Mrs. Diaz

I've come and gone many times with my tourist visa after marriage, actually i got my tourist visa after the marriage, maybe it has to do with particular situations, my husband was about to go to pre deploymet training the first trip, then it was during his 3 days leave before the deployment, then during his 15 days leave during the deployment and then when he came back for good, I never had a trouble until we crossed the border on car fromMexico, we did it twice in fact, and the first time was the only time i was scared, but it was because the officer wanted me to be scared, he asked me questions and tried to tell me that i had overstayed my visa on my first visit, and i told him that he could see all the stamps in my passport proving that I've come and gone never overstaying, the second time was easier, because we got a veteran so as soon as my husband said that he just came back from Iraq it all went smoothly, we explain to them that because he was deployed we didn't want to start the process for the green card, and they totally understood, we even told them that we were gonna start it while i was here and they were ok with that too, I don't know if we were just lucky, but in my experience it's ok to do it

I think that the major reason I was let in, was the fact that my husband is a vet.(USMC) Probable because many of the TSA people have a past in the military themselves... I don't know if it is easier now days to cross the border by car, than getting into the country through the airports? I doubt that.... It all depends on what mood the officer is! Anything can happen... Might get lucky, might not.... For the people who can't take the risk, don't! There is always a chance you will get denied and possible banned for years. I will go to NY in April and hope for the best. But if that happens my husband will move to my country, so it's not a big deal for us really....

Hello - here is our situation:

1. I am on GC eligible to file for citizenship beginning October 2009. Never had a single problem with visa,entry,etc.

2. I am getting married in our home country in June 2009.

3. My soon-to-be wife has a valid tourist visa until July 2009. She has visited me in the US multiple times. No problems ever as well.

4. We are planning on flying back after our wedding to the US. For me it is my return home here as my vacation ends. For her it is her visit with me for summer holidays, as she has a full-time job back in her home, owns apartment, etc.

Therefore, we have plans to approach immigration officer at the POE together (walk in LPR lane), explain to the officer that we have just gotten married and my wife is coming only to visit for two months or so. After that her intention is to return to her home country. We have not filed for her immigration and will not do that until I become a citizen (sometime first half of next year). We definitely will have my wife to return to her home country. No plans on extending her stay, adjusting status, staying illegally etc.

This will be a tough call on the POE Officer. However, since she as visited the US multiple times, and hopefully left before time expired, shows she had the chance to stay and marry in the US, then AOS, if she was out to do that.

She will have documents from her employer that she is employed full time and she has approved vacation request.

Shows "strong ties" to the home country. Are you also including the return ticket? Something showing lease/rent/own home/apartment would be helpful

What if she gets denied entry and is asked to voluntarily withdraw her application for admission to the US? If in a year from now (hopefully) we file for her immigrant visa will she require a waiver then? Any suggestions please!

She will not need a waiver if she is denied entry under these circumstances. She didn't break any laws coming here, legally, (arrive at a POE, submit to inspection)

I would say go for it. She has a valid visitors visa. She has visited to the US before. It's up to the POE people, and if your truthful in your answers, straight forward with them, I think you would have no issues.

I don't think that I would give it a try. Things have really changed in the past 2-3 years... I think that I was about to get denied entry on my last visit. I was lucky enough to get "approved" and let in though!(I was asked where I work and if I have an apartment in Sweden etc)If you really don't want to move to Poland to be with your wife, don't risk it. That's my advice. I know that it different from case to case blah, blah.... But my answer is based on what I have experienced myself and to posts I've read here on VJ.

I remember back in 2007 when I and my soon to be husband were on our way to our wedding.... Well, the guy at the desk(JFK, NYC)was not sure if he would let me through or not. He didn't say this, but he asked me many q's about when I was going to return to my home country and lots of other things. I guess he thought I was going to stay in the US once I had married my then fiance.... And things got worse after this! I'm actually worried about next time I'm going over there. The last time I went to the US, this time to EWR, NJ. I REALLY thought "This is not going well. I will get denied entry and banned!" I was so scared..... The guy at the desk was asking me q's for 10 minutes, something that never happened to me before. He didn't even smile once! I think that he was waiting for me to give him a "wrong answer" to his questions.(September-08) I hope this won't happen again! I will go back to New York in 8 weeks(hubby's back from his deployment) and I'm already nervous!

