks before I can pack it up. Wow, this has put immigration paperwork in perspective! In some ways I found doing this while visa process more relaxing LOL!

Have a great flight Sharyna and whoever else will be making the trip (either to or from Oz)!

Good luck to all you newlyweds and soon to be newlyweds! Those pictures are getting me even more pumped for the big celebration.

I can't wait to marry my wife again. I hope she still says yes after all the stress we've gone through with wedding planning between two continents.

Kath-Good luck with everything! I can't wait till I am able to work again.....I have already been off for a month and it is killing me (I am not even in the US yet!)

Now just a quickie.....I am arriving in LA, and I was just wondering what line I have to stand in for them to look at my paperwork. Geez, I am soooo nervous about the whole thing. I have finished packing, weighed all my suitcases and I am ready to go!

Duke-I am soo cranky, I can't upgrade on my flight-oh well, its only a few hours of having dead legs!

Hope everyone is well.

Take care....
Kellie

hi ya vylex
lol mate what expect the aussie's are a happy bunch of people ...ohhhh mate i bet your excited at all heck.. you and your wife have been plannin this for like ages...i hope it is a lovely day for you both and you create happy memories..cant wait to see the pics ...

well work was good.. at least the training im getting i dont have to be on the register but i suppose that comes next week lol..were tereasa and i were trained security and manners were a must...i was a bit shocked at how the front end conducts themselves and customer focus is a bit lacking in some respects...so im at a quandry to what i should do about it...and yes i know im no one the "newbie" but hell we were taught not to interrupt another operator while serving a customer..!!!!! to me its a breaking of the kmart code of conduct...

any suggestions to what i should do if i get interrupted in serving a customer in the states..

teresa have a safe flight if i dont see ya in here..ohh and one of the aussies got her EAD a little over 2 months after being transferred to CSC......

talk to you all soon
kath

Kellie ...

When you line up, you want to go to the Visitor line, NOT the US citizen/resident line.

I know this from personal experience

24 hours without sleep makes you do some crazy things, luckily the lines weren't too long and it only added about 5 minutes.

Oh, another word of advice, you want the white I-94 immigration slip they give you on the plane and I STRONGLY advise you fill it all out before you get there. It was a little confusing for me but I can't remember why (sorry). One thing I didn't put down was country of residence cos I didn't know whether to put Australia or USA. Well, I left it blank and no one seemed to know or mind what I should put, they just sort of said "don't worry about it" and hustled me through.

Thank you so much Jezz !!! I wrote all of that down and stuck it in with my passport and stuff!

Well, this will probably be the last time that I am on here until I land in the US! I am spending next week with my sister on the Gold Coast, and fly out on Saturday!
The nerves are starting to kick in, but I am sure that I will be fine.
I hope that everyone is well, and good luck with whatever stage you are going through!

I will pop back in here and let you guys know how everything went! Until then, take care!

Kellie!

oOo Just another quickie!


I have filled all my prescriptions for the medication that I need to do me till I get into a doctor over there. I have a note from my dr stating what meds I am on....should this be ok?

Also, I have copied-burnt-alot of my dvds to take over there....should I leave these at home incase they go through my bags?

Thanks!

hi kelli
you have a safe journey..take heaps of pics when staying with ya sis an family...
i did the same as you with the cd's and dvd's..i just put them in my luggage not in my onboard luggage..got through with no hassles...

also i went through the u.s. citz line because i was with my hubsmister was fine...your tired at this stage of your journey just ask one of the security people directing things...

take care mate happy reunite with ya bestest mate of all...
edit cos i forgot...the prescritions should be fine put them in your luggage ..not in your hand luggage .. if they have anything to say keep your letter from your doctor in your passport but dont show it unless questioned about it...put it in a toilet bag...only take onboard what you need mate...ohh dont forget also if there is any other stuff from the chemist that you know works for you with you too..only because of some of the stuff over here is strong..if ya get me..

also while i think of it i found this website that might be of interest to those who are coming or been here about voting..i know its been posted before but quite a few are going to be newbies over here..

voting in aust.
later all
kath

i don't know where the bloody edit button is!

I have had a look around and I am NOT taking any copied dvds to the US-it is too risky after everything I have been through!

Thanks Kath.....I only have a few dvds, so I might just take them...

Take care!

