Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Yeah, Derek got a yellow letter a few weeks ago telling him to bring a state/government issued ID, to the interview. Well, no duh. But still waiting on the interview letter.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-10-29 12:19:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Good luck, Alan! I am looking foward to reading all about your adventures. Well when it comes to word processing I am not the font of all knowledge. I have stopped studying as it is possible to be over trained and get a saturated brain - evidence sarah palin's press interview I shall report back in the main citizenship forum with a detailed account. That assumes they don't tazer, handcuff, and deport me. If that happens, there may be a delay of 2 weeks. I am getting rid of my flippancy tonight as they don't like that stuff. Adding 'allegedly' to my answer concerning the reasons for the revolution would not be helpful	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-10-25 06:04:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Meh, Derek still hasn't received his interview letter although a few days ago he did get a letter telling him to make sure and bring ID to the interview whenever it was scheduled. It was very specific that it was NOT an interview letter, lol. The DC district office says that they are currently processing from March 3, 2010 so I am figuring we won't hear anything for a bit longer. I am not going to worry about it until at least November. In the meantime, good luck, Alan! Huge variations - but If I was a month later at any stage than the next slowest person in our database above, I would be giving them a call. 90% chance the reception robot will say wait 6 months first; but sometimes we get a sensible one. I can't study any more for my Monday interview - I am bored sick of it. Nice of them to slot it in before the elections on November 2 so I don't have to remember new Senator names etc. By the way, I have been watching UK ceremonies on line and reading their new regulations. The ceremonies are even more tongue down throat and the hurdles to get citizenship are much tougher from next year. A year's community service first ? jeez picking up dog muck in the park ? Gimme the USCIS despite all their faults	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-10-20 14:23:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Lol. True, am hoping the downside to waiting for the interview is a same day oath ceremony. And fortunately he is Canadian and has that polite thing down to a science. Just as long as they don't bring up hockey... In the words of Bob Dylan 'And the first one now Will later be last' No predicting the USCIS - it's like being a wildebeeste and walking past a pride of lions - it's just bad luck if they fix on you. Not sure if rurality helps or hinders - I could be months waiting for the ceremony when some city offices do the ceremony same day... Derek could still beat me to the passport...My wife says I haven't to be a snotty Brit at the interview coz they don't like that - so I will have to practise my 'howdy pardner' home boy style.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-09-21 14:24:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Congrats Alan! Your interview is on my birthday so I am sure all will go well! Derek is still waiting for his interview letter and I am starting to wish we lived in a less populated area. Got back from the UK last night and mail delivery was to resume today. No mail arrived. Called the Post Office and they apologized for not resuming the mail but said they had letters for me. Went down and picked it up just now. The very last letter was the INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT !!! The fingerprints were 200 miles way at 6am and I went the night before and stayed in a hotel as it was a 9am appointment; but the interview is 100 miles away and 2.30pm - PERFECT ! Details per signature below yippee !!!!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-09-21 07:50:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Congrats on the biometrics! And figures that they don't know anything. I gave up even asking years ago. And after having to deal with USCIS *and* DMV in the same week you deserve more than one beer! Biometrics done today. Big sign on the counter says no BIO without an appointment - but it doesn't say an appointment at that office or that date and time. Asked the guy about why I had drriven 200 miles each way when the local office is 90 miles. He said I should have gone to the local office and they would have done it. Asked him where interview would be - don't know Asked him how long twixt interview and ceremony - don't know He said if FBI wants prints redone - go to local office. Jeez never thought about that happening ! Lost my driver's license in all the paperwork. Went and got a temp 1 hour ago with a horrible photo of a wizened worried harassed old guy on it - then came home and found the original on the scanner flatbed with a photo looking like a relaxed James Bond. She says punch a hole in it as the new one that will come in 4 to six weeks is the valid one now. I am tempted to show the lost/found one when I rent the car in UK next weeks as the temp is a scruffy bit of paper that looks like I made it.. same number etc on both but different bar code on rear she reckons but all the details and number are all correct and unchanged I need a BEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-09-02 18:21:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	you can totally ignore those dates on the USCIS site 5 months means 'within 5 months' typically 3 right now... That January 10 is probably the worst case who spent 5 years in an afghan training camp before coming here and it has just come to light and is still under investigation I have no idea whether I will be at the office detailed on the USCIS website - Yakima- or where I am going for fingerprints on Thursday - Spokane, or even Seattle which is nearer than Spokane. The USCIS is a large fog of uncertainty and it ain't over until it's over. What about that lady who finished the oath and then they lost her certificate ! Not over until the certificate is in hand AND it's spelled correctly etc.... then the post office can lose it the following week !!! arrgghhh ! makes me feel like hiding under a rock just let it end.... Lol, true. There must be a whole division at USCIS who just sit around all day thinking up new ways to screw with our minds. Keeping fingers crossed but expecting the worse. Or at least, the unexpected.