Well I am sitting in the MSP airport lounge (a perk of flying international and being a platinum member) waiting for my flight to London. With my family in town and all the Christmas goings on I haven't had a lot of time write this week. Maybe on the flight tonight I will crank out a post or three. Don't know. I am surprised though at how empty the airport is. I checked my bag and got through security in like 10 minutes! CRAZY. Though I am glad of it. Now I am hanging out in the lounge. FREE BOOZE!!!! ok ok really I am just drinking Iced Tea, but I could have a free drink or five if I wanted. But I don't want to mix drinking and sleeping pills. This will be the third time this year I will have been in London but this time I will have a week to see the sights and no work. Yeah no work.
Again I have a countdown going. My flight leaves at 7:10 PM and arrives at 9:10am. There is a 5 hour difference in time and I expect to see my lovely wifey around 3 tomorrow London time. That is less than 15 hours away at this point. Still to long really but it is manageable I guess. This had been the longest we have been apart, and I don't really like it. If I can help it we won't spend this much time apart again. A big improvement this trip though is that we will spend a whole week together rather than 50 hours like the last time I went to Moscow. But I am certainly looking at options to get us closer together.
Along another note, once I get some paper from Ruzana and some friends of ours I will finally have the package ready for the ole USCIS (immigration). It should take about six months for them to process, then assuming she is approved it will be sent to the US State Department. Then who knows how long it will take. But by our best figuring RG has spend 10 months out of 24 back in Russia, so maybe with 6-9 more of processing they will just drop the remainder and let her come back early. We shall see. We shall see. I can not wait to get on the plan and pass out cuz, when I wake I should be with in 6 hours of seeing the MRS.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Philly
Well I haven’t been writing blogs in sort of order lately and my trip to Russia in September gave me so many items to write about that other things have topics are getting put to the side. Which is to bad because I think I can get more details in if I write something up when it is fresh in my mind. Back in mid October I went to training out at SAP America head quarters out side of Philadelphia. I stayed in an area known as Kind of Prussia, just a couple miles from Valley Forge National Park. The hotel and area are relatively unremarkable. The landscape is very hilly and wooded even though the area is quite populated it doesn’t feel that way most of the time because of the woods seeming to have over grown everything. I went a few days early so I could see some of the sites in the area and the weather was perfect so it worked out really well. I have a burgeoning interest in the area because I have been reading biographies on the founding fathers. So far I have covered Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, and Adams. I think Monroe will be next. Anyway it is amazing to be in the same place where it all happened, where the country was started.
The first day I was out there I was able to swing into Valley Forge National park. I tried to get some good photos, but since I was on my own the self portraits came out a bit strange. Oh well that is life. The park is very large and crisscrossed with roads, bike paths, and trails. There are some sizable hills in the area and very few buildings. Most of the Army of the Potomac lived in little log cabins. The one nice place was George Washington’s head quarters, and a train depot put in for tourism decades on decades ago. There were also monuments everywhere. Some dedicated to the soldiers, some to Washington, and some to various generals. There were also displays of some of the defenses used at the time, and several areas where old canon were set up as they would have been during that time. I really was only to see things that were easily accessible from the road. If I go back I either want to road trip out there and bring my bike or rent one and spend a day or two riding the trails in the park.
The next day I met up with a friend of mine who had recently left my company and moved to Philly. We ate lunch at a nice Cuban place then walked around old town. The nice thing about the area is how all the sites are in about a couple square mile area of town. I saw just about everything. The Franklin Museum/post office/house site, Betsy Ross House, Franklin’s grave, the Liberty Bell, the tavern all the constitutional representatives met in, where the declaration of independence was written, Independence hall, and some others I honestly can’t remember. The tour of independence hall was easily my favorite part. To walk around were the delegates met and argued about, ratified, and signed the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and ran the revolutionary war was amazing. I was amazed to find out that they had even matched the original colors in the rooms. It was also a lot smaller than I had imagined, but when you think about it that makes sense, there would have been 30 or less people involved as there were only 13 colonies.
I was a little disappointed because I didn’t see any hidden compartments or clues to the Mason’s treasures like those in the movie National Treasure. But that is ok treasure hunting isn’t my thing. As much as this was an interesting place to visit the area really doesn’t have more than a few days worth of sites to see; a couple museums, Valley Forge, and Old Town. Then you have seen it all. Of course this doesn’t make it any less of a must see if you have a trip in the area though.
