Finally joining the married group!

[roykirk]

Been away from RWD for quite a while, but just got married this last week here in Florida after a year and a half courtship.  Some of you may recall we met on EM's website early in 2008.  I traveled to Novosibirsk several times to meet her and her family and she also came to the U.S. on a B-2 visa once.  

Our next step is to navigate the AOS process once we get back from our honeymoon.  It's going to a bit of a headache.  She was never asked to present any evidence of vaccinations during the K-1 process.  I thought this was impossible, but someone on Visa Journey website confirmed that evidence of vaccinations aren't required to enter the country, only for AOS.  Now we have to get her all of the same shots she got as a child because she has no evidence of getting them.  A literal pain for her!    Unfortunately her mother doesn't have any copies of them either, so we have few options.  

Adjusting to the U.S. hasn't been too tough on her.  She studied like hell for her driver's license and she was so happy to finally get it.  Now she's about to go in to a depression when she realized they're going to take it away between the time her I-94 expires (about 1 week) and when she gets her AOS.  Our state will also accept authorization for employment to get her driver's license back, but it sounds like she's going to have to go without for at least a couple of months.    Getting the social security card was simple.  She had it in hand within about 2 weeks of arriving in the U.S..  She talks to her mother a couple of times a week on the phone and doesn't seem to be missing Mother Russia too much.  When we run in to other Russians on the street, she actually avoids them.  She says she's been around Russians her whole life and just wants to be known as an American now.

Fortunately she's made a handful of friends with the wives of guys I work with.  On the other hand, her Russian friends back home have pretty much abandoned her.  While they gave her a nice going away party, they pretty much don't return e-mails or phone calls now.  I don't know if it's a jealousy thing or what, but I know it makes my wife a bit sad.  We're planning on sending her home over the next New Year's to visit family and friends.  I told her she could go for three weeks if she wanted since I'm going to be away on business a lot that month.  She said the longest she could handle going back would be a week or so.  

All in all, everything has been going well, but I'm sure there will still be challenges ahead.  I'm proud of her.  She's gone from a city of nearly 2 million people to one of less than 30,000.  She complains a bit about the shopping choices, but at least she seems to love our Walmart!  

[Aloe]

that is very sad when people try to deny their heritage. It gets funny when they speak a foreign language pretending they dont know russian (waiting in line to the embassy for example)

[boaterguy]

Roykirk, Congradulations!

My wife is from Novosibirsk as well. I asked her about the documents she had with her vacinations.(we new we needed this ahead of time) She thinks your wife's mother might be able to go to the hospital or doctor where your wife received her medical care and acquire the vaccination document. It is definately worth a try. I believe Russia keeps pretty good records on vaccinations. She will also have to have this document translated.

[groovlstk]

Congratulations, Roykirk. Now the fun part starts Good luck to you and your wife and I hope things continue to go smoothly for you both.

[AnastassiaAsh]

If everything fails, don't worry guys, if you do the shots here it will be just a couple of shots (2-3 vaccinations in one), so at the end it's not that bad really. And you won't have to worry about translating it as it will be in English from an American USCIS doctor.

I know because my husband who is originally from Canada had to do the same couple of years ago. To do it here might just be faster and more simple than for her mom going to the local poliklinika and talking and giving a bribe to that nurse there... It's worth a try of course...

and Congratulations! Really happy for you! Very beautiful young couple! 

[SMS60]

Hey guys

From my experience with the vaccinations. My wife entered on a K-1 also. She did not have a record of her vaccinations either ( they were all lost years ago when she moved from one city to another).

I thought this would be a problem with AOS. We decided to wait for a request from USCIS before we did anything. Long story short she had her AOS interview with no problems. They did not ask for any vaccination records. I was suprised.

My suggestion is file the papers and wait for them to request additional documents if they need them.

I think age has a lot to do with the vaccinations also. My wife is 40. Does not require the vaccinations that a young adult needs?

[roykirk]

that is very sad when people try to deny their heritage. It gets funny when they speak a foreign language pretending they dont know russian (waiting in line to the embassy for example)

Well, I wouldn't say she's denying her heritage.  She proudly tells people she's Russian if they ask.  She just doesn't go out of her way to talk to other Russians, or at least initiating contact.  She says she's more interested in meeting other Americans than she is in people she lived around for her whole life.   :noidea:

[Misha]

Roy,

CONGRATULATIONS! It is so nice to read positive accounts and success stories! I wish you and your wife a long and happy life together!

Misha

[GoodOlBoy]

Another success story here on RWD!

Fantastic!

Congratulations Roy.


GOB

[Blues Fairy]

Congratulations, wonderful news! 

On the other hand, her Russian friends back home have pretty much abandoned her.  While they gave her a nice going away party, they pretty much don't return e-mails or phone calls now.  I don't know if it's a jealousy thing or what, but I know it makes my wife a bit sad.

Unfortunately this is what I noticed too during my last couple of visits to N-sk.  People there seem to be very hostile to the idea of exploring the "wide world" and very careful not to show any interest when you start talking of your life outside their little pond.  When I visited, many of my friends there didn't ask me a single question about my Moscow life and kept talking about their own local affairs.  I think it may have been jealousy or insecurity; many of them have had an opportunity to leave the town and move ahead in their career and life by relocating, but chose to stay in the more familiar environment.  Any reminder of the the missed opportunities is painful, therefore carefully avoided. 

[Vaughn]

Great news, roykirk...  sounds like things are going rather well, with a few hurdles mixed in
to keep you on your toes. Good report, and Welcome to the Married group !

[JR]

Congrats Roy and Kirk I hope you two will forge a wonderful life together.

PS my ex avoided most Russians here also but mostly because felt they were not her social egual.

[GQBlues]

When we run in to other Russians on the street, she actually avoids them.  She says she's been around Russians her whole life and just wants to be known as an American now.

Congratulations first of all.

My wife felt the exact same way when she first arrived. Especially when she felt she was getting snobbed by other Russian people who arrived here other than a K-Visa. That'll soon come to pass.

 On the other hand, her Russian friends back home have pretty much abandoned her.  While they gave her a nice going away party, they pretty much don't return e-mails or phone calls now.  I don't know if it's a jealousy thing or what, but I know it makes my wife a bit sad.

Man. Mirror image on my wife's experience too. Must be the water in Novo. My wife was down for a while because it seemed as though the people she clung to as 'friends' seem to have forgotten her the minute she left. Even when she first came back to the city, the sentiment didn't change. I felt so bad for her because she really was looking forward to seeing all of them.

Anyway, congrats again. Hope her transition is as smooth as possible - yours too!