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-08-30 12:51:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	wow neck and neck ! I drive to spokane wednesday for prints thursday ! I didnt do walk in coz we flying to the UK on 9/11 (aaarrgghh)and i don't want an interview before we return 9/19 I think 3 or 4 weeks is normal for interview + 4 days min after prints to produce the letter so I should be safe You should be good. We live in the Washington, DC metro area so Derek will probably be going to the Fairfax VA Field Office for his interview. Earlier this month they stated their processing time as 5 months, today they are saying January 10, 2010. I was hoping that Derek would get his interview by the holidays. Now, not so much.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-08-30 11:01:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Back from vacation. Biometrics letter arrived on Friday the 20th. Had an appointment date of September 1 but Derek did the walk-in thing this morning and is already done. Now just waiting for an interview date... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list: 1. DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. 2. Please make sure you are using Rich Text Editor as your message setting. 3. Click "Reply" on the most recent/updated posting version of this list. 4. Remove the "Quote Coding" at the top and bottom of the list. 5. Always use [Courier New] Font and font size [2] 6. Red Font="I'm A United States Citizen"! **For more detailed instructions with screen-shots "CLICK HERE"** ============================= N-400: August 2010 Applicants ============================= ====================================== USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox ====================================== UserName............Sent.....ChkCashd...eNOA....NOALtr....RFE...Biometric...IntLtr....Interview....Oath......FieldOffice derekkj.............08/03/10...08/11/10....08/11/10....08/12/10..08/30/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--.....Washington, DC Allie & Leo........08/12/10...08/24/10../--/--..--/--/--../--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/-..--/--/--....?,TN TracyTN...........08/20/10.. 08/25/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--.....Memphis, TN sk28.................08/23/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--.......Houston, TX ================================ USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox ================================ UserName.........Sent.....ChkCashd....eNOA..........NOALtr.....RFE....Biometric...IntLtr...Intview....Oath....FieldOffice B&P .............08/02/10....08/06/10......--/--/--........08/06/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--.......Milwaukee, WI kobeya..........08/06/10....--/--/--...--/--/--.....--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--........San Francisco, CA saywhat.........08/09/10....08/13/10...08/15/10.....08/19/10..08/18/10..09/02/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--........Yakima, WA Bigbear...........08/12/10...08/21/10...08/20/10.....08/23/10..08/25/10..09/17/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--........Detroit, MI SirLancelot.....08/16/10....08/24/10...--/--/--.....08/23/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--../--/--..--/--/--...........San Jose, CA ZQT3344.........08/17/10....08/25/10..08/25/10.....--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--...St. Louis, MO =========================================================================== USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA) =========================================================================== UserName............Sent.....ChkCashd...eNOA...NOALtr....RFE..Biometric...Int Ltr...Intview...Oath......FieldOffice missy0090...........08/14/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/-- Agreed. So we want each person's entry on the list to 'wrap' so it is two lines long? I thought sk28's post looked better, even though it may not have been the right font. Edited by derekkj, 30 August 2010 - 07:39 AM.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-08-30 07:38:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	What did the RFE email say last friday? Could you tell what it was indicating or asking for? Judging by what I have read around here the RFE is most likely an indicator that the biometrics letter has gone out. But still nothing in the mail yet. The email said: *** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL *** The last processing action taken on your case Receipt Number: NBC*********** Application Type: N400 , APPLICATION FOR NATURALIZATION Your Case Status: Request for Evidence On August 13, 2010, we mailed a notice requesting additional evidence or information in this case N400 APPLICATION FOR NATURALIZATION. Please follow the instructions on the notice to submit the requested information. This case will be in suspense until we receive the evidence or the opportunity to submit it expires. Once we receive the requested evidence or information and make a decision on the case, you will be notified by mail. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or call our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283. A request for evidence is made when an application/petition is lacking required documentation/evidence (initial evidence) or the officer needs more documentation/evidence (additional evidence) to determine an applicant's eligibility for the benefit sought. We may send you a request for evidence at any stage of our review. The request will indicate what evidence or information is needed for us to fully evaluate your application or petition. The notice will explain where to send the evidence and will give the deadline for your response. Your application or petition will be held in suspense during that time. If you receive a request for evidence and have questions about what you need to submit, you may call our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283. *Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Check Processing Times. *** Please do not respond to this e-mail message. Sincerely, The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-08-20 10:12:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Received an RFE email on Friday the 13th but nothing in the mail yet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list: 1. DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. 2. Please make sure you are using Rich Text Editor as your message setting. 3. Click "Reply" on the most recent/updated posting version of this list. 4. Remove the "Quote Coding" at the top and bottom of the list. 5. Always use [Courier New] Font and font size [2] 6. Red Font="I'm A United States Citizen"! **For more detailed instructions with screen-shots "CLICK HERE"** ============================= N-400: August 2010 Applicants ============================= ====================================== USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox ====================================== UserName............Sent.....ChkCashd...NOA.....Fprints...Int Ltr...Intview...Oath......FieldOffice derekkj...........08/03/10..08/11/10..08/12/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..Washington, DC ================================ USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox ================================ UserName............Sent....ChkCashd....NOA......Fprints...IntLtr...Intview....Oath.......FieldOffice B&P .............08/02/10...08/06/10...08/06/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--...Milwaukee, WI kobeya...........08/06/10...--/--/--...--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--...San Francisco, CA SirLancelot......08/16/10...--/--/--...--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--...San Jose, CA ZQT3344..........08/17/10...--/--/--...--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--...St. Louis, MO =========================================================================== USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA) =========================================================================== UserName............Sent.....ChkCashd...NOA.....Fprints...Int Ltr...Intview...Oath......FieldOffice Example...........--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..City, ST	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-08-19 12:23:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	N400 August 2010 Filers	Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list: 1. DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. 2. Please make sure you are using Rich Text Editor as your message setting. 3. Click "Reply" on the most recent/updated posting version of this list. 4. Remove the "Quote Coding" at the top and bottom of the list. 5. Always use [Courier New] Font and font size [2] 6. Red Font="I'm A United States Citizen"! **For more detailed instructions with screen-shots "CLICK HERE"** ============================= N-400: August 2010 Applicants ============================= ====================================== USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox ====================================== UserName............Sent.....ChkCashd...NOA.....Fprints...Int Ltr...Intview...Oath......FieldOffice derekkj...........08/03/10..08/11/10..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..Washington, DC ================================ USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox ================================ UserName............Sent....ChkCashd...NOA......Fprints...IntLtr...Intview....Oath.......FieldOffice B&P .............08/02/10...08/06/10...--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..Milwaukee, WI kobeya...........08/06/10...--/--/--...--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..San Francisco, CA ================================================= USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA) =========================================================================== UserName............Sent.....ChkCashd...NOA.....Fprints...Int Ltr...Intview...Oath......FieldOffice Example...........--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..--/--/--..City, ST [/quote]	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2010-08-12 07:46:00