The first day I was out there I was able to swing into Valley Forge National park. I tried to get some good photos, but since I was on my own the self portraits came out a bit strange. Oh well that is life. The park is very large and crisscrossed with roads, bike paths, and trails. There are some sizable hills in the area and very few buildings. Most of the Army of the Potomac lived in little log cabins. The one nice place was George Washington’s head quarters, and a train depot put in for tourism decades on decades ago. There were also monuments everywhere. Some dedicated to the soldiers, some to Washington, and some to various generals. There were also displays of some of the defenses used at the time, and several areas where old canon were set up as they would have been during that time. I really was only to see things that were easily accessible from the road. If I go back I either want to road trip out there and bring my bike or rent one and spend a day or two riding the trails in the park.
The next day I met up with a friend of mine who had recently left my company and moved to Philly. We ate lunch at a nice Cuban place then walked around old town. The nice thing about the area is how all the sites are in about a couple square mile area of town. I saw just about everything. The Franklin Museum/post office/house site, Betsy Ross House, Franklin’s grave, the Liberty Bell, the tavern all the constitutional representatives met in, where the declaration of independence was written, Independence hall, and some others I honestly can’t remember. The tour of independence hall was easily my favorite part. To walk around were the delegates met and argued about, ratified, and signed the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and ran the revolutionary war was amazing. I was amazed to find out that they had even matched the original colors in the rooms. It was also a lot smaller than I had imagined, but when you think about it that makes sense, there would have been 30 or less people involved as there were only 13 colonies.
I was a little disappointed because I didn’t see any hidden compartments or clues to the Mason’s treasures like those in the movie National Treasure. But that is ok treasure hunting isn’t my thing. As much as this was an interesting place to visit the area really doesn’t have more than a few days worth of sites to see; a couple museums, Valley Forge, and Old Town. Then you have seen it all. Of course this doesn’t make it any less of a must see if you have a trip in the area though.
Friday, December 14, 2007
STUPID Immigration STUPID policies
Ok well I have always heard that immigration policies are some of the most confusing ridiculous government policies out there. But until you actually have to abide by them you can not even begin to realize how stupid they are. There are so many requirements based on so many different criteria that I am amazed we have as much immigration to the States as we; though if you are on a short list of certain countries it is easier than others. Of course I am trying learn about all of this because I want to get my wife back over to the states, and her situation is made more difficult thanks to the state department program that she originally came over on. Of course had it not been for that program we would not have met so you take the good and the bad I guess.
But here is what I find is ridiculous, 1 the goofy forms. And there are a ton of them, and you need different forms for different things, and you don’t know if you did them right or wrong for months. This is the point of the process we are in right now – gathering the correct documentation: marriage certificates, birth certificates, affidavits of our relationship by third parties, biographies, and the immigration forms. What fun. Once this is package of funness is completed it gets mailed to the USCIS. The what-what? The USCIS, the newer name for the old INS, I know everyone knows the INS so lets go ahead and rebrand a government agency. Again this just seems to add to calamity with which I am forced to be involved.
So beyond the USCIS, we also get to work with two parts of the US Department of State. At least that is according to the USCIS who actually answer the phone. On repeated attempts to contact the State Department I have only been referred back to the USCIS, who in turn say that the questions I have need to be directed to the State Department. YES THAT IS AWESOME! Government at its best, I tell you that much. So the concern I have is this RG is currently under a requirement to live in Russia for a total of 2 years to complete her scholarship agreement with the US State Department. Of which she has completed at least 9 or 10 months. However it takes 6 months for the USCIS to process an application. If it is approved it is sent to the State Department to change status, grant visas, etc. The State Department forwards this work to the US Consultant/Embassy in Russia. Well no one at the state department can tell how long this process takes, and if she has not completed her 2 year residency requirement if they hold her application or if we have to reapply.
So I don’t know when to submit the paper work. Too soon and we may have to start over after waiting say 12 months though at that point she would only need to live in Russia for 2 more months to meet the requirement. This would mean she would have to live there for and additional 10 months. If we submit the forms to late we are in the same boat if it takes that long to process. She may end up staying an additional 4-10 months just waiting on processing. AHHH!!. However if the State Department takes less than or more than 6 months to do there part who knows what the best time to file is. Or if they will hold her application until she is eligible then the sooner we get the application in the better.