I remember reading somewhere that your entries with the Visa Waiver Program has to be at least 5 or 6 months (can't remember which) after your previous departure date.

Like I said I'm not sure where I read this. Try searching for it on the Stockholm American Embassy website.

http://stockholm.usembassy.gov/

I think it was on there that I read it.

(Maybe not much help but I remember reading it somwhere)

I think that when the 90 days are up, you have to stay out of Sweden(or any schengen country)for 180 days or something.... Not sure..... But anyways, I can still go to the US until the day I will be denied entry. And My husband(USC)can "ask for" a visa that will be good for 1 year....(It's like a spouse visa sort of...) But to be on the safe side, I better file for a K3 as soon as my husbands deployment is over.....

Thank's!

Are you planning on moving here permanently? If so, when?

If your plans are long range, you might want to consider a K3 visa for your passport. It's multiple entry and you can come and go as you please. It's valid for two years after it's placed in your passport.

It might take you about 9 months to a year to get it though..................

As you are married to a USC, you run a pretty high risk of being turned around as a VWP traveler. All entrants to the US are presumed to have immigrant intent - sort of like being guilty till proven innocent. Your marriage to a USC ramps up your immigrant intent exponentially higher than other persons.

My plan is to move permanently to the US. I wont be able to do so before August 2011(as it is right now. Might change though.) So my plan was to keep coming and going for about 12-18 months, then file for a K3 visa.... But I guess there is a chance my plans will fail.... (If I get denied entry) My husband is in the military, so that has been a great help for me every time I have traveled to the US. I just had to tell the officers that I was going to visit my husband, that is a Marine and that he would be going to Iraq in a near future... And that's where he is now! I did get a few "weird questions" the last time I went to visit my husband. (He was stationed at a base in California at the time) I really can't lie, so every time they have asked me what I am doing in the country I have told them that I'm going to visit my husband and friends...(I didn't say anything about this the few times they didn't ask)

So I could file for a K3 visa now? Even though I wont be able to move to the US until 2011....?(The reason I can't move is that I owe money. A loan from my Swedish bank...)

You can but I think I'd hold off a year or so an then take the IR1 visa route. At the Port of Entry, I think I'd explain you don't plan to move to the US until your husband is discharged from the military or something to that effect. If you can avoid the questions with truthful generic answers like, vacation, tourist or visiting family and friends, then don't spend too much time in the US during the year, you'll have a better chance of successful entry. You're not violating any immigration laws.

She's been going in and out of the country regularly. She is likely to have more questions put to her than the average traveler. It doesn't matter how cleverly one is 'generic' in their answers. If CBP decides the alien might have intent, then the alien will be turned around

A K3 visa would allow her to travel freely without question. As many times as she likes. The visa could even be extended if she does not immigrate into the country within two years of its issuance. They've already been married two years, so when she does enter and files to adjust her status, she will be issued a 10 year greencard thus avoiding the hassle of lifting conditions.

There's essentially no reason for her to choose K3 over IR1 other than she would save a few hundred bucks by not having to adjust her status once she comes to the US. In her situation, the ability to travel freely - worry free - might outweigh that.

Actually I haven't been going in and out that much in the past 7 months because my husband is in Iraq. What I wanted to know is if there is anyway I can use the VWP the way i described in my original post. I would like to be able to do so, but now I understand that this wont go as smooth as I was hoping for.... So I guess a K3 visa will be the only way for me to travel to the US this way.... IR1? This is so confusing....

Thank's !

Are you planning on moving here permanently? If so, when?

If your plans are long range, you might want to consider a K3 visa for your passport. It's multiple entry and you can come and go as you please. It's valid for two years after it's placed in your passport.

It might take you about 9 months to a year to get it though..................

As you are married to a USC, you run a pretty high risk of being turned around as a VWP traveler. All entrants to the US are presumed to have immigrant intent - sort of like being guilty till proven innocent. Your marriage to a USC ramps up your immigrant intent exponentially higher than other persons.