US Citizenship General Discussion	The Problem With Question 36	Haven't seen this posted here yet... The Problem With Question 36 Why are so many of the answers on the U.S. citizenship test wrong? By Dafna Linzer, ProPublicaPosted Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, at 5:52 PM ETLast month, I became an American citizen, a tremendous honor and no easy accomplishment, even for a Canadian. After living here for 12 years, I thought I knew everything. Then I learned how we mint Americans. After years of steep filing fees and paperwork (including one letter from Homeland Security claiming that my fingerprints had "expired"), it all came down to a test. I passed, and, my fellow Americans, you could, too—if you don't mind providing answers that you know are wrong. Friends told me I didn't need to study, the questions weren't that hard. But I wanted to and so for months I lugged around a set of government-issued flashcards, hoping to master the test. I pestered my family and friends to quiz me. Sometimes I quizzed my sources. I learned things (there are 27 amendments to the Constitution) and they learned things (there are 27 amendments to the Constitution). But then we began noticing errors in a number of the questions and answers. Take Question 36. It asks applicants to name two members of the president's Cabinet. Among the correct answers is "Vice President." The vice president is a cabinet-level officer but he's not a Cabinet member. Cabinet members are unelected heads of executive departments, such as the Defense Department, or the State Department. The official naturalization test booklet even hints as much: "The president may appoint other government officials to the cabinet but no elected official may serve on the cabinet while in office." Note to Homeland Security: The vice president is elected. Still, a wonderful press officer in the New York immigration office noted that the White House's own Web site lists the vice president as a member of the Cabinet. It's still wrong, I explained. I told her that my partner wrote an entire book about the vice president and won a Pulitzer Prize for the stories. I was pretty sure about this one. A parade of constitutional scholars backed me up. In fact, the Constitution aligns the vice president more closely with the legislative branch as president of the Senate. Not until well into the 20th century did the vice president even attend Cabinet meetings. Then there is Question 12: What is the "rule of law"? I showed it to lawyers and law professors. They were stumped.placeAd2(commercialNode,'midarticleflex',false,'') There are four acceptable answers: "Everyone must follow the law"; "Leaders must obey the law"; "Government must obey the law"; "No one is above the law." Judge Richard Posner, the constitutional scholar who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago, was unhappy. "These are all incorrect," he wrote me. "The rule of law means that judges decide cases 'without respect of persons,' that is, without considering the social status, attractiveness, etc. of the parties or their lawyers." So, where do these questions come from? U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a department within Homeland Security, spent six years consulting scholars, educators, and historians before the current test was introduced in 2008. The result: 100 questions and answers designed to provide an in-depth treatment of U.S. history and government. "The goal of the naturalization test is to ensure America's newest citizens have mastered a basic knowledge of U.S. history and have a solid foundation to continue to expand their understanding as they embark on life as U.S. citizens," said Christopher Bentley, a spokesman for USCIS. During the citizenship interview, applicants are asked a randomly selected 10 questions from the test and must answer six correctly. In addition to the questions, there is a reading and writing test for English proficiency. My immigration lawyer accompanied me to my interview. In the security line, I told her I was bothered by Question 16: Who makes the federal laws? Each of the three possible answers, it seemed, was incomplete. The official answers were: "Congress"; "Senate and House (of representatives)"; "(U.S. or national) legislature." I'm not a lawyer but even Canadians watched Schoolhouse Rock. Where, I wondered, was the president, whose signature is what makes a bill into a law? My lawyer sighed, she agreed. But: "If you get asked that question, just give the official answer," she said. I didn't get that question. I also wasn't asked Question 1: What is the supreme law of the land? The official answer: "the Constitution." A friend and legal scholar was aghast. That answer, he said, is "no more than one-third correct." He's right. Article VI, clause 2 in the Constitution, known as the Supremacy Clause, explicitly says that three things—the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties—together "shall be the supreme law of the land." Question 96 asks: Why does the flag have 13 stripes? The official answer: "because there were 13 original colonies." In fact, the flag has 13 stripes for the 13 original states. Many of the test questions, organized under topics such as "system of government," "geography," and "American history" are correct and informative. Since I'm a reporter, one tugged at my heart. Question 55 asks: What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? Among the correct answers: "write to a newspaper." <A name=p2>At my interview, I was asked questions on presidential succession, the Cabinet, Senate terms, and the Supreme Court. I was asked to name a branch of government. (I went with the executive.) I was asked Question 8: What did the Declaration of Independence do? Heeding my lawyer's advice, I went with the official answer: "declared our independence." I answered six consecutive questions correctly and moved on to the language section of the exam. Native English speakers are not exempt from this section and I was asked to read aloud the following sentence: "Columbus Day is in October." I was then asked to write a sentence in English. Remarkably, it was the same sentence: "Columbus Day is in October." Next, I reaffirmed answers I had given on my citizenship application. Was I a member of the Communist Party? Was I member of a totalitarian