Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Loving the African male * Take 2	QUOTE (Omoba @ Feb 13 2008, 04:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No catch up needed , we are still on the first chapter and will remain there for as long as it takes. Chispas, I don't know what grading on a curve means , never heard that expression before.........lol......don't forget I am a naturalized German so some lingo I don't understand. Teach me Teacher.....translate. LOL,, I didn't know what it was either when I first arrived in the U.S. Grading on the curb means I stand out on the street corner and ....... No, not really. A curve is when you take the highest grade and make 100% then adjust the others to meet that spread. Another way is when you take the median grade and make it a C. The scores higher are your Bs and As and those lower your Ds and Fs. Habe ich es gut erklärt?	chispas	Female	0	2008-02-13 22:31:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Loving the African male * Take 2	Those C and B people really tick me off right now. I hope I get the book in time to at least read a chapter before falling behind. Omoba, are you grading on a curve?	chispas	Female	0	2008-02-12 22:15:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Loving the African male * Take 2	Perhaps I'll just go to Amazon and get my money back from C&B.	chispas	Female	0	2008-02-12 11:51:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Loving the African male * Take 2	I just an email from C&B Book Distribution. So after all this waiting no book at all. Has anyone else had this happen with C&B? There has been a problem with my computer and all the orders went back to the company. So, i have ordered the books once again so please let me know what you would like for me to do. Thank you, Carol 718-591-4525 In a message dated 1/9/2008 1:54:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, order@emartcart.com writes: Order To: C&B Book Distribution cbbookdist@aol.com	chispas	Female	0	2008-02-12 11:08:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Loving the African male * Take 2	QUOTE (typee0 @ Feb 8 2008, 05:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Am I the only person who ordered from C&B distribution, I have not received my book yet. What should I do. I haven't received mine from them either. I am starting to feel they didn't have the resources to provide the product.	chispas	Female	0	2008-02-10 19:31:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Visa in hand!!!!	QUOTE (Bassi and Zainab @ Jun 6 2008, 09:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (ZeeNusah @ Jun 6 2008, 09:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> After all the waiting we can finally say VISA IN HAND!!!! I will be going to Ghana July 24 and we will come back August 7 (POE JFK). I have so many shoutouts but I know I am going to forget someone, but here it goes: Zainab, Omoba, LovinLiberia, Uno, Ricca, Asante, Charles, Jackie, Nagi, Kim, Laura, RJ, Julez, my fellow May 2007 filers and my VSC peeps. Y'all made this process a little more bearable If I forgot anyone....sorry I think I'm speechless. The Ghana embassy got you the visa by Friday. They didn't run out of paper? They had enough ink? The machine was working? Holy #######! Are pigs flying? I'm sooooooo happy this part of your journey is over!!! Praise God for small blessings! (the visa is a little bitty bit of a thing really for all the hoopla!) Congrats and I know you will have a joyful time participating in the departure celebrations! Zaina u r too funny.	chispas	Female	0	2008-06-06 12:44:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Where is chispas???	QUOTE (Kanyiri @ Jul 9 2008, 09:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I can't believe so much has happened to you! I'm so sorry you've gone through so much!! I really hope everything will start turning around for the better for you! ((HUGS)) Hola I pray there is something great and positive rolling this way and moreover that I recognize it when it comes. Yes, it seems like when the ball started rolling it couldn't stop. There were so many little things that I didn't consider when I got married and now have to deal with it. The tax thing is one that caught me off guard. I always filed head of household and had my deductions in line. I after the SO started working, I didn't think I had to spot check his paystubs to make sure the deductions would not affect me much. So what I'd like to share about that one is if you make a lot more than your SO does, they can't take out a high number of exemptions. OK 99 exemptions is drastic, but I never thought to spot check that. I hope Uncle Sam is kind to me and if he skips the country, I wouldn't know whether to rejoice or scream.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-09 14:43:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Where is chispas???	Thanks Familia for the support and kind words. Si, I'll keep everyone's kind words in the forefront as I go forward with my recovery. Thank Thanks Thanks. (P.S. I am doing summer school so I can post bit for now)	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-09 10:49:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Where is chispas???	