My plan is to move permanently to the US. I wont be able to do so before August 2011(as it is right now. Might change though.) So my plan was to keep coming and going for about 12-18 months, then file for a K3 visa.... But I guess there is a chance my plans will fail.... (If I get denied entry) My husband is in the military, so that has been a great help for me every time I have traveled to the US. I just had to tell the officers that I was going to visit my husband, that is a Marine and that he would be going to Iraq in a near future... And that's where he is now! I did get a few "weird questions" the last time I went to visit my husband. (He was stationed at a base in California at the time) I really can't lie, so every time they have asked me what I am doing in the country I have told them that I'm going to visit my husband and friends...(I didn't say anything about this the few times they didn't ask)

So I could file for a K3 visa now? Even though I wont be able to move to the US until 2011....?(The reason I can't move is that I owe money. A loan from my Swedish bank...)

You can but I think I'd hold off a year or so an then take the IR1 visa route. At the Port of Entry, I think I'd explain you don't plan to move to the US until your husband is discharged from the military or something to that effect. If you can avoid the questions with truthful generic answers like, vacation, tourist or visiting family and friends, then don't spend too much time in the US during the year, you'll have a better chance of successful entry. You're not violating any immigration laws.

I'm not going anywhere until my husband's contract is up.(Next year some time)He will be back from Iraq in 8 weeks and hopefully he will go back to work... We have been talking about filing for a K3 visa in the fall of this year. I didn't even know there was another visa for me.... From what I've read and heard, K3 is the only way(so I thought)

This is very confusing at the moment.... At least I realized that I can't use the VWP for 12-18 months. At some point they will send me back... I just know it.

I guess we will have to start the K3 process or possible another one.... Very confusing.... Btw I haven't been to the US that many times in the past 2 years. I think it is about 6 times.... My husband is the one who is going to Sweden to see me, which is even worse. Because he can stay for 90 days and after that time is up, he have to stay out of Sweden for 90 days......

Thank's for the comment!

Are you planning on moving here permanently? If so, when?

If your plans are long range, you might want to consider a K3 visa for your passport. It's multiple entry and you can come and go as you please. It's valid for two years after it's placed in your passport.

It might take you about 9 months to a year to get it though..................

As you are married to a USC, you run a pretty high risk of being turned around as a VWP traveler. All entrants to the US are presumed to have immigrant intent - sort of like being guilty till proven innocent. Your marriage to a USC ramps up your immigrant intent exponentially higher than other persons.

This is very true. My husband came here many times without any problems. As soon as we got married, they denied him entry. If you do come, don't lie...but don't volunteer information that you're married or engaged either. They might turn you away.

I noticed a big chance since we got married(2007)I didn't have any problems at all before we got married... Not even the time we were on our way to the wedding.... My husband was next to me and we told the officers that we were getting married in the Bahamas in 2 days.... The guy at the desk just said "Congrats! I got married recently myself..." But the first time I went to see my husband after we were married was different. I was a bit worried actually....

Are you planning on moving here permanently? If so, when?

If your plans are long range, you might want to consider a K3 visa for your passport. It's multiple entry and you can come and go as you please. It's valid for two years after it's placed in your passport.

It might take you about 9 months to a year to get it though..................

As you are married to a USC, you run a pretty high risk of being turned around as a VWP traveler. All entrants to the US are presumed to have immigrant intent - sort of like being guilty till proven innocent. Your marriage to a USC ramps up your immigrant intent exponentially higher than other persons.

My plan is to move permanently to the US. I wont be able to do so before August 2011(as it is right now. Might change though.) So my plan was to keep coming and going for about 12-18 months, then file for a K3 visa.... But I guess there is a chance my plans will fail.... (If I get denied entry) My husband is in the military, so that has been a great help for me every time I have traveled to the US. I just had to tell the officers that I was going to visit my husband, that is a Marine and that he would be going to Iraq in a near future... And that's where he is now! I did get a few "weird questions" the last time I went to visit my husband. (He was stationed at a base in California at the time) I really can't lie, so every time they have asked me what I am doing in the country I have told them that I'm going to visit my husband and friends...(I didn't say anything about this the few times they didn't ask)

So I could file for a K3 visa now? Even though I wont be able to move to the US until 2011....?(The reason I can't move is that I owe money. A loan from my Swedish bank...)

Some people visit without any problems...some people have been denied entry when customs finds out you're married/engaged. So it depends on you luck. Most people I think, have no problem.

OK. That's what I thought too.... So I guess I will just have to go for it and hope for the best! I did get some weird q's back when we we're dating.... Like they thought I was going to stay in New York and never return home.... But I think that the risk(of being denied)is very small, now that my country is not a "high fraud" country. But who knows......

