biggish data

Approval!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Congrats.... NOW UPDATE YOUR TIMELINE PLEASE!!!

Lee L

Male

Costa Rica

2008-06-19 21:15:00

i need desprately ur help VJ!!!

Hey Congrats... NOW UPDATE YOUR TIMELINE PLEASE!!!

Lee L

Male

Costa Rica

2008-06-19 21:27:00

Any K3 activity at VSC???

I hope this means they're moving now...

Lee L

Male

Costa Rica

2008-07-02 10:03:00

Any K3 activity at VSC???

QUOTE (Fahad S @ Jun 23 2008, 08:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Got approval on my I-130 and I-129F this morning.

Fahad

Great news, i hope this is just the beginning of a long line of approvals...

Lee L

Male

Costa Rica

2008-06-24 07:02:00

Any K3 activity at VSC???

Has anyone had any NOA2 from VSC for their k3???

Lee L

Male

Costa Rica

2008-06-22 08:49:00

Asia: East and Pacific

Marrying a Japanese citizen in the US on a fiance visa

I got in touch with the Japanese general consul in NY, and got some of these questions cleared up. I'm posting the answers I got here for anybody who finds themselves in a similar position.

1. After marrying in the U.S., are we required to submit a Japanese marriage registration (kon'in todoke) as well? If so, can we do that in the US, or does it have to be done in Japan? How long do we have after our marriage to submit the kon'in todoke?

Yes, you are required to submit a kon'in todoke, and it must be done within 6 months of receiving the US marriage certificate. It can be submitted abroad (E.g., at the Japanese general consul in NY), and there are forms and instructions on the Japanese general consul's website.

2. What's the process for entering myself as a "footnote" (bikou, ??) on my fiance's family registry (koseki)? I don't plan on becoming a Japanese citizen, so I can't get entered on her koseki as per Japanese citizens; and from the information I've found, according to her koseki it will appear that my wife is not married and that our future children will be fatherless.

This can also be done abroad. The Japanese spouse must contact his/her family in Japan in order to complete the process.

3. When should my fiance change her residence form (juuminhyou)? Before leaving Japan on her US fiance visa? After arriving to the US? After we receive our US marriage certificate?

The Japanese fiance should change his/her residency form in Japan, before departing for the US on the fiance visa.

4. Changing names: Can my fiance keep her family name in Japan as written in her koseki, and adopt my family name in the US? If she doesn't change her name, will our children be required to take her family name if they wish to have Japanese passports / citizenship?

No clear answer here. I don't think the person who took my call understood my question ...

Anyway, if anybody has conflicting information, please share.

mr.j.j.s.

Male

Japan

2012-12-28 15:52:00

Asia: East and Pacific

Marrying a Japanese citizen in the US on a fiance visa

mr.j.j.s.

Male

Japan

2012-12-28 15:17:00

Asia: East and Pacific

All Japan Filers

Hi all, US citizen here petitioning for a Japanese fiance on an I-129F. It looks like our application will be moving on to the NVC soon, and I find myself swimming in a sea of questions with no clear answers. If anybody could help me clear up any / all of these concerns, I'd be much obliged. Here goes:

1. After marrying in the U.S., are we required to submit a Japanese marriage registration (kon'in todoke) as well? If so, can we do that in the US, or does it have to be done in Japan? How long do we have after our marriage to submit the kon'in todoke?

2. What's the process for entering myself as a "footnote" (bikou, ??) on my fiance's family registry (koseki)? I don't plan on becoming a Japanese citizen, so I can't get entered on her koseki as per Japanese citizens; and from the information I've found, according to her koseki it will appear that my wife is not married and that our future children will be fatherless.

3. When should my fiance change her residence form (juuminhyou)? Before leaving Japan on her US fiance visa? After arriving to the US? After we receive our US marriage certificate?

4. Changing names: Can my fiance keep her family name in Japan as written in her koseki, and adopt my family name in the US? If she doesn't change her name, will our children be required to take her family name if they wish to have Japanese passports / citizenship?

Again, any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

??????
??????
??????

I got in touch with the Japanese general consul in NY, and got some of these questions cleared up. I'm posting the answers I got here for anybody who finds themselves in a similar position.