Hola Ladies. Como están todas? Thank a million, trillion, billion you all for asking how I am doing. I'm doing well right now after falling into that dark place called "stress". I have had some challenges and disappointments these past weeks, so I was neither able nor thinking straight enough to post. Mostly I want to say that it was those who called and pm-ed me who helped cheer me up today. So many thanks to some "crazy sistas in love and the Lord" because I really needed that boost to at least climb that first step out of my funk. Just a little recap about what those challenges were: 1. Some of you know that I put off buying a house until my SO arrived here in 2005. So I rented. When he arrived the money went out the window. (Too many details here) That landlord lost her own house so she basically asked us to leave her house. (Us the kids and I) Imagine looking for a place here in Caly where every other foreclosed person is looking too. That was stressful as the long lost SO's credit kept popping up with mine so it took a lot of work to convince landlords not to look at his and get letters to prove it would be the kids and I. The old Landlord kept 4500 (I paid the last month by mistake) and gave back nothing. Now we have small claims court. 2. I broke my toe during the move and did the rest of the move with the broken toe. 3. Doctor said my kidney was shutting down and bladder was not "synergizing" with the other organs. (I have MS) 4. Had to start sticking a tube up my coochie in order to pee. 5. While moving the SO came and took as much stuff as he wanted including paperwork and tools. He also took my palm pilot with my addresses on it. He likes to send letters to my friends and employers telling them horror stories about me and the kids. (This was the threat if I didn't help remove conditions but he did it anyway) 6. The neighbors saw us moving by ourselves so they gathered to help us. As luck would have it I find out one of them is friends with the gossipy secretary at my school, so you know my business was out there. 7. Still didn't have a place so stuff went into storage. 8. Slept on the floor a few days until finding a place. 9. IRS lets me know that the SO claimed 99 dependents in 2006 and 2007 so no taxes were taken out of his checks. They want me to pay the 8,000 owed for 2006 since it was joint filing. 10. (For 2007 ) My kids, in trying to help out, earned too much money for me to claim them on my 2007 taxes so I am more screwed for that year. They are both in college. 11. More accounting and lawyer help needed. 12. In the meantime they blood pressure is raising and can't get under control. New meds. 13. Found a place paying more for less room and slept on the floor until stuff could be delivered. 14. Set up computer and find that the program to monitor key strokes and email is still on the computer, so I don't dare use it because SO might still be monitoring my every move. At least he doesn't know where I live, I think, so he can't reinstall cameras and audio devices in the home or car. 15.I signed up to teach summer school and couldn't get out of it, but need the money so came to school and faked being mentally present every day. 16. Fell into that funk 17. Trying to climb out of it. 18. Still climbing....... 19. Forgot to mention back in number 5. SO has a diagnosed mental problem. Paranoia is just one aspect of it and he is off his medication. He says he's cured and I paid the police and doctors to file false reports about him. 20. Had to use the polygraph test I took to show that the accusations he was making against me were false and that I have been telling the truth about his behavior and the attacks on us. I keep it handy in case the police show up at my door again. So here I am thankful to God that I have VJ brothers and sisters who won't judge me for falling in love with an SO with organic issues and who actually know the added pain this brings. I am thankful to have VJers who have blazed through a similar path as mine so that I know when to duck and when to dodge that arrow that flies out of nowhere. I thank God for VJers in Sub Sah who are brave and willing to extend a hand when I fall. I think of it this way. There are support groups everywhere in the US for AA, over eaters, shopaholics, OCD, and every ill in society. All we have to do is look in the yellow pages or Google it. I like to think of VJers as being that "online" support group for me. Thanks "Gente" for looking out for me during this terrible time. Chispas	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-08 15:35:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	MY FIANCE GOT THE VISA	Lots of good news here. May all be even speedier after this.	chispas	Female	0	2008-03-06 14:14:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Interview Details	Been away for a short while and I am happy to hear the great news Zee. Wow! This was a pleasure to read on this first day back and first thing in the morning here. Soooo when is he coming?	chispas	Female	0	2008-06-03 10:05:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Which song says it best?	QUOTE (idocare @ Jul 19 2008, 04:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Lol, I hope this isn't off topic, but when I think of my ex. An old school song comes to mind. The big payback...... I think that was from James Brown Here it is	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-20 02:08:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Which song says it best?	