Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Middle East and North Africa	Any info on taking S.O on a cruise	How's the vacation searching going?? I want to go soooo bad! We're waiting on Mina's dad though. Once we find out what dates he will be here, it will be easier to plan a vacation!! I'm gonna do some searching, too.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2010-04-16 19:02:00
Middle East and North Africa	THINGS TO MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME	I don't know what's worse.. the chilly water that leaves your cheeks numb or the hot steamy stream that feels like a small branding iron to your butt....... If we leave the "bidet" for a couple of hours, the hot water settles in the pipe.... it just keeps getting warmer... until one lucky soul wakes up in the middle of the night and gets a "Hot Shot" Actually, I do know which one is worse... and it's the hot water.. because if it's too hot, there's no way to cool it down... but, you get used to the cold water or you just do it really fast & jump up ...	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2008-02-20 16:14:00
Middle East and North Africa	Today we lost a MENA jewel	Sadly, I recently finished this thread. To all of Dawn's friends, keep her precious memory with you at all times. You are all very lucky to have spent quality time with her. To her husband and her family, tradgically she was taken away from you & it's a heartbreaking shock to your systems.... this is where my sympathies are extended in their fullest capacity.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2008-06-18 19:39:00
Middle East and North Africa	The Forum Interview Cheerleading Thread Vol. 2	Hey, MK! Could you move me to the AP/AR waiting list????? Interview was on June 14th. Thanks so much for your cheerleading threads. I like seeing one list of the people who have similar information. With the usernames, it makes it easy to PM someone with a question. THANKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-09-11 03:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Another affidavit of support question..	how do you guys sort out all the information out there and know how to file all of these papers? I really have no one to help us with this and we are so scared that we'll miss a document or make a simple mistake that could have been avoided had we had someone to guide us. My husband and I did DCF in Cairo, and we didn't know anything about the process, either. But, when I called the US Consulate in Cairo, they gave me a list of the information I needed to file a petition. They told me which papers needed an english translation, where to get certified copies of certain documents, and they told me I could pick up a packet of information at the window of the Consulate. The packet was the most helpful. And, if I didn't understand something in the packet, I would send an email or call the American Services at the Embassy. After we were sure we had the right information, I called and made an appointment to file the I-130 petition. Contact your embassy in Riyadh to see what your requirements are, and ask if they can send you a packet of information, or if you can pick it up. It can seem like you're stuck in a rat maze at times. But, just take everything step by step. RiyadhACS@state.gov - to ask questions RiyadhIV@state.gov - to make an appointment	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-05-12 23:22:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	i need help from people file with cairo before	Are you serious???? Dec 06 and still waiting for an interview? That is just disgraceful! i should be more specific. waiting for the 2nd interview. we had the first one in December. and then, he completed medical checks, etc. and we submitted them at the end of January. We have been waiting since then for the visa interview. we got caught in the Adam Walsh check , but i think we are finished with it. the bad thing is, they wont tell us anything specific. im putting together a petition as I type this. cause there are too many complaints......... thanks.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-05-05 22:49:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	i need help from people file with cairo before	question: are you in egypt right now? is your wife or fiance in egypt or america? the email for contacting the consular is consularcairoiv@state.gov and the phone number for the embassy *calling from inside egypt* is: 090070600 from a land line 2100 from a Vodafone mobile phone also, there is a number for american services center. if your wife/fiance is american, she can call them with your case # and request help and an inquiry into your case. ***NOTE:THEY ONLY ACCEPT CALLS BETWEEN 1-4PM CAIRO TIME!!!!!! MAKE SURE YOU CALL DURING THIS TIME**** the phone # for american services is: (02)7972301 hope that helps you. i dont have any experience with the security checks yet. so, i dont know how long this should take, but we filed DCF in Dec 06 at the Cairo embassy and we are still here in Cairo waiting for an interview.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-05-05 17:55:00
Middle East and North Africa	Things your husband/fiance does that drives you crazy.	WOW. I see a lot of similarities. Visa in Hand- My husband does the same "I am not hungry" bit. Then, 30 minutes later, after the kitchen has been cleaned & everything has been put away, he's scrambling around in the fridge. Mona_jamie - The grocery store scene sounds familiar. Except our roles are reversed. I have to take my time. I hate to forget anything & I always want to see every aisle. My husband gets antsy and irritated if we are in ANY store for more than 20 minutes. I DEFINITELY can't go clothes shopping with him. We tried it once and we fought because he isn't patient enough with me. But, I can't shop in Egypt by myself, so now I take a female friend/family member with us & he stands outside until we are done! I have my quirks, too. I change my mind a lot and it drives him nuts. I also forget about a lot of small things & he gets irritated when I update him 2 weeks later on what someone said or did. Oopsie!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-26 03:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	Happy Birthday water-is-wide!		monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-21 10:19:00