Now this is just to get her Residency/Green Card. We have to continue to deal with the USCIS if she decides to become a US Citizen. But before she can do this we have to live together for 3 years as a married couple. We have like 4 months completed the rest won’t start until she moves home. Then there is an additional 5 year wait once she becomes a citizen before her parents would be able to get a Residency/Green Card and up to 10 years before her sister could be one. How crazy is that. The 3 year wait to become a citizen is to keep people from marrying just to gain citizenship. Though, if I join the military or become a diplomat she would automatically qualify for citizenship. Maybe this is something I could consider. The wait for her family on Residency/Green Cards is do to the limited number that are allotted to people from different countries per year. The wait is up to five years for parents and 10 for siblings from Russia. If they were Cuban they would immediately be eligible for residency.
So this is the silliness that I get to put up with as our country has different relationships with different nations, the rules have become ridiculously complicated. Beyond that politicians now argue about amnesty and citizenship for illegals from Mexico. How much of a double standard is that. If you are trying to get into the country legally to be with you family that has come over legally, well you may have to wait 5, 10, 15, or even 20 years, but if you came over illegally (hence breaking the law) we want to reward you!!!
So again I say…
“Stupid Immigration, Stupid Policies!!”
But here is what I find is ridiculous, 1 the goofy forms. And there are a ton of them, and you need different forms for different things, and you don’t know if you did them right or wrong for months. This is the point of the process we are in right now – gathering the correct documentation: marriage certificates, birth certificates, affidavits of our relationship by third parties, biographies, and the immigration forms. What fun. Once this is package of funness is completed it gets mailed to the USCIS. The what-what? The USCIS, the newer name for the old INS, I know everyone knows the INS so lets go ahead and rebrand a government agency. Again this just seems to add to calamity with which I am forced to be involved.
So beyond the USCIS, we also get to work with two parts of the US Department of State. At least that is according to the USCIS who actually answer the phone. On repeated attempts to contact the State Department I have only been referred back to the USCIS, who in turn say that the questions I have need to be directed to the State Department. YES THAT IS AWESOME! Government at its best, I tell you that much. So the concern I have is this RG is currently under a requirement to live in Russia for a total of 2 years to complete her scholarship agreement with the US State Department. Of which she has completed at least 9 or 10 months. However it takes 6 months for the USCIS to process an application. If it is approved it is sent to the State Department to change status, grant visas, etc. The State Department forwards this work to the US Consultant/Embassy in Russia. Well no one at the state department can tell how long this process takes, and if she has not completed her 2 year residency requirement if they hold her application or if we have to reapply.
So I don’t know when to submit the paper work. Too soon and we may have to start over after waiting say 12 months though at that point she would only need to live in Russia for 2 more months to meet the requirement. This would mean she would have to live there for and additional 10 months. If we submit the forms to late we are in the same boat if it takes that long to process. She may end up staying an additional 4-10 months just waiting on processing. AHHH!!. However if the State Department takes less than or more than 6 months to do there part who knows what the best time to file is. Or if they will hold her application until she is eligible then the sooner we get the application in the better.
Now this is just to get her Residency/Green Card. We have to continue to deal with the USCIS if she decides to become a US Citizen. But before she can do this we have to live together for 3 years as a married couple. We have like 4 months completed the rest won’t start until she moves home. Then there is an additional 5 year wait once she becomes a citizen before her parents would be able to get a Residency/Green Card and up to 10 years before her sister could be one. How crazy is that. The 3 year wait to become a citizen is to keep people from marrying just to gain citizenship. Though, if I join the military or become a diplomat she would automatically qualify for citizenship. Maybe this is something I could consider. The wait for her family on Residency/Green Cards is do to the limited number that are allotted to people from different countries per year. The wait is up to five years for parents and 10 for siblings from Russia. If they were Cuban they would immediately be eligible for residency.
So this is the silliness that I get to put up with as our country has different relationships with different nations, the rules have become ridiculously complicated. Beyond that politicians now argue about amnesty and citizenship for illegals from Mexico. How much of a double standard is that. If you are trying to get into the country legally to be with you family that has come over legally, well you may have to wait 5, 10, 15, or even 20 years, but if you came over illegally (hence breaking the law) we want to reward you!!!
So again I say…
“Stupid Immigration, Stupid Policies!!”
Friday, December 7, 2007
The Black Sea: Wedding Party
Ok well this is a long time coming, but this is my final Blog on my first trip to the land of the Tsars. It is certainly an exciting and amazing place to visit and I enjoyed the two weeks I spent there. Next May/June I hope to go back and explore St. Petersburg and I still need to visit RG’s hometown of Tagenrog. As I have mentioned the areas around the black sea are quite different than that of Moscow, and the people in the town we stayed were also quite ethically different, most of Armenian descent. My new family was very warm, accepting, gracious, and generous to me in earnest. I enjoyed talking to everyone down there and they were are very curious about the United States, and I was a bit of celebrity. RG told me this was because no one had met someone from so far away. I believe it is because they couldn’t believe someone would chose to put up with RG for the rest of their life (I kid, I kid). On the most beautiful day of our trip, the weather was clear, sunny, and warm my new parents threw us a wedding party. It was very similar to what would typically be a wedding reception for the area and I can tell you one thing I learned about Armenians, they certainly know how and like to party.
