Leaving for the US in a few days

[HtBlack 4]

I got my CR1 visa at the end of February through DCF, but since my husband lost his job right after that, we had to wait until he was settled again to reunite. And he's finally working again, and we have an apartment, so I'll be travelling on May 22nd... and although I've been to the US before, for "longer" periods of time, it's worrying nonetheless.

I'm sure I'll like the country and handle the distance with my family/friends well enough. I guess I'm mostly worried about finding a decent job, and about the POE. Regarding the job, I have a high school diploma in chemistry (it was a pretty good school here in Italy but I know diplomas don't really matter a lot in the US) and I've worked for seven years as a waitress... I'm born in Argentina, so I speak both Spanish and Italian in addition to English, with a sprinkle of German if it's restaurant vocabulary. I'd be fine working as a waitress in the US, at the same time I'm afraid to not be adequate; where I worked here in Italy, although I loved the place because I felt "safe" there, it has been noted to me that I'm a slow worker (#######, I have a blind eye and another one that isn't perfect anymore, would it be weird if I was?) but since it's been the only place I've worked at because I had a good contract and all of that, I don't know if their opinion is true or not and if it were true, I hope it doesn't impact my ability to keep a job in the US when I find one.

And about the POE... I'm flying on a Friday, POE is JFK and I get there at around four thirty PM; I have a three-hour layover, but it's Memorial Day weekend, what if it's full of people at Customs, what if I don't make it in time to my connecting flight considering I have two suitcases I need to re-check after I'm done at Customs, and then I need to get back in, find my gate. Doing this all on my own is stressful. I travelled on my own multiple times since 18 and before then, we travelled as a family to Argentina pretty often so I'm not afraid of airports at all - but immigration is another thing.

I should have chosen a different flight, but there were too many things to take into consideration and we were forced to take this one because of the departure/arrival time. AAA ALL THE WORRIES.

Sorry about the rant, I needed to voice the worries with someone who could understand. <3 I can't wait until Saturday, really!

[Morganalmonshid94 84]

It can be possible if your quick about it, if you do not make your flight the airline will book you for the next available one that's all .

[mallafri76 1,012]

I'm so happy I'm not the only worrywart. I worry about the exact same things as you do, I think it's only natural in our situation. After all, we are giving up our family, our job, our friends, our home and moving half way around the world to a place very different from where we come from and where we don't really know people or have a support group.

Have you read the POE reviews for JFK. I was also super worried about POE but reading the reviews for Newark, which will be my POE, actually helped me quite a bit.

About the job situation. Have you worked on your CV and had a look around for jobs? Setting up an appointment with a recruiter or with a job center might help you understand how job hunting works where you will be moving to. For waitress jobs, the best idea is usually to walk around to restaurants and handing in your CV and putting yourself out there. Also remember that many hotels have restaurants and there, speaking several languages is a HUGE plus. I used to recruit for the hotel industry and we didn't even call in people for interviews unless they spoke a minimum of two languages, so you are way ahead there with your four languages.

If you feel like you're getting close to your connecting flight time and you are still queuing up for customs, talk to a representative and explain your situation. I have seen many at the border being put at the front of the line because they were running out of time for their connection. People are quite understanding about that.

Good luck!

[VOL 425]

I have left my luggage in POE and went on and caught the next flight before, They just shipped my luggage to my final destination......

[HtBlack 4]

I have left my luggage in POE and went on and caught the next flight before, They just shipped my luggage to my final destination......

Oh, that's great, how does that work?

I'm so happy I'm not the only worrywart. I worry about the exact same things as you do, I think it's only natural in our situation. After all, we are giving up our family, our job, our friends, our home and moving half way around the world to a place very different from where we come from and where we don't really know people or have a support group.

Have you read the POE reviews for JFK. I was also super worried about POE but reading the reviews for Newark, which will be my POE, actually helped me quite a bit.

About the job situation. Have you worked on your CV and had a look around for jobs? Setting up an appointment with a recruiter or with a job center might help you understand how job hunting works where you will be moving to. For waitress jobs, the best idea is usually to walk around to restaurants and handing in your CV and putting yourself out there. Also remember that many hotels have restaurants and there, speaking several languages is a HUGE plus. I used to recruit for the hotel industry and we didn't even call in people for interviews unless they spoke a minimum of two languages, so you are way ahead there with your four languages.