Middle East and North Africa	Happy Wedding Day to Sparrow	I hope you have a great wedding day, sparrow !!!! Congratulations !	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-19 09:58:00
Middle East and North Africa	Happy Birthday Melissa	Sorry, I just saw the post Melissa! Happy that you enjoyed your birthday. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-19 11:46:00
Middle East and North Africa	Back from Turkey!	Congratulations! Very nice pics ! Turkey is one of the countries my husband and I hope to travel to one day. It looks so lovely. We hope to visit Mary's house, Soumela Monestary, and Ephesus ! What a wonderful and beautiful country. Thanks for sharing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-19 11:12:00
Middle East and North Africa	News From Rome	QUOTE This is how it went down... I was sitting at my desk at work, doing my morning routine of checking my email, checking Sam's case and my various immigration websites. When I saw that the list had been updated since yesterday, my heart started pounding. Then when I found Hicham's case number, I ran my finger across the screen and saw "Ready for Adjudication". I actually read it 3 times to make sure that I wasn't looking at the wrong case number! (I've actually gone back several times again just to make sure ). I must have said "Oh my God" rather loudly because my co-worker popped her head up over the cube and said "What's wrong?". I grabbed my phone and said I'll be right back. By that time, a couple of "praire dogs" had popped their heads up. I ran out of the building to call Hicham because I don't get good reception at my desk. When I got out to the street on the sidewalk, the first two times I got the recording that all circuits were busy! AGH!!!!! Finally on the 3rd try, I got Hicham. He was like "REALLY" "ARE YOU SURE?". I understand some Arabic when it's spoken slowly, but he started speaking so fast, I couldn't understand. I'm pretty sure he was thanking Allah though! He was so happy. He told me to be sure that when I picked our son up from preschool today to give him a big hug and to tell him that his daddy is going to be home soon!!!! WOW!!!! Allousa, I am sooo happy for you !! I hope that you get to see your husband very soon. I have been praying for everyone to be reunited quickly, and I hope to see that in your next thread! Edited by monnik, 08 September 2007 - 09:35 AM.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-09-08 09:34:00
Middle East and North Africa	:) For Jackie	Cheer up !! Buttercup!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-25 13:36:00
Middle East and North Africa	31st Cairo International Film Fest Kicks Off	I can't remember if we went to this last year or not. I know that we got some tickets from my FIL's bank & we went to see an Italian film at the Grand Hyatt. It was pretty boring. I don't remember the name of the film, but it was about a famous director in Italy who was falling in love with a lady while trying to regain his reputation in films. We left about 35-40 minutes into the movie. There are a lot of interesting movies on the schedule for this year. I will ask my FIL if he can get tickets to see one of them. Thanks for posting, Olivia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-29 14:07:00
Middle East and North Africa	It's camel time again!!!	QUOTE (water is wide @ Nov 29 2007, 05:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hi everyone.... Im under the weather again!!! second time this month Haven't been on as much as before hope everyone is doing well and has a nice cozy warm night water Looking for matching outfits try hanna anderson she has matching pjs and outfits and there sooooo soft and warm.hanna anderson So cute!! Look what I found at that site-	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-30 11:26:00
Middle East and North Africa	Sharing updates on VJ	QUOTE (sarah and hicham @ Nov 27 2007, 10:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was just kidding, but who knows! Me too. I know people believe in it. I think someone actually posted that once. The reason they didn't update us often was because of the evil eye. I was just being silly.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-27 15:49:00
Middle East and North Africa	Sharing updates on VJ	Do people really believe in that , Sarah ? I don't think AP is anything to be envious about. Maybe it's the lack thereof they would be jealous of ? (And yeah, I was thinking about Sparrow when I said that !!) jkjk I like to see updates especially from people going through our same embassy.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-27 15:34:00
Middle East and North Africa	wedding pics are up!	Wow, sparrow ! I just looked at your pics and your videos ! How wonderful for you and your husband. I love all of the pictures !! CONGRATULATIONS ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-12 12:38:00
Middle East and North Africa	Happy Friday!!!	Very nice pics ! I love my city ! (most of the time )	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-14 05:39:00
Middle East and North Africa	HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ1 :)	shukis !!! ( my new Anglo-Arab slang for shukran !! ) & Happy birthday again, AJ1.....	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-14 13:50:00
