Coming to the USA - What to bring?

[Turboguy]

My gal is starting to pack.   She is a typical woman.  She does not get on the plane for a week.  I start packing 5 minutes befrore it is time to leave.

She asked me what to bring.   I could not think of much.  A day after she asked me I said to be sure she brought her Birth Certificate and the X-ray from the medical center which I believe they collect at the POE.   She wrote back and asked why she needed her Birth Certificate.   Of course that is required for the SS number.  If I had not said that she would not have it.  I have also suggested she bring any records of immunizations.  

The only other things I told her to bring was a bathing suit because we are heading to Virginia Beach not too long after she arrives and she won a little rabbit shooting at an amusment park and named it after me.  I told her to be sure to bring her rabbit.   I told her to bring any clothes she liked but we could buy her new things here too so not to worry to much about that.

Does anyone have any suggestions of things I should tell her to bring.   It can be legal things or personal things she might find difficult to get here or anything.   Thanks.

[BC]

If she likes to read a supply of books until a package can arrive or other source of books found.

If she likes music a selection of her fav artists' CD's

If she likes to cook any unusual spices or ingredients that may be hard to get.

 

[ConnerVT]

A trip to the drug store to buy an assortment of pain relievers, "vitamins" (supplements), and various sundry items.  Yes, I know many of the Western counterparts are fine, but there is a comfort level there, and arguing with a woman with a headache and upset stomach is not a good idea... 

[BC]

If she uses computer a good keyboard and up to date RU windows version.

[ConnerVT]

[user=117]A[/user] ton of double posts.... Sorry :?

[ConnerVT]

[user=117]BC[/user] wrote:

If she uses computer a good keyboard and up to date RU windows version.

The keyboard is a good idea.  I've already worn out two sets of cryllic stickers on my home computer, and one set on my laptop.

Instead of the RUS version of windows, I'd recommend Windows XP Pro and the MUI (Multilingual User Interface) for Russian.  The native Russian version of Windows won't easily (comfortably) allow both English and Russian users.  The MUI system works great.  My wife's account is completely Russian (menus, dialog boxes, etc.) with English text support , while my account is English (with Russian text support).  It runs almost all applications (except for Promt XT, which requires native Russian support.  My laptop is dual boot for that).

An added benefit of running XP is my account is the only administrative account (and password protected), keeping my son from completely screwing up the machine.

[RacerX]

she won a little rabbit shooting at an amusment park

I was going to say: 'ammo' but you can get all she needs here!

I second the notion of getting drugs: she can get those she knows, and they can buy 'prescription' ones right at the counter.  We stocked up last time and will again next trip.

Books are not too practical, but Russian CD's and DVD's are hard (read: expensive) to find here.

And yes, she needs to bring the originals of all docs presented for the I-129f.  If she attended an university, she should bring certified transcripts that can be translated later.

Hopefully you made sure she has ALL of her requried vaccinations and the signed copy from the doc.

I think it's been covered before: but the x-ray now becomes a collector item... nobody will want it.

[wxman]

If she brings DVD's make sure you have a DVD player that play both PAL and NTSC format. In the US most DVD players use NTSC format, while Europe uses PAL format. The DVD players in Europe can play both PAL and NTSC formats, while in the US, the majority of DVD players can not play PAL format DVD's. You can buy DVD players in the US that play both formats, but you must makes sure before you buy. Also make sure they are region free players. That's another mess, as I believe the US is region 1, while Europe is region 0. The DVD players that can do all of this are only slightly more expensive than the regular DVD players, plus many of the newer DVD players that are coming out can play all formats. The older your DVD player, the less likely you can play a DVD from Europe. 

[RacerX]

If she brings DVD's make sure you have a DVD player that play both PAL and NTSC format.  

However, I read somewhere that 95+% of the world's DVD players can read both PAL/NTSC.  All of the DVD's we've bought (SPB, Los Angeles, etc) played fine, so I think PAL ones are very rare.

[Turboguy]

Russia is really SECAM.   Not much of the world is.   Moslty just France and Russsia and the FSU.   SECAM and PAL are pretty similar.   You can watch them on the other but may have some blue bands.   NTSC is very differnt.   I think I can play anything.   I apprecaite all the tips.   There are some great ideas.   i told Luda I would send her a list of ideas tomorrow.   I had sent the ones I thought of but lots of heads are better than one.   You all are great.