Thank you for your comment!

There aren't any 'rules' but CBP officers like to see that you are spending more time in your home country than in the US.

In determining what your chances for success on another entry might be, consider how much time you spent back home in the last 12 months. And how long the duration of your US visits were. Folks who don't push the envelope on their 90 day limit each time they visit and stay home a few months between each visit usually have good luck.

Make sure you are traveling with a return ticket and that you carry evidence of returning home (such as a lease).

I will always have my return ticket with me, it's way cheaper that way..... So that wont be a problem. And I will never stay for more than 30 days at a time. Possible 8 weeks in the summer, but never more than that... I guess I will have to bring evidence, such as a lease or other documents that will prove strong ties to my home country. I might get denied one day.... I hope not!

Thank's so much for your comment!

Some people visit without any problems...some people have been denied entry when customs finds out you're married/engaged. So it depends on you luck. Most people I think, have no problem.

OK. That's what I thought too.... So I guess I will just have to go for it and hope for the best! I did get some weird q's back when we we're dating.... Like they thought I was going to stay in New York and never return home.... But I think that the risk(of being denied)is very small, now that my country is not a "high fraud" country. But who knows......

Thank you for your comment!

I was trying to find out how many times per year I can travel to the US on a I-94 Visa Waiver....

I didn't find anything saying "you can enter xxx times"... All I found was that it's valid for 90 days, which I already knew.... I just want to know if there will be a problem if I travel to the US 6 times per year and stay for 30 days each time.

I am married to a USC, so I guess they will think that I'm trying to immigrate illegally...? The reason I'm asking this is cuz I can't move to the US right now.(I would probable get my visa within 8 months or so, if I would file.....)So... will I be denied and sent back home when I try to enter, or is it OK to come and go as many times as you like? I don't want to do anything wrong, cuz we're going to file for the K3 visa, as soon as I will be able to leave Sweden...

I've read stories about people that have been sent back home to where they came from, all because the officers at the US airport thought that they were trying to immigrate.... I def. don't want that to happen to me!

Anyone out there who knows the answer to this?

Hi...thought I'd add my thoughts....I'm a born and raised San Antonian and think it's the best city in the state. And I don't just say that because it's my hometown. San Antonio has so much to offer...if you like the Spanish culture then you'll love it here in April when we have 10 days of "Fiesta San Antonio". It's nothing but a huge party..LOL! There are also tons of things to do with the family...we have a very nice Zoo, Sea World and Six Flags.

If you like a bit of NY style culture, we have a wonderful theater here where they have performed such hits as The Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Miss Saigon, etc.

We also have what I think is the most beautiful feature of the entire city....our Riverwalk! It's a very popular spot for tourist and natives alike.... ;-)

And as far as jobs and housing, our airport is currently undergoing a huge makeover and when it's completed they are going to have a new, larger terminal. We are also what is know as Military City so there are several bases here where jobs can be found.

Housing here will depend a loton what part of town you want to live in. When my fiance was here last week, we went to several open houses and found some wonderful homes in one of the most vibrant part of the city that were nice prices....4-5 bedrooms for around 150,000 - 200,000 dollars.

hehe...here i was just going to say a "little"...sorry for rambling but hope this helps a bit!

Hugs,

Liz

Hey, Liz!

Thank you so much for you comment! There is a six flags?! That's it, I'm moving to San Antonio! lol(Well.. I do loooove going to six flags)San Antonio sounds great.... I can't believe you can get a big house for 150, 000-200, 000 USD.... That's great! ha ha.... What kind of apartment do you get for that price in NYC?! ;-) I def have a lot to think about now. I have gotten so many great tips here on VJ. All the cities mentioned in this thread sounds great.... Very hard to pick one!

Have a great weekend y'all!

I'll add my 2 cents!

I've lived in many cities...Seattle, Boston, Austin, Houston, West Texas (Lubbock), London, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, WEst palm beach, Barcelona, etc....

Definitely, NYC is NYC; no other city in the states comes close to it, although I enjoyed Boston a lot....

