Lisa and Spence

I got mine last Friday via direct deposit. Spencer didn't get one because he didn't make enough last year to qualify. That was a total bummer!

Lisa

Just thought I would throw this question out there... I'm torn between paying off my credit card or spending it like we should be doing to stimulate the economy. There are soooo many things I would love to buy with this money... I'm thinking of a new camera or a new purse... I would like a new TV, but the one I want is about $4000 - considerable more than the $600 they gave me...

So what are y'all going to do with this money?

Lisa

At least they are not lost... that has been my experience with USPS... they just lose my packages and letters all together!

Unfortunately, USPS doesn't control the customs process - can't blame this one on them!

Maybe not blame them. But why do customs hold documents for so long? All thats in it is a few papers in a big envelope.

I have my bank account with my company's credit union, but when my husband moved here from England he came here with never having owned a credit card and purchasing everything with cash... thus, no credit history at all.

He researched banks online and decided to join WAMU. We opened his account online and just went in to finalize it by giving his signature and making a deposit. They are great at customer service and no fees! We got his first credit card via a secured credit card with them and within a couple of months, he was getting offers with other credit card companies. So that did the trick! We have had no complaints with WAMU at all.

Lisa

While I grew up in Macon (city south of Atlanta), I have been to a few of the Atl 'burbs over the years.... my best friend lives in a suburb called Dacula which is in the northeast corner of Atlanta. Small suburb, but she has a nice house.

I hear that Marietta and Alpharetta are nice...Buckhead is swanky in the downtown area.

Good luck with the move.

Lisa

How exciting that you are leaving in just a couple of days! I'm so envious of you! BTW, did you get my last email about where to go/ not to go in London? If not, I will email you again... anyway...

Check the weight of your baggage! I know some airlines have changed their baggage rules (how many you can bring and how much each can weigh). I actually saw a guy take his suitcases to Publix and weight them on those scales just inside the store. I thought it was a great idea because I did get hit with my suitcase being overweight when I was checking in for my flight to London. I had to rearrange my two bags there (quite embarassing) to avoid the upcharges for overweight bags.

Make sure if you have an ipod that you make sure they are fully charged and bring the cables with you. Defintely buy a electric current adaptor before you go. I had one, but my hair straightener didn't work witht he converter I bought so I ended up buying a cheap one over there.

The flight was no problem, just have your passport and drivers license close at hand while you are traveling. I took the long walk to the international hub in Atlanta instead of using the tram because I knew I was going to be cooped up for 10 hrs in the plane.

You should enjoy the flight on Virgin - that is the flight that Spencer takes everytime he goes to London. Make sure you sign up for their frequent flyer program since you and Darren will be flying over there.

Tell Darren that Spence and I are looking forward to meeting him once he gets over here!

Lisa

We met in the Yahoo chatroom for "30's Romance". It was his first time he tried the chat rooms and went into an American one because he finds Americans very friendly. I would go into chat rooms when I was bored... but it was usually Florida based chat rooms. I was bored with them and just went into the general nationwide 30's romance chatroom.

He IMed me after he found out that I lived in Florida (and he had worked on a cruise ship that used a few Florida ports in the past). We started chatting and just clicked. We have pretty much been in touch everyday since that first meeting.

Lisa

There is no need for a lawyer when you can fill out the forms yourself. Just take your time and fill them out correctly and gather the information they ask for.

The hardest part of the entire process was the waiting.

Lisa

I don't like cooked seafood.... let alone raw seafood.

I did try it once at a party since it was free. It was nasty, thank god I had some liquor to wash it down with. =)

Never have, never will.

When Spencer was in London, we would talk over the Yahoo IM. Now that he is here, he still uses the Yahoo IM to talk to family back home.

We met on April 8th, got engaged on October 18th... so I wanted to get married on the 28th of whatever month he was able to move here. I love the number eight because it is close to the eternity symbol, so I wanted to be married with the number 8 somewhere in the date.

Since he moved here in May 2006, we had 90 days to be married and the Immigration fees were being raised in July, we wanted to get married ASAP to get the paperwork in and him have the ability to travel and work ASAP. We decided to get married on May 18th because it was a Saturday and I wouldn't have to take any time off of work - I'm trying to build up the vacation hour bank that was depleated in our courtship.

So, while I really wanted the 28th, we did it on the 18th... but I got my 8 in the date! =)

Lisa

Spencer and I both use this sign on and you will see postings from both of us upon occassion. Neither of us have been on in the past few weeks.

I have been crazy busy with work and he has finally started to work so we don't have the spare time we used to have. We are having a great time, no difficult adjustments really so I guess we are pretty lucky.

I pop in to see if we have any messages and how some friends are doing.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Lisa

My husband just had to purchase a car and we had limited finances because he isn't working yet and has no credit history... while he was hoping to pay for the car outright, we didn't have enough money to do that. So we were able to get a small loan from a relative and found a really nice 1990 Honda Civic EX for about $7000. It is in beautiful condition, so we are both happy with it. I know that Honda Civics run forever and have great gas mileage as I have had two... one I drove for 13 yrs and my current one that I bought new in 1999 and have driven the wheels off of it. I have had one maintenance issue with it that was outside of the regular upkeep of a car.

