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MENA WOMEN: What kind of jobs are your husbands doing/looking into?

QUOTE (Donna A @ Apr 23 2008, 11:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (S and S @ Apr 23 2008, 09:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For Olivia and Donna:

My husband is a doctor and graduated from medical school just a few years ago. Due to the situation in his home country he couldn't really do his residency though he has done some interning through a hosptial outside of Iraq. He has started studying for steps 1 and 2, we know about 3 though we worry about the first two now. I bought a couple books he can use when he gets here, but any suggestions you both have would be great. My husband's english is excellent and his whole medical school was in english, so I am not worried about that part. I just worry about what kind of work he should do until he is ready to take the tests and until he can start a residency.

well he will probably just have to take whatever he can until he can get into a residency. hassan couldnt get any job. he begged for a job at a sleep clinic and they told him...we wont hire u cuz u will just leave and we cant invest time in training u and then u leave. he applied at some factories and never got called. they probably just laughed at his application and said ####### is a doctor appling for a job for.

he did do an observership for 6 months in the hospital he is in now. he hoped it would help him in getting a job there. well it didnt. they wouldnt hire him. so he just kept going and begging and the program director said...ok ill interivew u but i doubt u will get hired. ur scores are under what we allow. well of course he didnt match and it was his only interview so we were loosing hope. one week before the starting date for all new interns they called and said he was hired...dont know what the sudden change of heart was...maybe cuz someone they hired didnt show up or maybe cuz the program director was dieing of cancer and wanted to do something nice...but who cares..he got hired!!!

its probably best for him to get his study materials there. they are a heck of alot cheaper then here. i think kaplin has a good study program. they get the same book there as we get here only theirs is the knock off version. u know someone buys the book and copies them to sell.

im not sure (i didnt check ur timeline) but make sure he brings all his documents from the college...i dont know what they are called but look like a report card to me. any letter of recomdations, his deploma of course. i cant remember what else he had to have.

Thank God he brought all his documents from school with him when he left Iraq and it is all stamped and certified. I'm half-way thinking it is better he doesn't mention he went to medical school so he can get a job. Since he is coming as a refugee, they will get him a temporary job in the beginning regardless, but in the long term it may help to not mention his schooling. He doesn't have his masters yet, but from what I understand that is not necessary to start out. I bought him a book called "First Aid for the USMLE step 2 CK". Do you know if this book will be helpful?

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-04-23 23:32:00

MENA WOMEN: What kind of jobs are your husbands doing/looking into?

Edited by S and S, 23 April 2008 - 09:48 PM.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-04-23 21:47:00

um check please... please keep in MENA

QUOTE (brnidokiegurl @ May 9 2008, 09:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dont loose yourself in all this, its your life also....your not here to make his every moment great, let him grow and change some things, make each other happy together

Good point!

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-09 21:58:00

um check please... please keep in MENA

There was a time in America when women cooked that way. It has been awhile, but there is more than one reason we don't anymore. To be honest, there are some foods that actually taste just as good without doing it completely from scratch. Couscous comes in many flavors now, or you can buy plain and flavor it yourself, but it still doesn't take much time. I have been practicing cooking different things lately, some American, some arabic/Iraqi, and some I just make up something that is in between. My husband knows I am doing my best for him and he watched me winging it when I was with him over there (we didn't have his mom or other family with us when I went on my first trip to marry him). Not only that, my husband had little idea about shopping so we were both learning together in the middle east. I often made things up entirely because I couldn't find all the ingredients to anything I would normally cook and had no idea what the words were in arabic for the different parts of the cow (actually I diddn't know where most of the meats I use here come from on the cow to even explain it). Somehow, though, I managed to put some food together and make it work and my husband loved it no matter how simple it was. Inshallah your husband will be patient with you and understand you don't have that kind of time to devote to cooking. I doubt his mother and sisters and grandmothers could do everything we do here in the United States and still find the time to cook like that every day. Make sure he understands that and it should help.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-09 21:41:00

Visa in Hand

Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you and wish you the best of luck in the future.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-09 17:30:00

Mrs. Amera

He is so cute!!! Ma'sha Allah

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-10 03:19:00

photobucket

Masha Allah!!! You have a beautiful baby boy! It is so great to see the picture of him. I am sure you are so proud.

