No, no. The monobrow is HAWT! It's not you, it's me.

Oh, and my unreasonable fear of the Russian mafia that my OH would most certainly send after me. She's funny like that.

how funny; two 'hawts' in two posts
it really must be
*strutting*

and don't worry, the Texas mafia is probably already after you

LOL! Tell 'em to stand in line...

(This renews the recent thread about the accuracy of timelines, and whether folks who filed at TSC or NSC should switch their information to reflect CSC or VSC -- wherever their file is now.)

I sent a private message to Cap'n Ewok, who says (ahem, harrumph):

"You should keep the service center listed at the place that you actually mailed it to. =) The system tracks people based on that."

So, that mystery is up-cleared. Now for the usual: My timeline has slipped (in ONE day) from January 22 to February 24. Still no touches while packages submitted far later are being approved. I begin to suspect that the CDC (Calif. Disservice Ctr.) has misplaced my file.

T-B.

News flash.....My SO got packet 3 from the embassy yesterday!!! YEA!!! He can finally go to order his police certificate on Monday (in Japan you have to have paperwork from the embassy to order it) and will schedule his medical exam...I'm soo excited!! Finally, after all of the problems, we're going in the right direction!

Come on CSC & VSC...we need more approvals here!!

Sounds like a grand plan!! So when you coming out again?!



LMAO

And u2rsobad - that was SUPER speedy!!! And with USPS being *so* good(!) as well!!! Sorry - am very bitter about my evidence taking six weeks to get to the US because they couldn't figure out how to deliver to the address I put on - even though it was the same as I always write it... Of course had it got there earlier I would now be a June filer and therefore would have been less likely to meet the wonderful July filers

Well, technically I'm a May filer, but I hang out with April, May, June & July filers. I've enjoyed the friendship and support from all filers regardless of the month as I'm sure you have too, so you would've met us all anyway And thank God, something went through quickly!! After they lost my paperwork, it was nice to have something done "super speedy!!"

Of course - forgive my oversight

And definitely!!! I guess it makes up a teensy bit for the wait - I bet there are still May filers waiting and you've skipped ahead of them now!!!

Called CSC today to follow up on my RFE..............supposedly their contractor is backed up in the mail room...............FVCK!!

That royally sucks - I don't even understand what they mean by that?! Grrrr

*hugs*

I think having each other to turn to on these threads not only helps to save our sanity, but does indeed make up for some of the wait. There are some very funny people I've met on here and I'm always looking for a good laugh!

Yes, there are a few May filers and a few April who've not gotten NOA2's and I'm always trying to check up on them. I didn't skip ahead of too many, but there were sure a lot of June filers that passed me by! It's really too bad with all that extra money they're getting that they don't revamp the system and make it better. They even stated that they would be hiring and training more officers before the July price increase, but instead of things moving faster for all of us, it went off the deep end in the opposite direction.

Come on CSC & VSC...get busy!! We need more approvals!!

I have no clue what is going on with ours. Sent in on the 14th and it took them until the 27th to receive it...Nothing since then...no touch, nothing. Backed up mail room? So what? We are supposed to wait around and hope our time doesn't run out for our RFE response? What a joke.

*hugs the RFE-ers*

Well we might be joining you on that yet - keep your chins up and know that it will all work out in the end even if it does suck big time right now. What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger, remember?

*hugs*

But would you check the processing times at TSC if your petition is at CSC?

Personally I would think it best to compare to CSC but I had to file through CSC anyway... In my opinion if you were filing through TSC originally I would think the dates would be skewed - as they aren't processing petitions there anymore how can they be approved there?! And if that is the case then the projected dates etc are going to appear worse and worse...

Does that make sense to anyone else? I'm only stating what I think and am by no means saying this is law!!

that would be how I'd see it too... in any case, 'go with where you sent it' is extremely bad advice in my case as we sent it to Vermont, and it was later transferred to Cali (as were any sent to Nebraska and Texas) - now if I KNOW it's being processed at CSC, what's the sense of putting Vermont on my timeline? just confuses everything

exactly.

The problem with using Nebraska or Texas as the center is very few people within the last six months have put them on there timeline. Most change it to CSC because that is where there case is. Now the problem with that is it only takes a few potations that took over a year to get there NOA2 to mess the numbers up like it is now. The worst case would be if listed as CSC rather then TSC is maybe add a few days for the forwarding to California. And maybe after Your NOA2 date is entered change the center back to Texas.. The date given on my timeline was there for me to have a date to look forward to and thats it.

Just my thoughts

I wish CSC would increase the NOA2s so i can get mine sent up to NVC in one of those mythical only-sent-once-a-month-when-they're-full crates!

I would imagine (although can't say for sure - STP might be able to help here) that there would be information provided as to when the petition was received at CSC and the NOA1 dates should reflect this and not TSC etc - if you use the dates provided by CSC then I would imagine things would be more accurate date-wise...