JUst wanted to pop in and say quick hello to everyone,..Life is wonderful right now,..I am enjoying every last second of my hubby being home,..He has to leave again on the 19th,..but after that its only for 4 -5 more months,..then he'll be home for good from THAT place, and hopefully wont have to deploy again,..
We are busily packing, as we leave for Malta tomorrow,..

Thank you all for your support and wishes,..and my very best to all of you right now.

Hugs,..

Jodee

put my flight booking thru yesterday - they have seats on hold for me.... with UNITED... Qantas was going to cost me too much since i have to fly to Ontario california (not canada)..........

and luggage is 23kgs - if i go over i have to pay an extra $50 for each bag (if both are over obviously)....

also... since i'm catching my connecting flight at San Francisco - i have to go thru customs - is customs and immigration th the same?....... or together? and who do i hand in my brown envelope to?

..........

its UNITED all the way.. from Sydney to San Francisco then to Ontario Airport California....

oh and also... i have a 3 hour window... from when i arrive in SAn Fran to fly to Ontario... will this give me enough time to see immigration and stuff? .......... apparently i have to check out my luggage at SAn Fran and recheck it in thru customs.... will i be going thru immigration then?.......... i'm so confused!!
i may have to ring united............

hey sharyna! i also flew w/ united... my POE was LAX. Basically from my experience w/ LAX (this should be quite similar with SF), before collecting your luggages, you clear immigration then you get ur luggages, clear customs and make your connecting flights. I posted my POE experience here -- http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=19229&hl= -- there should be a couple of POE experiences for SanFran there. You give the brown envelope to the immigration officer. I lined up at the Non US Citizen line, then the initial customs officer directed me to another area -- the secondary interview section and I have my brown envelope to the immigration officer there.

As you mentioned, with United you can pack up to 32kg for each bag and pay $50US. Also, additional luggage up to 23kg is $120 (or was it $129). Anyways, try not to worry about the POE, its one of the easier bits of this process. Goodluck!

Elle you are a lifesaver... i was going to go to LAX .... but i would have to wait 6 hours between flights.... with San Fran its 3 hrs... much easier i think............
i'll go and read your experience now....................... huge hugs!!

hi ya sharyna

when you get off the plane you go down into the lines...you give all your paper work to the POE officer that you will be seeing...dont forget to fill out the white I-94 and hand that along with your passport and the brown envelope ..the officer will enter all your details into the system and send you on the way..

at the LAX airport after you get your luggage you go into another line to get out to your connecting flight.. there you will be asked what is in your case and anything to declare...

ENTER SAN FRAN FOR POE INFO

The above link will give you an idea of what others have gone through by entering san fran mate..hope that hleps..

take care
kath
edited: to say HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII to ELLLLLLLLLE

Edit: 3 hrs should be plenty. Depending on the amount of ppl who are immigrating. But I reckon it should be enough.

So...

1) Clear immigration (they may just take your brown envelope from you or direct you to a secondary interview section. In the secondary interview section, they collect your brown envelope and then take your fingerprints, make you give an autograph etc. They also asked a couple of qs like how long have u been married, where is ur husband etc)
2) Collect your luggages from the conveyor belts -- they usually have plenty of trolleys for the travellers so dont worry about dragging 2+ luggages
3) You clear customs - give your I-94 form, do you have food etc
4) In LAX, I had to put my luggages in another conveyor belt -- there was someone directing where the luggages where to go. In my case, my next stop was Chicago then Baltimore.

You will have ppl you can ask if you get confused once you land. But trust me, it'll be fine I was worrying so much about the process as well before my takeoff, but once ur there...it'll make sense!! Just start enjoying and counting down the days till u r here!!


EDIT - HIIIIIIII KATTTTTTH!!! **waves**

ok so i dont have to go into any room or anything? i just dont want to miss my connecting flight if i only have a 3hour window........
Kath am reading where you linked me to................

Ohh and another thing, the only thing you may have to go through again is the security -- which basically is just going through your carry on stuff when you're making your connecting flight to Ontario.

I didnt have to go into another room...it was just another part of the immigration section...like at the back part. I just checked, I had 4 hrs between flights and I spent at least 2 hr just sitting around. It really depends on the number of ppl who are immigrating like you...I think Hampster posted his POE experience back in May, that might be a good read too because if I remember correctly he had quite a few ppl also immigrating...

elle you replied just before i posted lol....

am just reading up on the United website - i can take one extra piece of luggage for an extra $85 which would be $100 or so aussie dollars............ might take that into consideration actually......... i've got too much stuff lol.......

i'll speak to the flight centre once i go and pay the rest of my ticket off.................

oh and i found my flight on the united website - all good ... she did book me into the Ontario california flight!! lol.... one girl from work was like "it would be so funny if you ended up in Canada" and i thought "i'm sure Immigration will like that!!"