If you feel like you're getting close to your connecting flight time and you are still queuing up for customs, talk to a representative and explain your situation. I have seen many at the border being put at the front of the line because they were running out of time for their connection. People are quite understanding about that.

Good luck!

I'm generally not a worrywart, but I can't help it right now! It's good for me also to know that i'm not alone in this. Most of the POE reviews are very reassuring, and you're right, I can ask to be seen first if I notice I might not make it in time... <3

Since I planned on looking for work as a waitress and my husband, like you, said it's better to go around in person I haven't done much online yet - I've looked but haven't found much waitressing jobs for our area. Your idea about hotels is awesome! I hadn't even thought about it, so thanks for that. (:

THANKS, and to you also!

It can be possible if your quick about it, if you do not make your flight the airline will book you for the next available one that's all .

Yeah, but I'd feel terrible about wasting money for another ticket just because I missed my flight by, say, an hour. :/

[Morganalmonshid94 84]

No they won't make you pay, they do it for you I've missed plenty of international flights because of delays and customs issues, your airline will put you on the next flight available with no charge .

[mallafri76 1,012]

No they won't make you pay, they do it for you I've missed plenty of international flights because of delays and customs issues, your airline will put you on the next flight available with no charge .

Only if the connecting flight is booked together on one booking. OP, did you book your flight from Holland all the way to your final destination or did you book one trip to JFK and then a separate trip from there to your final destination?

[Morganalmonshid94 84]

I don't see why she would do that it makes no sense and is more expensive and im assuming she's bought a one way trip straight to her destination lol .

[HtBlack 4]

Oooooh really?! I booked it all together, of course. But thank you mallafri76 for specifying that it's only if I buy them together, it's an interesting detail. Like Morgan said it would be weird to buy them separately, but I can see it happening under certain conditions so it's good to know.

Thanks a lot to both of you, it makes me feel lots better to know that I won't need to dish out another 400$ if I miss my connecting flight because of busy customs or delays. I thought customs problems would be my own issue and wouldn't be considered enough to give me a spot on another flight for free.

[Morganalmonshid94 84]

No they aren't that heartless haha, I've flown with royal Jordanian, Lufthansa, U.S. Airways, and they've always done that with the flights I missed . Congrats, and enjoy the longggg flights haha .

[HtBlack 4]

yes, I'm glad they aren't!

Thank yooou. The long flights are so boring. I'm taking with me my poetry notesbook so I can edit some of the things I wrote for National Poetry Writing Month, maybe that will help pass the time - I can't sleep on planes.

[AnnaMaria 68]

The fact that you speak Spanish is going to give you huge leverage in most states in the U.S. My wife got here and spoke Romanian and English fluently, and could comprehend most spoken Spanish. She landed a pretty great job, which she had only 7 months past experience, within 60 days and it's been good for us so far. At 23, she's already in a job that could lead to a potentially good paying salary career. Bilingual gets you far in the U.S.

I honestly feel like unless you're working on Wall Street or some super serious job, don't worry about all the diplomas, start building your confidence, because confidence impresses employers, and employers give those with confidence the jobs.

Edited May 18, 2015 by AnnaMaria

[HtBlack 4]

AnnaMaria, thanks. It might sound weird coming from the person who wrote the thread above, but I have great self-confidence in my regular life here in Italy - I just feel like a newborn, coming to a completely new country, so I guess that's getting to me a little.

But that's great, I hope I have similar luck too! thanks again, really.

[NikLR 13,220]

The one thing you have to realize about being a waitress in the USA is that you NEED tips. They don't have to pay you even minimum wage because you will get tips. So being friendly and fast is a plus. However with lots of waitstaff experience, if you land a job a nicer restaurant, people expect food to take a little longer and tend to tip more because they're paying more. Just some thoughts.

POE is generally easy. People going camping on May long, vs going through airports in my experience.

[Pitaya 2,576]

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