What if we have appointed VJ Ambassadors for specific regions or countries? People who are uniquely familiar the peculiarities of a specific Embassy, who would be the first person to seek out on questions that are specific to region or country? Also, there certainly could be more than one per country or region.

You probably already have that for each area. Some people would probably love to be the 'ambassador' while others may not want to commit to the time that could be required. Good idea to present to the site though!

OMG.....Ewok is gonna think 'here she goes again'.......lol

I think we could accomplish that by putting Regional Forums where they are appropriate (as Consulate Subforums).

Then dissolve the Regional Forums as they exist (I know unpopular idea) but create a new forum called "Around the World" and let regional discussions occur there naturally.

I wonder where Steven got the VJ Ambassador thing from... Hmmmm!!! Could it be my personal message... No way!!! Nah!!!

He suggested something similar last year...can't remember the phrase du jour back then though.

Suprise suprise...I think it's a terrible idea. I know, everyone's shocked

I totally agree... Besides, who needs the stress of being an Ambassador? The dahamn moderators get killed for helping to maintain order, let alone if Ambassadors are selected or volunteer per region. Yikes! Not to mention, there are very few folks here on VJ who are lawyers or have worked directly in immigration field. So we are not technically qualified for such a responsibility. Well, at least, I am not. I try to provide some enlightenment, with the guide and to interject when I can, but ultimately the decision/responsibility rests with those who are filing (please read my disclaimer). It would also be a legal nightmare for VJ on several levels. Nice way to brainstorm but this idea is a no go…

Keep the ideas coming because there is another winner in there somewhere.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

All it would mean is that those are the first people that VJ members can refer to with specific questions regarding that country of origin, under the presumption that those who are appointed as ambassadors have demonstrated countless times, their great help to so many other members as well as a better than average knowledge of the process. They would not be expected to have all the answers or that they are the only ones to go to for help. They would not be taking on any moderating. Sheriff, for example, I think you'd make a great Ambassador for the Manila Embassy Forum. John and Marlene would also be a good candidate.

Look, for those of us who've been here awhile, we already have an idea who to ask first on such specific questions, but some of the newer members don't have that luxury.

The problem that I see is that far too many people are giving out bad advice or the wrong information. To a newer member, it's difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Again, the Ambassadors would not be expected to have all the answers, but could be expected to conduct themselves in such a way as to not outrightly give wrong information. In other words, they wouldn't let their egos get in the way of admitting that they don't have a good answer but they would do their best to point that member in the right direction. It's really about conduct...setting an example to the newer members so that as those members become more knowledgible (sp), they will mirror that conduct to the newer members as well.

...I would add that in the event of a dispute, or where a moderator must step in, there would be more weight given to the Ambassador because of their long standing reputation of how they conduct themselves.

Steven, all the members here can give out advice...and to deem only Ambassadors as being 'the most reliable' does a disservice to the whole community.

If a petitioner decides to go it without the aid of a lawyer, the onus is on that person to check recheck and triple check data.

As far as conduct...everyone here should be held to the same level...not one set of rules for one group, and another for 'everyone else'

I know I'm repeating myself...but I am seriously curious...why all the need for the micromanagement? Steven, you got thru this process so far, I'd say pretty well...without the use of 'Ambassadors' and the like. Give the noobs a bit of credit for being able to separate the wheat from the chaff.



With the written word, we get the benefit of a written account of what's happened...and the mods don't have to rely on hearsay...rather they can deduce for themselves what went down without being already biased before stepping in.

what you're essentially asking for is favoritism.

Well, with the size of this place anymore, it's probably a lot harder to do that than when I first joined. I spent a few weeks reading before I posted. I looked around at did my own 'separating'.

I guess it depends too on how you 'come' here. I was only researching visa types. Some people are already deep in the process and maybe have a PANIC situation going on. Literally.

BUT.....