party? Am I a terrorist? Although I was born in 1970, I was asked: Between March 23, 1933 and May 8, 1945, did I work for or associate in any way with the Nazi government of Germany? Had I worked at a concentration camp? The officer who interviewed me, Sandy Saint Louis, had to ask me the questions. But she didn't even look up or wait for my responses. She checked off "No" after each one. She did pay attention when she asked whether I was a habitual drunkard, a polygamist, a drug-smuggler, a felon, a tax-evader. My paperwork was in order, my background check was complete. When the interview was over, Saint Louis pressed a large wooden seal into a red ink pad and stamped "approved" across my application. A wave of relief washed over me and my lawyer shot me a sweet smile. Ten days later, when I returned for the swearing-in, a brief and final questionnaire asked if I had engaged in prostitution since the interview. I checked "No." On Friday, Jan. 28, accompanied by my family, I was among 160 citizens-in-waiting who filed into a 3rd-floor auditorium in lower Manhattan to be sworn in as Americans. On our seats were an American flag, a copy of the Constitution, a booklet featuring the stories of prominent naturalized Americans, and a welcome letter from President Obama. Reading the letter, I began to cry. I had spent more than one-quarter of my life hoping to become American, and I was suddenly overwhelmed by the honor and the significance of the moment. The place I have called home for 12 years was finally claiming me, as well. I looked around the room and saw other fortunate souls with long journeys now behind them, quietly weeping with joy. An immigration official asked us all to stand, and to remain standing, when the name of our country of origin was called out. After he read through the names of 44 countries, we were all standing, waving our flags. Together, we took the Oath of Allegiance and were then seated as citizens of one nation. Everyone in the room that day had scored a perfect 100 percent on the test and, for fun, an official decided to test us all once more. Who wrote "The Star Spangled Banner"? he asked. Only a few called out "Francis Scott Key," perhaps because that question is no longer on the test. It was prominently removed four years ago. A newly sworn-in citizen led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. We sang the national anthem and then watched a video message from the president shown at every swearing-in ceremony across the country. "It's an honor and a privilege to call you a fellow citizen of the United States of America," Obama told us. "This is now officially your country." There were more tears. At the end of the hour, we received certificates of naturalization and were given instructions on how to obtain U.S. passports. My family and I left soon afterward. It was 10:30 a.m. and cold outside. We took the subway uptown. Three children got off at three different stops, headed to their schools or the library. We took the youngest up to his school. He walked in clutching his American flag and announced proudly to his teachers that "Mommy is American." At a party that evening, I displayed the letter from Obama and laid out the flashcards. Over Sam Adams beer and mini-burgers, I spoke about the ceremony and test. The host led us all in the Pledge of Allegiance, my second of the day. Looking around the room, I realized that a significant number of my friends are journalists, writers, academics, and lawyers. It's a nitpicky crowd and during three hours of celebration they noticed additional errors in the questions. At the end of the night, one of the catering staff gathered up the flash cards and as she held them out to me, she revealed that next month she too will take her citizenship test. I was thrilled. I closed my first day as an American citizen by handing them over to her. "Which ones did you say were wrong again?" she asked. "Just give the official answer," I said, "and you'll do fine."	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2011-02-25 10:18:00
Canada	Just put in a Bid for a Condo!!	Congratulations Scott! Sounds like a busy couple of months but it will all be worth it in the end. Good luck with the counter-offer and settlement. Hopefully we won't be neighbors for much longer - and I mean that in the most positive way of course! Have a great Canada Day! -Karin We live in the same building yet have never met yet!! lol Want to help us move? great time to meet, lol! Just kidding!! 1 of these days we shall meet up for a beer!! Always seem to be busy as of late, either school or something. I had to reformat my puter last night so I lost al info, including ur email addy!! Not a happy camper!! The one good thing with us possibly vacating the building is that it frees up another parking space outside, since we have 2 cars. My poor motorcycle will have to suffer outside, spoiled with the underground parking here!! Cheers Woo hoo, another outside parking spot! Especially with the flooding in the garage the past few days. As for helping you move, if there is enough beer involved, Derek just might. I am sure I am busy! Just kidding - if you need help, just let us know. We won't steal too much of your stuff. Sorry to hear about your computer. I thought I heard screams from above last night, lol. Will send you a PM with my email.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-06-29 15:12:00
Canada	Just put in a Bid for a Condo!!	Congratulations Scott! Sounds like a busy couple of months but it will all be worth it in the end. Good luck with the counter-offer and settlement. Hopefully we won't be neighbors for much longer - and I mean that in the most positive way of course! Have a great Canada Day! -Karin	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-06-29 13:20:00