Anyway, of all the cities in Texas I lived in, I loved the Austin area. What got me out was the allergies. I was there close to 4 years, and on my 3rd year, i developed the famous cedar allergies, and even though i had a very mild case, it drove me insane. Now, I refuse to take medications, but many other people get around this allergy by taking meds. Not my type of lifestyle. Austin is like a small town, but it has a lot of the amenities of a big city. And as somebody else mentioned, the landscape there is prettier than the landscape in Dallas or Houston. Unfortunately, you do need a car to live there, but if you live in downtown, you can get away without having a car. There is a even a bus that goes to the airport hourly.....might not be as convenient as Seattle living when it comes to public transportation, but SEattle has one of the best public bus systems in the USA.

I'm currently living in Houston, and there are better cities to live in the USA. It does have some pretty neighborhoods, but I'm quite shocked to see the polluted air around the city. It might be a clear, beautiful day outside, but if you go to a building and get on the 30th floor and you take a look outside, you will always see this film of white hanging around the city. Not a pleasant sight. Also, the roads in the city are horrible. I thought there was oil money in the town, but even the nice neighborhoods have some bumpy, terrible roads. On the plus side, texans are great people and lots of good mexican food to have. I've lived in dallas also, and well, don't remember the roads being as bad as in Houston. I think the crime rate is higher in dallas, but again, plenty of nice suburbs to live in. After all, prez bush moved to that area. There is also some nice up and coming areas in downtown,and there's where i was staying at. A lot of 'ritzy' people living there, and as one gal told me, 'you even have to put make up on to go retrieve your mail.' If I was given the choice between Dallas, houston or Austin, I would choose Austin in a heartbeat.

I highly recommend you also browse thru the postings going on at:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/

Lots of opinions there.

In the end, is all a matter of what you're looking for in a city. By the way, my wife has now seen all the major cities in Texas, and she also prefers Austin. Her words were, 'it looks prettier, and it has a unique, cozy feel to it.' I guess the phrase 'keep austin weird' has paid off.

Thank you so much for taking your time to write such a long reply! A lot of useful info too! I guess we will have to go to both Austin and Houston before we make any decisions..... I would love to stay in NYC, but the rent is way too high! NY is my favorite city in the world!

Excuse Me While I Kiss That Guy"

Posted Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:17am PST by Shawn Amos in GetBack

We all love to sing along with our favorite songs. We sing in the car, in the shower, and at the karaoke bar. The problem is that half the time we don't know what we're singing. We're making up lyrics as we go along and hoping no one will notice. We presume that our secret is safely buried under the pumping bass coming through the speakers. Or else we're certain that NO ONE really knows the lyrics, so it's cool that we're winging it.

Wrong. Everyone knows. They may not know the exact words, but they know it's definitely not what you're singing. In fact, there's a word for this phenomenon. It's called "mondegreen," and it means "the mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase, typically a standardized phrase, such as a line in a poem or a lyric in a song." (There's a great website called kissthisguy.com that's named after the frequently misheard Hendrix song listed below and is dedicated to the cataloging of mondegreens.)

So now that you've been outed, here are a few favorite misunderstood lyrics. Who was it that said, "No one pays attention to the lyrics?" Well, here's the proof.

I picked more messed up lyrics in the GetBack Mondegreen Gallery. Check them out then tell me yours. We're all in this karaoke bar together.

TOM PETTY: "American Girl"

What people sing: "That Wonderbra that she was gonna keep"

The actual lyric: "She had one little promise she was gonna keep"

This is the second single from Petty's 1977 debut album. Frankly, Tom mumbles so much when he sings that one could be forgiven for misunderstanding him.

QUEEN: "Bohemian Rhapsody"

What people sing: "Scare a moose, scare a moose, will you do my fan Van Gogh?"

The actual lyric: "Scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the fandango?"

Immortalized by everyone from Wayne & Garth to Mig (from "Rock Star: INXS"), Queen's 1975 six-minute single is a lesson in rock grandiosity and made-up lyrics. When the band is coming up with words like "Scaramouche," who can blame someone for writing their own lyrics?