I wouldn't want to be labeled 'Ambassador', 'Expert', or any other such designation. People would start asking you stuff you'd not have a clue about. Most of the posters who have been around a while have one or two 'areas of expertise' if you will - mostly by virtue of their personal experience. Learning who those individuals are is, I guess, best determined by reading. Or perhaps other members saying "go ask XYZ - they might have the answer".

New members seem to have a fascination with blue boxes and hearts. Perhaps the best way to help separate 'wheat from chaff' would be for boxes and hearts to not accumulate for posts made in the General Discussion area of the forum.

I agree completely. In fact, I started a poll on the hearts thing a while back, but I think it was a landslide against it. I personally would love all these hearts from GD to go...it's a constant reminder of how much time I've wasted in there

I'm sure when you joined, it was smaller than it is now & prolly a bit easier to navigate, but I'm confident in the fact that the members can still find their way around here without too much trouble. I see a trend lately with 'oh we gotta make this easier, that easier' when imo, we're trying to reinvent the wheel. Let them come, encourage them to read, and of course, be helpful while ya can...but I think it should constantly be stressed that this is something that needs to be very self-governing.

People do need to be responsible for themselves.

I think though Lisa, what you misunderstand is this - it's best if the site is easily usable. Not just for the sake of the members, but if it is to survive.

Business doesn't survive if it remains stagnant - it has to adapt to the changing needs of the customer or client.

We 'old guard' don't have a problem with change - as is often suggested when these discussions come up. We simply want the site to FUNCTION as well NOW as it did THEN.

When it appears that people are having difficulty navigating the site to find what they are looking for, or re-inventing data because we aren't collecting it for them, then IMO we need to take a hard look at why that is occurring.

Sorry, Steven, I think anything that sets up one person or a group as formally an expert is mostly asking for trouble. Look at all the bitching over the mods' action, and add to that a bunch of whining about 'he said this but I disagree and WHY IS HE AMBASSADOR AND NOT ME WHINE WHINE COOKIE WHINE.'

The site is easily usable. Obviously bigger, but I don't see a problem in the user-friendly aspect.

I'm not against change for purpose....but change for the sake of it seems a bit superfluous. In this particular thread, 'ambassadors' would be a horrendous move for the site in general.

Admit it - you've been around here a while too. That makes it different for us. We already know our way around.

We've got an awfully lot of people looking for things.

I don't see it as 'changing' VJ. I see it like a closet, or a storage cupboard at my office. Every once in a while, it's probably necessary to tidy it up.

Maybe all we need is to change the colors of some things to help people find them - visual changes. Make the "search" button bigger - I dunno. Any tool that can help people find their own answers can't be a bad thing.

Depends on what aspect of change we're talkin about though.

When I first got here, I don't particularly think I was all that computer savvy....I also had a nice new engagement ring on my finger & I was on the phones with cruiseline coordinators cos I was planning a big azzed carribbean wedding I thought K-1 was some dog related thing, and don't even get me started on NOA1,RFE, AOS, EAD, etc.

Granted, my period here before filing is wayyy longer than most...but I had a nose around on the site several times, and little by little all my questions were answered.

Ironically, I do feel for the sake of 'simplicity' that things are getting more complicated. Posters will freak out...we all have at some point. None of us can control whether XYZ is going to have a panic or not. Truthfully, I'd worry about a Petitioner who DIDN'T panic at some point of this process. Is it rational? Not always....but natural? Yes.

The guides are there, faqs, links to uscis, all the forms...and that's even before checking the forums! And the forums have so many threads with the same question and the same answer 500 grillion times Let alone the search feature! Now E is workin on video tutorials....what else needs to be considered? Aren't the bases well and truly covered? What next...we'll be makin housecalls to type out the forms? Go over to a newb's house to lick the stamp?

WTF yet another totally "." idea. I see why this suggestion never flew last year. As many agreed in the past and present it is a HORRIBLE idea.

Less? Less is more?

I'm not following you.

Hurry up, Becca...I gotta go to bed!

You know what would be good? for the Guides & Forum stuff to react on mouseover. If I put my mouseover it would be nice if it changed color or animated like a button. I think that there's no helping some people, but the guides at the top of the page do look like part of the scenery rather than something useful.

