ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaUSCIS at my door 6 am today
No. He wasn't at home. They did ask where he was, I told em he works graveyard shift and wouldn't be home for another 30 mins or so. They seemed fine with it, and continued their investigation.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-08-26 20:39:00
Middle East and North AfricaUSCIS at my door 6 am today
Also, they did ask to see mail with both our names on it, I frantically searched but only found 1 piece. Hope they accepted my answer that we take care of all bills etc online unsure.gif
Hi jackie...your time apart is flying aint it??
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-08-26 19:09:00
Middle East and North AfricaUSCIS at my door 6 am today
QUOTE (Turia @ Aug 26 2009, 03:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
How wierd, what were they looking for?


I'm thinking they must've had suspicions we didn't live together. Or the fact this was 2nd visa i've applied for, maybe they were suspicious about that. I asked, they said they couldn't answer that question.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-08-26 17:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaUSCIS at my door 6 am today
We kept wondering if it was because he's from Syria or because this was my 2nd visa i filed? Maybe both...

QUOTE (chemaatah @ Aug 26 2009, 03:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
just out of curiosity, why did you drive to the uscis office up in seattle instead of visiting the one in portland?


I live in Vanc, WA...
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-08-26 17:26:00
Middle East and North AfricaUSCIS at my door 6 am today
unsure.gif Long story short . On 2nd K1. AOS interview Dec 08. No letter in mail of approval..nothing. Even went up to Seattle to inquire 3 months ago, asking ####### is going on blink.gif Guy said "can't tell you anything". Drove all the way to Seattle for that response.!!??
Anways, this morning I'm sound asleep after working 3 12 hour shifts in a row. I hear a loud knock on the door, go out to answer half asleep. Get 2 badges in my face " Dept of Homeland Security. Can we come in?" I'm like "Am I under arrest" still half asleep.
They scoured my house. Looked in my hamper, my drawers, EVERYWHERE. Then said "Good, we have what we need". Needless to say, I couldn't sleep anymore mad.gif
Just wanted to let you MENA Ladies know...they might do the same to you if you're on 2nd K-1 or K3...etc.... My hubby's from Syria btw....
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-08-26 17:22:00
Middle East and North AfricaDo the Research... and whatever else!
I know I should be ignoring some things, but when you're honestly trying to help other women you think might have to deal with something you just dealt with. I guess it's like that at work or other situations in the real world too. Makes you wonder what they're like dealing with people outside of the Internet unsure.gif
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-09-03 12:29:00
Middle East and North AfricaDo the Research... and whatever else!
I recently posted a thread honestly trying to help maybe some other women that are in the same boat as i am. I posted about Investigators from Homeland Security and was questioned about where I really live and that I need to google more information before I post whistling.gif What a great welcome...
Thank You for bringing this subject up. I've thought many a time about posting but knew if I did some of these ladies would rip me another one..
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-09-03 12:17:00
Middle East and North Africatraveling to Saudi Arabia

Yes you can change the consulate, but would need a valid reason. He can ask the Cairo to request his file, but then you going to wait for a interview and also Cairo to review the file.

I don't think he should change the consulate at this point if he got an interview date.. just have him ride it through



Another option is to travel to Bahrain, which is a tiny island country on the east side of Saudi. It is only about a 20-30 mile distance by bridge from there to the City of Dammam or Khobar I believe. You could stay there while he's interviewing and after his interview he could travel by car over to Bahrain to be with you. I believe he can get a visa for Bahrain very easy. This is what I did when I went to visit my husband. It is a very safe country also.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-05-13 13:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaFriday in MENA land
What a sweet looking dog...I almost cried looking at his big sorrowful eyes :crying: Your son finding him was meant to be...congrats on your new addition :)
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-05-14 12:03:00
Middle East and North AfricaNeed some advice about Divorce in Egypt

JVTA - amen, sister. Yesterday, I had lots of profanity running through my mind but I didn't want to let it fly while on my work 'puter. ;) I think those COs in Cairo were brilliant! :thumbs:


Let's hope his SO sees what he wrote too ...
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-07-27 13:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaARAB WORLD FEST
I want to go so bad...unfortunatly I'm in the Pac. NW...Good for you IE that you can still enjoy it! (F)
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-07-27 13:26:00
Middle East and North AfricaBidets
I loved the bidets when I was visiting my fiance (now husband), in Dubai. Although would've been alot better to have TP in the stalls so as to avoid having that horribly uncomfortable feeling of a soggy azz.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-09-28 23:01:00
Middle East and North AfricaMoroccan Culture?

