Post Embassy Drama, UK VJer 'Life In The USA' Edition.

[Gary & Aubrey 23]

It's good to hear about your guys' progress here in the U.S. Gary and I got married back in April, and filed for AOS in June. Still waiting for EAD, and he hasn't worked for 10 months so I hope it comes quickly. NOA1 date was June 15th, and our timeline estimate says adjudication may be between August 21-24. Fingers crossed! He has his license and SSN, and is on my medical no problem (I get state medical for free, as does he as my beneficiary). We are looking into apartments to move into once he's working, and hoping to add a dog to the family (already have a cat, or Gary's 'little man').

Gary likes he cost of things here, except cars. Mostly he likes the prices of groceries, electronics, etc. His parents came over for two weeks in July for our reception, and his dad marveled over the fact that he bought Levi's jeans at Marshalls for $27. He pays over £80 in England for the same style. He bought 3 pairs.

[DJ6372 111]

The only thing I miss is Monster Munch, stop looking for trade names of stuff and you will pretty much find what you want (except Monster Munch Lol)

Got to admit I am just crazy for ribs, only the USA does ribs this good!! Never found anywhere in the UK that came remotely close

Must admit first time OH said she loved Biscuits and Gravy I had a vision of Digestives covered in Bisto! lol

[wbeem 567]

Must admit first time OH said she loved Biscuits and Gravy I had a vision of Digestives covered in Bisto! lol

Love it!! I must say, I do love my biscuits, but I can't do the gravy thing. I like mine with grape jelly or butter.

Last weekend I found a new sin .... chicken and waffles drenched in bourbon syrup. I suspect that my new running regime is nature's way of ensuring that I slow down the food induced damage. I love the food here

[2ndMessiah 184]

Cracker Barrel restaurants. I used to think it was all just white mush food for old peeps. But all of a sudden it has become my first choice for comfort food.And for some reason Grits have suddenly become a number one hit with me. Especially with fried apples. Big slice of meatloaf, mash potatoes, gravy..... What has happened to me.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I love grits, but you have to add LOTS of butter and salt or they can taste like cardboard.

[DJ6372 111]

Meatloaf.........................OH does a fantastic meatloaf, hot or cold its the bees knees!!

[oscillate.wildly 1]

Gary likes he cost of things here, except cars. Mostly he likes the prices of groceries, electronics, etc. His parents came over for two weeks in July for our reception, and his dad marveled over the fact that he bought Levi's jeans at Marshalls for $27. He pays over £80 in England for the same style. He bought 3 pairs.

Ha that is funny, I also got some Levi's in Marshalls for cheap and it was one of the first things my Dad commented on when I got home to the UK! Literally whilst we were walking from car to the house. I have started looking for a car and I'm pretty horrified at the prices of used cars. Looks like you have to pay at least $6-7k for anything less than 10 years old and under 100k on the clock

Has anyone tried British things on their spouses? My fiancé's reaction to a digestive dipped in tea was pretty hilarious, he outwardly shuddered when he tried it! How you cannot love a tea-dunked biccy I don't know... but he does love meat pies (meat, in a pie?!) and fish and chips

[DJ6372 111]

OH was disgusted when I dunked a bikky, then she tried.....................hooked now! she loves digestives and a cuppa tea lol

[Britandconfused 2]

This is a great thread. I'm not as far along as most of you as I don't have my K-1 yet (waiting on NOA2 any day now...) but I have spent long periods (6 months) in the US with only brief trips back home. I get a it fed up about not finding the exact foods I want and certainly notice how expensive it can be compared to the UK if you're one that buys the cheap basics. I don't want to talk about the chocolate situation because it is upsetting!!! And high-fructose corn syrup in EVERYTHING (I have fructose intollerance which makes it a nightmare). I am pretty petrified about health care too. Being able to just go to the doctor when you really need to without having to think about whether you can afford to pay for it is certainly a blessing.

But there are some great things about the US that are certainly not in the UK. We love the outdoors and the weather is just incomparable to Northern England. The sun shines all the time in Virginia. We can drive to the mountains and walk for miles and miles on tiny trails surrounded by miles and miles of forest without signs and fences. We get two Christmas's with Thanksgiving! Fuel is cheaper so you can afford to take more trips out. There is real wilderness that is accessible - we lived in Scotland for a few years and got to go to some amazing places, but I've never been in a large forest in the UK or one that didn't feel manicured. You get much larger houses for your money compared to the UK. The weather is good enough to grow awesome vegetables and lots of them. Fruit tastes better. I can't wait to have a garden. Porches don't really exist in the UK, or at least sitting out each evening in perfect weather. Crickets sing in the summer and you can fall asleep listening to them.

I will miss pubs very very much (although local breweries are awesome!), and I will miss English Christmas's, but the latter is just sentimental and would happen if I were living anywhere that wasn't in the UK.