The celebration was amazing, and quite different than anything I have been through before. RG’s parents spent several days preparing for the event. They had arranged for a large feast, rented out a reception hall, and hired a singer/DJ/MC for the event. The feast was quite amazing. We had fried pork steaks, various sausages, and incredible imported beef specially cooked by the in-laws for meats. We had cheeses, breads, potatoes, vegetables, and salad for sides. To drink we had vodka, wine, juice, Pepsi, and more vodka. They also provided us with a large wedding cake that was much different than an American cake. For one thing it was not just white, it was white, gold, brown, and instead of having a plastic bride and groom it was decorated with a type of cookie and flowers. The frosting was also much lighter than and not nearly as sweet as the frosting used in the states. It was quite good.
The one shocking item on the table though was another meat that I did not mention above, a delicacy that everyone loved having, and loved goading me into eating; cow tongue, yes cow tongue. It was weird seeing the un-process foot and half long cow tongues on the counter at the house the night before, so it was a little nerve racking to try, but I have to admit it was pretty darn good though I probably won’t ask for it at meal when I order.
There were many people who came to the party, mostly RG’s dad’s family and friends as we were staying in his old home town. The godparents were there, aunts, uncles, cousins, the dad’s best friend from grade and secondary school, and of course the other close in-laws. I had an absolute fabulous time. Though I had to watch myself because everyone kept toasting us and I was concerned I might end up having one too many shoots of vodka. But there was so much food, so much activity, and it last for several hours I was able to hold my own; though I am sure I was showing signs of my typical post drinking conditions by the end of the night. I am also sure that there is video of me acting a bit crazy both because there was a videographer and everyone had camera phones and digital cameras that capture video. But luckily none of it ended up on youtube.
The music that they played all night was mostly regional and/or ethnic Armenian. It is very different from most music I am used to. Mostly strings and horns, very fast in tempo, and while I have no clue what was being sang about it seemed happy, up-beat, and festive. Everyone danced quite a lot that night. Everyone that is, except my bride and her sister. I had no problem jumping into the circle and dancing a little. Though I have no clue what I was doing. RG’s uncle and aunt (RG’s dad’s siblings) certainly liked to cut-a-rug, and so did a couple of her dad’s old school friends. I had fun and had to wonder what it would have been like if we could incorporate all of these people and some of their music into our wedding party in the states. It would certainly be entertaining to see RG’s family and friends from the black sea and my family and friends co-mingling and partying. Especially fun to watch would be the interactions when everyone would try to talk to each other.
As it was I had a lot of fun, I think the whole family had a lot of fun. Even my bride who would only come out on the dance floor for the slow songs!
The celebration was amazing, and quite different than anything I have been through before. RG’s parents spent several days preparing for the event. They had arranged for a large feast, rented out a reception hall, and hired a singer/DJ/MC for the event. The feast was quite amazing. We had fried pork steaks, various sausages, and incredible imported beef specially cooked by the in-laws for meats. We had cheeses, breads, potatoes, vegetables, and salad for sides. To drink we had vodka, wine, juice, Pepsi, and more vodka. They also provided us with a large wedding cake that was much different than an American cake. For one thing it was not just white, it was white, gold, brown, and instead of having a plastic bride and groom it was decorated with a type of cookie and flowers. The frosting was also much lighter than and not nearly as sweet as the frosting used in the states. It was quite good.
The one shocking item on the table though was another meat that I did not mention above, a delicacy that everyone loved having, and loved goading me into eating; cow tongue, yes cow tongue. It was weird seeing the un-process foot and half long cow tongues on the counter at the house the night before, so it was a little nerve racking to try, but I have to admit it was pretty darn good though I probably won’t ask for it at meal when I order.
There were many people who came to the party, mostly RG’s dad’s family and friends as we were staying in his old home town. The godparents were there, aunts, uncles, cousins, the dad’s best friend from grade and secondary school, and of course the other close in-laws. I had an absolute fabulous time. Though I had to watch myself because everyone kept toasting us and I was concerned I might end up having one too many shoots of vodka. But there was so much food, so much activity, and it last for several hours I was able to hold my own; though I am sure I was showing signs of my typical post drinking conditions by the end of the night. I am also sure that there is video of me acting a bit crazy both because there was a videographer and everyone had camera phones and digital cameras that capture video. But luckily none of it ended up on youtube.