JIMI HENDRIX: "Purple Haze"

What people sing: "Excuse me while I kiss this guy"

The actual lyric: "Excuse me while I kiss the sky"

The granddaddy of famous misunderstood songs, this one has been a joke for over 40 years since its 1967 release. Hendrix said the lyrics were inspired by a dream in which he was walking under the sea. Between the crazy dreams and the crazy stuff running through his veins, Jimi himself probably wasn't sure what he was singing.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: "Blinded by the Light"

What people sing: "Wrapped up like a douche, another loner in the night"

The actual lyric: "Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night"

Springsteen's tune from his debut album is full of inside Jersey references and non sequitur silliness. A listener can misinterpret lyrics for days. It's the '76 Manfred Mann's Earth Band cover that's responsible for the signature mondegreen on this one.

BECK: "Loser"

What people sing: "Someone get the door"

The actual lyric: "Soy un perdedor"

Beck only has himself to blame for going bilingual here. No one was ready for that one in 1994. He started a Spanglish craze.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS: "Plush"

What people sing: "Where you going with the master plan?"

The actual lyric: "Where ya going with that mask I found?"

Frankly, I like the made-up version better. Stone Temple Pilots could use a little help anyway in the lyric-writing department. There's some questionable stuff going in their songs, aside from the stolen Zep sounds.

Click here for Pearl Jam, the Clash and other confusing lyrics.

I know! I used to do that a lot when I was a kid.... Well, only to the songs that were in English, cuz I didn't speak English at the time.... I laugh sometimes when I hear those songs(today)!

Happy Valentine's to all VJ members!

I hope that you will have a great day, filled with love and hopes of a great future for you and your loved one....... I envy the ones who will get to spend this special day with their love! Take care of each other and remember to kiss each other every 2 minutes!

AWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Yes....very benign envy for those together tomorrow....rejoice!!

And for those not, have dinner together on skype, yahoo, google whatever and enjoy an online film....that's our plan, and plenty of long distance kissin'.....

Thanks for this post, it's really sweet of you Mrs. Diaz!

Dave.

I hope that you will have a great day, wherever you are and whatever you will do on this special day!

My husband is in Iraq, so there will be no Valentine's dinner online this time.... But we will make it really special next year!

Happy Valentine's to all VJ members!

I hope that you will have a great day, filled with love and hopes of a great future for you and your loved one....... I envy the ones who will get to spend this special day with their love! Take care of each other and remember to kiss each other every 2 minutes!

I love Austin, it has a very laid-back, friendly atmosphere.

Saludos,

Caro

Sounds like me! Thank you for your comment!

/Janette

Turning more serious for a fleeting moment: You have no timeline here; do you have a green card? If not, be VERY wary about living (or traveling) within approximately 50 to 80 miles of the Mexican border. This area is known as the "De-Constitutionalized Zone," with inland checkpoints run by Customs & Border Protection (CBP). If you cannot prove your citizenship, expect at least delays, if not harassment. In addition, the county Sheriff's Departments often do not recognize the Fourth Amendment (unreasonable search & seizure), or the finding of courts (over & over again) that "the claim and exercise of a Constitutional right cannot be converted into a crime." Sad but true, si man.

This will probable not be a problem for myself and my husband. I know that this is a big problem for some tho... I have a co-worker that almost got deported to Mexico, just for being close to a border station! And this guy is SWEDISH! Yeah.... Sick if you ask me.... The guy from the border patrol told him to "How did you get here?! go back to where you came from!" (The guy pointed at the Mexican side of the border) My co-worker told the guy that he is Swedish and showed him the Swedish driving license that he had brought with him. (He also had his passport with him, of course!) The border guy let him go after showing the DL to him...... I wonder what would had happened if he hadn't brought his DL and Passport!!

Houston!

Corpus if you want non-skanky beaches haha

I would like to know what city in Texas we should move to, if we are... My husband is in the military(Marines)and he got a job offer from TSA(Transportation Security Administration)before he left to Iraq in September 2008.... Well.... My husband lives in NYC, which is a very expensive city to live in! ha ha.... There is a chance that he will get transfer to Texas(TSA)so I want to know what city is the "best" one to live in, when it comes to finding a job(for me), renting a apartment or buying a house etc.

Any information about living in Texas is appreciated!

Thank you!/ Janette

But Corpus is small. She said she wanted a big city. What is there to do in Corpus?

I guess Corpus would be a little too small for me. The beaches looks nice and all that, but I know that I would go nuts after a couple of months or so.... ha ha.... I was not made for small towns. My husband is def not a small town person.(He lived in San Salvador, El Salvador until he was 9 y o... He moved with his family to NYC and that's where he lived ever since....)