1. Yes, you are required to submit a kon'in todoke, and it must be done within 6 months of receiving the US marriage certificate. It can be submitted abroad (E.g., at the Japanese general consul in NY), and there are forms and instructions on the Japanese general consul's website.

2. This can also be done abroad. The Japanese spouse must contact his/her family in Japan in order to complete the process.

3. The Japanese fiance should change his/her residency form in Japan, before departing for the US on the fiance visa.

4. No clear answer here. I don't think the person who took my call understood my question ...

Anyway, if anybody has conflicting information, please share.

Edited by mr.j.j.s., 28 December 2012 - 04:42 PM.

mr.j.j.s.

Male

Japan

2012-12-28 16:41:00

Alitalia Airlines

yea i like them as well...definitely better than most us carriers, in my opinion...the in flight entertainment is far superior, touch screen with free movies, music, tv, etc...the crew is also very nice, but they have been known to have delays for no reason at all...i experienced this one time or another, but you learn to get over it, because the flights themselves are pleasant.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-07-25 14:09:00

Naples Consulate

hahahhaa im sorry but that conversation made me laugh very much lol

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-06-28 14:15:00

Tirana is finally listed as a consulate!!!!!!!

Hey guys, I have been complaining and complaining to the admins on VJ about the fact that Tirana is not listed as a consulate on the VJ Timelines...it now is! please make the changes, so that we can have more acurate projections and estimates! YAY

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-08-27 08:30:00

Naples Consulate

QUOTE (Jenn! @ Nov 29 2007, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The consulate website does say that you must have a valid permesso di soggiorno. I don't know how strictly they enforce that.

thanks very much

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-11-29 16:55:00

Naples Consulate

My fiance is an Albanian citizen living in Italy with an expired work visa.

Because of his legal status, we were intending for him to have his interview at the Embassy in Tirana, Albania. Even though I requested that the NVC send our case to Albania, they still went ahead and sent it to the Consulate in Naples.

I was wondering if anyone here has had an interview in Naples while their fiance was illegally living in Italy.

I was going to have Naples transfer our petition over to Tirana, but I'm thinking that there is a small chance that we might not have to do that. I know that some consulates will definitely ask for proof of legal status, but I am specifically asking about Naples here.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-11-29 16:46:00

QUOTE (Rose-Romagnoli @ Feb 3 2008, 10:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am only just beginning to gather the paperwork for my finace's K1, and I described the paperwork process and projected timeline to him in detail today. He just received his passport, so that is good.

For his birth certificate, can I take the original here to have it translated? I am military, so I have unique access to notarization and legal services.

How do I obtain his police record(s) from each city, and can I do the same translation process for them here in the USA? How long are the police checks valid for?

My fiance served in the Italian infantry for his compulsory service and received all vaccines required by Italy. All are still current but he does not have the record of it. Can it be easily obtained or should he be prepared to be a pincushion at the consulate? If at the interview he does not have the record will they administer the vaccinations or will he be set back to wait?

I told my Benito about this site and how I have already found help! I also told him that I could literally feel the true love and dedication of the members here, I had avoided this idea for fear of seeing "mail order brides", but really I see aspects of our own special story echoed by many people here. It is nice to see others with the same valiant cause, the patience and morals exhibited here are a breath of fresh air in a world of poor, hasty decisions (I am finalizing my second divorce). Thanks to all!

you probably wont need to get his birth certificate translated, as long as he was born in italy (with a name like benito, im guessing that he was lol)...as long as its in either italian or english, you are good to go...same goes for the police certificates, you wont need those translated if they are coming from italy...if he lived outside of italy for more than 6 months, he will need a police certificate from that country as well, and that one may need to be translated (if its not in english or italian), but the italian one is ok as is...the police certificates are valid for 6 months, and you will only need one of those (mine came from roma even though my fiance was living in firenze)...its called the certificato generale...you can order it by mail, or have your fiance go and pick one up...its really quite easy in italy, you can message me if you would like more information on that...i couldnt tell you much about the interview, because my fiance is not currently living in italy, and thus will not be having his visa interview in napoli...if he served in the military, then im guessing that his vaccination records are fairly accessible

