Leedah

we have other interview scheduled March 25th. Please update us and wish us luck. Thanks.

i'm here. Gearing up also to go.

Why not just get an inhome daycare license and work out of your home caring for kids?

Its more money there.

Does anyone have experience in the childcare field? My fiancee has a few years as a "nanny" in Thailand and would like to work for a daycare or do more nanny work in the U.S. Do you think it would be difficult to get such a job here for a recent immigrant?

WOW! Who quoted you that price???

I go to Banjul from Dakar ALLLLLLLL the time.

I have NEVER paid that much.

You must be getting "taxi quotes".

Just get to the bust stop in the morning. It leaves at about 6-7am. (i'll get the rate in a few)

It goes all the way to banjul.

I have a Delta pass to go and as soon as I get up $406 (my ticket cost), I will be going also. If I get it before you go, I'll travel with you and show you the way. (broke from this whole immigration process & calling hubby lol).

When are you going?

Me too. Count me in!

You guys aint gonna believe this....

The new cosponsor (2nd) said today "I am going to be frank. I can't help because I haven't worked a full time job in 1 and a half years. (I was told that he is a pharmacist by the brother in law of my husband. Evidently he's just pharmacy student). And I wasn't told this upfront because........??? (insert sarcasm and hysterical laughter here. lol)

I am truly amazed now. The only thing that is holding up this process is needing a bonafide cosponsor that has worked somewhere for the last 3 years and has tax returns to prove it. I guess I better just hang it up.

It looks like my husband may not be coming here after all.

Rats!

I seem to have 2 listings for some reason.

These are just events that happen to 1 person (me). lol.

Leedah..............Gambia........IR1/CR1......10/21/08....11/06/08(put in AP)

Leedah..............Gambia........IR1/CR1......10/21/08....11/18/08(2nd interview)

Please update my info to reflect the latest info below:

Leedah..............Gambia........IR1/CR1......10/21/08....11/18/08(2nd interview. Income Verify)

helllooooo helllooooo....

Echo...Echo....

Feedback. lol.

We got a new cosponsor because the original guy we had (husbands relative) was getting fed up with me calling and asking for him to give me his proof of income (checkstubs, letter from employer and proof of amount in bank account).

Evidently, he had cosponsored someone else last year and it was easy for him. So since Dakar is asking for more than the usual (almost to the point of our left legs and a pint of blood), and he is not wanting to give all that.

I just asked my husbands brother in law to find someone else completely, which he did.

What with getting the runaround from the embassy about my own income (though I SHOULD qualify), I don't have time to deal with a fickle cosponsor who wants to hold up the process.

My husband's brother-in-law who lives in the U.K has located another friend who is willing to be the new co-sponsor.

This person is a pharmacist and has a good income also, so if dakar turns us down again, i'm going there and looking them straight in the eye!

This is just crazy. I mean its not like immigrants come here just to get on welfare. How many africans do you know that even halfway know what welfare is?? lol.

Welfare to them is "WELL...use some busFARE to get 2 jobs!

I don't know one african that doesn't either have 2 or 3 jobs or has some sort of side hustle.

Even the women who stay home are known to sell phone cards out of their homes, keeps kids or sell african dresses.

The Dakar embassy is getting more and more insane.

My two cents.

Hey folks.

Well it looks like my husband was asked to come back....again... for a 3rd interview.

For the same thing, ...income.

First interview, they said that I needed a cosponsor. (I informed them that I had sent all the info for the co-sponsor to NVC). Also since I had been traveling most of last year in and out the country, I knew I would need one.

They emailed me back and said that they didn't receive the info for any cosponsor (claims is was "lost" before they got it) and that I needed to resend the co-sponsors I-864 again. The lady who did the interview is the one who emailed me back. She said that if I could email her the proof (check stubs, new I-864 for cosponsor, etc), then she could "work off of that".