We will probable end up in Houston or Austin, possible Dallas... I really hope that we wont miss NYC too much! My husband will probable get home sick. Me, not so much.... I am a very friendly and happy person. I love talking to strangers and I'm always very polite, my husband on the other hand is very much of a New Yorker....(You know what I mean!) I would love to be able to say "Thank You" to people and give them a smile!(without getting weird looks)<<< New York custom....

'Er indoors has relatives in Port Lavaca, Nich. We drove down there from Southern Illinois once. Couldn't get over how skanky the Gulf of Mexico is!! Or how huge the state of Texas is. It took us 7 or 8 hours just to get back to the border with Arkansas on the way back!!!!!!!

Well, everything is bigger in Texas you know!(incl. the state itself) lol

The gulf is skanky?! Sounds... very... nice. I guess I have to go down there to check out the "skankyness" myself! ha ha....

Dallas isn't JR, Bobby and Pam. You won't meet many millionaire rancher/oilmen in your day to day life or see alot of cowboy outfits. It's quite smart and chic with many, many suburbs but I just don't know that much about it to comment. In Houston area, we tend to think of Dallas as trying to be too sophisticated. But on the other hand, Dallas probably says Houston is raw and raunchy. Neither is really true...just stereotypes.

The state and cities are so big that you will find everything. If you're looking for airport work, then Houston or Dallas would have the most just because of the size. In the middle of the state, Austin, San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos...those are lovely because they are in the Texas "hill country" which has lovely rolling hills and nice rivers and lakes. Oh yeah, and less humidity. We love to go to San Antonio for a weekend trip. It's geared for tourism so you find fun things to see and do concentrated in the Riverwalk area. You don't have to know Spanish, by the way. Houston and surrounding areas are totally flat and not particularly scenic. Perhaps it's cheaper to live in Houston because it's not as scenic and it has alot of jobs and industry support. Houston's economy has a lot to draw on...oil/petroleum companies, chemical companies, NASA, huge medical center, and a busy major seaport.

No Bobby?! Well, didn't think so either.... Just makes me think of them whenever I hear someone say "Dallas".(just cuz I have no clue how it's like)I guess that we will just pick a city and see if we like it there or not... I'm sure I will! Suddenly all those places sounds great! But I guess we will end up in Houston or Austin, possible Dallas(cuz of the airport work....)

I love to make weekend trips. Very relaxing, almost like a mini-vacation.... If we decide to move down to Texas, there will def be a lot of sightseeing for me and hubby! We like to get around, exploring things... There is no risk that we will stay back in our apartment/house every weekend! Thank you so much for the info!

Everybody in Texas needs a car. It's wide open and spread out. You will find city buses in the larger cities. People are friendly.

Houston has two major airports. IAH- Bush International is a Continental hub. It's large and has most major airlines.

HOU- Hobby Airport is smaller and Southwest Airlines is the major tenant I think. Houston is friendly and has lot's of hispanics. Many things are written in English and Spanish. Houses are much cheaper than California. Suburb communities like Spring to the north, Pearland to the south, Katy on the west are good starting places if you like a smaller town near the big city. You can easily find a large 4 bedroom house for under 150,000. Example http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-...s=pup%25252cpun

It's hot and humid, but we all have air conditioning. In winter like now it's often mild... today, no jacket, worked in the yard in bare feet. Been here forever and haven't gotten shot or robbed yet. Actually I live in a nearby smallish town and I don't even lock my car all the time.

Dallas is Houston's snobby sister about 5 hours north. (It's an in-state rivalry thing) Big airport DFW- Dallas-Ft. Worth. American Airlines is big there. Also Love Field a second airport in downtown Dallas

Austin airport is smallish. The weather is lovely. Austin revolves around a huge university, state government, and Dell computers. It has gotten quite expensive to buy a house compared to other areas of the state. (It's the Dellionaires fault. The traffic is very congested. Great town.

San Antonio is home of the Alamo. It's lovely and very Hispanic. You know the Texans lost to the Mexicans in San Antonio. (That was meant to be funny.) The airport is smallish. There's alot of military in SA.