This is what I miss. The only downside to not having your SO here and in tune with you.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-20 01:57:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Old Topics	Hola Ricca, Hope all is great on your end of the US. For the boredom, depending on his interests or what he did in Ghana before coming here, he could do hands on work/volunteer/take free classes or anything to help build up his resume. Even if he is just shadowing someone at their job, it'll add experience to his resume in the meantime so that when he is able to work he can have some US experience. For the Fest, I'd go with my husband and meet other folks as a couple. Even if you do venture off and do your own thing, it would be fine to attend. My Ghanian friends from Michigan go every year and also are part of the sponsors of the event. I asked her and she said definitely go with your husband even if his friends are going with you all. Take care, Chispas	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-18 21:48:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY	Did you have that one interview before the citizenship VISA ? I'm still waiting for INS to ask to see my behind at least somewhere in the process. I could have been a fake or using someone else's papers and they don't even seem to friggin know anything about me since my SO arrived.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-20 01:49:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	HE IS HERE IN THE U.S. AND THINKS U.S. IS SO BEAUTIFUL	Very good sounding report about your reunion. Very good start of becoming a family in the eyes of the members of your church. God has blessed this union.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-09 23:21:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	African Cooking	Hola Ido. Just wanted to send you a hello.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-19 12:41:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	For Anyone have a Bad Day	Hi Efia, I thought I was having a bad day, when I friend invited me out to visit the old places we used to hang out and reminisce about when we were younger. We ended up going to our old classrooms and laughing at all the crazy things we used to there while single. For example, tell our dates we lived in a convent so they couldn't come in to my friend. Or I'd interrupt the date with an important parent calling, and the late night grading papers as we watched waiting to exhale and wiping the smudged tears off of the school papers. I actually felt alive after leaving her and look forward to tommorrow.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-20 01:46:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	This what i could say	It is so awesome to see a man in love. Great post	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-24 11:36:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Coincidence or ????	That was funny. I almost missed it and had to think hard to figure out the what the 419 was. One odd thing that happened to us was we were almost taken to the police for being terrorist. One day on the way back home from work, my husband and I caught a cab and as usual these cabs stop and pick up other people. Well, the cab picked up an older man and woman who once they heard me speaking English they started to talk to the cab driver in native language. They were saying that the heard terrorist were in the country disguised at tourist and they drive around in cabs making plans to bomb the country etc. Now, the old man looked and smelled like palm wine so I thought who'd care what he was saying. Anyway, the cab driver was visibly shaken and nervous and through the entire bumpy ride. As this conversation went on and on my husband was translating to me what they were saying and they were getting more and more frantic. Finally he told them that he understood what they were saying and we weren't terrorist. There was more discussion about it and we actually were taken to the police station but the organization I worked with was well known and police didn't listen to the driver or the other passengers. I could not believe the fear these people had of us just because we were speaking English in a cab Sigh	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-29 12:22:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Husband Properly Welcomed to California at 11:42 am	Hey Ladies, We up here in Northern Caly are wondering if we'll be next when it comes to the shaking. A few months ago we had "cluster" quakes. That is where you have several hundred small quakes in a short period of time. Since the "powers that be" have been trying to figure out what that means. I pray the one down in LA was it because that can be really scary when crossing a bridge, walking in a tall building, under scaffolding etc. Now I'm making myself paranoid.