Agreed, it makes much more sense to set your timeline to where your petition is *currently.*

Congratulations

I come out of where? I was looking for some reasonable connection to London before Xmas but couldn´t find anything nice to get back here
I am a June filer and met the wonderful July filers

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think I even read somewhere that later on the people who were supposed to file at TSC and NSC were then told to start filing at VSC...? So I think some TSC and NSC people are at CSC and the later ones are at VSC. Then it would really make sense to just say where the petition actually is and not where someone was supposed to file...

I got a great fare to Germany yesterday - £49.99 out, and £0.01p back

of course, once the fees and charges were added it more than doubled, but it's still a great deal, and now I get to visit friends and go to the Leipzig Christmas Markets

Effective July 30, 2007 the states serviced by TCS were absorbed into VSC, and those serviced by NSC were absorbed into CSC. Petitions are no longer sent to the "middleman". Prior to that CSC actually serviced all petitions for CSC, TSC and NSC for about the last 2 years.

I agree that people should indicate the service center that is actually processing the petition rather than the service center where sent, if different from the processing center.



Taxes and fees! Gotta love 'em! Have a super time! I've always wanted to go to Germany. Maybe some day!

My state was serviced by TSC and then the petition was sent to CSC. I used to wish it had gone to VSC but now I see there are ones still waiting from there too. Anyway, its a whole new week - I have to believe approval is coming in the next 5 days!

Haven't been to Germany for years Would love to go back

Hehe taxes taxes taxes ... but more important is that you will get to have a great time with your friends

yes, I most soitenly will
I rang them this morning to check they were going to be about - the deal was so good I just booked it and then asked questions later - and not only will they be about, they're coming to get me at the airport, and I'll stay with them for a few days... I'm REALLY looking forward to it

haven't spoken German in ages though! I used to be so fluent, but on the phone I felt like I could hardly talk

I can ask the best way to the station... that's the result of my A at GCSE

in another life I was a German teacher... won a scholarship to study at the uni in Freiburg for a while... have friends scattered about the old East Germany... spent loads of time there...

*suddenly immensely homesick for Germany *

now how Europe homesick are you gonna be when you go to USA?

oh, don't even say it

[/quote]
Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think I even read somewhere that later on the people who were supposed to file at TSC and NSC were then told to start filing at VSC...? So I think some TSC and NSC people are at CSC and the later ones are at VSC. Then it would really make sense to just say where the petition actually is and not where someone was supposed to file... :unsure:

Effective July 30, 2007 the states serviced by TCS were absorbed into VSC, and those serviced by NSC were absorbed into CSC. Petitions are no longer sent to the "middleman". Prior to that CSC actually serviced all petitions for CSC, TSC and NSC for about the last 2 years.

I agree that people should indicate the service center that is actually processing the petition rather than the service center where sent, if different from the processing center.
[/quote]

---
Guys, I didn't see anyone quote my message of a couple of days ago that included what Cap'n Ewok said, which was to leave it WHERE YOU FILED IT (meaning TSC or NSC, if appropriate). I too agree that this is counterintuitive -- and, in fact, what with my having left "TSC" in my profile, MY timeline date went from January 24 (as of Friday night) to March 13 (today).

These wide swings from day to day are ridiculous, I agree. Is there a law against "drunken timelining"?

Someone else, perhaps clearer than I am, needs to write Cap'n Ewok and the other moderator(s) for a TECHNICAL answer and a consensus. Who volunteers?

T-Bone (oh -- in other news, no touches yet AGAIN, as later-filed petitions blow by unto NOA2s)

you didn't see me quote because I generally feel there is far too much quoting in here
nevertheless, I answered it

and I still maintain that if you want to raise it with Ewok, do so in the site section and get a discussion going

Strange..I lived in Japan for 15 years and was never homesick for the states, but I've been back here 4 1/2 years and I'm still immensely homesick for Japan.

Germany...was there 5 years ago with my fiance visiting with friends and being tourists...had a great time! Hope you have fun with your friends while you're there

Aww...and don't cry StillThePrettiest...you can always visit home and who knows what the future may bring, your fiance may want to move to your hometown someday...as long as your together, it really doesn't matter

---
Still not sure if I'm being understood. I did write to Ewok (personal message, not via forum), and he did reply to me personally, and I posted his reply on this forum, but people still seem to be talking about the same issue without apparently having paid attention to what Ewok said. (I could be mistaken, and EVERYBODY has paid attention and is merely continuing the debate. But, if so, our debate on this forum is fruitless unless we receive a firm, final, definitive answer -- a consensus -- from ALL of the moderators who KNOW how the system works.)

See this forum, page 157, Post #2354 (Nov. 30, 10:29 a.m.) for what Ewok said to me.

T-B. (who agrees with the overquoting, and who usually tries not to be a major offender)

but her hometown would be in Australia and she will be homesick for Europe mostly I think..

Then they could make a new home together in Europe somewhere As they say, home is where the heart is. And if your hearts are together, you can make "your" home anywhere!

got it in one, Marta

I'm only very rarely homesick for Aus, and then mostly for people, but when I'm away from Europe I often find myself longing for it... the first time I visited (Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia - as it was then - London and Paris) I was 19, stayed for 10 weeks, and when I had to go home I sat in the airport chapel in Frankfurt and cried and cried
I just love it here... the weather, the history, the culture, the architecture, the traditions, the nearness of everything...

