Wow Kimmy, that was FAST!!!!!!!!!!!


Can't believe your pregnancy is going so fast!! Mine seems like it's gone on forever!

when are u due?

I have a question for Kimmy or BelwinMills (or any other CR1/IR1 person who already has their visa)

My husband told me last night that in the interview letter from the embassy it tells him to be prepared to pay $345 for the visa and $40 for security. But I know I paid for this already. Is this just a generic letter or do we have to pay more money? I have the letters from the NVC saying they have received payment for the visa, do we just show this at the interview? What did you guys do?

thanks

ok the mailman just delivered the letter and further down....which my husband failed to read to me ... it says you don't have to pay it if your spouse has already paid it to the NVC.

so we're good

about beenie man...mike pulled something up online where he was doing a radio show and his wife called in and was cursing him out...it was interesting to hear...i will have to find out where he found it...

I LOVE DEVON STOUT!!!! almost forgot about that ice cream....it is SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!!!!

I am not crazy!
I just work alot and most of the time when I am free I can't call Marlon because he is sleeping! We both know how expensive it is to call each other so we keep it to a minimum. Since I got my home phone I have been calling him more, about 3 times a week due to the interview approaching. When I went to Jamaica I stayed with him both times and he paid for my food and expenses while I was there. I will remove my siggy as obviously I am getting some flack for it.

The cost for one year of high school is no where near $1250(US) THe average school fee cost about $10000(JA) Parents don't give kids more than $500 per day and that is if you travel from, lets say ST Thomas to Kingston for schol. They should be home by 4pm anyways. some schools have a book rental system because books change with the grade. However CXC syudents will have to buy their books, but each book cost less than $2500(JA) $5800 for a math book is ridiculous. That can buy 3 CXC books 1 Math, 1 physics and 1 social Studies. If one Year of High School really cost $80something (JA) ( school fee, books lunch and bus fare) what would happen to the parent who works minimum wage and has two kids in high school???? That's totally unbelievable.

Wow..I haven't been on in awhile. Most of you probably don't even know me, lol. I just got done reading through 20 pages and it looks like a lot has happened.

I was in Jamaica for 2 weeks and got to spend a lot of time with my boyfriend. I miss him sooo much! We're still debating between the CR1 and the K1. I prefer the K1 because I want him here with me asap. I just need to realize it will take some time.

I start my last year of college at the end of the month and I'm anxious to get it over with. I'm only 20 and not sure when I'll start my VisaJourney but I know the time will come when its right.

I'll keep reading posts and gaining more knowledge from everyone's experiences. Congrats to the recent approvals and best wishes to those interviews coming up!

Marie

No baby, don't do that we will miss you. I don't think it was meant in a bad way. We were just wondering how you go so long without talking to Marlon. I for one know how expensive the phone bill can be my home and cell phone bills have increased exponentially since I started talking with Michael, even though I bought him a megaphone. When I don't hear from him the whole day I feel so empty. It was was good ribbing. No offence meant. We know we have to overcome obstacles to be with our loved ones. In the end the prize will be worth the sacrifices you make. I know because I am a single mother of a 17 yo who is starting college next week and the expense is killing me. I am sorry if you felt offended.

So "Please don't go!!!!!!!!

Claire

while I don't think anyone was judging you by their remarks please dont let others' opinions get under your skin. You don't have to explain to anyone why you do or don't do certain things in your relationship. You and Marlon are the only ones who know what is best for your relationship and whatever that is needs no justification. I honestly think people were just really shocked but not in a good or bad way...simply shocked. And I doubt it very much that they intended to hurt your feelings.

When I read your sig I was actually impressed. When I called my former cell company to send me a copy of my bills and went over them...I said to myself most of these calls were completely unnecessary, in retrospect. And I wish I would have been able to control my impulse phone calls; one of my calls was $81 just because I didn;t use a phone card and refused to hang up. If I could get back some of that money now I don't even want to think about it. So I really commend you for having a good handle on your finances and discipline to stick to a bugdet.

don't let anyone get you down you have too much to worry about in these next days.

So how much is that in US money. $160 a year for the school fee?

I agree. Ask her for the names of the books and check prices. Here are some book prices, $5800 sounds too much.

http://www.consumeraffairsjamaica.gov.jm/p..._downtown02.htm

and here

http://www.consumeraffairsjamaica.gov.jm/BLVD.htm

Kimmy,
Silly question, but I just wanted to clarify. Your hubby didn't have to go to the courier service to have them deliver his passport? If he did. can he get the money back that he paid?

In my situation. You go across the street with your pink sheet and pay courier to get it delivered. Around us 7 bucks. No you can't get the money back. Then they call you at the post office to pick it up when it is delivered.