Inshallah I hope to get the chance to be with my husband and have a Mena baby too.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-06 20:52:00

Trouble adjusting to life here

I am so sorry to hear of your difficulties. I will keep you in my prayers and hope that things get better for you soon. It sounds like him finding a good job would be the first step to solving your problems. I'm not sure of your location or the size of your city to possibly advise you, but I truly hope that things work out and your husbands moods get better.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-10 10:25:00

Pray for us with Spouses in Lebanon

I will keep Lebanon in my prayers. I was truly hoping it could keep the peace after what happened in 2006. It is such a beautiful country and has so much potential if only the violence and wars could be kept at bay.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-09 16:23:00

Transit visa in hand and ticket purchased

Congratulations, your wait is nearly over!!! You really have more patience than I would have had. I hope he knows what a blessing you are to him. I wish you both the best luck and lives in the future together.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-20 21:18:00

AMERICA

Congratulations Abdo!!! I am sure you were so happy to see your fiance again. Inshallah you have a wonderful marriage tommorow. Please write us back and let us know how it goes.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-19 23:08:00

how can my husband send me money?

QUOTE (ME~n~HIM @ May 22 2008, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Money Gram is our preferred method and it's much cheaper than Western Union. You might also look in to a Paypal account.

I agree that money gram was a lot cheaper for me too.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-22 19:41:00

how can my husband send me money?

I have sent money through money gram. Then you can just pick it up at a bank. When you husband sends the money through money gram, he can then call their phone number to find out all the locations they allow the money to be picked up. I found that in Jordan you can pick it up at any of the major banks with just a passport or ID and the transaction number. Oh, and you don't have to have an account with that bank though they may charge a seperate fee.

Edited by S and S, 22 May 2008 - 06:08 PM.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-22 18:07:00

my husband's favorite song

I know what you mean. I have been studying and reading arabic for several years now. I always try to look at how something is translated so I can understand it better. It doesn't do anything for me to say something I don't fully understand. It is like reading the Quran, I often try to see how something is worded and use the dictionary when I have to so I can get a better understanding. The english translations don't always do it for me.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-25 14:24:00

opinion .Do you think it helps or hurts Mena girls when we post our drama on here about our relationships with our men?

There is drama here, of course, but I have never seen a group of people more supportive when someone is upset. Everyone is so welcoming when there is a new arrival and everyone is supportive as people go through the visa process. Honestly, I am suprised at how great everyone is. People here are close for not knowing each other in real life (in most cases).

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-04-17 23:14:00

Love and Hate...LOL and selling everything you own to move here

I wish the best and brightest future for you both. Your wait has been long, but I hope it will all be worth it. Remember to take care of yourself and enjoy your time together.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-23 22:25:00

Just wanted to share my news with you all!

Contratulations!!!! I am so happy to hear the good news. Inshallah you will be together soon.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-27 20:38:00

Well i think its time to move!

Wow, after such a long wait. I am so happy for you! I wish you the best and brightest future together.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-03 20:22:00

My Illegal Donut

Ma'sha Allah! She is so cute and the pictures are amazing. I will love to see the pics after she is born.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-04 17:15:00

I can't think of one country I would actually be scared to go to. Lots of them that I have no reason to want to go (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Korea, Vietnam). Yet I figured out if you just behave properly and don't break any laws, you can enjoy yourself anywhere. Not much scares me and I have friends like this as well. I had one friend who went to China by herself and noticed she had two guys following her everywhere. They were hired by the government to watch her (I guess this is standard procedure for many foreigners). Well, when she went to a restaurant she felt bad that they couldn't eat so she invited them to eat with her and she would pay. At first they said no, but then she finally convinced them. They all had a great time.