*sigh*

you're right though; I'll be with my partner, and that's the most important thing... and he's very up for moving about, so who knows? we might end up back here some day


and yes, TBone; I can only speak for myself, but I saw your post, and Ewok's answer, and I disagree, and said so... I thought I had phrased it in such a way as to make that clear, but evidently not
and yes, I also saw that you'd sent him a PM, which is why I again posted my advice to make it a public discussion so that more people can get in on it
by all means continue asking him if you want, but don't see his answers as gospel - a month or so back there was a similar discussion re received dates vs sent dates, for the NOA1, and the general consensus ended up being that what's Official Policy on VJ isn't actually the most logical or helpful

Well since we have the usual slowdown on Monday its good to see people keeping the thread alive. I wonder if bzoom realized this will be a perpetual thread...

One thing I've learned on here (and dealing with my own situation) is that a lot of people are not happy to move to the USA. I don't get it, besides the economic immigrants, nobody seems to want to live here anymore. But why? I've been all over and as much as I love other places, I can't imagine living my life in a different country except maybe Aus or Canada. Maybe because I live in a rather European part of the country (Porltand, OR), but I just don't get the reasons people don't want to live here. We have a very high standard of living, most of the US has a favorable climate, the people are friendly, economic freedom and mobility, an average household can afford a decent home, the universities are excellent, etc etc. I hate the standard of living in Europe (dollar for dollar) but I guess that's just me. If I was rich I'd sing a different tune though.

Hey DKM, what part of Portland are you in? I was born and raised there, but when I moved back to the USA, I moved across the river to Vancouver, WA.

Lol - Jeremy's family live in Portland

Maybe it's because of all the Americans.

I've done some pretty extensive travels abroad, and I think one of the things that's such a big turnoff about the US (from a foreign perspective) is how inwardly focused Americans are. Compared to your average European, the average American knows little to nothing about the rest of the world. We call our Superbowl champions the "world champions," without a clue to the irony. We think we know what's best for the rest of the world, but most of us can't find those other countries on a map. (a recent poll showed most high schoolers still can't find Iraq on a map!) And the recent wave of anti-immigrant sentiment that's been spreading hasn't made matters any easier.

There's a lot to love about America, and I'm glad I live here. But from an immigration standpoint, we go anywhere from paranoid to openly hostile. If you have brown skin and an accent these days in America, you are a target of suspicion. So I can definitely see why some immigrants would rather move elsewhere. This is a great country, but there's also a lot to be desired.

p.s. I've only been to Portland a couple times, but it's definitely a city I'd live in.

It's a great city! :-)

I do agree with you mox and after living abroad for many years, it's not the country, but the people and their attitudes towards just about anything. However, as a foreigner living abroad, we are also sometimes treated with suspicion based on what's seen and heard in the media and other peoples experiences with Americans or visiting here. There are wonderful, caring people all over the world, but unfortunately for everyone, there have to be bad apples everywhere to spoil things.

The worst I've ever been treated as an American was in France, and even then it was just general rudeness (sorry to promote that stereotype, but it was true in my case). Mostly I think we bring it on ourselves. Whenever I'm abroad, I cringe when I hear an American accent. We are loud, animated, and we have to make fun of everything that's different from what we're used to. Taking the tube one time in London, there were 2 Americans sitting in the seat across from me. They were yapping in fake British accents and just thought they were so funny when they made fun of the various British differences. Everyone in the car could hear them, and it was embarrassing.

The best I've ever been treated was Scotland. I've found that most places in Europe are pretty good to Americans, despite our behavior. Especially if you at least make an attempt to speak the language. I was treated with slight disdain in Moscow, but the people in Kazan and Yoshkar-Ola treated me like a long lost relative.

I was always treated well in Portland.

Probably stating the obvious here, but not every American is loud, or animated (although I think being excited about being in a new country is a natural reaction), or makes fun of things that are different from what they know.

People are the same everywhere, some are nice, some make fun of others on the tube.

True enough, but by definition you never see them. I live in a city that's frequented by European and Asian travellers. I never see the behaviors from them that I see from American tourists when I'm abroad. Maybe I'm being harder on Americans because I am one, and especially in this day and age when we've pretty much alienated the rest of the world I'm more sensitive to it. But I do wish Americans abroad would do a little less talking, and more observing.

SOS. Pls HELP ME. My fiance (USC) sent pictures to prove that we met each other. However, now, I found a huge problem. He sent 6 pictures. and once of the pictures has a wrong date. He put 07/10/2006. But, I returned to Japan on 07/08/2006. It does not make any sense. I guess he was remembering the night before we were together and it was 07/07/2006. but he put a wrong date. After he prepared entire packages, he got copies of my passport. I am really freaking out because USCIS might take this as dishonesty. I am asking him to call USCIS and tell them, But he kept telling me the line was busy and he said just wait RFE. Ahhhh Pls help me. What should I do?
5 Nov 2007