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-02-04 10:14:00

Maybe you could also have one of his friends do it for him, here in Florence. It cost 3.10 euro. It takes one week. Let me know if you want the details.

ohhhh can they do that??? thats seems weird to me, i would think that a family member would need to do it or something...well actually he does have family in florence...duhh, one of his cousins can do it im sure...or his uncle...message me with the details

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-07-31 13:03:00

Yes, I did it. I received it in less than two weeks from when I sent it. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised!

wow that is so great, thanks a lot for the info...i will definitely hold off on ordering that

did you have it mailed to another country or within italy? im not sure if my fiance will still be in italy at that time, or if he will have returned to albania...i will definitely factor in an extra week or so if he is in albania...mail is a bit slower there

My husband was back in Morocco at that time, and I was nervous about having it sent from Italy to Morocco, so instead I had it sent to me here in the U.S. I then sent him the translated version of the police certificate along with all of the other paperwork for the interview via DHL.

thats a great idea, i just might do that...thanks a lot, your info was very helpful

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-07-27 09:56:00

Yes, I did it. I received it in less than two weeks from when I sent it. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised!

wow that is so great, thanks a lot for the info...i will definitely hold off on ordering that

did you have it mailed to another country or within italy? im not sure if my fiance will still be in italy at that time, or if he will have returned to albania...i will definitely factor in an extra week or so if he is in albania...mail is a bit slower there

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-07-27 09:35:00

i was wondering if anyone here has obtained an italian police certificate via snail mail...i have the info on how to mail in the request and all, but i am just curious about how long it will take to actually recieve the police certificate...thanks =)

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-07-27 09:28:00

Question About Transit Visas for K1 Holders

QUOTE (Creel @ Jan 22 2008, 07:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Austria also does not require a transit VISA, but the UK does, so make sure his flight does not go through there. It is possible to go Tirana, Munich, USA (all the way to San Francisco if need be). That would only be one stop for him to deal with.

Make sure he does not try and leave the transit area. My fiance called in a panic that they were going to send him back to Albania and I was on the phone with customs officials in Frankfurt when we realized the problem was he was following everybody out through customs.

true that. thank you very much for the info. i will make sure we go through italy, because he speaks italian and i dont want anything silly to happen because he cant understand anyone... thanks again!

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-01-23 10:42:00

Question About Transit Visas for K1 Holders

thanks very much to you both, very useful info indeed!

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-01-10 17:21:00

Question About Transit Visas for K1 Holders

I'm trying to figure out what is the best way for my fiance to come to the U.S. if he is granted the visa in a month or two...

Background Info:
1. He is an Albanian citizen
2. He doesn't speak English
3. He speaks Albanian and Italian

There appear to be no direct flights from Tirana, Albania to JFK.

I'm thinking that the best airline for him to use (in the event that I am unable to fly with him) is Alitalia (since he speaks Italian), but all of those flights have a transfer somewhere in Italy.

My question is as follows:
Is a K1 visa holder required to have a transit visa in order to switch flights in Italy?

I have done a bit of research, and it's kind of confusing. I'm pretty sure that those holding a valid U.S. visa in their passport are not required to have a transit visa, but I just want to be sure.

Thanks in advance.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-01-10 14:19:00

passport and bc have different places of birth

my fiance's interview is on the 12th, and his birth certificate and passport have two different cities of birth...he was born in tropoje, albania but his passport says he was born in tirana, albania.

i am wondering if this will be a possible problem for the interview, and what i can do to limit the negative effects.

on all of the forms i wrote that he was born in tirana, because that i was going by what his passport said.

basically, when he got his passport, he got it in tirana, and they (mistakenly) put tirana as his place of birth. he told me that he doesnt think it will be a problem, and that in albania they make these sorts of mistakes all the time.

thoughts / comments?

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-02-27 16:13:00

Italian or Albanian Construction Company in NYC???

This might be a long shot, but I figured it was worth a try....

My fiance arrived here in NYC about two weeks ago and is currently looking for work.

His English isn't so hot, so I am trying to find him a job within an Italian or Albanian (he is fluent in both) Construction Company.

