doodle

Good morning ladies. I have to chime in on a few things. First of all, biggest congrats to Rhonda and Jonesie. It must be so exciting. What a future you have ahead of you, good luck!

Secondly, I have to agree with some of the topics discussed here. We want to remain supportive through our journeys and be friends to one another. For many of us this was a place where we felt free to talk about things because often we didn't have people in our lives who could understand. Let's all remember to help and be there for one another.

Lastly I have a Jamaica question. My brother-inlaw had a daughter about 4 years ago but because of other circumstances he did not get his name on the birth certificate, another man did. They know that the little girl is his, that was never in question. He now wants the little girl to have his surname but he is living in the states. Does anyone know where I can help him get the information on how to go about this.

As always, I appreciate any help I can get.

Have a blessed day!

I used FEDEX and had packages held at Montego Bay Airport Office. It was extremely reliable and fast. I would highly recommend using it. We had no problems at all and everything arrived practically overnight. Well worth the $$$.

Don't go thinkin henry and i aren't around anymore!

We've been crazy with our recent move to the Tar Heel State (NC) and life just gets hectic! We've both got new jobs and we've bought a house. We close in June and I will get high speed. Then I'll be back on.

Good to see you shuttin down more threads!

Peace and Love

Darah

I've had family difficulties as well. Luckily everyone is trying really to understand my life and accept my husband. We recently moved far from anyone that we know. Not to get away from them but to start fresh. It's a good feeling. We left alot of support behind which was difficult but change is a good thing sometimes. We are enjoying our new life in North Carolina and know it was the best decision for us.

Know yourself and you will make good choices. Follow your heart.

The K1 is used strictly for people who are going to get married in the US within the 90 day period. He will not be able to go back to Jamaica during this time. After marrying you can apply for advance parole which will be a document that allows him to travel before he gets his green card. we applied for it and got our green card so soon after the advance parole arrived it wasn't really worth it. But sometimes it can take a long time to get a green card so if he knows he's going to need to go home then you should definitely pay and file for it.

I recommend the K1 because I had to be with my man asap.

Hi everyone. We have officially moved to North Carolina and I really need to submit our AR-11. Has anyone submitted this online?

Please advise as I need to do this soon!

Thank you. If i should post this somewhere else please also advise.

Hi everyone.

We are moving to Chapel Hill, NC and being the partner with the college degree (not that it helps much these days anyways) I have been the one seeking employment the most. I am wondering if anyone has any advice for my husband. I am a nervous wife...

He has a high school education

He has a strong accent

He has many many skills

We have been living in a very isolated location for so long that we don't know where to begin.

He wants to take classes to further his knowledge of HVAC and plumbing.

Which companies do you think are good for him? Any suggestions?

I'm also posting to let you all know that we are officially moving at the end of the month. We are going to Raleigh/Chapel Hill, NC

Hey Darah -- Nice to hear from you. How was the vacation?

Good Luck on the move :energetic: That takes a lot of guts to do something like that. Let us know how it all works out!!

Ditto Good luck!! Yes It takes a lot of guts.....More than I have to muster.....Hubby's thinking about going back to LA to work. I keep looking at the big picture cost...cost...cost.vs comfort $ space. In the end I cannot get excited about moving. Finishing school is the most important thing to me right now, making money to support us, and his daughter is the most important thing to him right now. I'm already enrolled, purchased books everything. He's been told that he can works as soon as he gets his passport stamped. So he's ready to up and leave for LA. I've descied to let him go, well I don't think i have a choice .... and if the job works out I'll follow later, when if finish the sesmester out...I guess.... I am sooo not happy about the situation. He really hasn't given the job market here in KC a try, so yes I am upset about him wanting to leave just because he wants a "job" and not looking at the big picture.

What type of work does your husband do? Why does he think that he has to move to LA to do it? That would make me really sad. The one thing Henry and I always talk about is that we are in this together. We make decisions for us and we compromise if we have to. Why couldn't he get some temporary job for a few months while you finish school and then you can move together???

I am very nervous about our move. Henry is giving his notice today as he is doing overtime today with his boss. It makes me sad that he is leaving a great job. We cannot make a life where we live though...so as Henry says even though it pays great we can never buy a house here and we don't want to stay here so it makes no sense. so we are moving. I don't know if we are making the best choice, but in life you have to take chances and go with your gut!

Anya, I don't even live there yet but that's what I imagine myself doing on a Friday night. That's why I want to live in Chapel Hill.

It's funny what you say about Cary. I couldn't get over the McCafe's in Cary. They didn't even look like McDonald's. Plush seating, no red roof! I had to laugh

Hi everyone...Long time no chat!