[wxman]

If she brings DVD's make sure you have a DVD player that play both PAL and NTSC format.

However, I read somewhere that 95+% of the world's DVD players can read both PAL/NTSC. All of the DVD's we've bought (SPB, Los Angeles, etc) played fine, so I think PAL ones are very rare.[/quote]I brought back several DVD's from Ukraine last fall. They worked fine on my fiance's DVD player, but not on my DVD player because they were PAL format. Everytime I tried to play the DVD it kept saying "check format". My DVD player is only 2 years old and can only play NTSC formats. I agree, most of the newer players can play all formats, and PAL is becoming less and less.

[Turboguy]

It is possible it was a PAL format but SECAM is the official format for the FSU and France.   PAL is the format in the rest of Europe, China, Japan, Australia and NTSC is the format in North and South America except for Brazil which is PAL  

I am not sure if this will post but here is a comparison.   About the only differenceis the color carrier.   I dont know why they bother with both but when I was wathcing vcr tapes in Russia the vcr had a selector for secam and Pal and I would have a ton of blue in the picture if I had it set for pal.





SYSTEM

[align=center]SECAM B,G,H[/align]

[align=center]SECAM D,K,K1,L[/align]

Line/Field
625/50
625/50

Horizontal Frequency
15.625 kHz
15.625 kHz

Vertical Frequency
50 Hz
50 Hz

Video Bandwidth
5.0 MHz
6.0 MHz

Sound Carrier
5.5 MHz
6.5 MHz





[align=center]P A L
Phase Alternating Line[/align]

SYSTEM

[align=center]PAL[/align]

[align=center]PAL N[/align]

[align=center]PAL M[/align]

Line/Field
625/50
625/50
525/60

Horizontal Freq.
15.625 kHz
15.625 kHz
15.750 kHz

Vertical Freq.
50 Hz
50 Hz
60 Hz

Color Sub Carrier
4.433618 MHz
3.582056 MHz
3.575611 MHz

Video Bandwidth
5.0 MHz
4.2 MHz
4.2 MHz

Sound Carrier
5.5 MHz
4.5 MHz
4.5 MHz

[RacerX]

Well turbo, FWIW, if you buy an "universal" VCR player, you use the PAL position to play Rurssian tapes, so I always assumed they were PAL and not SECAM.... knew the frogs and Russians were sometimes friends, but would be surprised to know they developed their TV systems - where's jb when we are discussing the French?

[Turboguy]

You will find they play better if you use secam.   Part of what we do in my business is send video tapes all over the world.   We get the American ones copied by the thousands in NTSC but the pal and secam we copy ourselves.   That is something i work with every day so I do have a pretty good idea about it. 

Ah, jb, yes, he does love all things French  N'est pas?

[corp]

NOt to interupt the Hi-tech talk

But she might want to bring photos of her family and friends, even if they are small you can enlarge and frame them once here.

In fact it might be better to just bring the pictures and leave the frames behind to conserve space.

[Turboguy]

I think we are through the high tech stuff.   that is a good suggestion corp.   There have been a lot of really good ideas.   tomorrow I will gather them all together and send them to her.  Thanks everyone.   If you have more ideas, we still have a bit of time.

[PeeWee]

I'd tell her to bring; an open mind, her patience, some fortitude, her optomism, and her strength. The photos of family and friends seems a good idea but what else can she not buy here? If she has her favorite stuffed animal, a bear or a favorite pillow.

PeeWee

[Bruno]

You will find they play better if you use secam.   Part of what we do in my business is send video tapes all over the world.   We get the American ones copied by the thousands in NTSC but the pal and secam we copy ourselves.   That is something i work with every day so I do have a pretty good idea about it. 

Ah, jb, yes, he does love all things French  N'est pas?

 

Turbo, PAL and SECAM are not very different... the difference is mainly in the codering of color... a SECAM film on a PAL tv give a black and white film... but since several year, all TV, DVD player, videorecorder are PAL B/G - SECAM

For these who have interest :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SECAM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTSC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD#Region_codes

http://www.robertsdvd.com/world.gif

In case of DVD that your player cannot read, you can always use your computer and the S-video out from your graphics card... if you have the needed codec, you can read everything...

