Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Asia: South	Getting married in India...	I'll second the suggestion to keep a list of guests to provide at the consular interview. I've even read here that people have been asked for contact information for those on their guest lists. Best wishes for a lovely wedding! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	4/3/2009 15:43
Asia: South	Another 221g from New Delhi, K-1	Congratulations!	maya62	Female	Nepal	4/13/2009 14:27
Asia: South	Visa in hand!!!!!	Bahini, I am trying to respond to your PM, but your inbox is full again.	maya62	Female	Nepal	4/1/2009 13:57
Asia: South	INDIANS WITH BABIES......	Hi Sam, Nice to see a post from you... I hope you are doing well! We were just in Nepal and I helped wash my SIL's new baby using mustard oil! She was very careful to get the oil into all the little creases and folds. She did it on a warm day, in the sun, on a clean cloth and the baby loved the attention and massaging that went along with it! I think your concerns are valid, and I wouldn't assume your son has immunity because he's half Indian... he's (probably) been drinking your milk, which is how a lot of a baby's immunity is conveyed, and you are obviously not Indian. I hope you decide to go, and just do your homework like you are right now, and have a great time! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/1/2009 9:07
Asia: South	Govi is here, everything is great, I'm still alive	Congrats to Govinda on his new job! It sounds YUMMY!	maya62	Female	Nepal	11/1/2009 9:51
Asia: South	Govi is here, everything is great, I'm still alive	Whew! Glad to hear everything is fine and you and Govi are still honeymooning. We were worried! Has Govi met any other Nepalis here yet? I think that will help, too. The finding a job part can be tough... just be persistent and optimistic and something will come through. If we can help in any way, just let me know! Welcome to the US Govinda! Glad you're back Dolma. Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	9/21/2009 7:09
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Things are mighty quiet at the chautara! Just thought I'd post, bump it up, and ask if anyone has heard any recent info about dual citizenship. The Nepali govt rumbles about it every now and then, but so far I think it is not allowed. So if a Nepali becomes a USC, what rights does he/she lose? I'm thinking right to vote, right to own property, but I don't know what else. Is the Nepali passport no longer valid? Pheri betaunla mero satthiharu! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	7/12/2010 12:14
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	I think her best shot (perhaps her only shot) would be a tourist visa. I don't think you can sponsor her, and I think Madhu won't be able to until he is a citizen. But I would ask your question on the forum about Bringing Family Members to America (or even in Off Topic). South Asia just doesn't get much traffic, and it's not a region-specific question, at least not at the outset... And you could also ask what other forms of proof she might be able to show the Consulate that indicate she is likely to return to Nepal after her visit to the US... I believe their primary concern will be that she is not intending to use a tourist visa to immigrate. A letter from you and Madhu may be helpful, from what I've read. And with the baby due in 2 months, I'd hustle... I don't know how long it takes to get a tourist visa, but as you probably know, very few things in Nepal move quickly... Good luck, and let us know how it goes! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	1/30/2009 9:03
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Namaste mero satthi-haru! I thought I would revive the Chautara in honor of another approval from Nepal... Congrats to xochitl (Angie and Deepak) on a successful interview, and wishing Deepak a safe journey to the US and a smooth POE experience! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	1/27/2009 10:57
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	CONGRATULATIONS MADHU & NATALIA !!! Wow, that is so exciting! I bet he/she will be the cutest baby EVER! I am partial to the name Surja myself. Glad to hear things are going well for you, and best wishes as you go through the pregnancy... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	9/23/2008 15:13
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	QUOTE (Pattu Rani @ Jul 22 2008, 10:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Interesting - I hope Prachanda isn't going to make himself look (more like) a horse's pachaadi and threaten Jana Andolan III - this is how a modern democracy works - sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We did make it to Muktinath, Maya-didi - check out my photos. I saw them! I responded on another thread about religion, but I should've responded here... They're great! It looks like it was a really good trek... you flew into Jomsom? Did you do the teahouse thing? I'm so glad you had a nice trip, PR!! Someday I hope we will get to Muktinath and Tatopani. S has been there many times, but I never have. S talked to his bhaini in Ktm last night and apparently there is some family drama going on... and between the airline ticket prices and the fact that we just HAVE to add on to the house, I don't know when we'll get back. I was hoping December, but it may be next June. Ack. So I'll just keep watching youtube videos of Nepal (have you seen the paragliding one???? It's AWESOME... I'll see if I can find a link... and there are a few of landing in Lukla that are good, too), and living vicariously. Welcome back and may VSC hear your prayers so you can be with your mutu soon and for good... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	7/23/2008 7:40