He has lots of experience and his resume is ready to go. If anyone has any useful information, please pm me. We live in Brooklyn, but anywhere in the NY metro area would work.

Thanks,
Susie

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-04-10 09:08:00

Barcelona natives?

i took the eurorail all over europe and i thought it was really fun... i met interesting people on the overnight trains, but if you are pressed for time, then you might want to try and fly...i have heard good things about ryanair... they dont go to every city though, but its at least worth a looksy

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-05-06 08:23:00

QUOTE (katelyn84 @ May 3 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (BabyBlueSusie @ May 2 2009, 11:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (katelyn84 @ Apr 29 2009, 08:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi BabyBlueSusie! I don't know if you remember me but I wrote to you awhile back about my boyfriend getting a visitors Visa to come visit me. I went to visit him in December and had AN AMAZING TIME! He got his visitors visa and will be coming to Minnesota June 4th and then we are returning to Albania for the summer and have rented an apartment in Saranda so we can stay by the seaside.

I know that Bled has tons of connections when it comes to construction in Albania because he owns his own road construction company and I know he has neighbors who live in New York, so when I talk to him tomorrow I will ask him if his neighbors who live there know anyone in construction or know of any other jobs around. I myself would have contacts in St. Paul/Minneapolis, but not on the east coast unfortunetly. I will write back to you once I talk to him to see if he knows anyone on the east coast. Sorry to hear about your bad luck... sadly everyone is being affected by these horrible financial times and I'm sure it's even worse for those who don't speak the language fluently. Hope all is well and I will let you know what he says!

QUOTE (BabyBlueSusie @ Mar 31 2009, 08:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello fellow Albanians/Albanian lovers!

I am coming here for help because I don't know what else to do at this point.

My husband REALLY needs a job, he has been out of work for several months now and is starting to really get down on himself. He had two jobs here in NY, but with the economy, they have been very slow and had to make cut backs. He works in construction, and is willing to relocate anywhere in the tri-state area (NY/NJ/Conn) if he can find a job there. He has now been in the USA for one year, but has only worked for a total of about 5 months (on and off), so it has been very difficult for him.

If any of you know someone with an Albanian connection, construction or not, please let me know. He is willing to work other jobs too, since it might not be possible to find something in his area of expertise. He also speaks fluent Italian, so that might help. His English is coming along, but he is by no means fluent.

I hope someone can shine a glimmer of hope on our sour situation. Any advice would also be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!

Thanks for the response!! Of course I remember you. That is great that your boyfriend was able to get a visitor's visa!! I hope that we are able to get some for Adriano's family in the future. It is good to know that they are letting some Albanians come visit.

Thank god, Adriano was actually able to find a job in NY, but it is not in his particular area of construction. He specializes in high quality stone work, masonry and tiling, and the job that he got is doing roofing for schools. So it is not ideal, but it is something for now. So that being said, it would still be wonderful if your boyfriend has any connections that he can pass along, because Adriano would definitely like to work within his trade, and one day start his own business. I hope you have a wonderful summer. I have heard that Saranda is one of the most beautiful places in Albania. I am sure it will be a great summer for you both.

I spoke with Bled yesterday and it looks like the people he knows in New York would have no construction connections as they are both in computers. Sorry I couldn't be of more help but I'm glad to hear that Adriano found something in the meantime! Are you guys planning on visiting Albania anytime soon?

I don't think we will make it to Albania this summer, as we had originally planned. Adriano being out of work really set us back financially in terms of that, so hopefully we can make it out there for Christmas. If we can't afford to buy tickets for both of us, I hope that he can at least go alone and visit his family.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-05-17 10:56:00

QUOTE (katelyn84 @ Apr 29 2009, 08:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (BabyBlueSusie @ Mar 31 2009, 08:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-05-02 23:21:00

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-03-31 20:37:00

QUOTE (Flofle @ Mar 9 2009, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey you guys, I have a question which is completely off topic. I'm sorry but this is the only thread where I see some Albanians (or spouses of Albanians). I had a question about the Police Certificate. Does any of you (or your Albanian spouses) know where to get it? I already went to the reciprocity site, but there were three different options and I don't know which one is about my case. Some help would be greatly appreciated.