Canada	Flames9!	Yeah, when I moved into BH, I waaaay underestimated the size of the truck I would need. And like you, was fortunate to have friends with trucks help out, lol. Fortunately when Derek moved down he got the right sized truck because I don't think anyone was going to follow him for 12 hours! So far we have never had to park one of our cars on the street, but I hear you about parking. Sometimes we sit on our balcony and watch the fur fly when people get blocked in by the pizza guy or some such. Good to hear that they didn't ding you for Bella. They knew about Jenny before we moved in but said that since she is already 20, if and when she goes on to the great litter box in the sky, they won't charge another pet fee, lol. Nice people. I am not sure about what Derek plans to do about hockey. Right now he has got a bad back and the last thing on his mind is putting on skates. But I am hoping he gets back into it eventually since I know he misses it. Maybe by the time that it gets to the proper temperature, he will be back in action! Good luck settling in! By the way, it's perfect beer weather! -kj	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-08-02 15:53:00
Canada	Flames9!	No excuses necessary! Derek has been here since April and I don't think we have had a free moment yet, lol. And neither of us are in school the way you are! Today I actually played hookey from work so that I could relax in the apartment all by myself. How sad is that?! Yeah, I read a bit about your realtor experience. Am guessing you wouldn't recommend them like you did Mr. Shaft! Fortunately we have a friend who is a realtor and are hoping the day is coming when we can utilize her expertise, but realistically will be staying in BH at least another year. As you say, it's a good place - we love it here too! Except for our shower head, ironically enough, lol. If your shower head is as crappy as ours, I don't wonder that you wanted the spiffy ones. Nice of the seller to offer up some $$$, but you are right - your realtor should have made it clear that you wanted the shower heads to stay and then paid you when they didn't. We are sad to lose the nearest neighbors we never met, but good luck with the move- 'fraid I am working Sunday (really!) so can't help you. But if you ever get homesick for BH, just give us a shout! -kj	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-07-25 14:33:00
Canada	Flames9!	Hey Scott, Just wanted to find out how much longer you will be our neighbor - can we have your apartment, lol? Hope all is going well with closing and moving. Fill us in when you get a chance! -kj	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-07-24 12:31:00
Canada	Bank Suggestions	Ok, whats the deal with customshouse.com.. I tried to set up an account on there and they want things like credit references? I just want to transfer money between accounts. Right now, I transfer the money from my Canadian Chequing account into a Canadian based US dollar account on-line. Then I just write a check on that account and deposit it into my US checking account. Im looking for better exchange rates. This clearinghouse looks like it might be a better deal but I cant get past the sign up page. how did you open the account? If it works good I can close yet another Canadian account which is always a good thing to me. Less paperwork! Hmm, I went online and saw what you are talking about with regards to the Credit References. It's been almost a year since I signed up so I honestly can't remember if I had to provide that information or not. Seems like I gave them either my employer's contact info or my bank's, but I am not sure. I suggest that you call their Customer Service number and ask exactly what they need. I have had to call them a few times and everyone I have spoken with has been very friendly - they are Canadian after all! - professional, and always solved any issues I had. Feel free to PM me too if you have any other questions. -kj	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-08-08 09:06:00
Canada	Bank Suggestions	Until flames9 comes along, let me direct you to the benefit of www.customhouse.com I have kept my same old credit union back in Canada that I've had for 20 years, and can do electronic funds transfer to and from my bank here for free! Flames9 made me into a Custom House believer! I have been using them for almost a year now to transfer money back and forth between Canada and the US and it's been great! Upside is that it is free and you usually get better exchange rates than you would at your local bank. Downside is that it does take a few days to set up an account and then usually takes about 2-3 days for a transaction to complete once the account is active. As I recall, in order to set everything up, you have to fill out a couple of forms and you will need to send them some proof of ID to confirm your identity. I had to email a .jpg of my driver's license. Good luck!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-08-07 11:07:00
Canada	Connect2Canada	I've posted this link before but there have been newcomers since then so it seemed appropriate to repost it: http://www.connect2canada.com/ This is a special website published by the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC to help keep Canadians living in the US in touch with what is going on back home. They send out news messages and a summary of items of interests to Canadian expatriates, as well as co-ordinting activities with the various Canadian Consulates such as local Canada Day celebrations, etc. There is no charge to join and they don't innundate you with emails - you get about one a week summarizing activities. Please feel free to sign up and to share this information with any others who you feel might be interested. Thanks Kathryn, great site! Derek is actually working at the Canadian Embassy in Washington and had never heard of this. Though to be fair, he only started last week. -kj	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-09-01 12:10:00
