Jonathan Matthies

To further derail this thread into the delicious Buckwheat abyss:

Katya made some Grechka Blini (Buckwheat pancakes) and sweet jesus they are tasty. that is all.

Is Grechka the same as buckwheat? Because the Grechka Katya has cooked since day 1 is downright tasty. I love it with some of the random bits of meat she heaps on top.

He's gaining his English vocabulary by the week, without any formal 'training' or lessons from me. Kids really are a sponge. A while ago I started mixing the few Russian words/phrases I know with their English counterparts. I'd ask for water/voda, milk/malachko, or ask him shto ti hochesh/what do you want, etc. etc. We'd play hide and seek and I'd count 1-10 in russian/english at random times. He's started asking me questions in English and then turning around to ask mom/grandma the same question in Russian. Or Katya will tell him something in Russian, and he'll ask me about it in English.

I am very excited to help him with his studies, as I'm sure Katya and his Babushka are. I'm just worried about all the fatherly ###### coming my way. Nothing Earth shattering, but meetings with teachers, playground fights, all that ####### is coming too soon.

Denis likes Raspberry flavored Kefir (Lifeway? or something). I can stomach that. It is downright tasty. Katya, however, likes to buy this god awful sweet flavored buttermilk from King Soopers. It's ghastly, and she drinks it warm, to make it even less palatable. Ugh. She hasn't bought it recently though, I don't think the taste is quite right. It's akin to how our sour cream isn't quite right either; but they still go through butckets of our nasty sour cream anyway.

Katya received her welcome letter today. It was postmarked on the 27th; which was the day of the interview. Now to rest for 2 years and do this ####### all over again.

edit: random thought, Denis starts kindergarten in under a month. Since I have no interview to worry about, I get to devote all my worrying to school. Oh #######.

Yeah I don't bother with stuff left out. Katya's mother is here now, so between the 3 of them; all the lukewarm dairy products are devoured post haste. Denis used to scold me for handing him cold milk, forcing me to microwave it. But I've handed him more and more cold beverages and he drinks em just fine.

Oh and the food bills from Costco were a shock. I'm glad she knew exactly what to buy, because after being single for 34 years; #### if I knew what to buy to cook meals. If I were to examine the expenses; I'm sure we are eating cheaper than I was before; on a meal by meal basis. I might be paying more overall, but I would reckon I'm saving over how I was eating. And, Healthier food is a given; I don't need to discuss the benefits of her meals over Taco Bell.

We had our 2nd AOS interview today, the first 'interview' is detailed Here. I paid for a professional translator, and a lovely lady whom we had never met, but who has lived maybe a mile from my family for 23 years, was assigned to us. We were not given a decision today. Instead the Officer said we'd receive his decision in the mail.

We had a different officer, but the tone of the interview was similar to the first one. However, since we had a translator, this interview was not prematurely stopped. We spent 15 minutes in there in total, and he mainly asked cursory questions about her birthday, mother/father name, etc. He asked where Denis' father was, and if they were married (still in Russia and never officially married). He wanted copies of joint documentation. We provided health insurance, car insurance, joint bank accounts, and an Xcel Energy bill. I forgot to copy the insurance cards, and he seemed slightly miffed with that omission. He did not want to see photos or correspondence, just joint accounts.

Denis started fidgeting 3 minutes in, as a 5 year old usually does, but at least he wasn't yelled at. The officer asked Denis if he could wait silently 5 or 10 minutes, and then we'd be done. And 10 minutes later we were done. He only asked me a couple questions, when/where we met and if this marriage was real and not a sham. He then stepped out a minute, perhaps to photocopy our driver's licenses (as he had them in his hand when he left). As we were escorted out he mentioned that his decision would come in the mail. And that was it.

It was easy, but we still have no definite answer. I am assuming it's a yes, but I could be dead wrong. At least they weren't apprehended right there in the office and carted away; so I'll take this experience as a victory.

I hate waiting. You'd think I'd be used to it, but I'm not.