If you're *really* worried, I'd try and find an online picture of the airport and try and find what terminal you'll be in, which hopefully should be easy since you're flying United all the way.. more then likely wont have to change terminals (unlike DFW )

http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/index.jsp

I'm guessing this is the airport you'll be going into. If it is, United appears to land in at G Terminal. United Domestic is at F, right next door to it

3 hours, being as you are going all the way on the same airline, shouldn't be much of a problem. ALSO! when leaving Australia, ask the check-in person if they can book you all the way to your destination. If they can give you all of your boarding passes, you wont have to check back in after going through customs/immigration. I regularly do that with Qantas/AA.

thanks Niph... am on there now checking it all out!!!
terminal 3 is where i catch my connecting flight.......... wow..... i'll follow the signs and ask people... but i've got 3 months yet........... but thats me .... bundle of nerves first then on the day i get no nerves at all....

Thats how I get.

One time, I think it was like my 3rd trip over, I had this weird sensation over me whilst waiting in LAX. It felt like... I was going to a friends house that lived down the street.... except this street was on the other side of the world.

The first time I had no idea what I was doing, and I had flights all over the place. In LAX, I actually got on a bus to get to the next terminal I needed to go to... which was actually right next to it XD, and then later in DFW, I WALKED from one terminal to the next, which most definitly wasn't next to each other.

Your head goes all over the place. If I have an hour before my flight leaves, I *try* and relax, but I'm a bundle of nerves, but then 20 mins before we go, I'm sitting down, drinking a coffee and reading a magazine.... till 5 mins before we leave and it's a mad dash to finish the drink and make sure my boarding pass is in my pocket for the 20th time

I also have this weird fascination with Airports *shrugs* I suppose it's the thrill of seeing my hubby again mixed with fun and adventure

my fiance is picking me up from Ontario airport............ and we're not telling anyone i'm arriving that day........

just the xcitement of seeing him again after 9 months........... its unbelievable..

I'm just popping in to try and catch up with the posts, say HI to everyone and seeing the progress everyone is making!

I have been super busy this last week trying to make all sorts of arrangements for our wedding and getting the house cleaned (and decluttered) for when Darryl arrives, all of that has been so exciting. But the bittersweet part of this is that my daughter leaves for college in a couple of weeks. This is a huge step for her and she is so excited so we have been doing lots of 'dorm room' shopping and starting to pack her up. I know the house it going to seem so empty when she is gone. But on the other hand, I am so happy and proud of her!

I will have 2 weeks alone and then Darryl arrives! Perfect timing, huh?

Wishing you all the absolute very best with whatever stage you are in right now.

Kym

Good luck Kellie! Everything will be great I'm sure! Have a safe flight!!!

Jodee - Enjoying your DH's R&R time!

Yay for booking your flights Sharyna! I bet it's all starting to seem real now! I went through San Francisco the first time I went to the US (my POE for visa was LAX though). It was pretty quiet and really relaxed. It is a pretty good airport on the whole. Good luck with your transfers! POE should only take 5 or 10 minutes at most. Just don't look suspicious

Hi Kym! Good luck with all the packing away and cleaning and seeing your daughter off to college! Lots of things happening for you at the moment

Hi Niph, Kath and Elle! *waves*

hey jezz!
yeah i'm not thinking about it lol...

the enrollemtn form thing... i emailed it to the electoral office - i told them i'd prefer really to be removed as i may not be able to or want to vote lol....

I miss NORMAL bacon! *sob* Have your fill before you leave ladies and gentlemen



Anyone know where I can get some more meaty bacon short of slaughtering my own pigs?

LOL bacon.. you are killing me.

Anyway I can't stay long because I am on my way to work, but I wanted to drop a line to you guys to let you know that I'm sorry we haven't been around much. You would think that after all the immunizations that Loke got, he would be a walking shield, but he has had a terrible cold lately

He was doing much better last night and he is sleeping now (I dosed him up with Nyquill so he slept good for the first time in awhile I think) Anyway we are thinking of all our Aussie friends *hugs*

We still haven't gotten an NOA1 and I am worried because they haven't even cashed the checks yet, but I think that is probably due to the overwhelming amount of filers before the rate increase. I will let you know if something happens.