Congrats Kimmy!!

You only pay 7 dollars USA or 550JA to have the visa sent. Your right you already paid these fees.

Hi Marie great to see you again. I hope all is well. Are you thinking about filing soon?

This is my suggestion but I believe the CR1 visa is a great choice. Why I do is when your man gets here he will only have to wait about a month and 1/2 at most for green card and soc card. Then he can work and help financial. With the K-1 visa your man will have to wait longer. My husband wanted to go to school and we got all the forms right in time to get him in school and apply for financial aide. My hubby has only been here 2 months and has a couple job interviews lined up. He is getting quite bored doing nothing and can't wait to start school and get a job. In our situation I think he would start missing JA if he had nothing to do for months. I understand many can't wait that long for their SO to get here. If you want to shorten the time to the Cr-1 use James Shortcuts, have your senator send it off, and use the marriage certificate you received at the wedding (when you get the official one then send a copy of that one in). His family could attend the marriage ceremony in Jamaica. We then could have a cheap reception in the states a year later. Remember this is a suggestion and why I choose the CR1.


I understand Sarah. I use to work days and my husband always worked nights. We only talked about 2 mins per day. I talked to his mom more.

Hi Marie

I got married really young and trust me I wish I had waited. We're still together and all, but it was just too rushed and completely unnecessary to get married so soon. My advice would be to wait and get to know each other more and really see what kind of man he is. Also I know how distracting a love like this can be when you're in school. Getting married and filing the paper work will be even more distracting. Waiting to get news, calling NVC daily is just not something that goes well with writing papers.

If it's possible wait and see if he can get a visitors visa or maybe even a student visa.

I know it's difficult. But married is a big step so really think long and hard about all of the consequences good and bad before you make a decision.

Good luck

Thank you so much ladies for making me feel better! I do apologize, this whole visa process has me stressed out to the point that I have skipped 2 periods. I went to the doctor and I am taking the pill to try to regulate me. I have also been under financial stress, I just signed the paperwork yesterday to file for Bankruptcy, it was the best option for me. I'm not too happy about it but what can you do? I know that it will not affect the visa or Marlon so I am fine with it and the law firm started my case with no money down and only $210.00 a month, they were more than fair! I tried the credit help agencies but they were unable to offer me a fair or good deal. At least now when a creditor calls I can refer them to my lawyer and that will take a HUGE load off! So thanks again for being here for me, I couldn't possibly get through this visa process without my yardie family!

BIG HUGS to all of you!

I agree. It is not that expensive to go to school in JA, especially depending on where you live.

I went to one of the prominent high schools in JA and as a part of the Old Students Association, I know the school fees are no way close to USD 1250. I also went to college in Ja and none of my text books were J$5800 - I would spend that on a few that I used throughout the semester. Probably only the books for medical students would be that much and that would be because it will be a reference book throughout their career.

I am so stressed out I still haven't found a house yet I leave for Jamaica in 13 days, and a few days after we come home, we close on my house. Then we're homeless!! I have made 2 offers already on 2 different houses, but they would not come down enough to get within my budget. All the cheaper houses are yucky. I guess we'll just pitch a tent in my parents backyard and live in that! I had NO idea that this process was sooooo stressful. When I bought my current house, it was easy since I still lived at home and didn't have to sell a house in order to buy a house.

I have been organizing my documents for the interview next Tuesday. Will I need two original letters from my employer and two from my bank? Am I going to be OK with the one of each that I now have?

Hey guys thanks for all the wll wishes....hubby is coming home tonight..he will be on a 3pm flight into JFK

Yeah hubby went to Tinson pen to pick his up....don't know if u can get the money back he paid $480JA
and YES that was very quick...

Sarah, I know it is tough and u have to do what U have to do, just let some things roll off ur shoulders. I know it's have I was there and I finished college, and have a baby, so you can do it..just find something to put ur emotions in so u don't burst into tears every minute..cause I know that too...just be strong girl..

kimmy

Jay, I think as long as u have copies u should be fine....but go with ur guts on everything..they didn't ask my husband for not one piece of paper from his binder..not one. So, I guess they all interview differently

Kimmy

Hang in there girl..u know nothing comes easy..just take a step back a relax..cause u can't change some of the things that r going to happen so why bother stressing over it..plus ur pregnant u don't need it.. Murphy's Law ..Anything that can go wrong, will go wong. You just have to pick up the pieces and say ok, "maybe this will work"..just gotta keep at it..slow and steady wins the race

Kimmy

Chill, Sarah. Just teasing you. Nothing was said in a mean tone. We love you, girl.