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Well, well, well... full of surprises they are... http://www.asianage....-president.aspx Check out Nepal's first Prez! What next???	maya62	Female	Nepal	7/22/2008 8:23
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Namaste Dolma & Govinda! Good to hear from you! That looks strange... "The Republic of Nepal". But I can almost taste the yak cheese pizza... Did you get up as far as Muktinath? That's one place I'd love to go. And Kagbeni... well, the whole circuit really... Like Eileen said, we'll look forward to some photos and stories! Yeah, things still look so uncertain there. I hope the bandh doesn't last long and you guys have a wonderful visit. Hugs, Maya & family	maya62	Female	Nepal	6/23/2008 16:45
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	QUOTE (Madhuandnatalia @ May 24 2008, 10:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Pattu Rani @ May 24 2008, 04:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wow, in all the all the rush to get ready (I leave TOMORROW) I missed this great news1!!!! Badai chha!!!! I hope you will give details as to what questions they asked at the embassy - hopefully I will be next, though looking at how slowly VSC is moving it may not be until a year from now..... Yeah!! Eat some Dahl Bhat for me!!! I could give you a whole list of things to eat! Sigh..... He said the interview was very short and he asked very basic questions. Where did you meet? What were the circumstances of your meeting? He went over the photos and asked him where they were taken. He wanted to know the details of who was in the photos, where, when etc... He also asked him what makes me laugh. He told him that I always laugh when he dances! It's true! The interviewer had quite a chuckle at that. He also wanted to know when we spoke last and what we talked about. Madhu told him that I told him not to be nervous and just tell the truth. He really liked that answer and he told him that he was approved!!! He is getting his visa Thursday. He is going to be here in 2 weeks!!! My family and roller derby team are sooo excited to meet him. He is even going to see me in a game! I hope the derby girls don't scare him! Sweet story about the interview, MadhuandNatalia... made me chuckle, too. Madhu is in for a suprise when he sees what life is like for women in the US. My husband is still sometimes surprised after almost 3 years. And PR... I think you are in KTM now... I hope you had a smooth flight and a joyful reunion with Govi. Have a lovely time and eat some yak cheese pizza for me, please! Bon voyage! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	5/27/2008 8:03
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	FANTASTIC!! Congratulations!! It's so exciting! It brings back a great memory of a similar early morning phone call in Sept 2005... Tell him to check the visa carefully for errors (our son's visa said he was a girl!) when he gets it, and have a safe journey "home" to the US of A. Suggest writing a review of the Embassy when you have the details and some time. Best wishes! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	5/23/2008 8:12
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Oooohhh!! How exciting! Best wishes for a successful interview! Please do come back and tell us how it went! Fingers and toes crossed, and good vibes on the way.... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	5/21/2008 7:59
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	QUOTE (Pattu Rani @ May 14 2008, 09:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Dhanyavaad Mayaharu, Exactly 12 days from now I will be leaving... I already have most of my stuff packed. I am just curious, when you have gone to Nepal how did you handle the H2O situation? I have drank bottled water in the past but I feel so guilty doing so - have also used purification tablets but they seem expensive. Govi's family has a water filter but I dunno if it gets all of the nasties. I came down with Giardia last year and don't want to repeat it... There is a website by a doctor who has practiced in Nepal and specializes in high altitude medicine - rather than any fancy commercial filters he recommends using iodine - 10% solution, 4 drops per liter. For additional protection he says you can use coffee filters. Especially if we go to Manang/Mustang I want to keep waste to a minimum. The website is http://www.high-altitude-medicine.com. And yes of course I will post updates as soon as I can - you might not hear from me for a few days though. Oooooh... I'm really happy