Here are the three options at the Albania Reciprocity Schedule:

Police Records

Currently, to obtain a criminal document from the District Attorney's office concerning pending and final criminal and civil cases, one needs to go to the District Attorney's office in the district of their residence, present an ID and pay the necessary fee.

To obtain a document from the District Court concerning any active court cases, one needs to go to the District Court office in one's district of their residence, present and ID and pay the necessary fee.

To obtain a criminal court certificate from the Office of Judicial Status, one needs to go to the Office of Judicial Status in Tirana from Monday through Friday at 8:00 a.m., present an ID and pay the necessary fee.

Again, I'm so sorry for barging in. Hope you understand.

From what I remember, we needed all three of those. I only had him get the police certificate prior to the interview and ignored the district court and attorney records. Because of this, we were issued a 221(g) and had to get the documents before they would give my husband his visa. He also had to have them translated into English and notarized. It was very easy to get the papers from what I remember, we were able to get everything done (including the noter and translation) within 24 hours. You can see my review for more info, if this helps. I am Susie on there.

http://www.visajourn...p...1&dfilter=5

Good luck!

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-03-15 13:24:00

I would agree with what everyone else has said. My husband's family lives on a street with a name, but there is no house number. I just wrote what info I had and they always received everything, never had a problem. From what I understand, in some areas the mail is delivered to the post office and then the recipient will have to go pick it up, so you should be fine if you write all of the info that you have.

You might want to add a phone number on there too, in case they need to call the recipient once it gets to the post office (not that they necessarily will, but it can't hurt).

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-03-06 13:13:00

Clueless about medical exam

QUOTE (Flofle @ Jun 5 2009, 08:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got my appointment letter 2 days ago...Interview is scheduled for July 8th

Now what? When should I go do the medical exam? And where? I don't have any info... I only know that in Albania there are two appointments. I also heard that the 1st appointment should be exactly 2 weeks before the interview and the 2nd 1 week before the interview. Idk if that's correct.
I guess I'm gonna receive a letter from the embassy at some point that will guide me through this...but the thing is that Albanian mail it's kinda unreliable. That's why I would like to get some info from you guys, just in case I don't get the letter from the embassy (u never know). Thanks in advance.

My husband's medical was scheduled for him. He didn't have to do anything, just get his vaccination records from his doctor, and bring them to the appointment that they scheduled for him. They sent him a letter with an appointment and address (I think it came with or before the interview letter though). I don't know if it is different since you are already married (right?) and my husband's was a K1 fiance visa.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-06-09 06:19:00

Italia

I know this is quite off topic, but I figured I would give it a shot.

I was wondering if any of you might know someone (possibly someone hiring!!) in the construction industry in the New York City area?

My husband has had two jobs in NY since his arrival last year, but with the tough economic times - especially in the construction industry, the work has not been completely steady. He is Albanian, but lived in Firenze for three years (god we miss it!). He got the bulk of his construction experience (over 3 years total) there. He speaks fluent Italian, and both of his bosses in NY were Italian. He has his EAD, so no worries there.

I know this is probably a long shot, but he is really hard pressed to find something.

Thanks, and again I am sorry for soliciting.

Grazie mille!!

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2009-03-24 14:12:00

Italia

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2007-07-27 09:13:00

Albania

My husband is from Albania and he did his visa interview in Tirana. They asked a good deal of questions but I wouldn't say that it was super hard. I have a detailed review in the embassy reviews section (I think I am listed as Susie on there). Just be prepared and study all of the information you have submitted to them, because they will most likely question you on it. Good luck!

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2011-02-19 00:55:00

Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

QUOTE (mkg265 @ Sep 30 2008, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I live in Brooklyn(where I study my ### off to graduate early so I owe less money) and he is still in Albania (learning English, playing soccer, drinking raki, having coffee with the boys till 2am etc). We meet in Shots cafe in Jan, 2007 - its around the corner from Astor and the Duomo and I I lived there off and on till August, 2007 and came back in 2008 for a bit.
I think my husband lived there starting Feb 2006 till March 2008. If your husband is from the north of Albania and lived in Florence at the same time, they probably knew each other.