Middle East and North Africa	HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ1 :)		monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-14 11:31:00
Middle East and North Africa	Thursday	Very nice pictures !! I got chills looking at that pic from the balcony. It is so beautiful ! Congratulations and thanks for sharing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-13 16:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Mabroukis Tamara for the update on your case ! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY !!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 14:17:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Dang it ! Tam, that sucks! I think the part about the parents being in USA applies to a different situation. When applying for a passport for an American baby born in Egypt, you have to provide a movement certificate for the Egyptian-born USC parent. It doesn't apply whatsoever to your case!! The senator's office was probably just as confused as we are right now. Have you written them again to tell them that that situation is completely different from yours? Maybe they can contact them again. Good luck, Tam..... Try to send an email to this director at the Ministry of Interior: click here..... NOW!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-11-16 14:08:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Oh really? You are funny. I am not trying to be confrontational, I swear. I just feel like if one department or ministry in Egypt is slow or confused, then the WHOLE visa process suffers. You can't say that the Immigration & Passport office is organized (because they can process a passport in a day), when your MC proves that it's not. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. And all the while, the embassy can't move forward until it is done! But, guess what?? It doesn't matter how slow they are. Even after they have the MC in hand, the embassy will be just as slow & inefficient as the Egyptian offices! Because the whole system is broken. Not just one wheel. So, bottom line, Tam: I don't know where to place the blame for this problem. (I don't believe it's Adam's fault, though) I don't even know what to say to help you out. .... refile maybe? People have filed more than once for a MC... for example, if the embassy requests another one because the first one is outdated. Try that, maybe. You are in a tough situation. Who knows if you refile or make a 2nd request if the system will jam up even more...... but if you don't try to file or find a solution, you will just be waiting around for them to magically fix everything. Good luck in whatever you choose. Would it help if I went down to the Cairo office and stomped & waved around my little blue passport??? heheheeeeeee They would probably wish me a nice day & then take Mina into custody!! heheeeee	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-27 01:50:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Yes. It only took one day to get my residency stamp. (Even though the office was crowded like craaaaaaaazy... my husband was jumping in front of people & shoving my passport through the window. Maybe they are organized internally, but it's not very organized from an outsider's perspective. There was no organization, no system, no lines; it was chaos.) Yes. It only took my husband one day to get his passport renewed. He tipped the officer extra and he got it back later in the afternoon. I know exactly what you mean. I know you are in the same boat as we are. I am not arguing, I promise. My point, and the reason for my joke was this: travelling is the hard part. What difference does it make if you have your passport or not? You can't travel. Maybe to Cyprus, KSA, Kuwait, or travel with the army. You are saying: **The visa office is a different system.** I know this. But, when the embassy is depending on important papers (MC, etc.) from different ministries within Egypt, and everyone takes their sweet time (for example, by letting people jump in line LIKE MY HUSBAND DID or when people who TIP & PAY can get their papers/passport sooner than the ones who came before them!! Or when you have to speak to the #1 officer and he takes personal responsibility for getting your paper finished, and then goes out of the country... it happens all the time! even inside the embassy, people go on vacation & leave cases sitting on their desks. Why would anyone else touch their work? They are busy enough as it is!) then, they are not being very efficient. Especially when there are millions of people who are applying for the same thing. I really don't know where the ball got dropped with Tamara's Movement Certificate. It's so hard to tell what is going on. But, I know it shouldn't have taken this long..... especially if the office is so "organized" . And, each and every person shouldn't have to speak with the head officer in order to get something done. It should flow smoother than that; but it didn't. So, that's why my opinion is: the delays are unnecessary & obtaining the passport in one day is useless because you can't travel that fast anyway! Happy Anniversary , you guys!!! So glad that you are spending it together! Lucky ducks.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-26 23:52:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Olivia, this is the Egyptian filing system: No wonder passports are so easy to get!! They know they will never let you out of the country. Who cares if you have a passport??!?!!?? One day to get a passport & 2 years to make it out of the country. Bureaucratic efficiency at its finest. Oh... Shukran awey for my passport ya basha. That was fast! Zay el saroukh!! Now, I can travel to any place I like... America, or London, or Austr.... HEY HEEY!!! OWWW!!!!!! *help*	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-26 22:20:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Don't get down about it, Tam. Please!! Even though his certificate is taking longer than other people's, there is a purpose for everything. I am so sorry that you guys are having to wait so long.......	