Thank you Golden Gate. :) When the time is right I know he will show up. :luv:

I believe in love and marriage and that I have a lot to offer to that special someone. This one just wasn't the one. :no:



You have a great attitude. Alot of women wouldn't be as positive as you are after being so emotionally abused (F)
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-10-01 23:51:00
Middle East and North AfricaMoroccan Culture?
Itsallgood...you said he's highly intelligent?? He might be in his field of work, but his grammar, and the way he takes simple things out of context, is showing another side. I feel for ya...
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-09-29 15:10:00
Middle East and North AfricaMoroccan Culture?
:blink:
Is someone a bit sensitive??
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-09-29 13:02:00
Middle East and North AfricaMoroccan Culture?
I think letting this fvcker think he's got you in such a tizzy that you'd resort to spells and rolling your eyes back in your head, etc. will make him run out faster....not because he believes you've cast a spell on him :whistle:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-09-28 22:50:00
Middle East and North Africaaffidavit of support
If I recall....he/she has asked for a cosponsor before. It is plain ludicrous to think that anybody would be willing to put themselves out for a virtual stranger...just sayin...
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-12-27 19:38:00
Middle East and North Africaaffidavit of support
I don't know if asking people right after Christmas for $800 is a good idea. Maybe you can get a credit card or ask for loan from a financial institution? Good luck!
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-12-27 15:26:00
Middle East and North AfricaMerry Christmas
Might be a simple explanation..sometimes, and I'm not saying for sure in this case, but some women that have been so abused by their SO take it out on something or someone other than the (&*& who truly deserves the bashing.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2010-12-27 19:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaMENA men say the darndest things....
A couple of weeks ago, my husband thought it would be nice to invite some of the ladies at work to drink a cup of coffee with him in the break area. He asked " Let's all go and pleasure ourselves with some coffee". Needless to say all the women fell out while he was standing there wondering what he said wrong again!! devil.gif
BTW, Astarte, my name is Kara too! kicking.gif
sussemadelFemaleSyria2009-04-12 12:07:00
Middle East and North AfricaMENA Men Being "Men"

He does everything?

Posted Image


What alot of women are going through..not mentioning names...is "lollipops and rainbows syndrome"
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-02 16:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaMENA Men Being "Men"
You found a real treasure Ummsqueakster...alot of Arabs find animals in the home repulsive. I've been trying to bring a little mini mini doxie into the home but no go..
LisaMarie..it's good you're preparing him ahead of time. I can say I didn't prepare mine so much beforehand because he is Syrian Christian and I mistakenly thought his beliefs about independance for women were more along the lines of how American men think. I found it's more a cultural issue and not religious. :blush:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-02 14:45:00
Middle East and North AfricaMENA Men Being "Men"
For us American women who were single and independant for so long before being married to a MENA man, it can be VERY difficult to get used to a man wanting to know where you are every minute of the day, why you're not answering your cellphone when they call, why dinner isn't on the table when they get home every night etc etc. Just understand..while you might feel all cozy and protected while on vacation with your man in their country, those attributes you found so cute overseas will become quite annoying once they're on American soil.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-02 14:17:00
Middle East and North AfricaCase going back to USCIS, who do I contact?

I know I'm Buddhist, and we're constantly on about religion. We can't have a rational conversation about it- we've agreed not to discuss it except in how it relates to our daughter. His sometime laziness and constantly needing to be pushed to do everyday things around the house is a huge issue too. I work 3 jobs, and I work HARD. To me, I am offended and hurt when I come home after working for 12-14 hours and have to clean up a mess around the house- when he's been blogging or writing music all day. I do understand that he comes from a culture where his mom took care of him until the day he stepped on the plane, but man, it's frustrating. I get a barrage of excuses. I gotta say tho, those are our only major issues. He takes great care of our daughter, and we still have so much in common- it works itself out.