That's awesome news. I haven't been keeping tabs on this forum recently. Time sure is flying for some folk.

Yep. After the relative "ease" of the petition process and the journey over here... the real fun begins after getting married. Usually not for a few months, so enjoy the first couple of months, but after that - fun, fun, fun!

Conga-rats on the marriage!

I'm a scant 6 months into my marriage, but so far is still actually is fun. Furthermore, being only 7 months into the immigration process, the easy part was getting Katya and Denis over here. I definitely did not think that at the time, but we luckily had no RFEs or hiccups at all; until they got here...

Do you have a translator lined up?

Not yet. I'm pursuing it this week after other avenues fell through. No less than 4 or 5 of her friends are professional translators, over here on a K-1 Visa; but they won't be able to help for a variety of reasons. I'll be going with an unaffiliated person.

3 weeks and a day after the interview, we received the new interview date: 5 weeks out on July 27th. The interviewer said it would take 3 weeks to get our NOA letter, and he was pretty much spot on. I am glad it is only a month wait and not 2 or 3.

I love Katya's Pelmini and Borscht, but I like the Pelmini better. So good with just some butter. Yummm

It's 10pm and now I'm hungry. damn

I must have completely missed every post that guy ever made, as it's all French to me. Does this message board have a 'show posts by user' function?

hello, RUB! long time no read. just thought i would check in and update my old friends on all my new excitement.

• Dima and I celebrated 1 year in the US together April 27th.
  
• we celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary on May 19th.
  
• and,more importantly, we welcomed our son on April 11th!
  

we are enjoying this little angel and adjusting to being a family of 3.

That's awesome news. It's hard to believe it's been a year. In a week, it'll be 6 motnhs for Katya and Denis. It feels like they just arrived a few weeks ago, not a few months. Time sure does fly when you're having fun.

I didn't think you had to interview for a job like that. Suit and tie? Red nose and big shoes?

I'm fairly certain that, at a minimum, your seltzer skills are tested in all carnie-related interviews. knocing an apple off a donkey's head at 50 paces, making a Gin and Tonic at 50 paces, etc.

They have no concept of "customer service"

This is the single most important thing that I need to remember. I can read all of the examples of "fun", "easy", or "quick" interviews, but I must remind myself that I am dealing with the US Government; this is not an interview for a job working the cotton candy machine at a carnival.

I never had the joy of finding our MOS # on the consulate website. From the time we were approved, through her December interview, until after she landed in NYC on Dec 11, the web page still showed September/October interviews. Instead of the web page, I emailed the consulate and they gave us the interview date.. 3 days after I emailed them. Every email I had with the Moscow consulate was answered in exactly 3 days. At least they were punctual.

I was told by our interviewer that I had to provide the interpreter, and it could not be a family member, by blood or marriage. He repeated this 2 or 3 times in the final minute of the 'interview'; I assume to get it into my head that we could not use her mom as a translator. I understand that aspect well enough.

He made no mention of USCIS being able to provide one; though I think omitting that information was simply par for the interview. He clearly didn't want to do me any "favors" (for lack of a better term). For my specific case, I'm almost definitely going to put forth the effort to find my own interpreter and not "rely" on the USCIS to provide one. It wouldn't surprise me if our interviewer took it as a bad sign that I could not find my own interpreter.

Pledge and Oath were interchangeable to me at the time I posted, I was still shell shocked over what transpired. Sorry for the confusion. I, too, haven't had to recite the pledge of Allegiance since Elementary school.

I'm still upset over how the interview transpired, but we now have more time to prepare. We can find a good translator who should help Katya feel more comfortable. and then we should nail the second interview. I expect Katya will be able to answer every question without need of the translator, and with that in mind I want to have the same interviewer simply to show him that his initial appraisal of her was dead wrong.

Congrats on the successful interview. My wife, son, and I had our interview at 7:45am today - the 28th; and left by 8:10 very unhappy. Because my wife did not speak fluent English, we were dismissed with a notice to bring a translator to the next interview date; which will be several weeks in the future.

