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Otto

Things To Remember - A List (Germany to USA)

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Speaking from Germany to America just jotted down some things that might be helpful to keep in mind.

Food

* Don't need to bring bags with you to the grocery store.

* Make a list of things you love to eat/cook with - may not be available here. You will miss some things.

* Bread is much different (for the most part)

* Shopping carts don't require 1Euro to use

* Cheeses are much different (mostly swiss and chedar)

People

* While there is not an 'ampt' for everything, we're still not as 'free' as you would think

* Even if you've lived here your entire life - some Americans are hard to understand.

* Some people will try to take advantage of you if they think they can.

* If you're a soccer fan - Get Cable - (ask for Fox Soccer channel)

Driving/Cars

* Parking is usually free - like grocery stores, malls, etc (I know, not everywhere, but mostly)

* People do not get out of the left lane

* People drive incredibly huge cars

* Gas is cheaper and is by the gallon, not liter (4 liters/gallon)

* Radar detectors are legal in most states

* Car inspections are no where near as tough

* Drivers License doesn't cost nearly as much

Money

* Credit/Checking Cards accepted almost everywhere - cash/geld not required to have on hand

* Telephones are usually flat rate for local

* Prices usually do not include tax - you'll need to add it to know what the actual cost is.

* Most bills (utilities, etc) are monthly

* Renting a home/apartment is done with a contract - usually 6 or 12 months

Miscl.

* Things are open on Sunday

* TV has little nudity/foul-language, but lots of violence (pay tv not included)

* Beds (usually) are higher/taller off the ground

* Toilets are smaller (so I've been told)

Working

* Applying for a job does not require your life's history

* Not uncommon to work 45+ hours per week

* No government insurance - it's on you/your employer (excluding Medicare)

* Pay Day/Salary is usually paid weekly or every two weeks..monthly is not typical

Thats about it for now.. just my experience..does not apply to everyone am sure.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

That list is very similar to Canada too!!!!

Good points!!!!

"THE SHORT STORY"

KURT & RAYMA (K-1 Visa)

Oct. 9/03... I-129F sent to NSC

June 10/04... K-1 Interview - APPROVED!!!!

July 31/04... Entered U.S.

Aug. 28/04... WEDDING DAY!!!!

Aug. 30/04... I-485, I-765 & I-131 sent to Seattle

Dec. 10/04... AOS Interview - APPROVED!!!!! (Passport stamped)

Sept. 9/06... I-751 sent to NSC

May 15/07... 10-Yr. PR Card arrives in the mail

Sept. 13/07... N-400 sent to NSC

Aug. 21/08... Interview - PASSED!!!!

Sept. 2/08... Oath Ceremony

Sept. 5/08... Sent in Voter Registration Card

Sept. 9/08... SSA office to change status to "U.S. citizen"

Oct. 8/08... Applied in person for U.S. Passport

Oct. 22/08... U.S. Passport received

DONE!!! DONE!!! DONE!!! DONE!!!

KAELY (K-2 Visa)

Apr. 6/05... DS-230, Part I faxed to Vancouver Consulate

May 26/05... K-2 Interview - APPROVED!!!!

Sept. 5/05... Entered U.S.

Sept. 7/05... I-485 & I-131 sent to CLB

Feb. 22/06... AOS Interview - APPROVED!!!!! (Passport NOT stamped)

Dec. 4/07... I-751 sent to NSC

May 23/08... 10-Yr. PR Card arrives in the mail

Mar. 22/11.... N-400 sent to AZ

June 27/11..... Interview - PASSED!!!

July 12/11..... Oath Ceremony

We're NOT lawyers.... just your average folks who had to find their own way!!!!! Anything we post here is simply our own opinions/suggestions/experiences and should not be taken as LAW!!!!

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Hello Otto,

good list however as you have mentioned already there are some exceptions.

If you have an ALDI store nearby where you are going to live you might want to have a quarter in your wallet or a plastic chip as you are familiar to Germany since there it's just like in Germany. In a way I miss that at other grocery stores since some people here are just lazy and park their shopping cart next to other cars when they are done using them. Especially when it is windy the carts then roll all over the parking lot and bumping into cars. So, those people act rather selfish then smart. Also, bring your bags to ALDI or at least a box. ;)

Driving

I noticed that there are a lot of selfish people on the road not using their turn signal, not even in crucial situations like merging from the left lane all the way to the right, crossing in front of you in very heavy rain. Use of cell phones while driving is also common. I know not everybody is like that but this is what I have noticed in the last past months and I am not driving nearly as much as I was in Germany. Personally, I feel more stress while driving here than in Germany.

Credit Cards (this is only a story about how much I am already used to Credit Cards)

Just before Christmas I went to the post office, close to closing time, trying to send my Christmas cards to Germany. Unfortunately that day, the phone lines in the post office were down and nobody was able to pay with debit or credit cards. This had to happen when I had no cash in my wallet and no checks on me. I just thought, great, this happens in the country, where you can buy almost everything by using credit cards. this was just a bad timing that day. Weird thing was that some of my Christmas mail made it to Germany on time while others did not make it until a week after Christmas. (this even happened to mail within the same city.) So, for next year, I will be prepared better. :yes:

Bread

We got a bread machine as a wedding present and we now make our own yummy bread (I still miss the typical German Mischbrot).

Hope I did not sound too negative, just wanted to add my experience.

~Anja

Anja (Magdeburg, Germany) and Hank (Richmond Heights, OH, USA)

Met in September 1996

Together since June 25, 1997

Jul 23 2005 - Married in Magdeburg

Removal of Conditions

Dec 19'08 - Mailed I-751 Package

Dec 22'08 - NOA date

Dec 24'08 - Check cashed

Jan 07'09 - NOA in mail

Jun '09 - Biometrics/10 year Greencard issued and sent in mail

AOS Process

May 30'06 - AOS package sent including EAD

June 7'06 - NOA1 Date for EAD and AOS

June 8'06 - both checks were cashed

June 9'06 - NOA1 in mail

June 22'06 - Biometrics for AOS and EAD in Cleveland

June 24'06 - both cases touched

Sept 12'06 - INFOPASS - interim EADs no longer issued in district offices :-(

Sept 21'06 - EAD finally approved according to Email by USCIS after 114 days

Sept 28'06 - EAD arrived in Mail

Oct 03'06 - Applied for SSN

Oct 10'06 - Received SSN card in mail

Nov 6'06 - Received Interview Letter

Jan 5'07 - Interview Date - approved

Jan 5'07 - CRIS email: welcome notice mailed

Jan 10'07 - CRIS email: Card was ordered on Jan 9'07

Jan 18'07 - Greencard in Mail (dated Jan 12'07)

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Filed: Other Country: Germany
Timeline
Bread

We got a bread machine as a wedding present and we now make our own yummy bread (I still miss the typical German Mischbrot).

Anja, do you have a good recipe for dark bread or so AND where do you get the flour from. Now, remember we live in the Middle of Nowhere so there is no ALDI here for the next 100 miles, also no IKEA (if that should be of any importance). All I find in the store is white flour and the bread is usually...well....not so good.

Removal of Conditions Timeline:

03/19/2008 - package sent to TSC, let's hope for the best

03/20/2008 - check cashed

03/26/2008 - case sent to Vermont Service Center

04/17/2008 - Biometrics scheduled

05/19/2008 - received I551 extension stamp via INFOPASS

02/12/2009 - APPROVED

02/21/2009 - GC received...no mistakes...valid until 2019

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