Okay, dammit...

[Nasturtium 500]

She was extremely happy. And as she said in an email after we spoke on Skype,

At the moment the real date is based only on average processing times from now to interview. As soon as I find out her interview date then we will know the 'real' date. But why quibble. Back when I first sent my application the average processing times from NOA1 to NOA2 was right around where my actual occurred - 135 days.

So after I finish sending everything off to her in early May I will then direct my attention to what will be necessary for AOS, EAD, AP, and the I-864. Briefly looking at the forms last night there is nothing that seems to present any problem there. I'm sure I'll have a few questions.

Congrats! it is so exciting to get this stuff moving forward... don't stress about the process It can take longer or shorter than average, but either way you just keep your eye on the prize, right?

[Nasturtium 500]

Hey! Can I post here too? Lars and I lived in Russia for a while and he speaks fluent Russian and has interviewed for another job there.....

Of course! And welcome! What were you doing in Russia? What area?

Ahhh.....a lovely little village WAY up north, about 45 minutes from the border of Finland, in the Karelian Forest - Suojarvi. My mom and I visited Lars there for a few weeks when he was there working two years ago. We didn't end up living there because there wasn't any western style housing there, no running water, indoor plumbing, that sort of thing, except at the "hotel" that we were staying in. Lars was there for about 6 months. He was working there for a Danish company that has recently bought out the Russian timber company.

I was able to do things and see things that I had never, ever seen or done before (since I'm from the south ya'll). I saw a TON of snow, walked on frozen lakes, ate ice cream in the winter time.....it was such a great trip.

We drove from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk and then on to Suojarvi. It was so much fun driving across that part of Russia and seeing how different it was from St. Petersburg. It was like being in a time warp, sort of. In the region of Karelia, a lot of that area is very poor and rural. It was fun to visit there and really makes me appreciate every little thing that I have here.

LOVED St. Petersburg and will go back as soon as we can!

That sounds like a nice adventure! Did the people without running water end up doing a boiler system for bathing, etc? I've always wanted to see that system in action.

[missmissy 38]

Hey! Can I post here too? Lars and I lived in Russia for a while and he speaks fluent Russian and has interviewed for another job there.....

Of course! And welcome! What were you doing in Russia? What area?

Ahhh.....a lovely little village WAY up north, about 45 minutes from the border of Finland, in the Karelian Forest - Suojarvi. My mom and I visited Lars there for a few weeks when he was there working two years ago. We didn't end up living there because there wasn't any western style housing there, no running water, indoor plumbing, that sort of thing, except at the "hotel" that we were staying in. Lars was there for about 6 months. He was working there for a Danish company that has recently bought out the Russian timber company.

I was able to do things and see things that I had never, ever seen or done before (since I'm from the south ya'll). I saw a TON of snow, walked on frozen lakes, ate ice cream in the winter time.....it was such a great trip.

We drove from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk and then on to Suojarvi. It was so much fun driving across that part of Russia and seeing how different it was from St. Petersburg. It was like being in a time warp, sort of. In the region of Karelia, a lot of that area is very poor and rural. It was fun to visit there and really makes me appreciate every little thing that I have here.

LOVED St. Petersburg and will go back as soon as we can!

That sounds like a nice adventure! Did the people without running water end up doing a boiler system for bathing, etc? I've always wanted to see that system in action.

I don't know what they did. I can tell you that the hotel had running water - it was a brownish red color so we didn't drink it, but showered and washed up in it. We saw people of all ages pulling sleds with big old fashioned looking milk cans on them, to and from the community well. We could talk to some of the local people but they did not invite us into their homes. We met almost everyone either at the factory or at the hotel.

[bobb 0]

Right now it's running about 11 weeks from NOA2 to interview. Last week in June sounds about right. Mark it on your calendar...in pencil.

We'll make our final decision after she receives her interview date. I mentioned to her I thought it might be a good idea for me to come in the middle of August since her birthday is on the 15th and her son's is on the 21st.

I know the value of writing things in pencil as my profession only uses ink for signing things!

[lee b 2]

Well let me see. I met Oksana in New York and when she went back to Russia I was heartbroken. So I followed her there this past Christmas and proposed. We filed in February and now rather impatiently I await approval.

As a side note it I am not the stalker that it may sound like.

[slim 1,514]

As a side note it I am not the stalker that it may sound like.

Stalker? I like to think of it as a really intense following.

[lee b 2]

As a side note it I am not the stalker that it may sound like.

Stalker? I like to think of it as a really intense following.

That is exactly what I said to the cops.

[KGSodie 0]

Stephen Lynch: Rae Dawn Chong.

[mox 298]

Because this is the RU forum, my brain translated that to "Red Dawn Chong," and I was like...errrrrr wut?

[lee b 2]

I will admit my ignorance. I don't get the Stephen Lynch: Rae Dawn Chong reference. Will someone fill me in?

[mox 298]

I will admit my ignorance. I don't get the Stephen Lynch: Rae Dawn Chong reference. Will someone fill me in?

Stephen Lynch is a comedian. He wrote a song called "Opie's Lament," about Rae Dawn Chong.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/R-D...8256FB000065926

[slim 1,514]

My Korea-senses kicked in and I heard Rae Dong Chong, a pretty common-sounding Korean name.

[b_fowler 0]

Olga and I are waiting for the visa interview, scheduled thursday, 9 April in Moscow. She and her daughter have already done the medical and are just awaiting the visa approval. If all goes well they should be heading here to the states on the 29 April. Nervous, thats where I am at at the moment, everything seems to be going okay, but it is just the normal feeling you get before a life changing event is in the balance of someone else deciding if you are worthy and if everything is as it says it is!!!

[mox 298]

Olga and I are waiting for the visa interview, scheduled thursday, 9 April in Moscow. She and her daughter have already done the medical and are just awaiting the visa approval. If all goes well they should be heading here to the states on the 29 April. Nervous, thats where I am at at the moment, everything seems to be going okay, but it is just the normal feeling you get before a life changing event is in the balance of someone else deciding if you are worthy and if everything is as it says it is!!!

You'll be fine. And the real worrying and sweating starts about a week before she's supposed to step off the plane. Right now you're just amateur worrying.

Best of luck to you both!!

[lee b 2]

I will admit my ignorance. I don't get the Stephen Lynch: Rae Dawn Chong reference. Will someone fill me in?

Stephen Lynch is a comedian. He wrote a song called "Opie's Lament," about Rae Dawn Chong.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/R-D...8256FB000065926

My "persistence" didn't quite make it to that level. It was a pretty funny song though.