[Photo Guy]

The big difference between these video formats is:
the number of frames per second.  NTSC is 29.97 frames per
second. PAL is 25 frames per second and so is SECAM.
However SECAM and PAL use a different color implementation.
See: http://hometheater.about.com/cs/television/a/aavideoresa.htm

[Ste]

If she brings DVD's make sure you have a DVD player that play both PAL and NTSC format. In the US most DVD players use NTSC format, while Europe uses PAL format. The DVD players in Europe can play both PAL and NTSC formats, while in the US, the majority of DVD players can not play PAL format DVD's. You can buy DVD players in the US that play both formats, but you must makes sure before you buy. Also make sure they are region free players. That's another mess, as I believe the US is region 1, while Europe is region 0. The DVD players that can do all of this are only slightly more expensive than the regular DVD players, plus many of the newer DVD players that are coming out can play all formats. The older your DVD player, the less likely you can play a DVD from Europe.

Actually Mate, Western Europe is Region 2 and Russia and Eastern Europe is Region 5, not that it matters since I never saw a legal DVD in russia. Those are generally Region 0, with which is everywhere Worldwide - effectively no region set.

Also watchout for ur US TV's not being able to understand PAL/SECAM - the DVD player might be able to send it out but ur tellies might not be able to recieve it. Had this self same issue at my mates in Boston, DVD player would play, but picture was crap and black and white.

Back on topic, ask her to bring loads of Russian Chocolate Bars, they certainly go down a treat here in the UK, Nadia has brought about 20 bars this time! Just to give away to kids etc...

Ste

[Bruce]

Your close enough to Brighton Beach - so just make sure she brings all her clothes, since it will probably be colder than she thinks during the middle of winter.   You could always visit my place while you are here if you coordinate properly with me.  Have her take as many pictures as she can of herself, especially when she was young as well as her relatives.   Your family will want to see her side of the family as well as when she was young etc. and she will enjoy the memories.  In the winter make sure you buy her really good moisturizers here.  Stock some CETAPHIL now for her.   Have her stock up on Russian winter underwear as well as Russian tights.   I say that because my wife likes the quality of these items sold in Russia better than here, especially the heavy cotton winter underwear instead of the lycra type products sold here - its easier on creamy white skin.   If she has some favorite mugs, saucers etc. make sure she brings them.   Make sure you have a new quality vacuum.   Get a good calling card now.  Make sure she knows she can call as often for as long as she will like.  

[Turboguy]

I have to agree with STE,  it is hard to find a legal DVD in Russia.   The same goes with computer programs and mucic cd's     Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

[Turboguy]

I had not thought about Brighton Beach.   I have never been there myself and it is a days drive which is not bad.   I have a lot planned early but when we are looking for something to do that might be interesting.   Lota great suggestions.

[2tallbill]

I revived another thread,

What do you tell her to bring for her trip to the USA to Live.

1. Tell her to bring antibiotics. In the USA any infection you have a prescription
to get them. Have her put together a small medicine package. She will have
her favorite thing to take when she gets a ___________ (name of minor ailment)
You don't want to be Googling at midnight when she gets a tummy issue.   

2. If you live in a place that gets cold tell her to buy several pairs of pantyhose
They have very high quality hose in Russia and they are made to last a long time.
The hose in the USA will be lucky to last a day with a Russian girl bustling around
in them.

Pay for an extra bag and/or extra weight with the airlines. It's better that she
bring that one thing from home than not.

On your last conjugal visit to see her, bring a nearly empty suitcase so that she
can send a few things ahead and waiting for her. I believe that it helps get her
head wrapped around what's to come.

I had Angel Eyes ship herself a package to the USA too.

[Boethius]

Tell her to bring antibiotics. In the USA any infection you have a prescription
to get them.

I disagree with this.  There is a reason antibiotics require a prescription.  Overuse is creating superbugs.  People shouldn't be self diagnosing and taking antibiotics willy nilly.  I can't remember the last time I took an antibiotic.  It is well over a decade ago. 

2. If you live in a place that gets cold tell her to buy several pairs of pantyhose
They have very high quality hose in Russia and they are made to last a long time.
The hose in the USA will be lucky to last a day with a Russian girl bustling around
in them.

There is a difference between tights and pantyhose.  Many women don't wear pantyhose at all anymore.  They wear tights, which are long lasting.  Further, there are pantyhose that last, but they tend to be expensive.  I only wear pantyhose when I want a sheer (i.e. nude) look for my legs.  Otherwise, I wear tights.  I won't go to meetings/office bare legged, but most younger women now do.


This post was composed without the aid of google.