True, Albanians don't get fat... before 35. After 35, all bets are off. First the tummy goes (so flat from construction work...) then the hair either goes away or goes crazy (ears, nose, feet...) then they start to wear wool vests, fisherman hats, and slacks. At 55 all Albanian men must purchase a donkey. It's a law. It was passed along with the law that all Albanian women under 25 must wear tube tops and have visible panty lines in public. It was the Donkey-####### Act of 2005. (not all young Albanian women dress this way but a high % do in Tirana!) But don't worry, think about what 40 some Albanian women look like (after six kids, farm work, and black or red hair dye). You'll be a goddess to him.

See, I don't know what the future holds because we only would live together for a month and half and then I would have to return to America, pass 3-4 months part then then live together for a month and a half. So by the time I was thinking about smoothing him in his sleep, I would always have to go back to America.

(BTW ladies, I do make fun of Albania a lot but my husband makes fun of America equally- "Your president is so bad, why you vote for war in Iraq?!" "Really honey?, I was 17 when he was elected" He took me to McDonalds on a date once because I'm American and thus must love McDonalds. He also took me to Mr. Chicken in Tirana because American women love chicken. Well, I do love chicken but he took me because of a stereotype and not because of my actual love of chicken.)

Hah. Yea I know Shot Cafe, I have been there many many times. I am certain that our husbands must know eachother. Mine lived in Florence from 2005 until December 2007. He is from Tirana. Umm I am actually from Brooklyn too, and we just moved in June because I am studying at Univ of Notre Dame in Indiana. Unfortuntely, my husband was unable to find work here, so he is going back to Brooklyn to stay with my family for a while and go back to his old job. That's some really weird coincidences. Us 4 should meet up when your husband comes to America.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-09-30 23:43:00

Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

QUOTE (katelyn84 @ Sep 23 2008, 09:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (BabyBlueSusie @ Sep 18 2008, 08:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (katelyn84 @ Sep 16 2008, 10:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi again! So, I've booked a ticket to go visit him in December in Tirana! I am really excited but am wondering what I should expect when I get over there... are Americans well received? Any advice for meeting his family? Anything you have to tell me about the country, the people, what to expect would be soooo appreciated! My mom is going crazy about thinking that I will be away for the holidays and I am trying to curb her fears about a country she knows nothing about... and my own too I guess! Thanks!

That is very exciting! I wouldn't worry at all. I had a wonderful time while I was there and my husband's family was nothing but WONDERFUL to me.

There is definitely a lot of curiosity about Americans and what it's like in America. They will probably ask you questions that you have no idea how to answer. That might sound weird, but they expect you to know EVERYTHING about America. They will be like 'How much would this house cost in America?' or 'How much does a police officer make in America?' or any random questions about something they heard through the grape vine. Once someone asked me 'Do they have better clubs in NY or LA?'. I was like 'Uhhh, I have never been to LA'. They just looked at me weird lol. I don't think that many people realize just how large the USA is. I can't really think of other questions right now, but I felt a little stupid at times, because they expect you to know everything, and the chances of that are very slim lol.

I don't know what you look like, but I stood out like a sore thumb in Tirana. I was starred at the entire time I was there, because I don't look anything like an Albanian woman. I am pale with freckles, very soft round features on my face (not Albanian at all), and most Albanian woman dress in a very feminine way, with high heels and lots of makeup - - - not me at all lol. So that could be one thing, it's very homogenous there so they will know an outsider immediately when they see you. Don't be afraid though, especially if you are in Tirana, I would say that there is nothing to be afraid of.

I don't know how much you have travelled, but Albania was a very different experience for me. I mean, they don't have the greatest infrastructure, so you will see things that you are most likely not used to. Like for example, the Albanian stop light a.k.a. a police officer standing in the middle of an intersection waving a sign and directing traffic. Also, there will be garbage all over the place, and people walking with cows or donkeys right on the side of the highway. And oh my god, there are always people darting across the highway on foot! I still can't get over this, and have never seen anything like it. I mean old people or families running across the highway and jumping over the median to get to the other side. VERY DANGEROUS! lol You will see young kids selling cigarettes on the street and might encounter a bathroom that has just a hole in the floor. The roads can be very rocky and are often times not paved, even near the city center.