I just wanted to say hello and congrats to all the arrivals, approvals and anniversaries! It's so exciting. I'm also posting to let you all know that we are officially moving at the end of the month. We are going to Raleigh/Chapel Hill, NC. We went down on New Years weekend to scope it out and really liked it. We are packing up and driving down to start a new beginning. We ate at a really great Jamaican restaurant and went to a nice market, it was really good to have those familiar things around us. The job search is on but we are taking the plunge even with no offers yet. We've been saving up for this and saving up for a house. Hopefully we will find it all there!

I'm so excited. Well, except for having to change address with USCIS and changing local offices. But at least we're doing it with good amount of time before we "remove conditions" in November.

I'm around so let me know your thoughts.

Peace and love

I'm not trying to overpay it's just that I think that Chapel Hill could be a better investment. Plus, I do not like to do major commutes. It looks like I will most likely be working in Chapel Hill....

yodrak...where would you suggest going?

being in an interracial marriage the racial concerns are there. I think that is why we were more drawn to chapel hill. Found a nice townhome there for 158K and almost new. People were a bit warmer. Anyone else have input on this issue?

I'm looking for jobs right now and we are going to be adventurous and move down around the first of February. We would like to buy sooner than later but I guess we will need to get a shorter term rental whil we figure it all out.

We are currently living on Martha's Vineyard which is obviously not working for us. We have done extensive research and without being too far from the northeast (most of our families live there) we have thought that Chapel Hill/Raleigh area would be a good place to start.

Anyone live there or have input?

Housing costs are reasonable...especially when you compare where we are coming from.

Jobs are plentiful

Wages seem right in our expectations

Beach isn't too far away (important to us as we are living on an island right now)

What do you think? I'll take all feedback, positive and negative, the more the merrier...

Happy holidays to everyone! I've been trying to upload a picture and it's not working (from our trip to disney) any ideas?

Good morning all! It has been way too long since I've dropped in and said hello...I have been in major limbo for the past 2 months and it has been hard on me and the relationship to say the least.

The good news is that we are finally flying his daughter here on sunday and we are going to good ole' Disney World. Everything is booked, we fly to Orlando tomorrow and she comes in on Sunday. With everything that has been going on its been harrd to get excited but I know it will be a blast once we get there.

I hope everyone is happy and safe and has great holidays. I'll check in again maybe with a pic after the trip.

Love always,

D

hi ladies...

I've been following recent posts but haven't had much time to chime in. Kelly, this must be so upsetting for you. I can't even imagine!

Let's not forget that every marriage is not peaches and cream...even the day after the wedding things can be hard. Marriages take work and perserverence. That being said, you should not be betrayed in your marriage. The one person who is always supposed to have your back is your partner. They are supposed to be your rock...even in the hardest of times. Things can and will get ugly at one point or another but we are not in our relationships to sabotage one another.

I hope that things work out for you whatever path you choose. Always remember your self worth

I may be one of the only ones who was NOT present at the k1 interview. I wasn't actually worried about it at all. Henry was well prepared, (except for the mistake with his birth certificate) and everything was smooth as pie. I don't think it hurts you at all not being there. It certainly hasn't stopped us.

Henry stayed at the Pegasus for the night I was a nervous wreck but we stayed strong and got through it. For me it wasn't financial reasons that I didn't go...I just didn't see the need for it with all of our evidence piled up. Hope that helps.

Anyone with any Orlando hotel ideas....I really don't know what to do?!?!

And yes, we did eventually get her tourist visa. We got our congressman's immigration advisor to step in and send an email on our behalf...we were called the next day, her mother brought the passport to the embassy and whispered some secret code into security's ear and her visa was fixed into the passport immediately...we are very lucky and blessed.

I tell henry that hard work and perserverance do pay off.

Thanks for asking

Hi ladies....

I'm planning a trip to Orlando...way overwhelmed with all the hotel choices. can anyone recommend a nice hotel that is clean comfortable and somewhat affordable? There will be two of us and my stepdaughter.

Throw me out a few names...pleeeaseee!

Good morning ladies....it is so grey and gloomy here, I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee

I know we have had a discussion about places to move in the past...I wanted to see if anyone has any ideas about living in North Carolina...specifically the Raleigh/Chapel Hill area??

We are thinking about it very strongly...houses are still really affordable and jobs are everywhere. There are also 6 or 7 different jamaican restaurnats and shops so that must mean they are there

Any thoughts anyone???

xoxo

d

Central Mass....

I'm on Martha's Vineyard!

Thank you thank you thank you a million times. Hearing everyone's support and guidance really helped carry me through my duties last nigth.

Well...I did it. First the parents.

Dad: Totally unhappy, pissed off and feeling like I didn't care about them or love them. He thinks I rushed into it and made a huge mistake. He said he cannot be happy for me.