Soooooo, i stayed up all night gathering all the income proof that I could. I went online and found out that I could show assets, so I included an annuity that I have that is $480,000, my car, bank account amount, etc.

I made an itemized income statement also so that they could understand where the money was coming from.

Also I had gotten a second job recently and I included that also, with my first 2 paychecks from their.

AND, I AGAIN included the co-sponsors I-864.

After I had gotten everything together, I was SURE they would approve.

Now my husband called and says that I don't qualify and that I have to get ORIGINAL documents from the cosponsor that shows his income. And guess what, the cosponsor is a PERMANENT RESIDENT!! I am the U.S. Citizen and they would rather look at papers from the PERMANENT RESIDENT!!!

I AM JUST SICK OF THIS MESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now my husbands relative is talking to another PERMANENT RESIDENT who happens to be a pharmacist to be the cosponsor.

I just can not believe this #######. I work EVERYDAY....60 hours a week sometimes. JUST because I was traveling most of last year (due to my 2 boys being kidnapped by my crazy ex) and could not work a full time job, now i'm being penalized.

This makes me want to give up and move the H_ll on to another country.

Leedah

Sorry for the vent. Can't help it.

ONE silver lining....my husband says that he got through the relationship part and that was approved at the first interview. He says that the visa is approved except for the income part. ARRRRRRG!

Now if we don't get a cosponsor, I may have to just wait until January to file my 2008 taxes and then show them my new income. This is so stupid to keep married people apart.

The U.S. is NOT the only country in the world. hahahaha

yes, you can file for a fiance visa even you have known the person 1 day. its totally up to you.

However I would suggest atleast getting to know the person before filing.

Thanks WonTanNara,..

Keep'em comin.

Leedah

P.S. I've notated your requests.

Hey folks.

I'm putting together a VJ Meetup for SO's who are African.

Please list the following so that I may have an idea of where to start:

-Current state of residence & city

-Where your SO is from

-Preferred cuisine

-Preferred time of year

You may list any other tips and idea's as they come.

Prefer that everyone list here instead of by PM. This is to let everyone see what everyone wants and I can plan it better.

I look forward to planning!

Leedah

I won't forget.

Sorry about that. I dont know why they have gone up on the price.

geez louweeeeze!

Try manjai lodge. Its pretty cozy and basic. I'll look around for you.

When are you needing it so i'll know the dates?

Leedah.

Afternoon everyone.

I was gonna start at the beginning post and read up, but hey that is ALOT of posts to read. What are we talking about today? lol

ohhhh, I remember getting fanned!

I was so bad about getting waited on that my husband started calling me Baby Beach.

Baby=because I turned into the BIGGEST baby. HE even was washing me from head to toe everytime we took our bath...and I do mean EVERYTIME. It's a wonder the man didn't go on strike. But then again I am only 5'3 and 120, so he didn't have much to wash. He says he liked to do it for me. I wonder why? hahahahaha.

Beach=I literally begged him to take me to the beach almost everyday so that I could (as he puts it) "play in the water".

Due to this, I became Baby Beach.

I am thinking back to the time I went to see my husband for a month right before Ramadhan last year.

It was MAGNIFICENT, even though we were hungry from fasting. I remember once as the time drew near for the fast to break, I went to the market with my girlfriend's husband (my friend was at the doctor with her infant) and he helped me pick out some vegetables and chicken to cook for my husband. It took almost 2 hours because you have to walk 30 minutes TO the market,...then go around the market looking and picking fresh items and FINALLY look for some meat to cook that isn't just sitting out with fly's buzzing off it (which is a feat in itself). I only buy refrigerated meat.

Anyway, I made it back home just in time to cook. And guess what, my idea of finally getting to cook for my husband ended up being my husband cooking on the charcoal pit for me instead . oh lawd. lol. He said that I'd burn myself. I laughed my head off at that . Then I figured that he might have been right... after I saw him fanning the flames on that charcoal . I knew I wasn't gonna have any energy after fasting all day in the HOT african sun to fan a flame just to eat . My hubby sweetly took the fan and started up as if it was no big deal. AWWWWWW....i'm tearing up now . lol

This makes me think about how much I go around and around about how much my husband "need to do this",.."gotta do that",....blah blah blah.