We hope everyone is doing well!

Hi Rings!

I hope Loke is feeling better soon! We haven't got our NOA1 yet either but I'm not worried for the same reason you mentioned. They probably have heaps of them to wade through at the moment. We sent a money order so we have no idea if it has been touched yet. What I do know is they have received it because we sent it certified mail and got the green slip back a while ago. It was stamped with July 25th as the date received by USCIS, we mailed the package only a few days before that. Never fear, I'm sure they have yours too!

Hi all,

Loke is feeling a little better today. This is the dumbest illness in the world though, its not like a cold I would get in Australia, I have had very little sneezing and nasal congestion, but this annoying persistent cough that would not go away. I have always developed a healthy cough to go with my stuffy head before, but this is the first time it has ever kept me awake all night. As a result I feel like crap all through the day because I haven't had enough sleep but I have been trying not to fall asleep in the daytime in the hope of it helping me to sleep better at night...the end result has been that I am totally thrown off balance both day and night and I am just glad that it is starting to get better. Just as well too, I have reached the stage where my stomach muscles hurt every time I cough now...great exercise but not much fun.

Anyway, enough about me and my Colorado lurgy...I hope everyone is going okay and I will try to drop in and catch up properly soon when my head is clear enough to actually absorb information...at the moment I am reading and it is going in one eye and straight out the other....or something...

hope loke gets better soon!!

heres another question...

i have an australian drivers license.... that being said, am i allowed to drive in the US for a set period of time before i am forced to get a US one?

Lol.. @ the bacon...it's more like proscutto isn't it?


Havent' had a chance to read it all but hope you get well soon Loke..!

hi ya all
sorry to hear ya not well loke...probably the different altitude your in now that you caught some bug ... hope it gets better for you mate..hate being sick...but you have to sleep to get well also mate so if your tired just sleep your body needs it ...

hi ya pris how you going mate.. hanging in there...is it getting any warmer for you there...i still that image of you walking to work all rugged up lol

ohhh that bacon ... now ya know what i have been compalining about.. and the american bacon is alot more fatty and streaky lol...i took a similar photo for my daughter cos she coudlnt understand what i was complaining about first thing she said was where is the bacon lol....and i took photo's before i left oz cos the american friends coudlnt understand how wonderful our bacon was they were like wow that looks nice lol

sharyna..get your fiance to ring the drivers place cos im thinking that you might have to pass the learners test then you can drive on your aussie licence for 30 days.. but it all depends on the state mate...get ya fiance to ring up only way really to find out unless you go on the website to look but then you might not get the answer...

work is going well.. i went on the registers for the first time on tuesday went well pretty much the same as oz but they use coupons and they process the cheques themselves at the registers...ohhhh by the way.. if you do get a job or go out to the mall by yourself and your relying on public transport or a cab..
A) make sure your bus does go passed to pick you up at the time told by the bus company..
if your ordering a cab...ask someone who is the best cab company in your town...

now the reason for the above hints is this is what happened to me on monday...
my shift ended at 6.30pm...i asked to start early an finish early to catch the bus at 6.35pm..
i rang the bus company on monday explained where i wanted to go and where i would be catching it from
she told me the time but failed to tell me that the bus runs along jackman ave .. i was sitting at the bus stop on the corner of jackman and alexis where it will run along alexis..needless to say i was cheesed off no other buses for the rest of the night .. i sat there waiting just in case till 7.15pm
at that time i walk back over the road to work.. looked up a cab in the phone book... i booked in a cab she said to me i will try (bells should of rang at that statement)...
8.20pm i rang again a bloke said another half an hour...
i was getting quite distressed...rang back at 9.35pm and was practically called a liar because he reckons he didnt have a booking for alexis...he said to me why have you been waiting 2 hours i said to get home its the only way i can get home....with that steamy conversation i decided to start walking home...
i walked for about 20mins and there comes my husband (and me thinking oh robbie please come and find me not home ) he turned the corner and first thing he shouts is you ok.. he pulled in the car park near the intersection i got in and i just spilled me guts about what happened.. it took me ages after we got home to settle down...

so please either have a contact number of a friend that could pick you up .. or get the number prior of a good reliable cab company and learn from my experience...at the moment im writing a letter to the company involved i know it will do no good but they need to be told off..what really got me was he couldnt give a shiet about what had happened to me he just kept stating he is backedup tonight.. nothing about ohh sorry to hear that m'am will get there immediately..nothing
hi to all that i hadnt mentioned...keep ya chins up
kath

wow well i'm glad you got home safe and sound after all that kath..............