Sharon, $500JA/day for lunch and travel...hmmm don't know if thats quite accurate...bus fare is about $60/each bus..what if u have to take more than one bus to ad from thats 4 buses. My cousin lives in portmore and goes to Alpha and she gets 500 plus transportation. Sometimes u can't cause u just don't have it..but u can't really buy lunch. I sgree with the school fee and the books, don't think it would so much either...

Don't stress yourself out. Things will work itself out. Remember that GOD always has a plan for you and it may be somthing that you aren't even thinking about or had no idea that it could happen that way Keep your composure. Things will come together.

Wow...ladies... I'm empowered by the positive comments this morning. I feel like I can run a marathon. Thanks VJ....the Yardie thread is the best.....

Morning

Sarah - Nothing I said was in mean spirit...more awe than anything else. I don't know how you do it but I think its great that you have a system that works for you.

Rhonda - I hope you find a house soon. I can imagine the stress but let your trip to JA be stress free!

As for the school fees...I can see how it would add up to that much. That price was all school things combined...uniforms, food, books, transportation etc.

I don't know if JA has 180 day school year like here but it seems like they did.

$1,250US = approx $84,000JA
84,000JA divided by 180 days = $465JA per day

Doesn't seem that far off when you are adding uniform costs, shoes, lunches, snacks, books, bus fare, tuition and all the other little things that add up when sending a kid to school.

It all depends really...can they walk to school or do they have to take 2 buses each way? Are they in their growing years and will go through a few uniforms that year?

One of the teenagers I lived with in JA when to a prestigious high school and paid $150JA each way just to get to school...$300JA a day for transportation alone. So I think the actual cost will change drastically depending on a ton of different variables. Just my $0.02.

Did everyone have a great weekend?

Sarah -- I don't think anyone meant anything mean by that. After my bank account was completely drained, Roy and I would only talk 2 - 3 times a week. Other than our "regular" calls, if we needed each other we would just call. Anyways, after a while I was paying for us to just breathe in each others ears People thought I was crazy too for not talking to him 10 times a day......we are just not "phone talkers" -- now that he is here I can't shut him up

Kimmy -- Woo-Hoo!! That was really speedy. Congratulations

wow kim I can't believe he;s coming today! wow get the candles lingerie etc. ready girl!

are you gonna prepare dinner for him?


I'm just so happy for you he just had the interview last week.

UPDATE ON THIS!

Both my husband and I got two letters from the embassy: one with the first date and another with the changed date. So we're on are way

also I want to add that one of the letters was post marked from jamaica on the 30th and I received it on the 4th, that's not so bad for the mail system.

Girl..u know it..and guess who wanna be at the airport....HIS MOTHER !!!

I WILL have updates on this he should be getting in at 7:50

noooo he's gonna be making dinner..I"M TIRED !!!

Hey Jamie I had a busy weekend cleaning and stuff...how about urself ?

Congrats Kimmy and God bless you and the hubby as you embark on the new journey . I'm sure your little girl is beside herself with the excitement of having Daddy here with her. I don't think you'll get near him today

Happy Independence Day to all the Yardies....

Andre was away on a guys camping trip so I spent some of the weekend cleaning the place and the other part doing this thing called Letterboxing (kind of like geocashing) with my family. It is so much fun. You discover places you never would have imagined right in your own backyard plus it involves some hiking so we are all getting into shape! Oh yeah and I saw the Bourne movie. It was great! I love those kind of movies.

Congrats on your husband arriving!

Help - I think mr jengles is scared to leave JA. any advice on how to get him on a plane. We are going back down in September thanks to my miles, but I'm getting fustrated since I have to go back to work in October and wanted to be able to show him around before then. I'm in brooklyn so he has to learn the subway system and my son starts kindergarden this sept . he says he is trying to get himself financially situated before he comes up so he can contribute to the household and to help us save money, but I'm here by myself with the baby and I don't think he realizes that. I appreciate what he's doing but feel that is should have been done before he got the visa/went for the interview. I'm trying not to let my fustration show but I hung up the phone on him this morning. Now we are looking at him coming up next week if he changes the date again I don't know what I will do.

trying to stay patient




I would forget to go and pick her up!!!!

Again thanks everyone for being here for me!

Congrats on hubby coming home Kimmy!

I can't believe that Marlon's interview is in 8 days!

Minfay: LOL! Marlon is not much of a talker on the phone but in person he too won't stop! lol

I can't wait to hear from Mydestinyawaits, hers is tomorrow! She said she would send me a text message so if I hear anything I will let you know!

Have a great day!



Sorry to hear of your frustration! Have you told him how you feel and how much you need him here by your side? Things will work out, I am rooting for you!