Canada	In need of a bank...	https://vantage.cust...i-bin/Login.cgi I transfer money froma Cdn account to my USA acct using the above. Takes a bit to set up, but not long. One does a phone interview as well for security purposes. Get a better exchange rate than most banks will give you. Cheers I learned about Custom House from VJ and have been using it for over a year to transfer $$$ between our US Savings account and Derek's Canadian Checking account. Takes a few days to complete a transfer but works great and no fees! Hi Scott!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-09-06 13:55:00
Canada	Best Point of Entry	Derek has also had good luck at the Thousand Island crossing. Then again he is also law enforcement so he speaks their language. B) I have always crossed at the Vermont border and never had any problems. I can only imagaine the amount of ####### that these guys see on a daily basis - I know I couldn't do their job!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-09-13 10:59:00
Canada	I miss Shreddies	I almost hate to admit this since I am the USC and don't know what I am missing, but Derek just started working at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC and can get Tims, Mars bars, Aeros, Cadbury, the list goes on and on. I can deal with Hershey's in a pinch, (though it seems to me that their stuff has been tasting even worse lately), really like Dove's Dark chocolate, and got addicted to Cadbury when I was in the UK. Actually the best chocolate I have ever tasted was made and sold by a family who live out on the Eastern End of Long Island. If anyone is ever in Orient, stop by The Candyman - it's worth the trip!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-09-14 09:09:00
Canada	Yes baby, NHL is on!!!	Does anybody know the outcome of the FBI/Canadian Embassy game? That would have been interesting to see Of course the Canadians won! Actually, I was with a bunch of people from the Embassy (Derek works there now) and was told that they had only just put the team together. I don't think they had even practiced together before the game, yikes. And I have a few friends who work at the FBI who keep telling me how good the FBI team is. Apparently the director even plays from time to time. So I was not expecting much, silly me. The Canadians came out flying, and were leading 5-1 when we left at the end of the second period. The FBI made some sort of comeback during the 3rd period because the final score was 6-4. Go Islanders! (Yes, I have learned to live with disappointment...)	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-10-07 12:42:00
Canada	Happy Birthday flames9!	Happy Birthday, Scott!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-10-29 17:43:00
Canada	Who's going home to Canada for Christmas this year?	Derek and I are driving up to Montreal from DC, will spend a few days there and then on our way back south stop at my Mom's in Vermont for actual Christmas. Best of both worlds, if a bit heavy on the driving	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-11-27 13:03:00
Canada	Renewed VA drivers license!!!	Congrats Scott! I am hoping that Derek will have as easy a time next year. I just renewed mine and really hate the photo too. Gotta love the VA DMV, lol. Have fun in Florida! We are doing the 13-15 hour road trip but in the opposite direction all the way up to Montreal. Leaving the cat in Barton House under the watchful eye of Deborah, the older lady who also watches the front desk. Apparently cat sitting is her real job and we are only going to be gone for a week so it's not going to be too expensive. Good luck with cat road trip. We had one cat who just loved to ride in the car, but all the rest acted like we were ripping their intestines out their nose. Yours should be fine on the kitty downers though and who knows, after all that time in the car she may love road trips too. Have a great holiday and a safe drive! -Karin	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2006-12-12 13:01:00
Canada	Inspired by flames	Just as long as I am grandfathered in, lol. *Waves at her first "Friend"*	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-01-28 12:19:00
Canada	A good day for myself!!!	Way to go Scott, congrats! As for the Flames, since the Islanders are not doing so great right now, Go Flames!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-01-31 16:54:00
Canada	Questions About Canada	Dunno how true this is, but it made me laugh! Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Here are some questions people from all over the world are asking. Believe it or not, these questions about Canada were posted on an International Tourism Website. Obviously the answers are a joke; but the questions were really asked! Q: I have never seen it warm on Canadian TV, so how do the plants grow? (England) A. We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around and watch them die. Q: Will I be able to see Polar Bears in the street? (USA) A: Depends on how much you've been drinking. Q: I want to walk from Vancouver to Toronto-can I follow the Railroad tracks? (Sweden) A: Sure, it's only Four thousand miles, take lots of water Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Canada? (Sweden) A: So it's true what they say about Swedes. Q: Are there any ATM's (cash machines) in Canada? Can you send me a list of them in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax? (England) A: What, did your last slave die? Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Canada? (USA) A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Ca-na-da is that big country to your North...oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Calgary. Come naked. Q: Which direction is North in Canada? (USA) A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions. Q: Can I bring cutlery into Canada?