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-30 12:56:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	QUOTE (unononehigher @ Aug 1 2008, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (unononehigher @ Jul 31 2008, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (LovinLiberia @ Jul 31 2008, 08:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> LOL, gracias...Mi ex esposo es un Mexicano y puedo hablar Espanol...un poquito! ((( ))) Conseguía cansado de el y sus amigos siempre diciendo "Que onda, gueyyyyy?! o Que onda, cabron?!" (((( )))) So that phrase is embedded in my brain. LL, this is the/my weak translation of what you typed . I hope you can remove this erroneous garble from your head thanks… My ex- husband is a Mexican and I can speak just a little bit Spanish…! He always obtained tired of and his friendly saying " That wave, gueyyyyy! or That wave, cabron! " Sort of kinda yes. Being from Panma we have our own slang terms that Mexicans normally don't use and likewise. Half the phrases we use, they refer to them as "indecent" my Mexican friends and I are always arguing over how to say or that phrase correctly. With 22 different Spanish speaking countries, each one thinks their right. The most curious thing I've seen is people from Guinea Ecuatorial mixing Spanish with their traditional language. I liked that a lot.	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-02 14:10:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	U international gurl. U is aight (alright). I'll tell you one thing for sure. Having brown skin and being able to understand Spanish is a huge plus for anyone. You can't imagine how many times I have listened to people talk who had no idea that I understood them. Its like being able to become a fly on the wall! Que honda pues?	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-01 12:37:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	QUOTE (LovinLiberia @ Jul 30 2008, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (chispas @ Jul 30 2008, 01:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (unononehigher @ Jul 29 2008, 07:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> no hablan tu espanola senoritas y senoras!!!!! mi no comprende!!! ingles por favor, innnglesss porrrr favor!!! I love you UNO you are too much girl. You know how some of us speak "ebonics, black English, black English vernacular etc" Well we were speaking Panamanian style "ghetto talk". Xopa is just What's up? Tracaleria = something underhanded or trickery. I told her I posted what was up and to pm me. You are too too funny girl! So in your honor and Asante you too, I'll post this Que Xopa video from the "ghetto" of Panama. I love that video! I was reading the Spanish conversation and I couldn't figure out what Que Xopa meant, lol. The ghetto "what's up" in Mexico is Que hubo or most commonly, Que Onda?? Wah! Che! (Meaning Wow) Very good LL. Me gustah tu Espahniol!	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-30 23:28:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	QUOTE (unononehigher @ Jul 29 2008, 07:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> no hablan tu espanola senoritas y senoras!!!!! mi no comprende!!! ingles por favor, innnglesss porrrr favor!!! I love you UNO you are too much girl. You know how some of us speak "ebonics, black English, black English vernacular etc" Well we were speaking Panamanian style "ghetto talk". Xopa is just What's up? Tracaleria = something underhanded or trickery. I told her I posted what was up and to pm me. You are too too funny girl! So in your honor and Asante you too, I'll post this Que Xopa video from the "ghetto" of Panama.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-30 13:07:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	QUOTE (panamania79 @ Jul 29 2008, 06:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (chispas @ Jul 24 2008, 01:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am sharing this information with my Sub-Sah family because it is something that I didn't expect my SO to think while we were happily meeting each other, but Que XoPa paisana ? Oye, me hicieron una tracaleria mami. Puse un post por alli con los destalles. Para lo otro, mandame un pm	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-29 20:27:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	LOL No life lessons or wisdom at this moment. My brain is in hibernate mode . Right now I'm depending on my VJ peeps to run with the baton of wisdom for this leg of the race. Run run peeps run..	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-26 18:05:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	QUOTE (Asante Maroon @ Jul 26 2008, 12:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (unononehigher @ Jul 26 2008, 03:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Asante Maroon @ Jul 26 2008, 02:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (unononehigher @ Jul 26 2008, 02:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ummmmm.... she said to pm for details...... Silly Wabbit! oh, ooops, dammmmnnn, she was serious ....duh yeah...very serious. shame on you for missing that Pm her Uno.. What's up? Thanks teecha for being on top of this.	