I've never been to Texas, but I do really think that I will like it a lot. I hope! ha ha... Well I've been to Tennessee and Georgia, don't know if it is a bit like Texas??(HUGE cars, cowboy outfits, large steaks, friendly people and of course country music!...) So.... I guess we do need to get a car! ha ha... Well I was thinking, that maybe we could buy a house first, then get a car... But I guess not!

150 000 for a LARGE 4 bedroom house? Not bad....

I don't think Dallas or San Antonio is the place for us... Dallas makes me think of JR Ewing, Pam and Bobby... If you know what I mean! ha ha... San Antonio, maybe a little "too Spanish"... My Spanish is not that good, I would feel even more like the immigrant I am! "No comprende"... You get the deal.... My husband wants to get out of the military too, so I think we will go with either Houston or Austin! I love the weather already..... I WISH I could go outside with no shoes in February!

I def have a lot to think about now.... Thank you so much for taking your time to write a reply to my q! It is always better to ask real people. Ever heard about a small town in California called 29 Palms??? Well... that's a place you DON'T want to end up in!(it doesn't look too bad on the websites....)I don't want Texas to be a bad experience for us, cuz I really want to like it there! ha ha...

Again, thank you so much for your comment!

Austin area...only cuz its the least "texas like" part of texas.

OK. I see... That's the largest city in Texas, right? And I guess the most expensive one?(that's usually how it works...) I don't care if the rent is more etc , I just want to live in a city that has a lot to offer... (I'm not a small town girl really) Thank you for your comment!

not the largest and i don't think its too expensive to live there, which is why i will be moving there since california is too expensive (i want to buy my own house, way more for you money in austin and surrounding areas). austin's moto is "keep austin weird". i guess its considered weird since there is a good mix of people from all over. There are decent places to live in austin and i found that they pay people good there (i made more when i worked in texas than i ever did in california). of course that also depends on what you do for a living, and obv now the economy issue. and austin doesn't get hurricanes

We were thinking about moving to California, but it is just too expensive and you have to drive everywhere.... Finding a job seems harder too. And to be honest, Cali is not my thing...

I work at the airport, here in Stockholm(Sweden)and my husband will be working for TSA.... So I guess I will end up at the airport again.(or possible in the hotel/tourism industry)I like the idea of Texas, cuz I grew up in a Spanish community and my husband is Spanish.... We want to live someplace where the both of us will feel like we belong there.

I like the moto "keep Austin weird" ha ha... I will def consider Austin! We want to buy a house, something that we would never be able to do in the NY area.... No hurricanes, that's great! The airport in Austin, is it "big"? I know it is an international airport... The one in Houston probable have more job opportunities though... But in times like these, who knows...

Thank you so much for your comment!

Largest city in Texas is Houston. That's where I live and I love it. If you are a big city girl, you will like it. If you are not a big city person, stay away! LOL. Most people live just outside of Houston and commute in. Traffic is hell, but you can always catch the park and ride bus and have someone else do the driving for you. :-) We also have one of the largest airports in the country. Great opportunity for him if he works for TSA.

http://www.visithoustontexas.com/

http://www.fly2houston.com/

http://www.houstontx.gov/

Houston! I knew it. Wow... I feel so dumb right now... I love NYC, I'm def a big city girl.... Sounds like Houston is the way to go! ha ha... So I guess there is no need to buy a car? We were thinking about moving to California, San Diego or LA area, but there is no way you can make it there without a car! So if the bus service is good, it is def a big plus! Is there any particular area of Houston that we should go for? I don't want to end up in some place, where you have to worry about getting robbed every time you leave the house.... ha ha.... I really appreciate your comment!(I will tell my husband that Houston is where I want to go! )

Austin area...only cuz its the least "texas like" part of texas.

OK. I see... That's the largest city in Texas, right? And I guess the most expensive one?(that's usually how it works...) I don't care if the rent is more etc , I just want to live in a city that has a lot to offer... (I'm not a small town girl really) Thank you for your comment!

I would like to know what city in Texas we should move to, if we are... My husband is in the military(Marines)and he got a job offer from TSA(Transportation Security Administration)before he left to Iraq in September 2008.... Well.... My husband lives in NYC, which is a very expensive city to live in! ha ha.... There is a chance that he will get transfer to Texas(TSA)so I want to know what city is the "best" one to live in, when it comes to finding a job(for me), renting a apartment or buying a house etc.

Any information about living in Texas is appreciated!

Thank you!/ Janette