Sarah


If you don't mind me asking, are you raising your daughter as a buddhist or muslim?
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-09 01:03:00
Middle East and North Africanewbie in the group

Oh, I must have missed that. I agree, the timing is a HUGE red flag. From the consulate's own website:

Some of the signs that an Internet contact may be developing a relationship with an American in order to obtain an immigrant visa through marriage are:

*
Declarations of love within days or weeks of the initial contact;
*
Proposals or discussions of marriage soon after initial contact;
*
Requests to the American to visit the foreign national’s home country soon after the declaration of love or proposal;


If I remember right, the website used to suggest that couples know each other at least a year before filing, although I don't see that language on there today.


I think I'd be pretty upset if I found out my fiance was sending me a letter that he copied from the internet :angry:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-09 01:08:00
Middle East and North AfricaAbuse of power in the American Consulate

Makes me feel a little better about my husband's family being a bunch of materialistic, back stabbing ingrates. :rofl:

But seriously, I have so many friends on Facebook that are under 30 Moroccan men. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths they will go to in order to try to seduce me online. Even when they know I'm married. They've even gone and added my single cousins, in attempts to try to fish them. The moment they know you're from America, they're all over you. I've made a hobby of messing with them, usually ending in a slew of select terminology in darija. :lol:



When I went to visit my husband in Dubai, I made the mistake of taking a walk to one of the major shoppings streets. I had at least 6 or 7 proposals from Morrocan and Egyptian men that day. First question when they approach you is "Are you American?" Didn't matter to them that I'm in my 40's and all of them looked to be in their early to mid 20's. When I told my husband, his only response was "Every Arab knows about Egyptians and Morrocans"
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-02-27 17:52:00
Middle East and North AfricaAmerican Embassy in Cairo should be opened now!
Someone that opens a thread and tells people to call every day and demand they open an embassy before it's safe to do so doesn't sound suspect to you? You have your opinion and I have mine...I have the right to it. And it is VERY childish the way he expresses himself.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-09 15:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaAmerican Embassy in Cairo should be opened now!

Um, no- it's still not totally safe in Egypt: http://www.bbc.co.uk...e-east-12683568

Let's hope for your sake that the CO's who work at that embassy don't read VJ, and if they do, that they can't figure out who you are. Putting your need for a visa over the lives of others makes you suspect. And rightfully so.


:thumbs: Think his wife or fiancee would suspect fraud if she saw his posts? Most likely not :bonk:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-09 00:58:00
Middle East and North AfricaAmerican Embassy in Cairo should be opened now!
That was my post. Are you implying that I'm a spoiled child? I thought I was rather adult in all of this. Why should an embassy reopen if danger is still present?

I think Mssheesha was bolding your post to let a certain poster realize that if what you said is true, he should stop acting like a child and be patient :yes:

Edited by sussemadel, 08 March 2011 - 08:13 PM.

sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-08 20:12:00
Middle East and North AfricaAmerican Embassy in Cairo should be opened now!

As of right now, the embassy's services are on hold and are unnecessary because all US citizens evacuated that wanted to. To them, beneficiaries of visas are very, very low on the totem pole of importance. Just because people want to be reunited with their Egyptian fiancee or spouse is not a significant enough reason to reopen in an unstable environment. The embassy will open only when they sense that their American staff is out of danger.

If all of this is true, why MUST they open? Because you want them to? Your posts sound like a spoiled child wrote them. It sounds like you don't care about the safety of others because you want something done when and how you want it done.

:thumbs: Kinda reeks of desperation.

guys..i know..but that`s what we can do..that`s what we must do..we should show them that we r bothered by them.
they must open.


:bonk: They must open because you want them to??? You can't wait until they feel it's safe? :help:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-03-08 15:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaImmigrating from Syria

Yes that is her ultimate goal. UAE is a place she is considering but she is as likley to settle in Hawaii. She has sizeable assets that would enable her to marry him and be a sponsor. She is just looking for some clarification particularly about the ease of this with the military service issue. I will ask her to join.



Or classic case of people just not bothering to read and then making a comment that adds nothing to the equation at all.