for you (and a little jealous, too ) Totally understand, you will have lots of laundry to do upon arrival! I feel guilty drinking bottled water, too, especially outside of Ktm (I think some of the plastic does actually get recycled in the Ktm Valley). Last time we went, we took SIGG water bottles and Katadyn Micropur tablets (1 tab/liter, 30 tabs $13.95 here: http://www.campmor.c...Product___81896 ) It does get giardia and crypto and doesn't taste too bad. Haven't tried iodine. Check this out: http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/11990150 If you do decide to go with iodine, I've heard that you can add vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to the water after treatment to help remove the taste of the iodine. I've had good luck with Katadyn, and the SIGG bottles are Swiss made specifically to avoid the leaching properties of plastic water bottles... they're lined metal and well-tested from what I've read. And as light as any Nalgene bottle, BUT you can NOT put boiled (hot) water in them without letting it cool first. We've used boiled water in a pinch in the village. And we drink a fair amount of tea and/or hot lemon on trek. Good luck and I look forward to living vicariously through you on this trip!! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	5/14/2008 12:34
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Very exciting PR!! I have had that feeling too (of witnessing history being made) each time I've gone to Nepal. It is a very exciting time to be there. I second Eileen's wish for a peaceful first meeting of the CA. And a happy reunion with tapaaiko mutu! Looks like you're leaving in a week... lucky duck! Please do send update(s) from Ktm if/when time allows... we'd love to hear how you're getting on and what the general mood is, too. Best wishes for a safe journey... Maya and family	maya62	Female	Nepal	5/13/2008 7:40
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Just thought I'd bump this up to welcome a new member since Putali's sweetie will be arriving in the US tomorrow!!! It is so exciting... please tell us the story, Putali, when you have a minute and can step down from Cloud 9! Welcome to America, Rajan!!	maya62	Female	Nepal	12/20/2007 13:43
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Just thought I'd bump this up with a few headlines... Chinese news outlets are reporting that the CPN-M has reunited with the CPN-UML. No western outlets are reporting this. Some western pubs are reporting that NC-D is about to reunite with NC. The king is not planning to seek a blessing this year from the Kumari. Big mistake if you ask me... he needs all the help he can get! And, for all you Indian idol fans, Prashant Tamang won this year!!!!!! Go Tamangs!!! Time to reclaim Darjeeling! Hehe And now for a word from our sponsor...	maya62	Female	Nepal	9/24/2007 12:34
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Nope, I've assiduously avoided ®NA thus far. I've heard too many horror stories. I can't speak for the microbus ride from Ktm to Pokhara, but I have fond memories of the microbus ride from Ktm to Trishuli, AKA the vomit-mobile. I've never seen so much vomiting in the span of 3 hours ever before or since. Poor things... especially the kids. But that microbus had blood on the front of it, too, as it was just after Dashain. It was a wild ride, and having done it several times now, I'm much happier when I don't look out the window unless S says it is safe. And we ride the big buses and buy tickets ahead so we have seats. Last time they even showed a (really goofy) Nepali video. The scariest, though, was Ktm to Dhunche this past June... bouncing across a semi-rebuilt, boulder-strewn, half-finished road bed with a coupla thousand foot drop just outside my window and the driver chatting and laughing with the Tibetan woman next to him and NOT LOOKING AT THE "ROAD". Gotta love it! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	9/6/2007 13:12
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	About Feb 1 2005... I never saw it coming. I wonder if anyone did. I just went in to work that morning (here) and checked my usual everything-Nepali sites and it dawned on me what had happened. Then I did become hysterical for the first couple of days. S and I had been emailing almost daily (between treks), so of course I thought the worst when I didn't hear from him. The word got out pretty quickly, through trekinfo, yetizone, and thorntree about the lines being "snapped", and then slowly there were anecdotal bits that things were actually peaceful on the streets of Ktm. Of course I had been imagining some sort of SS troop scenario with house-to-house searches etc.... (I had only been to Nepal once at that point and did not have a good feel for the political climate/culture yet, except an understanding that it was volatile). Then I got an email from S on Thursday (Feb 1 was a Tuesday), at a time when NOBODY on any of these forums, some of whom have good friends and/or family in Nepal, was getting any word by any venue. I was SOOO surprised! He had found an open line somehow, by scouring the city... all the internet places he knew of. I wept with relief. He was