Just wanted to give a brief update on my fiance's experience POE into Houston, TX....

After my Fiance's visa was approved, it took about a week for her to receive it at her home town. I sent her the immigrations forms that you receive on the airplane already completed so she would not have any trouble in getting them filled out since she cannot speak much English. She was able to pack and leave within 10 days of receiving the approved visa.

She arrived at Bush International Airport. Her flight was on schedule from Japan to Houston. She had no issues during the trip. It took her 2 hours 20 minutes to get through customs. No issues, it was just a long wait because of the number of immigrants coming through at the time she arrived....

Not knowing what was going on, after about an hour, I used the airport phone to call immigrations to find out if there were any problems... They informed me that she had arrived, she was in the computer, and she was currently in the waiting area. They could not give me any specifics other then her location...

Anna later told me that they only asked her two questions, (1) Had she ever been in the U.S. before and (2) what date she was planning on getting married? They did not have a Russian speaking person at the office but I was told they had a person available in the airport if needed.

So far Anna and her son are adapting to living in the U.S. We have had some funny experiences happen because of cultural differences and translation issues but those stories can be told as another topic.. I'd like to thank everyone for all their comments. This site has been great. I hope other people use it as much as possible during their VISA Journey.

Basil

Congratulations

Congratulations and best wishes for a happy life together. Keep us us updated on how everything is going.

Congratulations on her arrival in the US, and wishing you both the best of luck! Glad she made it through Immigration with no problems! Hoping to see some updates later

Sounds to me like she understands and speaks English. If not, get her English or your Russian up to speed, or you could later face marital problems down the line. There is only so long you can go with primative communication.

Tell them, welcome to America. I hope you have the time to let her rest and adjust her body clock. She will need about two weeks as a minimum and a couple of months to feel really normal. If you don't have a good electronic translator, then get one. It will pay off in the long run. Be patient and don't assume she understands everything just because she said Da.

My wife speaks very good English and we still have miscommunication problems after 1 1/2 years of marriage. So be patient, speak slowly and clearly, avoid slang and whenever possible, speak the King's English. Americans speak a different English than the British.

Thanks for the CONGRATs.. The one thing I have learned very quickly is to speak SLOWLY and clearly... The other night I was cooking dinner and she wanted to help... I asked her to cut up some meat in small pieces for me for dinner and put into a bowl... when she finished and presented it to me I saw that she cut up the meat and put it in the cat's bowl. She misunderstood what I said, she thought I said "cat" not "cut".. All I could do was smile and kiss her.

These are the fun ones!

As stated above, start working on the communication issues quickly. You're going to have miscommunications forever, but they can be simple ones like this instead of very complex ones like.... well, I won't get into that. Just study!

Good luck on your new Journey!

Congrats we have all had the misunderstanding issues, its what makes the adventure so much fun. My wifes English is pretty good but sometimes I will mix up what she says on purpose just to have fun. That is when she tells me soon she will have two children instead of just the big one.

Congrats on the visa!


Well, it's different in each case, but I think the best way to learn a language is by using a monolingual dictionary and by completely immersing into the language. Translating into your native language ruins the process for me, but I'm not saying it won't work for others.

I have a hard time understanding how you can fall in love with a person if you don't speak a common language fluently, but there's lots of things I don't understand, so I better shut up

You and me both... Maybe we should ask everybody here, how it works for them. I am unbelievably curious how people do it. It's hard for men and women to understand each other without language barrier...

Add me to the list.
I was once told that the couples communicate through sex, but that must be a joke!

Definitely a joke!
You think it would be appropriate to start a topic with a question about it in the title? Or would it be tactless?

I have been trying unsucessfully to learn Russian from my wife. I am not good with languages other than English and sometimes that can be a problem. I prefer structure and a progression like you would have in school. I am looking to take a class and get the basics. My wife and I met a Russian woman who is married to a man from Nepal(they met in university) and we may do the wife swap thing to teach the stupid men in their lives their native language. I think it would be hard and added stress to try and teach your spouse a foreign language. Kind of like trying to teach you wife to drive, and no I DONT want to talk about it.

Don't tell her Welcome To America - on my first visit I heard this like 5 times and all 5 times I was totally freaking out!
What do you mean? If you did not say so, I would not be welcome?! Are all americans against my visit except the ones who say welcome?!

Rika

No translation issues there!



My wife and I communicate in at least three languages (English, Russian, and just for good measure, a Korean word thrown in here and there) in order to be understood. It works, but only when the "sex language" is working as well.

Whenever the "sex language" isn't working, none of the others work either! (And every other language quickly turns into the "NO SEX" language!)

I think we all hear the "NO SEX" Language but Ill be honest I dont hear it from the wife its from the OB-GYN.

congrats!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a hard time understanding how you can fall in love with a person if you don't speak a common language fluently, but there's lots of things I don't understand, so I better shut up
[/quote]

This question is pretty simple to answer for me. There is more to loving each other then speaking a common language fluently. If it was that simple (just language) then there would not be so many divorces or break-ups in this country (U.S.A.) or even in the world.

To answer the question for us, it is the way we look at each other, the way we treat each other, the way she laughs or smiles at the things I do. It is how we are able to hug each other after being so frustrated with some of the things we do or say or can't say to each other. We communicate in many ways with each other and, for the most part, it is all enjoyable. We do talk to each other and we do help each other in many ways. I think being in love is all about how each person "completes" the other person. It's not just about talking and it's not all about sex, it's all about how well two people are able to relate to each other and feel good in that relationship. Love is all about feelings and emotions and how two people are able to share and communicate those feelings. Speaking a similar language is just one way of communicating those emotions. I think those of you who havedifficulty understanding how two people can be in love without spaeking a common language fluently will also have difficulty in understanding those people who can fall in love at first sight, but that's another topic.

I think this would be a good topic under the general forum... It is always good to see how different people go about answering the age old question of how they go about communicating their love for one another... I think in all of cases
(people with foreign partners) , we tend to have to rely on more then just talking, which I think may helps us in making our relationships more fuller... but that is my personal opinion.

The non-verbal communication in an "internatinal" relationship is definitely more present than in a "domestic" relationship, and sex is a natural extension of that. Don't know exactly what to say.... well here, try this! Now you get it, don't you!