Those are the 'quirks' I would say, but despite them all, I love it there and cannot wait to go back. The people who you will meet through your fiance will be so sweet and accepting. They will kiss you on both of your cheeks and show you the utmost hospitality. My husband's uncle and his wife gave us their bed when we slept in their house for a night!! This is something that I can say for sure would never happen in America, and sadly I wouldn't have ever even thought to do this for someone other than my mother or grandmother. I think the general idea is that if you are the fiance of someone in their family, then you are their family too. Same thing goes for friends, I would say.

Have fun, you will have a wonderful trip! Make sure to go see the beach, even if it's not hot enough to go swimming!

Did you and your husband ever discuss you living in Albania instead of him living in the US? I ask because Bled has his own company in Albania and is building a house currently for him and his brother and I think the chances of him giving up his life there to come to America with me may be slim. Could you ever see yourself living there?

We never really discussed it much, because when I met him and while we were dating, he lived in Italy...we discussed the idea of me moving to Italy quite often, but with me beginning grad school, it just made more sense for him to come here...I would still consider living in Italy in the future, but I don't think I would want to live full time in Albania...everyday life is just much less convenient there...We are definitely interested in getting a summer home or condo there, and taking many extended vacations, but as far as permanently living there, I don't see that happening...The decision is yours though, Adriano doesn't have a company in Albania, but is going to try to start one here in America once he gets enough experience with American style construction...it's a different situation, but you have to see how you feel when you go there.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-09-24 18:46:00

Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

QUOTE (kalina @ Sep 19 2008, 07:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (BabyBlueSusie @ Sep 19 2008, 10:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (kalina @ Sep 18 2008, 10:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Moreover, you wrote that all Bulgarian consider Americans to be fat, stupid and rich and this of course is not true. The same is with the generalization which you made about my country. Of course it is not true.

Let's be fair here, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich.

BabyBlueSusie, I agree that most of the people have this opinion, but this opinion is not true. I want to say that their view about Americans is wrong.

I can understand what you are saying in a way, because in Albania the opinion of America isn't as negative as it is in most western european countries that I have been to. The USA helped Kosova with regards to Serbia, so many Albanians have great respect for America. But there are many others who have the attitude that I have described before. I have never been to Bulgaria so I can only speak of what I know.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-09-19 12:06:00

Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

QUOTE (kalina @ Sep 18 2008, 10:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let's be fair here, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-09-19 01:46:00

Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

QUOTE (katelyn84 @ Sep 16 2008, 10:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-09-18 20:51:00

Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

QUOTE (Sam and Metodi @ Sep 17 2008, 11:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL, well this should be the Albanians thread. As far as my Bulgarian husband goes: He has about a week's worth of clothes...sort of, can't cook, and has some interesting ideas from his male dominated society, lol. Good thing is that he was raised by his mom and is respectful and neat. Actually he is much neater than I and picks up after me all the time. Lucky for me, he is willing to learn to cook, though while I was there in Bulgaria he WOULD let me stay in the kitchen for hours trying to make food out of the 5-10 ingredients available in Bulgaria (only slightly joking) and not come in to help or say 'boo'. As far as cultural norms:

1. Bulgarian men will eat anything, they don't want to waste things and will do their best to never throw anything away. He got mad if we ever had to throw anything out. He says he loves my cooking but can I trust that statement, lol?

2. When at a family gathering all the women do the cooking, serve the men, and stay in the kitchen nearly the entire time. It took me a long time to notice this because I was caught up with Metodi, but one night I realized that I was the only woman in a room full of men. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water (because everyone was smoking and I hate it) and all the women were in the kitchen filling, cleaning and moving plates and chatting. O.o For a moment I felt guilty for not being in there too, lol. Then I got my senses back.

I realized that this is how it always is, women pouring drinks for men constantly, refilling plates, going to fetch things for them, ugh!