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-26 10:48:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	Sorry, I was starting to write my post and when a student walked in the class early, I just shut the window so the information wouldn't show up on the screen. Now I can't go back and edit the post to write what I intended. Since that happened, I am wondering if I was supposed to print that information in the public formum or not. What I can do, is send the information in a pm if asked. Sorry guys for the confusion	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-24 12:42:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Patience is the weapon exposes deceit	I am sharing this information with my Sub-Sah family because it is something that I didn't expect my SO to think while we were happily meeting each other, but	chispas	Female	0	2008-07-24 12:10:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Making Changes	Gracias Omoba, Ricca you still have quite a bit of time ahead of you to ease into the paperwork trail so most of it will come naturally as you begin to live your life together. I have a list of steps to take somewhere, but I can't find it now. When I do find it, I'll try to post it. Take care Chispas	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-07 17:19:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Making Changes	Congrats on the marriage girl. Did you decide on the festival thing? About adding hubby to the bank account, have you considered opening a new one for both of you with your new last name? I'm sure some institutions make take longer to make the name change so starting with a new account should be fine. I don't know where you bank, but many banks allow you to add another account under the umbrella of the main account with little or no problems. INS really only cares what you have to show down the line and that you have joint accounts. They don't care if you added him or opened a new one. Whadya think?	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-07 12:11:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Sari-wearing women may face jail in Nigeria	QUOTE (Omoba @ Aug 6 2008, 08:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As usual and since the beginning of time it is the womans ' fault ' and the men refuse to be accountable. Eve made me do it mentality. Now they want to blame the women for the country's corruption. I say put more woman in charge and see a change. That is all so sad and crazy ! That is the part that caught my attention Omoba. It is the woman's fault that the man has a nasty mind or can't control his actions. Wouldn't it be lovely to live my life and only blame men for everything that I do. And have society agree with it? Tsk tsk again	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-07 12:16:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Gele	QUOTE (chispas @ Aug 2 2008, 11:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (unononehigher @ Aug 1 2008, 06:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> bedda get some silk, spray starch and some chop sticks (for form) and call it a day Uno the chopsticks are for me to eat ice cream with remember? One last thing, if you get it tied before the occasion so that all you have to do is put it on after. Then make sure your hair or hair style is similar to avoid slippage or the wrap being too tight. God forbid any hair weave or plaits sticking out in the wrong place Edited by chispas, 02 August 2008 - 02:05 PM.	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-02 14:04:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Gele	QUOTE (unononehigher @ Aug 1 2008, 06:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> bedda get some silk, spray starch and some chop sticks (for form) and call it a day Uno the chopsticks are for me to eat ice cream with remember?	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-02 13:55:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	Gele	I tried wrapping one myself and it looked a mess in the end. The whole thing kept falling apart so I ended up looking like a decked out pirate instead. I have never seen that kind of fabric in my life until I met a woman from Nigeria who had it. It does make that crackling sound when you try to wrap it and she said that she had gotten it from Nigeria. If you know anyone who is going soon, they may be able to get some for you. The only thing is it may or may not be what you want exactly. Perhaps a VJer can pick some up?????	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-01 18:52:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	I am so nervous about this	Welcome. It's all on you to prove that you can support him once he is here in the US. I have a friend here who used to live in Burkina Faso and still has a farm there. If you don't mind, which city is your SO from? Chispas	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-10 19:45:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	proof of emails, and money	I say the same as above. When you say "support" do you mean supporting him now or when he arrives? If you mean supporting him now, that is not necessary to prove. Supporting him when he arrives, the usual above the poverty line needs to be shown, perhaps a letter from your employer with your income, your bank statements or letter from the bank when you opened it and the balance. The last three tax forms and proof of whatever you put as income or assets.	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-11 13:53:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	wow	Congrats	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-10 19:43:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	How long was your interview	My SO had only one appointment and a short interview. Visa in hand in a few hours after interview. No more interviews since then. Not for Adjustment of Status or Removal of Conditions. Nada, zilch, zero. Chispas	chispas	Female	0	2008-08-10 19:35:00