BTW, I'm in Canada right now, working up in the boreal forest. Oh. My. God. the mosquitoes!!!! and black flies!!! It's like something out of a horror movie. Absolutely beautiful place though, I saw a lynx the other day and raspberries and blueberries galore

Thank you for this lovely post! Reading it and other posts about life in the U.S. has got me fired up for my move! I'm currently waiting for my interview which is scheduled for September 14th. This process has been really long, it's felt really long. I was ready to move back when B proposed in October 2014. Almost a year on I feel a little battered from the process of waiting and not knowing.

But we're almost there and I can almost taste the BBQ down the street from where B lives and the AMAZING local beer I'm a bit gutted about missing the summer (Boston summers are sooooo much warmer and holiday-like than London!) but I am PSYCHED about getting there for he peek of the Fall! My absolute favourite time of year. So many wonderful places of natural beauty to explore in New England, not to mention all the other States I want to visit! I'm excited to spend my first Thanksgiving with B and his family. I've spent a couple of Christmas's with them and they do it to perfection!

I'll miss family and friends and British culture in general, but it'll be nice to come back and visit

VisaJourney has been such an amazing tool during this process, both for practical help but also the more personal side. You guys are all pretty wonderful

[2ndMessiah 184]

Thank you for this lovely post! Reading it and other posts about life in the U.S. has got me fired up for my move! I'm currently waiting for my interview which is scheduled for September 14th. This process has been really long, it's felt really long. I was ready to move back when B proposed in October 2014. Almost a year on I feel a little battered from the process of waiting and not knowing.

But we're almost there and I can almost taste the BBQ down the street from where B lives and the AMAZING local beer I'm a bit gutted about missing the summer (Boston summers are sooooo much warmer and holiday-like than London!) but I am PSYCHED about getting there for he peek of the Fall! My absolute favourite time of year. So many wonderful places of natural beauty to explore in New England, not to mention all the other States I want to visit! I'm excited to spend my first Thanksgiving with B and his family. I've spent a couple of Christmas's with them and they do it to perfection!

I'll miss family and friends and British culture in general, but it'll be nice to come back and visit

VisaJourney has been such an amazing tool during this process, both for practical help but also the more personal side. You guys are all pretty wonderful

I predict you will love Christmas with your significant other but will miss Christmas back in London and strangely odd things like the BBC.

[ChasUno 101]

I predict you will love Christmas with your significant other but will miss Christmas back in London and strangely odd things like the BBC.

Very true. I remember many, many years ago when in the UK we heard that the USA had dozens of TV channels and we only had three (as kids we were so jealous that they had a channel just for CARTOONS!), yet we didn't realise how bad some of the American channels were. The BBC channels look so professional in comparison, and it's weird to see local businesses advertising on TV stations. A local car dealer who has zero presence on camera makes it look so amateurish, and some of the TV channel presenters appear very amateurish also. Still, if you look hard enough their are some good channels over here, just be sure to flick past the trash! Saying all that, I do miss the BBC, especially news and current affairs programmes. Many USA news channels are so biased, and FOX News (aka "Faux Noise"!) has to be the most biased and awful news station I've ever seen. "Impartiality" is just a lot of syllables to their presenters!

[ChasUno 101]

Question here regarding getting a Social Security Number.

Just to confuse matters, I arrived in the USA on the 10th August, got married on the 11th, then my partner closed the sale of his house in Ohio on the 12th. On the 16th we arrived in Bradenton, Florida where we are renting an apartment for a couple of months whilst we look for a house to buy as we want to live down here.

All the I-129F/ K1 paperwork has my address down as my partner's house he just sold in Ohio. We are having mail forwarded from there, but, we are now located down in Florida at this temporary Bradenton address.

Will this be an issue for acquiring a Social Security Number? There's a SS Office very near to where we are staying, but I am wondering if we should wait until we have a permanent address before applying. Or is it OK just to show up with the completed application form (with our temporary address), I-94 departure/ arrival record and passport with K1 visa?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Social Security is a different part of the government. They only need to know you qualify, not what address you had on your visa paperwork. You can also apply at any SSA office, not just the one closest to a particular address you had on file with USCIS and DOS. I would get the number ASAP just because it is asked for by banks and such. Will simplify your life to have a number when asked.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Nich-Nick

[2ndMessiah 184]

I would also report your address change to the USCIS. I think you use Ar-11 form. I understand the US mail does NOT redirect USCIS mail.

[ChasUno 101]

Thanks Nich-Nick, that's good to know. We wanted to get the SSN sorted asap but as mentioned, we were concerned about the address change. We can use the temporary address for now until we find the house we want.

2ndMessiah - is it worth changing address with USCIS for our temporary address, or shall we wait until we find/ buy the house that will become our permanent address?