Other people are not comfortable traveling to certain places. That is perfectly understandable and probably wise. I think my guardian angel works overtime, lol.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-06 08:04:00

I see what you are saying. I noticed there wasn't much crime and they said it is because the punishment is so severe.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-04 18:06:00

I didn't say it was a safe goverment. I just said that I went twice last year and I had no problems. I was not harrassed or followed. It wasn't even hard for me to get residency while I was there. Of course I tried to not do anything suspicious or cause any problems. My stay there was enjoyable and I never felt afraid. As an American, you would think I would have more problems than someone from the middle east, but maybe as a woman they weren't worried about me. My husband was never bothered while he was there either and he stayed considerably longer than I did.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-04 17:45:00

I went to Syria twice and I didn't have any problems.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-04 16:41:00

QUOTE (Nagishkaw @ Jun 3 2008, 08:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I laughed at your post, too.

I couldn't help myself

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-03 20:47:00

QUOTE (Nagishkaw @ Jun 3 2008, 08:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (S and S @ Jun 3 2008, 08:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a lot of things I would love to say about why I don't blame Egypt for being upset and for doing what it did, but I will keep them to myself. The EU will learn its mistake if it goes forward with this, but it will probably be too late.

I'm not saying who, but one of the countries involved will take the technology secrets they learn, modify them, then undercut the other country on prices so they can make all the money from the product. Not saying who might do that, but someone might. God knows it happened to the United States though few have noticed the ramifications.

I will add this is just good business for the country that profits. Yet it is bad news for any country dumb enough to fall into the trap.

Im placing my bet on Syria.

lol

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-03 20:42:00

Edited by S and S, 03 June 2008 - 08:33 PM.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-03 20:31:00

Anyone who reads arabic pls translate.

I translated the big part on the original forum it was posted. Here is what it says:

"My dear brothers, I request help as I am not good with english, how do I pay the visa fees from inside Egypt to NVC. I need help. I recieved the ds-3032 form and finished sending it again to NVC, then they sent us (the bill) to pay the amount of $400 for each fee and I don't know how to do the transfer from inside Egypt. I ask for the brothers which have done this step to help us.

And is it more than a year or a year from the date of sending the fees payment our case will be dropped at immigration? I request the information.

And we look for new friends. I am Adel Bolis from Egypt, the city of Aswan."

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-06 02:52:00

its me again

Mabrook! I am so happy for you and glad you are enjoying America. I wish you both a long happy life and marriage together.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-04 17:18:00

she called me but she was tearing .

I sent my I-130 back in September which was apparently the worst time to send it. I had to wait until January before I finally got a NOA1. The whole time I couldn't even know if they recieved the I-130. They just kept moving it around. First it was in Texas, then in California, then in the Chicago lock Box and finally in Vermont. Thankfully my NOA2 came a few weeks later, but waiting 4 months just to get the NOA1 was horrible. My husband and I have been married over a year now and we are still not together, but we know it will be soon and it will all be worth it. I wish you and your wife the best of luck in this process. Stay strong and patient. It will work itself out.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-07 12:46:00

Arabic satellite

I have three tvs so I am not worried either, lol. He can't possibly control them all!

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-08 22:25:00

Arabic satellite

QUOTE (Rocketta @ Jun 8 2008, 08:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll definitely try to find some Arabic channels for my husband when he gets here but NO ONE controls my remote but me so I'm not worried about that.

Good luck!

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-08 20:53:00

Arabic satellite

I used to have the arabic channels in the last place I lived, but Dish Network made me put up another satellite to get those channels. I didn't feel like putting another satellite up here so I don't have the arabic channels. I keep debating what to do when my husband comes and I miss watching the arabic channels myself. Arabic news stations have a different twist on the news that I find interesting.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-06 19:52:00

Egypt votes to outlaw female circumcision

I've never heard of any circumcised male complain about it. None of them seem to have the ill effects of lack of pleasure or desire. I didn't take a survey though, lol.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-06-08 21:57:00

Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)

Temporary resident and AP

QUOTE (Bajih @ Sep 27 2009, 01:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the reply. He is keeping a low profile now as it is- even with a temporary resident card.

I am under the impression that there are only so many refugee visas given out- and a large priority goes to refugee families and/or women with children. He really does not think that he would be a priority for this- but perhaps I should look into it. I do not remember my attorney mentioning this or us really looking into it.