Thank you sooo much. Living in the UK is not going to happen, I bet that $6500 will be a huge stop for her. Can not say Im sad. Again thanks


My husband is Syrian, and moved to Saudi Arabia to avoid military obligation. He did pay that fee and I know alot of his family and friends are living in the Gulf area to avoid Military service. I don't know how easy it would be for your friend's fiance to obtain a visa to a Gulf country with the current situation in Syria. It's worth a try. I know when my husband got his visa it was pretty easy for him.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-04-25 13:59:00
Middle East and North AfricaMy husband and my child

Thats great and keep doing that, tucking him in, loving him. I am sure it affected him terribly when you lost the baby. I am so sorry for that. I too have been through that and its awful.

I am glad you are keeping your priorities straight and loving your son. He will be with you for your lifetime. These relationships may or may not be so its critical you parent and put your children first. That goes for even US based marriages. Most things can be worked on if the love is there as a base.

Thanks for the dialog and best of luck.. hug your son


Even if you do all the right things with your children it does NOT guarantee they will be with you for a lifetime....believe me, I have kids in their 20's that I'm estranged from...and no, not because of my husband being here.
And you can count me in on one of the women you know that's been with their husband longer than 5 years, HIT :yes:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-05-10 11:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaMy husband and my child
I usually don't come on and air my "dirty laundry", but I feel the need to respond to you, Morrocanwife. I was also having the same problems that you're having, except my "children" were in their late teens when my husband came in late 2007. I have 3 kids, and my first 2 moved out shortly after he came, but my middle son was in the throes of beginning alcoholism when my husband arrived. If it hadn't been for my husband, I'm sure my son would be dead now. He gently taught him how to be a man, never told him he was a failure or loser, something his real dad wasn't telling him or teaching him. Now, 3 1/2 yrs later, they're both managing their own Restaurant and my son is thriving.
I just want to encourage you to let them be together alone as was advised and slowly you will see things will work out. Your husband sounds supportive and with a little time things will get better! Give it time and show both of them you love them! :thumbs:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-05-06 14:33:00
Middle East and North AfricaToday we lost a MENA jewel
i'm new on the mena forum...but am so sad to hear this...they only had such a short time together rose.gif
sussemadelFemaleSyria2008-06-18 00:14:00
Middle East and North AfricaSyria Processing Times -- any updates?
:) [quote name='soontobemrsfayyad' timestamp='1309531530' post='4757283']
Of course most of the minorities live in fear that if Assad is gone and there is a non-minority in power, they will suffer, or Syria will turn into an Islamic Republic. But the thing is, from my experience in country, 95% of the people regardless of religious affiliation, are extremely proud that Syria is so diverse and they would fight bitterly if anyone tried to change that. Of course there's always a small, crazy percentage of people that would support kicking out everyone who is different from them, that's an unfortunate theme in the history of humanity.

What Assad and his regime (I'm not going to put it all on him, because he's not calling 100% of the shots, its all controlled by his cronies and the men who have secretly held the reins to power since his father's time) are doing is not sustainable. But my greatest fear is that what is happening in Libya will happen in Syria. The last thing that Syrians want is foreign intervention. It would only exacerbate the situation.

I can't imagine how awful it must be to be facing the fear of violence from your government, or violence from a foreign government. It really is a tragedy.

@sussemadel -- Ask your husband how his ancestors managed to live in the land of ash-Sham before the modern day borders and politicians. It has always been an area of great diversity and tolerance amongst the people. The Muslims could have easily taken over the Basilica of St. John the Baptist through force, but instead, the paid the church for the site and the land and converted it into the Ummayyad Mosque. Christians have always been highly respected in the area that is now Syria, and by the people that are now called Syrians. It truly is a very special, unique country in that respect.
[/quote

My husband has always told me Syrians are unique in the area because of the religious tolerance. I wish I had visited Syria before all this happened. I've been to Bahrain and Dubai, unfortunately not Syria. One day soon hopefully :)
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-07-01 14:12:00
Middle East and North AfricaSyria Processing Times -- any updates?

I truly think he is a war criminal. What did all these poor people and CHILDREN do to die that way! I can't even watch news from Syria anymore.. The violent graphic images and videos related to the news are just heartbreaking and insane...

