Elli&Chris

My first job was cashier at McDonald's (early 2009). Previous experience was childcare/retail/customer service, no college. Finding a job back then was super hard!

After McDonald's I worked as a daycare teacher for 1,5 years, then sales associate at Macy's for a little while and then a claims adjuster at an insurance company for 1,5 years. Now I'm back in Finland and go to school full time.

Advice for other people with no education: work hard and keep a positive attitude when looking for jobs or when working at a minimum pay job, but try to find a way to go to school. Life in the US is very hard and challenging without education.

Thank you!

I had a dream last night that the employment authorization card had arrived. I had it in my hand and I was looking at it, really happy..

So this morning I logged in my email to see if there was anything and there wasn't. However, I went on to my USCIS account, and there was an update after a month and a half of no touches...

"On October 24, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you."

I'm so happy!! It's been a long wait..

Hurraaaa!!!

Yep, that happened to me too.. We had to drive all the way back home to get the certificate and then drive back. They could have let us know we needed that too beforehand... I had my social security card but they didn't wanna see it at all.

maybe your oven is too hot.. mine isn't hot enough so if something needs to be set at 350 I set it at 400..

maybe you could try the opposite..like turn the heat down a bit...

Hmm.. I have thought about that, maybe I should try.

And yes, I do preheat the oven.

Okay.. is it just our oven or do all the American ovens burn the food from under?? It happens every time, no matter what I make or bake. All the ovens I've seen have that weird shaped metal thing at the bottom which when you turn the oven on turns all red and hot and, it seems to me, that's what eventually warms up the whole oven... In Finland the heat came from all over the oven, not just from the bottom.. What can I do to bake pies and cakes that aren't burnt?

After you'll receive your NOA2 and the Embassy gets all your papers from the States they will send you a letter telling you what all you need to get for the interview. It also has very specific instructions about the medical, who to contact etc. You will do everything before the interview.

I didn't have to do a pregnancy test, I don't think they do that in Finland. They asked some funny questions like have I ever had leprosy, haha..

Good luck and no worries, it will go well!

I called another doctor's office than the one before, and they gave me the doctor's number so I could personally call him! It's actually the same doctor than the one on the first place I called. He told me I don't need to have anything else ready than information about my vaccinations! The examination takes an hour like I thought it would and the x-rays and laboratory will be taken during that time. The doctor sounded really nice and he said I could call him if I have any more questions. I'm really happy it's all gonna work out now! Thank you for advice, it was really helpfull!

I received a note yesterday with instructions on how to do the medical. It said this:

"Before you make an appointment with one of the doctors be sure that you have the following documents for presentation to the doctor: laboratory tests and x-ray film ready, three passport size photographs and your passport."

Am I supposed to do the laboratory and x-rays already before the actual appointment???

I already made the appointment (which is in a couple of weeks.. I still don't have a passport) and on the phone they said they would think that the laboratory and the x-rays would be taken during the medical examination, but yet when I told them about the instructions I was given, they couldn't be sure. I then talked with someone who knew more about taking the x-rays and she said that I can aswell do that the same day. She didn't know what to do with the laboratory tests though, and I couldn't reach anyone when I tried calling the laboratory. So what am I supposed to do??

Another thing, how long should the examination take? The paper I got yesterday didn't say anything about it, but I remember reading somewhere that it should be one hour. When I was making my appointment I asked if they knew, and once again they didn't, they only told me that usually the doctor has 20 minute lasting appointments. I ended up taking an hour long appointment and they just told me to cancel part of before hand it if I'll find out it doesn't have to be that long, or else I will have to pay a lot.

Anyone who can help with these problems?