If you are looking for dependable transportation, look for Honda or Toyota. If you are looking for something short term and cheap, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Chrysler... I don't consider them dependable transportation though.

Good luck with the car shopping... but I would honestly not expect to find anything decent under $6000.

I really hope that is a typo somehow... $7000 is too much unless its been completely rebuilt....

Whoops! That is a typo... his car is a 2000. I just looked it up on the Kelly Blue Book site and it is priced at $6720, so we got it at pretty much the actual cost. And while I kind of think that is expensive for a 7 yr old used car... I know that Hondas keep their value and hold up for a loooooong time, which is why I bought mine new.

But check out www.kbb.com they will tell you the value of the car you have or are looking at. It is a great tool to use when shopping for a car!

My husband just had to purchase a car and we had limited finances because he isn't working yet and has no credit history... while he was hoping to pay for the car outright, we didn't have enough money to do that. So we were able to get a small loan from a relative and found a really nice 1990 Honda Civic EX for about $7000. It is in beautiful condition, so we are both happy with it. I know that Honda Civics run forever and have great gas mileage as I have had two... one I drove for 13 yrs and my current one that I bought new in 1999 and have driven the wheels off of it. I have had one maintenance issue with it that was outside of the regular upkeep of a car.

If you are looking for dependable transportation, look for Honda or Toyota. If you are looking for something short term and cheap, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Chrysler... I don't consider them dependable transportation though.

Good luck with the car shopping... but I would honestly not expect to find anything decent under $6000.

Why not have your wife work until you are able to work? I know you said she is an actress/singer, but if she can't find steady employment doing that... why doesn't she put that on hold and get a steady job in another field until you are able to find employment yourself?

I would hope that she would put her relationship with you ahead of her acting/singing career.

Here is an update!

Lisa&Spence - we got the AOS approved and the card arrived in the mail on October 1st!

Hi all, just to let you know that i received two e-mails today saying my AOS has been approved and i should get my card within 60 days...thank god thats over

Im also leaving today for England and will be coming home in two weeks, so im happy its all over for now.

Hang in there the rest of you who are waiting.

Hee hee, i lost it last week thinking i was put back to the bottom of the pile cos i received my AP & EAD, i just wanted it to be over

Last month i was touched 4 times in two weeks.

Then i received my AP, EAD which are processed at another service centre not CSC, but no further action on my AOS, you here about people waiting for ages and have to renew there EAD cos no further action has been taken.

If they think that because i now have my AP and EAD that they can through me back to the bottom of the pile and catch up on other AOS's they are mistaken.

I will give it till every june filer has received there AOS etc then i will find someone to look into it, congress man ..lawyer etc , yeah im P***ed cos i see others after i filed have got the OK.... good luck to them, im happy for them, i just hate to be taken for a mug

Anyway rant over....time will tell

Hi my fellow Eastenders addicts, im male 38 from london as lisa D knows, we have spoken a few times on here.

I love Eastenders, Emmerdale and corrie, sad i know but there we go im a member of uknova and i watch it on there, i think that its too easy for it to be Jane who's playing with Ian's mind, it has to be someone else, who i dont know, but it will be fun to see who ?

Corrie is exiting at the moment what with David being an ###, Bethany taking an 'E', Hayley and her son etc.

I could go on forever, stay tunned, bye for now

Spence

Great choice once you fly Virgin you wont wanna fly with anyone else, like i said in my post im flying Virgin back to London on th 28th september for two weeks to see the family and go to sisters wedding...enjoy the trip.

Spence

Im flying back to London from Orlando, Florida on the 28th september, im flying with Virgin Atlantic who i fly with all the time, i have quite a few miles added up now and ive used them and cash for my flight, it came to $625 return.

I only fly with Virgin now as i have never had a single problem with them, BA would be my next choice

Im travelling back to London to see my sisters wedding next month, im also waiting for my AOS to be approved which should be any day now.

My question is on my return to the states do i need to fill in I-94 card ?

Also can i go through the US lines at the airport instead of the overseas lines at passport control on return ?

Today i got an e-mail from USCIS saying that my I-131 (Travel doc) has been approved, thats good news as my sister is geting married next month and i was hoping to go, i was touched on the 21st August on my AOS for the fourth time, but no news as of yet.

Now we dont want the family to miss the soaps, i know i cant live without them

Its a great site what with the differant streeming times, you get all you need in the way of British tv.

I know it seems a little expensive but if they add to it which they seem to be doing then maybe it will be worth everyone getting who misses British TV, thats why i posted this on visa journey.

Did you try the weeks free view ?

Thats good because they dont ask you for credit details, some sites seem to be a con, but this one is cool and i would recomend it to anyone.

enjoy

spence