fine. So we went ahead with our plan for my second visit in March. A month later, I was back in Ktm. I met my stepson for the first time on that trip... sweet, quiet, little 9 year old (ah, how much has changed!! ) He came to visit in Ktm and reported in a matter-of-fact way that several of his teachers had been kidnapped by the Maoists and taken away for the weekend to a remote location for "re-education" and then returned unharmed. So we didn't get to go to the village as planned, and I had to wait another 6 months to return and meet my in-laws. Well, I'm rambling. It was a nerve-wracking time. And that, coupled with the ensuing visa process and ultimately our trip back to the US together (and settling in, and getting married), made for a very exciting and challenging year in 2005. Gee, life is so sedate now! NOT. Nothing like a pre-teen to keep you hopping! Y'all have a nice day now... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/30/2007 7:54
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Nice new wedding pic, Pattu Rani! Sorry to hear about G's mom and the landlord ickiness. And I hope you're feeling better. I have taken hundreds of photos now (in two separate visits) of family and friends in S&A's village and his sister's village, and I've really tried to resist encouraging people to smile, but sometimes I just can't take all the serious expressions and I foist my cultural bias on them and tell them to smile! They smile a lot anyhow when there isn't a camera around... About the news, I just about drove myself crazy in the months following Feb 1, 2005, after losing touch with S for that week (almost) I began reading obsessively and worrying about each new assertion or speculation. Once S&A were here, I calmed down quite a bit. We all still worry a bit about family and friends, but things do seem better lately. I haven't read eKantipur as much as Nepal News and Himalayan Times, but I checked it again recently and it does have more local stories and more detailed political reporting than most things I can access through that nepalnewsnow link. cheers Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/29/2007 8:30
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Thanks Putali for the history refresher! If the Maoists can move into the mainstream without further violence and/or intimidation (a big IF), and get representation for the agendas of women, ethnic minorities, and other under- or un-represented groups in the Nepali government, then perhaps all those innocents who have suffered and died at the hands of the Maoists will not have died in vain. Was it necessary to go this route? I don't know. What country has gotten to some kind of political equilibrium (with representation of most/all constituents) without bloodshed? I am concerned about the elections in November because S says that intimidation at the polls is very common, and the Maoists certainly haven't shown any signs of playing by the rules so far. And some of the numbers I've seen are just ridiculous. 300K+ Maoist surrendered 3K+ weapons? C'mon! And how many poll monitors will there be? A few dozen? What good will that do??? I don't know... I just don't know. I want to have hope, but some mornings when I read the headlines, I just get so discouraged. Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/20/2007 8:23
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	FYI, in case you didn't know already, the US Embassy in Kathmandu is moving to a new location. Here's a quick link to the news, as well as info about the new Ambassador (link to her bio in the upper right hand corner, too). http://nepal.usembassy.gov/ Cheers! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/16/2007 12:17
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	I believe Tij is Hindu... I haven't heard of it before so I searched it. It does sound like a nice idea... The guy raving about Thakali Kitchen is probably Yakshaver (Daniel Ionita from Australia, but now living in Romania I believe). He actually had a role in how I met S! Putali, I'm not sure if writing to your Congressperson will help at this stage... you might want to ask on the main K-1 forum. But here is a thought from our experience, with a little background first: S and I met in Sept 04. I went back to visit him in March 05, which, if you remember, was a month after King G declared sort of "martial law". We had lost touch for a week that first week of February, along with the rest of the world, when G cut the phone/internet/mail/everything. I was fairly freaked out about the situation, having lost touch (like everyone else in the world) with S for several days, so we attempted DCF. We failed, and when that happened, I spent an afternoon firing off emails to both US Senators and our Governor (what was I thinking... the Governor??). I wrote about how unstable the country was and how worried I was about S being there. Both Senators' immigration aides wrote to the Consulate in Kathmandu and received essentially the same reply, which was copied to me. Basically, it said I didn't meet the residency requirement to do DCF and we should file for a K-1. So that's what we did. And from there, our process was very fast. All of this had nothing to do with USCIS, so I can't really comment on whether contacting a Congressperson will help you now at the petition stage, but I have a sneaking suspicion that our emails helped us get through the Consulate in Ktm lickety-split. But we'll never know!! Gotta run and get to work! Hang in there, you guys... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/14/2007 7:30