I am glad 2 people had positive experiences this week to offset the completely horrible experience we had to suffer through.

I have a motto too - If the interviewer is being a jack@$$, contact their supervisor.

Were you thinking she'd go in there and be OK without a translator? Also, did she do her interview in Moscow in English or in Russian?

Her interview in Moscow at the US Consulate was completely in Russian.

I figured she'd be fine after a couple questions and she calmed down. The more nervous Katya gets, the less understanding of English she posesses. I absentmindedly answered the first casual question for her, I said Yes, and was immediately reprimanded for speaking out of turn. I was told I cannot answer for her in a very strict, condescending tone. I figured, fine, this would be a strict interview but Katya can get through it. The question he asked was if she had her EAD cards, which she did. She misheard EAD as EID, or ID, and was confused. We never called the documents EAD, so the correlation was not there in her mind. She had not calmed down and was still visibly shaking. It was at this time he said the interview probably would not continue, due to the language gap.

He asked us to stand and recite the pledge. She paused after he finished, as did I. I was waiting for her to answer first because I knew the test he was running. But I answered first and he stopped the interview right there. She understood the pledge she was reciting, I knew this (and she confirmed my suspicion post interview) - but he had obviously heard enough. He first told me that he was the most senior officer at the Colorado branch, having been there 17 years, then he then gave an example as to why he had stopped the interview. He said that perfect communication was needed between himself and Katya because "If I asked her the question: 'Have you ever been a member of the Communist party or a member of a terrorist group', and she answered yes, I would have to push this button under here and you would be taken away be the people on the floor above me (pointing upwards) and asked questions the entire weekend. You don't want that, bring a translator."

The interview ended then, he apologized to me by name, but not to Katya; and then we left.

I'm more upset at myself for not even thinking of this as a possibility. But it happened, and now I'm left wondering what else will be brought up at the next interview. I'm assuming it will be with the most senior officer again, so I may bolster my documentation further. Get more pictures taken, get joint checks printed (we never write checks, so I never ordered any in her name), put her on my mortgage, water/cable/phone bill, blah blah blah blah.

All I can say is boo. Katya could have understood the USCIS Officer if he was willing to talk slower or repeat questions in a different manner. From the start of the interview he made it clear that she was expected to answer his questions; either herself or through a translator. Since I failed to bring a translator, he stopped the interview after 1 question. He was clearly not willing to "work with us" at all; and I suppose I understand. It is a lesson learned and we will bring a translator next time. Of all the outcomes, I did not expect this one. She understand 90-95% of everything we speak about, we rarely have to consult the laptop to translate something. But in an environment such as this, I can see his point of needing perfect communication between all parties involved.

So a 3 week ensues for another form to arrive, with an undetermined wait time after that. And then 4-6 weeks after that for the green card to arrive.

Excellent news indeed! Glad to see another quick interview.

The I 797-C letter was addressed to Denis (our son) and not to Katya; which was odd. I'm not sure if a separate I 797-C will arrive or not.

My boss wouldn't pay for insurance for Katya and Denis, so I have to pay out of pocket through Blue Cross or some #######. We also share a checking account now. Beyond that, I haven't done much reading about how to prepare this interview. With a date set, I now feel the urge to get prepared.

I slacked off on this process because Katya was doing all of the work. She filled out all of the AoS forms with minimal help from me. It was different trusting someone else with the paperwork. I took so much care in preparing the I-129F, spent hours triple checking before submittal. With the AoS paperwork, I printed out the forms, signed 2 checks, and shipped the package.

I haven't really checked this forum much the last couple months because there was more work to do around the house and less work to do related to AoS. But now we have a date, the May 28th at 8:15am. I'll probably wake up at 6am nervous as hell. I'll spend the next month reading, worrying and fretting about the upcoming interview. Good times.

Congratulations guys! That was smooth and fast!!!

Ditto. Glad everything went well!