Girl..u better tell him like it is..no matter how much he tries to save it ain't gonna do much..u need him here..it's nice to have a 2nd pair of hands....I did it w/o my husband and girl let me tell it aint no joke..the amount of help it would be if he was here.. sometimes it's that emotional support u need as well and not so much the money, if ur struggling together I think would be a little better than with no husband and only phone convos u need a hug every now and then..

trick him into getting on the plane

U know i want to...mi no know why she caan give us the 1st night alone...sho like she put in on this

I have to agree with the person who said tell him like it is. If Andre had done this to me, I would explain that just communicating with him is costing us money we would be saving if he were with me. Also, I would want to make another trip and all that. Andre was not able to contribute financially for quite a while; but he did take care of lots of things that would've fallen on me. And, we got to be together.

No matter how much he tries, his contributions will not matter much in a short period of time.

If nothing else, fly down there and haul his butt up!!!!!!

I solved all my husband's jitters by not goint to the interview; but then flying down a week later to bring him home.

Aww.. He is showing a sense responsibility. We also have to keep in mind that they are men and it is so difficult for them not being able to provide the way they want to and need to. It is especially hard for them. Our situation is similar because we are not planning for my fiance to come right away. We are planning for a November, December arrival because I have to buy a house and he wants to save as much money as possible. He understands that he will not be able to work right away (legally) and he wants to make some kind of contribution.

Just explain to Mr. Jengles that you understand what his intentions are and that he means well but its more important for him to be here with you. I'm sure you have already done this but I would stress it as much as possible. Good luck with everything. He will soon realize

I understand completely how you feel. I told my husband to get a second job last august and he had to nerve to tell me he doesn't want to start working and then quit when he gets the visa . Now it's been a year and he could have saved so much money if he had only listened to me.

Tell this man it is too late to start thinking about saving to come up. The ship has sailed for that long ago and he missed the boat. Tell him to stop being selfish! You have a new born that you have been taking care of ALL ON YOUR OWN. And he needs to be their to share the responsibility. That is the man thing to do and he needs to get over his fear of flying and get is arse on that plane PRONTO!

I would just about stop talking to him until he's here. You basically have nothing to talk about unless its what time to pick him up. Cuz I would not want to hear anything else.

hang in there hun

Ditto....Ditto!!!

I agree

thanks for all the advice, I hung up the phone on him this morning after he said "we agreed for him to settle everything before he came up" stuff just keeps changing everytime I talk to him thursday we agreed for him to come up this weekend and then he could finalize everything when we went back in Sept. friday it changed to next week Wed. This morning a different thing again. he busted out the we agreed statement after I said to him it seems like he's scared to come up. he thinks because I'm home everything is ok. I have to walk up 2 flights of stairs to get to my apartment, he doesn't get that when I need anything I'm pulling up in the car in front of the house, running putting stuff inside in the lobby and then parking the car, coming back with the baby, bringing the baby upstairs, putting her in her crib then going back downstairs to get whatever it is that I bought and my man is on the phone with me last night talking about there is a seafood festival in Ochi and he wants to go.

HENCE WHY I FEEL THE NEED TO PUT MY FOOT UP HIS ###!

I won't be picking up the phone for the next few days because he really woudn't like what I have to say maybe that would bring him to his senses.

Kimmy - pretend you are running late, don't have enough gas something. I want when mr jengles come it is me and him, my grandmother all ready offered to come and babysit when I pick him up from the airport. but that would mean she would be coming from boston...it didn't even make sense to me, plus anyway it seems by the time mr jengles gets here the baby will be talking and walking lol

Damnnnn Jengles, nuh know how yuh a deal wid dis!!

Only thing I can say, he may just be scared at the prospect that after so long, this is it. Two kids and a wife from basically being single, not that he doesn't want it, but it's probably just hitting him for six now.
Thing is, he's being selfish in that he's expecting you to just manage like the Superwoman you are already and isn't really acknowledging how hard it is for you.....

But this is just a small hiccup, he'll be here before you know it!!

Did you know that the JUTC buses charge only $25(JA) for schoolers? and the EXECUTIVE (the blue coasters) charges $30(JA). Alpha is on south camp road so thats 4 buses to and from= $100 or $120(JA) per day. School is out at 2:30-3:00 what kind of lunch at school cost $500. Lunch at school can be a bun & cheese, patty or cook lunch+ any juice. None of which cost $500. Even if you were to have lunch at KFC or Burger King $500 could still cover lunch and bues fare. The most expensive item on a KFC or BK menu is not more than $350. Parents can give kids $1000 if they want, that dosen't mean it cost that much. BTW $60 from Portmore is an adult's fare on the EXEC and $50 on a JUTC.