3. I don't want to make a generalization since my husband is an Aquarius but HE very often goes into lecture mode like I'm a child and don't know what he's talking about. To me it's really amusing, I mean, I have a Master's degree... But it does get annoying. I did notice that he also does this to his mother. I wonder if all Bulgarian men have this feeling of being more intelligent than women and needing to be a teacher regardless of whether they know what they are talking about or not, lol.

4. Foriegners in general I bet, have some very funny ideas about the US... Before his friends met me they said, 'YOU MARRIED AN AMERICAN??? WHY?' All Americans are fat, greedy, stupid, RICH (ha) and loyal followers of our president, lol! His grandma suggested we go to McDonalds in Sofia for lunch one day so that I could have American food...I haven't been to McDonalds since I was in grade school. All Americans love McDonalds. Yum Yum Yum.

5. Food. If you do not like bread for every meal do not go to Bulgaria. If you marry a Bulgarian you will spend the majority of your grocery allowance on bread and yogurt. Interesting things I was given to eat are: pasta with milk and sugar for breakfast (overcooked pasta that is), more bread than I normally consume in a year, raw pork fat, turnip pickle juice, boza (lightly fermented, really thick prison hooch), ayran (1 part yogurt/1 part water drink), warm milk with honey (good), turkish pastries that are insanely sweet such as my husband's favorite; tatlia, and homemade yogurt (yuck!).

The good food: Sarmi (stuffed grape leaves), moussaka, local wine (yum), duner (shwarma), turkish coffee, homemade picked cabbage (I like it, I'm german *shrug*), FIG JAM (OMG GOOD), sirene (feta sort of) and kalamata olive sandwiches, snejanka salad (tastes like dip!), tarator (yogurt, cucumber cold soup), fresh fruit from the local trees, grilled fishes, turkey cooked with rice or cabbage instead of stuffing (yum), bean soup, and anything Baba Spaska made (she's a chef) except for the time she brought in a sheep's head on a plate and asked me if I wanted her to 'warm it up'.

I also figured out how to make chocolate chip cookies...for about $15! Next time I bring: one dollar brownie mixes and bags of chocolate chips!

My all time favorite snack was: bread with a little butter, loads of shipka (rose hip) marmalade, and kashkaval (the mozzarella-like cheese). Metodi thought this was gross, sweet and cheese do not belong together. Wait till I make him a cheescake, he'll change his tune...I think.

6. Family. Very important and all nice and intrusive, lol. I love them. I have a typical American, all over the country never see each other family. His family loved me and talked to me like I was 2.

This is how you learn apparantly. Bebe za mama. His parents call me 'baby' and his mom has 1000 cute things she calls me. Oi!

7. Country. Everyone is patriotic but critical...much like everywhere. But you should have seen the Bulgarian flag coloured gym suits that I saw on so many men, lol. ROFL. They also have a really sad habit of littering and not neutering their animals. Bulgaria is an absolutely gorgeous country covered by litter and infested with mangy cats and dogs!

<3 Samantha

PS: you may now continue your Albanian discussion, lol.

Yea, we Albanian lovers tend to flock together lol but your experience sounds very very similar to what i have experienced with my husband, his family and his country.

The food is pretty much in the same ball park...I LOVEEEEEEE the pickled cabbage that you are talking about yum yum yum. My mother in law makes everything from scratch, which is wonderful. Homemade bread, yogurt, cheese (basically feta), fruits and veggies grown in the backyard, pickles, cabbage (as we have discussed), soups of every kind....homemade raki and wine, byrek you name it. She also makes many delicious sweets, I dont know what they are called, but usually involved fresh honey. I will take 'em all. =]

Yes, the women are always in the kitchen gossiping, and yes, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich - nothing unique there.

My husband (and most Albanian men that I have encountered - Bulgarians most likely share a good deal of these views too) has many *interesting* thoughts about women and what we *should* be doing. Those views are either changing as a result of being married to me or he has just learned not to voice them anymore because I don't want to hear it.

A side note about the positive - I love the loyalty of my husband, which I think is partly due to his culture (although he did learn a lot from his momma too). I am sure you all know what I am talking about.

BabyBlueSusie

Female

Albania

2008-09-18 20:31:00