It only takes a person with a heart and feelings to know what's happening over there is just plain wrong and inhuman. Bashar is a bloody version of another Arab dictator who thinks he's God and is able to run people's lives any way he wants... The people will win in the end, of course, but I wonder how long that will take :(


I think most of the Christians there live in fear of the unknown...what will happen if someone else comes to power and doesn't protect them? They've lived so long under the father and son who they believe has protected them from being run out of the country that they can't believe there's anyone better. A very smart, intelligent people who see what is happening on the news and say they're all terrorists??!! Even the children and women fleeing to Turkey are terrorists I ask...he says their husbands are forcing them over the border! :bonk:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-06-30 14:01:00
Middle East and North AfricaSyria Processing Times -- any updates?

Well, the K-1 petition approval times vary from one service center to the other and vary from year to another. The average wait for a NOA2 through VSC was 3 months around the time we filed two years ago. Of course every case is different and every service center is different.

I don't know about the military service in Syria, you might have to get some more info from someone else on that.

During the revolution in Egypt the embassy was still open for Americans (as far as I know), but the visa unit was closed. You could try to transfer the case to another embassy.

Bashar is even worse than Mubarak, IMO. My heart goes out to the Syrian people!


I agree with you on Bashar being worse than Mubarak. I see the casualties on the news everyday, especially the young children, and want to scream! On the other hand, my husband is Orthodox Christian and comes from one of the Christian villages in the Western area of Syria. All the christians support this idiot to the extreme and I don't understand it! When I ask him why, he says that it's terrorists causing the unrest and those people that are killed are trying to undermine the government and turn Syria into an Islamic country. It makes for some heated discussions around our house to say the least! :wacko:
sussemadelFemaleSyria2011-06-30 13:09:00
Middle East and North AfricaTwo Western Journalist die in shelling in Syria

Thank you Tamara for your additional prayers. (L)


Yes..thank you for the prayers, Tamara. Still haven't heard from my husband's family. My husband is barely able to concentrate at work and is so stressed...I can't tell him to not watch the News because he gets even more stressed. His brother in Damascus can't even get ahold of the family in the village..they're cut off even from that short distance.
sussemadelFemaleSyria2012-02-27 02:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaTwo Western Journalist die in shelling in Syria
My husband is very stressed about the situation. He has a career here and cannot leave, but yet knows his family is there literally guarding their house and possesions with guns. Very torn between his responsibility of being the oldest son of 6. His family is living in a Christian village outside of Homs, which is the hotbed of all the violence. The violence is getting closer and closer to his home, from what he can discern talking to his brother when communications are open. For the last 3 weeks he hasn't heard from his family...no phone lines and no Internet.
Interestingly enough, the Christians are in support of Assad, because they feel he is the only one that can protect, and has protected Christians from what they believe are Islamic terrorists. Not saying they're in full support of what he's done, but they're conflicted because they know he's protected them in the past and they're scared of any kind of Islamic govt taking over the country.
He wants to go and protect his family..he has 3 sisters at home who he feels very protective of, but knows he would be leaving his family here..very hard situation :(
sussemadelFemaleSyria2012-02-24 16:40:00
Middle East and North AfricaPulitzer prize winning journalist, Anthony Shadid, died in Syria

I couldn't decide which Syrian related thread to post this in but since this one is talking about food I think the latest news may be appropriate here.

After the Syrian Army overwhelmed and took control of Homs they are allowing the Red Cross to bring in humanitarian aid to the people. New York Times Article

From the video I've seen the place is a virtual ghost town. The Army separated the males age 12 and up from the women and children. The let the females go but reports say they killed the men. They also killed those who tried to flee. They also fired shots at Syrians crossing the border following them into Lebanon, so the battle has spilled over some of the borders. This was reported in the Senate meeting on Syria yesterday. They've been discussing the pros and cons of Congress having the authority to make a commitment to go to war in Syria and helping with a democratic transition there.

At least some relief is being brought in for those who have survived the nearly year long siege. Some credit has to go the China and Russia on this as well for recently joining the international community condemning Syria for not allowing humanitarian aid to reach the people. However, that is the only part that they have softened their position on.



Would be nice to meet some of you VJ girls! Hope to see you guys at the Restaurant one of these days!
sussemadelFemaleSyria2012-03-02 16:22:00