Knowing that your friend waited a year is heartbreaking. Oh my. I am only at the 6 month mark now and it is unbearable. It is just the stress of not knowing if he is okay; if he is getting enough sleep and all; if anyone is harrassing him... and just knowing that he is living in such bad conditions. Luckily, his brother is able to send him money each month and so we are so grateful for this-but the daily stress on both of us is taking its toll.
This is pure hell and I really worry about his health. (and mine- I find myself crying and worrying all of the time)

All we can do is pray- pray for a quick end to our AP and for him to be here living in love and peace.
Thanks.

I totally understand your situation. I waited a total of 18 months after our marriage before my husband came and that doesn't count the time we knew each other before. My husband was going hungry a lot while he was in Syria since his family was in Jordan and couldn't send him much money. Then the worrying if Syria would kick him out. It gave me horrible ulcers I still have problems with. If ever you need encouragement or support let me know as I don't wish that experience on anyone.

As for the refugee, he can apply though at this point it probably will not be faster since he already did his interview and is waiting in AP. In my husband's case, he was automatically eligible for the refugee application as soon as our I-130 was approved. I continued the process for the visa at the same time as the refugee was going through, but refugee went faster. We did notice Iraqi families that applied for refugee at the same time as him got approved several months ahead of him despite him having an American wife. He has some single friends who have come here as well, but the process seems to take about as long as his was. I think we sent off the refugee applications in February of last year and he arrived in the US on Dec 10th. I guess that is about 10 months waiting though the US paid for his physical exam and flew him here on an interest free loan. Because they didn't want to pay for vaccinations, he hasn't been required to get them, lol. I still made him get some after he got here though. The other nice thing is he will get his 10 year green card in one year instead of two years. Also, refugees don't need and affidavit of support since they come here at the invitation of the government so they can qualify for many of the same cash assistance programs any American citizen can like welfare, food stamps, etc. Unfortunately in my case, I made a little too much money so he didn't qualify based on my income though he had none of his own.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and hope your AP ends soon. The best thing I can tell you is that when he finally come, you are so happy that it takes most of the pain away from all the waiting. I will say that I still appreciate my husband more because of all the waiting, worrying, crying and stressing out. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, just seems like forever until you reach it. Keep your faith and soon he will be with you.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2009-09-30 20:25:00

Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)

Temporary resident and AP

My husband was in Syria when we got married and we started the process. He was not lucky enough to keep his visa going so he just had to stay there illegally and try to keep a low profile. He was lucky enough to get to Jordan after one year and then had a visa for about 3 to 6 months (I forget which) before it expired and Jordan refused to renew it. He then had to stay illegally there until his visa finally came through to the US. The Baghdad embassy was never doing visas or interviews during the time we waited so that would never have been an option. Now I guess they have started so you may be in luck. Did you also take the option for your husband to come on refugee? That seemed to go faster for myself and another member compared to other members that only did the spouse/fiance visa. They finish the background checks faster on refugees (maybe they get priority, I don't know) than for immigrant visas for Iraqis. My husband has a friend who was in Syria and married an American. They stayed on AP for about a year before he was finally able to come to the US a few months ago. Syria never kicked him out though he didn't have a valid visa, so hopefully your husband will be fine. I wish you the best of luck and that your husband doesn't have to go back to Iraq.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2009-09-25 12:10:00

DS-230

No, you do not have to produce documents saying you didn't serve. At least my husband didn't have to, but it is obvious by his college records that he couldn't have ever served in the military since he didn't finish college until after the fall of Saddam.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-09 20:56:00

Emailing NVC

It took me about two weeks to get an NVC case number and I obtained in through the automated system. I am not sure how it works to get it by email, but I can tell you that I usually wait 7 to 8 days for a response from them by email.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-09 20:55:00

VENTING

I hope that you hear something soon and that you don't have to wait long for your interview. I know how difficult it can be. It has been 7 months since I last saw my husband and this month is our one year anniversary since we got married. This waiting can be so difficult.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-18 10:04:00

case completed

Congratulations!!! That is so wonderful. Does this mean you are now waiting on the interview date. I think you are ahead of me on this now as my husband has never sent me the signed visa application so I could send it to NVC. We kind of delayed things since he is going for his final refugee interview next week. Maybe we will be lucky and our husbands will both have their visas very soon.

I will keep you in my prayers. I am truly so happy to see that things are going smooth so far for you.

S and S

Female

Iraq

2008-05-22 18:18:00