The music that they played all night was mostly regional and/or ethnic Armenian. It is very different from most music I am used to. Mostly strings and horns, very fast in tempo, and while I have no clue what was being sang about it seemed happy, up-beat, and festive. Everyone danced quite a lot that night. Everyone that is, except my bride and her sister. I had no problem jumping into the circle and dancing a little. Though I have no clue what I was doing. RG’s uncle and aunt (RG’s dad’s siblings) certainly liked to cut-a-rug, and so did a couple of her dad’s old school friends. I had fun and had to wonder what it would have been like if we could incorporate all of these people and some of their music into our wedding party in the states. It would certainly be entertaining to see RG’s family and friends from the black sea and my family and friends co-mingling and partying. Especially fun to watch would be the interactions when everyone would try to talk to each other.
As it was I had a lot of fun, I think the whole family had a lot of fun. Even my bride who would only come out on the dance floor for the slow songs!
The Black Sea: Ah… This is what people mean by Police Corruption
Well for a long time, from everyone I have met that is from Russia, I have heard about the rampant corruption. In fact while in the states we may be held back in many ways by the entitlement system of welfare we have created, the Russians in my opinion are held back by the entitlement felt by government officials. I saw on a couple occasions in my short trip several times that government employees shock down the average citizen. First when we went to the black sea RG’s own uncle had to pay a bribe to the local health inspector. It wasn’t a lot of money and it was not a trial for the man to pay it. What astounds me is that the official is so up front about doing this.
The second time I encountered this type of thing is when I tried to get through the small airport that we used at the black sea. After we walked right through security without even putting our bags through the metal detectors or x-rays, the official checking documents starting telling us that my documentation was wrong. Before long he had us step aside and called someone else out. The new official also looked at the documents and said they were wrong. Funny they were perfect when I left Moscow. The second official and my sister in-law argued a little then walked off to a nearby office. In the office I am told he asked for $100 for the problem to go away. She talked him down to $50 and we on our way.
The final time was when I was back in Moscow. We were at an attraction in the north end of the city and we were waiting in line at a street vendor to get food. A nice meat filled pastry of some sort. Well we ended up waiting in line forever because the guy who ran the trailer was behind it paying off a cop for something or another. Now I know that there are more than likely more than a few corrupt police in America. But I have never scene such blatant and routine strong arming by public officials for pay outs.
I certainly believe that this is one of the major problems that keeps Russia from truly takings its previous and traditional place as a power house in the worlds economy. If you pay off the inspector so you can build a shooty building, that building may collapse, become unusable, or the upkeep will cost twice as much even if you do the bare minimum. There are long term effects by cutting corners. I think that Russia is a country were everyone cuts as many corners as possible and tries to get away with as much as they can. I do not think that it is a lack of talent but an institutionalized way of handling everything in life. It really is too bad because there are so many good things in the country that this type of behavior brings my overall opinion of the country down when I think about it.
The second time I encountered this type of thing is when I tried to get through the small airport that we used at the black sea. After we walked right through security without even putting our bags through the metal detectors or x-rays, the official checking documents starting telling us that my documentation was wrong. Before long he had us step aside and called someone else out. The new official also looked at the documents and said they were wrong. Funny they were perfect when I left Moscow. The second official and my sister in-law argued a little then walked off to a nearby office. In the office I am told he asked for $100 for the problem to go away. She talked him down to $50 and we on our way.
The final time was when I was back in Moscow. We were at an attraction in the north end of the city and we were waiting in line at a street vendor to get food. A nice meat filled pastry of some sort. Well we ended up waiting in line forever because the guy who ran the trailer was behind it paying off a cop for something or another. Now I know that there are more than likely more than a few corrupt police in America. But I have never scene such blatant and routine strong arming by public officials for pay outs.
I certainly believe that this is one of the major problems that keeps Russia from truly takings its previous and traditional place as a power house in the worlds economy. If you pay off the inspector so you can build a shooty building, that building may collapse, become unusable, or the upkeep will cost twice as much even if you do the bare minimum. There are long term effects by cutting corners. I think that Russia is a country were everyone cuts as many corners as possible and tries to get away with as much as they can. I do not think that it is a lack of talent but an institutionalized way of handling everything in life. It really is too bad because there are so many good things in the country that this type of behavior brings my overall opinion of the country down when I think about it.
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