Wow Kath I'm sorry you had such a tough time getting home! I'm glad that you're safe and sound though, and you'll know for next time. Thanks for the tips.

To get my drivers license in Maryland I have to jump through LOTS of hoops and it's a total pain in the you know what. I have to
-Accumulate several forms of identification
-Do an eyesight test
-Do a written test (I am studying the handbooks as we speak)
-Do a practical driving test (What is expected, I do not know as yet as I haven't been able to find anything specific. I need more practice driving my hubby's car...)
-Do a THREE HOUR drug and alcohol class! (The real kicker on this one is that there are NO classes in my County! Tony has to drive me an hour and a half to the closest one and they only run it once a month, and we don't know if Tony can take the time of work yet. We'll figure something out but come on, talk about pain in the...)


Meanwhile,

-no word from AOS or EAD.
-marriage certificate hasn't arrived yet so can't change my name on SS card.

On the lighter side of life, I'm happy at the moment despite all the crap outlined above. Just lots of waiting around for stuff to arrive in the mail or fall into place. Later in the month I'm going to a job fair and also a resume writing class in the same week run by the Fleet & Family Support Center. I'm looking forward to that as much to get out of the house as anything else. I'm happy at home, and we've gone out to dinner with some of DH's co-workers but still, it will be nice. Learning how to do a good American resume will be great I think.

Well that's me for now.

Love to all

hi ya
thanks for the well wishes...will tell ya, all kinds of thoughts were going through my mind that night..like hell in oz they take your name and number if your ringing a cab..and its such a long walk home lol i know its only 2.4 miles but damm that a long walk at night ...lol..

jess have you looked in the phone book to see if there are any others that do the same thing.. or ring hubs insurance to see if they have any contacts for that course...wonder if one of the colleges have night classes for that too...have you asked about the reprocical (cant remember how to spell it) thing i was talking about where you can just take the learner's test and then later on take the driving test...also ring them to find out what is asked of you to do in the actual driving test im sure they will let you know..

tomorrow i go for my test 11am gawd i hope i get the other fella this time round he is the nice one ..lol..
take care
kath

Good luck Kath, I m sure u will do fine on the licence. What a horrible experience after work, good job Robbie came looking, I bet you were pleased to see him.

Congrats on all the marriages, the pics look wonderful and have given me some ideas for when we get back to Oz and do it all again for the family over there.

Uscis gets you, after a while, I took some time off after my Greencard arrived, but now I am preparing the paperwork that I will need in March to lift conditions. Just gathering and getting ideas, not actually organising it yet. I wonder if they are as exact about how it needs to be filed as they were in Sydney.

Take care all of you, both Aussies and your mates

Hi Kath, Glad to hear you eventually got home safely but very sorry you had to go through such a rotten experience. Wanted to wish you all the luck in the world for your driving test and will have everything x'd for ya. I will be thinking of you......same time frame for us.......wish you weren't so far away!

Susan

Sharyna, I just took a quick look at the california DMV website for you and you may get some of the answers about your drivers license there www.dmv.ca.gov.
Check out the FAQ and it explains in there what puts you into the resident category.

Every state seems to be different

Here in New York state i had to do a written test, eye test, go to a 5 hour pre-licensing course ( with a bunch of teenagers!) and a certain amount of time had to lapse before I was allowed to do the actual driving test. I'm lucky because I live in a very rural area and the traffic is nothinggggg like the big cities, so I passed with flying colors and then wondered why I had been so stressed about the whole thing. Just drive here in the USA as much as you can to get lots of practice and when your not driving watch everyone else & take note of road signs and you will be fine. I think the thing I still find strange is being allowed to do right hand turns through red lights ( after you have stopped of course!) , it still kinda freaks me out.

Hope you find the answers you need and goodluck!

Susan

hi susan
nice to ya in here mate..yeah i know i feel the same way will get over your way one day..robbie enjoyed talking to ya he reckons you have a stronger accent than me real aussie lol ... i said what accent its you guys that have the accent he just laughed...did the pics turn out on the last email i sent ya ...dont forget to send me your other email addy mate...talk to you soon...

thanks for all the good lucks on my test tomorrow will let ya know how i went...

well im getting ready for work finish at 11pm tonight.. and monday will be my first pay..be interesting how much it came to ...and if they took the correct tax out...lol

take care
kath