Asia: South	Calling all Nepal K-1/K-3/AOS filers	Check this out: http://www.amazon.co...m/dp/B0000D9N9O Haven't tried it (I'll be darned if I'm paying $20/lb for ANY cheese), but it's here... I've tried several things from the Nepali Cookbook. I've also taken liberties with one or two of their recipes... they came out well even so. Our favorite, and an easy dinner, is a kind of fried rice with whatever veggies you have on hand, or chicken if you eat chicken. Yum. Never ate at BK Fries. We've gone to Thakali Kitchen the past few times, which is good, imo, especially if you are treating numerous relatives! Cute pic, Putali! Y'all bhainis have a good Monday, y'hear? (that's southern Neplish) Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	8/13/2007 7:26
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)	APPROVED! OUT OF ADMIN PROCESSING!	Woo hoo... that's awesome, Sam! Congratulations! Best wishes for smooth sailing from here on out... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	2007-03-12 12:15:00
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)	K1 Denied at interview	All of the above are good ideas, but I think Haole is right... the most important thing is to get in touch IMMEDIATELY (like today) with your 2 US Senators and your US Rep and find out who their respective immigration liaisons are and tell them your story and that you are trying to keep your case at the Consulate. Request help in writing or in person and make sure you communicate the urgency of the situation. Be respectful but persistent. The Consulate is required by law to respond fairly quickly to congressional inquiry (forget the exact time frame, but it is in days, not weeks or months). I think contacting the Consulate ASAP (like today if possible) and requesting a specific reason why the visa was denied is also a good idea. Fax them, email them, phone them, whatever you can do to show that you are involved, upset (respectfully), and ready to act... I've read about a bunch of these situations over the past 4 years and it seems like the ones that do the best are ones where the USC raises a ruckus with the Consulate and/or their US Senator(s) or Rep. I agree it is a good idea to get as much specific recollection about the interview from your fiancee as possible, as soon as possible. It does sound like something went wrong with the way she answered her questions... or I guess it could be the grandmother thing. Maybe someone in the appropriate country forum can suggest a good lawyer in the PI. Good luck turning this around. For now, this is your full-time job and obsession. I think you have a chance to avoid a protracted visa journey if you act swiftly. Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	2009-02-27 08:53:00
Asia: South	obtaining a police certificate in Mumbai India	Hmmm... in my husband's country it is called "baksheesh". Might be the same word in India... Best wishes to the OP. Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	10/12/2006 12:21
Asia: South	Happy Shivaratri!	I know what you mean... Nepali culture seems so incredibly rich to me... religions and traditions mixing, the line between the world of the gods and our world blurred, everything bathed in ritual, dance, color, sound, smell, etc... To me, our culture here in the US seems very young and unimaginative. But my guys have adjusted well, and I bet Kumar will, too. He'll have the advantage of being close to touchstones where you live. And we will all just have to travel back to Nepal as often as possible! Such a hardship... lol. I can't wait... I hope we can swing a trip this summer when A is off from school. *closing my eyes and seeing/hearing/smelling Kathmandu* We'll be forever in the doorstep between the two worlds... Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	2/16/2007 14:22
Asia: South	Happy Shivaratri!	Happy Shivaratri to you, mero satthi! I hope you get to hear the drums... Maya Didi	maya62	Female	Nepal	2/16/2007 11:50
Asia: South	Nepal has been added to the list of Embassies!	Your timing sounds good since it takes so little time after submitting packet 3 to get an interview - sounds like a plan Sounds like a plan... hopefully the Consulate will do as expected. I wish we had more to go on than just two cases, over a year apart. Please don't hold it against me if it doesn't go as planned! I still haven't been to Pokhara either!! And I don't think we'll get there on the next trip. We're thinking July... brief trip to Langtang/Gosainkund, returning by way of their village to visit family... about 2 weeks total. Yeah, I think you'll be OK in May... things should really be dropping off by then. Which airline do you usually take? Send a prayer to Ganesh and ask him to talk to his buddies at the IRS! Maya	maya62	Female	Nepal	2/22/2007 8:29