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-26 04:02:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Very funny doodle! But, We wish Cairo had an excuse!!!!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-22 17:52:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Girrrrrrrrrrl... It's 11 am on Monday morning. Do you know where your movement certificate is? He should be getting it right about now!! Don't worry. You & Adam will be rejoicing in a short while. Keep Hope Alive!! (not a real person, that Hope! just the feeling) P.S. - Cheryl, I love your dog! OMG I wanna adopt one today!!! P.P.S. - I think Tamara meant to start this thread in the MENA sub-forum. We should have it moved. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-22 04:13:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	I am sorry Tam that you are having a rough time.. ... worrying about the certificate will bring you down. But, I feel like the other guy getting his MC is a good sign. Maybe all Adam has to do is go down and talk with someone and they will issue it to him. Take Wael's advice. It can't hurt to try! GOOD LUCK!!! I hope that he gets it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-10-08 11:52:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	Sorry it's taking so long, Tam. Hopefully, the paper will come in soon. I keep thinking of GnR's song, Patience. yeaaaaaaaaaaaa-eaaaaaaaa Just a lil patience God's way of answering the prayer for more patience, experience, hope, and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction. Now, we should have a Yalla passport office! thread. heheheee The embassy, the passport office, the ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of justice; they all need a fire lit under their buttocks!!!!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-09-30 16:01:00
Middle East and North Africa	movement certificate paper	What a wonderful surprise for you to receive while in Egypt with your husband!!!! Congratulations Tam, and I hope that the last few steps of this process are super-fast for you guys! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-09-09 01:21:00
Middle East and North Africa	NOA2 Approved today!	OK. So, congrats ! or Mabroukis !!! I neve kept up with my NOA, NOA2, or any of that stuff. I think it was because our case was DCF, I didn't have a USCIS case # or whatever. But, I am assuming that it is good news & that it means your case has crossed another hurdle !!! Good luck girlie with the rest of our process !!! I will be dancing with you !	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 12:00:00
Middle East and North Africa	Monday	QUOTE (bridget @ Dec 17 2007, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (monnik @ Dec 17 2007, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the replies ! I found a chart on the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/p...h01.html#d0e459 According to this chart, I won't have to file because my gross income doesn't reach the amount that requires me to file. That's a relief. Are you going by the limit on married filling separately? Otherwise you'd have to combine both your incomes to figure it out. Actually, we've both only been working for less than 2 months, so our income doesn't even reach any of those amounts after the money conversion ! Also, I tried to file him on my taxes last year or e-file as married but filing separately, and it wouldn't let me do it because he doesn't have a SSN or a TIN (Tax Identification Number). That was my experience anyway. Has anybody else been able to file their husbands on their tax returns while they were separated & before their spouse ever made it to the states ? Edited by monnik, 17 December 2007 - 02:38 PM.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 14:37:00
Middle East and North Africa	Monday	Thanks for the replies ! I found a chart on the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/p...h01.html#d0e459 According to this chart, I won't have to file because my gross income doesn't reach the amount that requires me to file. That's a relief.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 14:07:00
Middle East and North Africa	Monday	Yeah, bridget. Don't worry. That's only the second time I've ever called DOS. I called today because Tamara's good news gave me the feeling that we are not far behind them & plus Wael's case was similar to ours (DCF) and they had a home visit just like us. I actually would prefer to stay here a couple of more months. I am working and enjoying my time there. OFF this topic question: What do I do about my taxes for this year ? I didn't work, so I don't have to file, right ? Or do I have to claim my money that I'm earning now ?? or what ?? OK. Thanks for any info. I will also ask my supervisor when I go back to work Sunday. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 13:50:00
Middle East and North Africa	Monday	I'm missing snow right about now. But, my mom says it hasn't fallen in upstate SC yet. We usually only get 1 or 2 snowfalls per year. Good luck everyone in the snowstorms & be safe on the roads ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 13:15:00
Middle East and North Africa	Monday	SHUKIS, wiw !!! I just got off the phone with DOS. I spoke to Chris. He said that everything is finished on Washington's end & that as of now they are processing the last updated information in Cairo. Duh! I knew that. But, he said the case won't go back to Washington & that the final stages are taking place right now. Thanks again, wateriswide.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-12-17 12:05:00