(England) A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do. Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA) A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Vancouver and in Calgary, right after the hippo races. Come naked. Q: Do you have perfume in Canada? (Germany) A: No, WE don't stink. Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you sell it in Canada? (USA) A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather. Q: Can you tell me the regions in British Columbia where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy) A: Yes, gay nightclubs. Q: Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada? (USA) A: Only at Thanksgiving. Q: Are there supermarkets in Toronto and is milk available all year round? (Germany) A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of Vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal. Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Canada, but I forget its name. It's a kind of big horse with horns. (USA ) A: It's called a Moose. They are tall and very violent, eating the brains of anyone walking close to them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking. Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA) A: Yes, but you will have to learn it first.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-02-14 15:27:00
Canada	New Kitten!!!	Too cute for words, Scott! My Jenny just turned 21 on Valentine's Day and I hope you guys have at least as many years with Bella and Kipper! Of course as an Islander fan, I would have named him Chico (as in Resch).	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-02-25 19:55:00
Canada	What are my options?	I like the 2 wedding option!! If I forget the 1st one, I can always have the 2nd one to fall back on!! As we get older and our memory fails, I can just state "no, no dear, we already celebrated, don't u remember?" lol Somehow I think Derek would like your logic!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-03-15 14:24:00
Canada	What are my options?	Derek and I did the whole come to the US, get married, and then go back home to Canada things as well. Actually, because I underestimated how long this frickin' process would take, we did it twice! First time was a JP ceremony that only his folks, my Mom and Gramma were at, second was the religious version with friends and family. Only problem now is that Derek insists on celebrating our first wedding anniversary in February and I prefer the second one in October.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-03-15 09:01:00
Canada	Is there some sort of account that my fiancé and I can share?	I don't know what the fee is but I know some people here transfer their money from Canada to the U.S. using www.customhouse.com There is no fee to use Custom House and the rates are usually better than most banks (and certainly better than using credit cards.) Derek and I have an account and we love it, but it does take a few days for the money to transfer. So if you need money unexpectedly, then a joint account with a debit card would probably work better for you.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-03-12 07:57:00
Canada	Wish me Luck on my BIG Move Saturday!	Good luck! Have a safe and uneventful trip!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-03-30 07:45:00
Canada	Planning your life around Montreal	If u wish i can get my wife to call some her old buds at State Dept and get them to contact Montreal to increase the length of the interview, lol. Staff were great when I went through mtl, but I belive they are staffed by the Foreign Service, and they transfer every 2 to 3 yrs. Hey Scott, Not to hijack the thread, but I just noticed that you got your 10 year green card. Congrats! Keeping fingers crossed that Derek's process goes as smoothly as yours. And that we get it done before the fees go up, lol Now back to the regular thread programming...	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-02 14:14:00
Canada	Planning your life around Montreal	All I can say is that I never had any trouble with Montreal. It's hard for me to sit quiet and not respond to threads like this, but I guess it's a case of different experiences for different people. Derek and I had no trouble with Montreal either. But that was over a year ago and I guess things have obviously changed! Vermont is apparently taking longer as well. And while I am glad we went through we we did, I feel horrible that things are taking even longer for those following us. I am just hoping that we can get Derek's 751 filed before the fees go up for that. Then we will be done with USCIS for 10 years. Unless he decides to go for citizenship. But we will cross *that* bridge when we come to it.	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-01 18:51:00
Canada	Planning your life around Montreal	And poutine! Do not forget the POUTINE!! Oh...and St. Viateur bagels and and and The Biodome and Notre Dame Basilica! And Old Montreal and the Old Port and ohhhhhhhh I miss Montreal SOOOOOOOO much! I lived there all of my life.... I do honestly understand everyone's disppointment with the Montreal Consulate though, and yes, they are over-worked because the wait times there weren't always as long as they are now. Keep the faith, peeps! I think Derek would kill for some good poutine right about now! As a New Yorker, I can't imagine Montreal bagels being as good as what I get when I go back home. But after over a decade of crappy DC bagels, I am willing to at least try!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-01 16:40:00
Canada	mephys's big day!!	Congrats! Won't be long now!	derekkj	Not Telling	Canada	2007-04-04 12:18:00