Then I remember the times when I will call him at 10pm my time (3am in the morning for him) and I'll say I can't sleep and he will talk with me until I go to sleep,...even though he can barely keep his eyes open.

And when he is hungry but decides to spend time with me online for a few moments before going to eat.

Or when I go see him in the rainy season in Gambia. He will pick me up and piggy-back me through the swollen waterlogged gutters so that I wont have to step in the river-like streets. Even though EVERYONE is looking at us like we are aliens on a visit. Sorry, I am REALLY trippen now missing my hubby.

I get pissed off at him for things that make no sense to me (the african mentality)...then it takes remembering the little things to know what really matters.

Well, folks I hope your with your SO's soon.

Peace Out.

Leedah

Gambia is nice this time of year. Since you have been to Africa, I guess I don't have to explain what nice is. Obviously your use to the sand everywhere. hahaha.

Anyway, I would suggest that you go to a place called Sun Downers in Kotu. It is owned by an older British couple name Mick and Janice.

They have a BEAUTIFUL compound that is VERY clean, has a lovely pool and is in a nice area with LOTS of restaurants and entertainment (atleast for Gambian standards, lol).

Here is the link: Sun Downers

http://www.sundownersgambianvillas.co.uk/ (in case you want to simply cut and paste or save the link.

Anyway, tell them that Khalidah sent you and they should give you a good discount. hahaha. Who knows if they will, but if you can haggle, you might get by. lol.

I have LOTS of peeps there if you go and need rides around no charge or if you get in a jam and need assistance.

I got international text message on my cell, so text me if your there and need assistance on something.

Leedah

actually, some CO's just "say" things are missing when they really are not.

They sometimes do this to test the individuals to see if the person immigrating will just give up.

If they come back with the requested info (even though it may have been there the whole time), then they will grant the visa with no more questions.

Its just their tactics.

This happened to me. They asked for the I-864 again, said my co-sponsors info was COMPLETELY missing (though when I called by phone i inadvertently heard info that was only on the co-sponsors form...their income amount), also they said we were missing the medical...though that was the only thing my husband really brought with him by hand.

So, don't give up, its just a test.

This time we are throwing MASSIVE amounts of paperwork at them. hahaha

hey ladies.

I'm finally back. Been working alot these past few days.

How is everyone?

hahaha, I totally understand that.

Omoba, why are you in the twilight zone?

i meant be WITH ME,...not "be me". hahaha

i'm back again.

WonTanNara, thanks for the great advice. It appears that my husband is indeed VERY afraid to come here, yet wants to be me. huh??

He explained that he was upset due to traveling to Dakar for the interview and not understanding why everyone else in line was getting to go with their spouses and he couldn't.

Well, after talking to his relatives (he's staying with distant relatives while waiting on the 2nd interview date), they told me in confidence that he has been walking around looking like a lost puppy.

I wonder why Africans are so temperamental? I mean, i'm african-american,...and our gene pool couldn't be THAT way off.

Anyway, after I told him that he could come here and stay with his cousin for a month to get adjusted first, he nearly lost his mind saying "You're my wife, ..why you trying to dump me off on somebody else?". lol, Africans are EXTREME. Here I was thinking that since i'm his first wife, first woman, first love, ....heck first everything,...i just thought he would feel more comfortable being with his folks when first arriving and just coming to me once he had acclimated that first week or so. Not trying to "dump him"...just keep peace. He said he was more comfortable being in my face in our house up in my armpit. Yes, he has a strange way with words. hahahaha.

Anyway, a new appointment date is set for Nov.18, 2008.

Hope he doesn't get crazy again before then. I am seriously thinking about putting him on meds, but my friends say that its just the culture of african men. Anyone have any comments on that?