Mom: Very emotional, not very talkative and seemed very torn between loving me and understanding me and dealing with my father's comments. She seemed to understand where I was at and although it is probably not what she wishes she sees that I am in love and assures me we will find a way...We had a ridiculously emotional conversation which I think in the long run was very good for our relationship. I love her more today than I have ever loved her.

Sister #1: Upset and angry, thought that I had disrespected the whole family, in particular my parents. She said she cannot be happy for me as well. (my sister and dad are exactly the same). I asked her for her love and support and she said she will always love me but she doesn't understand my choice.

Sister #2: Calm, peaceful and accepting. She feels that if I'm happy then she's happy. We always have an open door at her house and she will never let that change. Her relationship with me is way more valuble than trying to prove a point. She was sad she wasn't a part of it...I was sad too.

Now that it is all out in the open I feel much better. I am anxious to see what the next round of conversations will bring..especially with my parents.

Henry cried with me last night and we hugged until we fell asleep. It was a very difficult thing to do. He said that he was very proud of me. I did what I had to do. I love my husband.

Thanks again everyone. If anyone ever goes through this let me know. I got some amazing advice from a few friends of mine as well as you girls that I'd love to share with someone in a similar circumstance.

Blessings and love to all of you. I won't stay away so long this time.

Name : Doodle

SO's Name: Henry

Location : Martha's Vineyard, MA

My Significant Other Hails From : Rejoin, Jamaica (Hopewell)

Where is he now?: Right by my side

Wedding Date: 7/30/2005

At What Point of the Visa Journey are you?: GC recieved...Lifting conditions Nov. 2007

What's your JA connection/How did you meet?: While he was working in the US. Dated for 7 blissful months and continued with 4 vacations before going ahead K1 style.

Do you have a pic?: Yes on yahoo

What is your most memorable yardie thread moment?: hmmmm.....

Thank you so much for your thoughts. I guess the hardest part is that throughout my life they have always been supportive. This relationship is hard for them so it's the classic "out of sight out of mind". It's not just racial concerns though, it is age, upbringing, education, foreign born and the fact that he is a father. I think that they worry that we won't have a bright future with his lack of education. They feel that if they don't talk about it, etc. that maybe it will just go away.

It's all so stressful.

Hello Ladies! It has been a long time since I have written but I have been creeping the forum watching all of your beautiful moments unfold. So much has happened in the past year for all of us, it's so amazing! I am writing now because I need some immediate support.

We have had on and off again discussions about our families and their support (or lack of) in the past. Now it is time for my confessions if you will. I have done all of this immigration and marriage stuff without any of my family members being aware of it. I am close to my family but so distant from them at the same time. My parents and sisters (one of them is starting to understand) have never approved of mine and Henry's relationship for more reasons than racial...over the years it has almost completely vanished from our conversations. When I made the decision to go through with the K1 I made that decision on my own and with the support of my very best friends who knew that I was doing what I had to do. I got married to Henry under the same pretense. For the past year I have had the most wonderful life. I speak with my family every week or so and chit chat about this and that, they never ask me about him and I constantly try to drop his name or talk about things that we have done..etc. My parents live in TX and I have a sister in Boston and Vermont. I have actually only seen them once in the past year so "lying" has been easy but the haunting of this has not.

Yesterday was our one year anniverary and while it was such a rewarding day for us and so accomplishing there was this lingering feeling of major anxiety. I am telling my family today that we eloped yesterday. The idea of telling them that we have been lying for the past year is too excruciating..especially as my mother recently got diagnosed with breast cancer. I don't want them to be too hurt. We have decided that this is the best immediate solution in order to get the truth on the table and keep everyone's feelings in check. Now I am struggling with how to go about this confession. I am making the phone calls tonight. First I will call my parents, then my most opposing sister and finally my happy sister. I'm not even thinking about the immediate family and family friends yet as this is the main priority.

I am so excited to get everything off my chest but also terrified to hear the reactions. I have made a few jokes that I'm going to sit with my bottle of Jack Daniels and just bite the bullet...

If anyone has any advice to offer or is in a similar situation...please share your thoughts. I am waiting for 7PM to come for the first of the three dreaded phone calls.

I havent posted in ages...but I've been popping in to see what's going on with everyone...so much great news. I'm so happy for everyone.

Squitto, I thought that I would chime in regarding the tourist visa...

Remember my fiasco with Henry's daughter?!?! We contacted our congressman and things got taken care of in about a week. I would call your congress persons office, ask them who helps people with immigration related problems. Then tell them your story and ask if they can call or email on your behalf to the embassy. email the hell out of kingston with his mothers name and phone number, etc. and ask them please to reconsider their decision, tell them to please contact her for a reinterview....!!!!

It worked for us. You should try it. It feels almost like you are stalking them, but you have to do what you haev to do...