Marketing. Think with your marketing brain.

Should make perfect sense to you after that.

See, that's not a bad idea at all.

Maybe it could morph into

READ ME NOW DAMNIT!!!!





I'm perfectly capable of inferring things from what you said...but I'm more interested in your specific point.

Let's not leave room for speculation, eh?

bedtime!

That is a great idea! You aren't the first to mention they are not easy to locate. They seem to blend in.

So what did you mean by this, RJ?

Everybody knows what I think. Let's hear what you think.

I was scrolling down & waiting for you to spit it out, not this! Too funny.

So if i get to be Romanian Ambassador does that mean my hubby has to bow to me?

You don't have him doing that already? Some guys are suckers for women in uniform.

I've already said what I think. Scroll up.

Actually,



that's what I think.

No he does it already LOL i just need a reason for it to be more than normal
guess i should be wearing a uniform

I'll try to demonstrate as simply as I can, the idea that I had in mind:


A new member joins VJ - they read through the guides and manage to navigate through the site with no problems. They run into a difficult question regarding their embassy, say in Bucharest. If they could access a listing of VJ Ambassadors and find, say Tara, as the Ambassador for Bucharest, they can quickly go to her with their question and she'll either answer the question or point them to someone else who might be able to.

Some places could have several Ambassadors - the idea is that these members are reliable to seek out because they are active members and have a reputation for being helpful and friendly...that's it. Ambassadors of Good Will, so to speak.

Is it necessary? Of course not. All it would achieve is make VJ more friendly. I just don't see how that would complicate things.

Same person could go to the Foreign Embassy forum and start a thread. And get more than just one response.

This reminds me of half hour meetings on who's ordering what for lunch....

Maybe because you haven't reached that point yet, it's difficult for you to understand that some questions are more complex than trying to decide what to eat for lunch.

When I was petitioning Jinky and Job, we were uncertain about whether or not the US Embassy would ask for some kind of written permission from Job's biological father before permitting him to travel outside of the Philippines. We were getting to a critical point because if in fact we did need his written consent, we would have to act quickly and because of the logistics of it, it would have been tedious and expensive. So I posted in the Manila Embassy Forum and I got a few replies, but most people who posted either hadn't yet gone through the interview or they didn't have a K-2. It took us about a week or so to finally get some reassurance (actual documentation regarding Philippine Law) that we didn't need any written consent.

RJ is actually the person I first went to and then she referred me to John and Marlene as well as Jasman, but neither of them had a K-2. It was PW (Patiently Waiting) who found the legal documentation that we needed to know about. I went to RJ because I knew how helpful she is, but because this pertained to our particular country, she wasn't sure either.

There are some who post here who are friendlier and more helpful as well as more knowledgeable with their particular country than others. All this would do is give members help in knowing when it comes to such questions, who would be the first persons to ask...that's it.

Personally, I appreciate suggestions like this, even if they are eventually unrealized. Don't let the fact that someone will ALWAYS take the contrary position bother you

Thanks, Tracy. I appreciate that.

I don't think it will work but suggestions are great - it shows you care about VJ.

Right, but you got through it without people being labeled...as will everyone else.

No one needs a title to be helpful....that's the point I'm getting at.

This is the kinda thing I suggested last week for "buddies". It was poo poo'd too, so don't feel bad Steve!

As with my idea, I'm sure people will point out the risk of sueing the ambassador.

FWIW: I think it's a great idea

Seriously? Now that's just funny.

That has a ring to it LOL

Hey, what about if the Ambassador gets sued? j/k

we refer them to you!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

We offer them free Ferrero Rocher for life?

Reference for the non UKers: "The Ambassador's receptions are noted in society for their hosts' exquisite taste", together with the comments of "Eccellente" and "Monsieur, with these Rocher, you're really spoiling us"

All theyd get outta me are my 2 kids and my hubby and maybe my hamster, and i dont think anyone wants my kids or hubby

I'm already the VJ Ambassador...