Saturday, February 28, 2009

MY GREEN CARD IS HERE!

I got my Green Card today! Along with a little envelope to keep it in and a 'Welcome to the United Stated - A Guide for New Immigrants' pamphlet.

I'm so happy and relieved that it got here in time for my job interview in Monday!
Now I gotta go change my status at the Social Security Office sometime next week.

SO HAPPY it's finally done with! (At least 'til the end of next year)
Keep your fingers crossed that I get the job!

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Idag fick jag mitt green card! Tillsammans med ett litet kuvert som jag ska foervara det i och en "Welcome to the United States - A Guide for New Immigrants" broschyr.

Jag aer sa glad och laettad att det hann komma innan min jobbintervju pa mandag!
Nu, nan gang naesta vecka, maste jag aendra mitt immigrant status hos det amerikanska social security kontoret.

SA GLAD att det aentligen aer klart! (Iallafall tills slutet pa naesta ar)
Hall tummarna att jag far jobbet!

Friday, February 27, 2009

WEEKEND

Jon will go back to work again tonight. It was so nice that he finally got to have a weekend. We went grocery shopping on his Friday (Wednesday) and then we just stayed home and relaxed, around 5.00 am we went down to the jacuzzi, so nice. Yesterday during the day we went over to Jon's work to figure out who to call about our insurance, since we didn't receive our insurance cards yet. After that we went over to Jonathan's sisters house to wish his mom a happy birthday. When we came back home my "Ratchet & Clank" was in the mail. Fun Game!

Later that night we went across the river to Nevada and gambled a little. I've never gambled in a casino before (only on cruise ships) so Jon took me to see his co-workers and then we tried our luck on the machines. We didn't win anything, but it was nice to get out of the house. After that we went back home again to another dip in the jacuzzi. It's so cool to watch the sunrise over the mountains from the jacuzzi, I will bring my camera next time.

Today I got a phone call from a lady @ Ross' she told me that they will be interviewing for a part time store associate position and was wondering if I was still interested. HELLS YEAH!
So I got a job interview on Monday! However, in my excitement I totally forgot that I have neither Work Permit nor Green Card at the time. OPS! So I ran out to the mail box hoping it would have arrived today, but no. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get it tomorrow. A few people who had their interview the same day as me received their Green Cards today, I'm thinking mine is a little late cause I'm living in the middle of nowhere.

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Ikvaell boerjar Jonathan jobba igen, jag aer glad att han aentligen fick ha sin helg tillslut. I onsdags akte vi och veckohandlade, efter det var vi bara hemma hela dagen och tog det lugnt. Runt 5 pa morgonen gick vi ned till jacuzzin, sa mysigt! Igar akte vi till Jonathans jobb foer att foersoeka lista ut vem vi behoever ringa angaende varan foersaekring och varfoer vi inte har fatt vara foersaekrings dokument aen. Efter det akte vi och haelsade pa Jonathans mamma, som bor hos Jonathans syster, och oenskade henne grattis pa foedelsedagen. Naer vi kom hem igen lag mitt "Ratchet & Clank" i brevladan. JIPPI!

Senare den kvaellen akte vi over till Nevada sidan och spelade lite enarmad bandit. Jag hade aldrig "gamblat" pa ett casino innan (bara pa kryssnings fartyg). Sa vi akte till casinot daer Jonathan jobbar foer att se om vi hade turen med oss och sa fick jag aeven traeffa Jonathans jobbarkompisar. Vi vann inget men det var kul aenda att fa komma ut lite. Efter det akte vi tillbaka till varan laegenhet och gick ned till jacuzzin. Det e sa coolt att sitta i jacuzzin naer solen gar upp oever de omkringliggande bergen, jag ska ta med mig kameran naesta gang vi goer det.

Idag ringde det en kvinna fran en klaedesaffaer som heter Ross och beraettade att de soeker ett butiksbitraede, deltid, och undrade om jag fortfarande var intresserad. SJAELVKLART!
Sa pa mandag ska jag pa arbetsintervju! Men, i min iver hade jag gloemt att jag har varken abertstillstand eller green card just nu. OPS! Sa jag sprang direkt ut till brevladan foer att kolla om mitt green card hade kommit, men nej. Jag haller tummarna att det kommer imorron (man far post aeven pa loerdagar i USA). Andra immigranter som hade sin intervju samma dag som jag fick sitt green card idag, mitt kommer antagligen lite senare eftersom jag bor mitt ute i ingenstans.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

HUBBY'S FRIDAY! YAY!

Finally my hubby's weekend is here. We're gonna make "semlor" today, a Swedish pastry that Swedes eat on "Fat Tuesday". We're actually making them one day late, but we're usually too late or too early when it comes to birthdays, x-mas, valentines etc. anyway. We, or I, have a tendency to miss the 12.00 am mark when it comes to calling or emailing to congratulate friends and family in Sweden and Thailand. We celebrated x-mas on December 17th, we had Valentine's on February 13th and we celebrated New Year's during the same time as New York, even though we're in Arizona.

No green card in the mail yesterday either, so keep those fingers crossed! I know I am!

I bought a game for Jonathan's PSP last night. Just so I'll have something to do when I'm home alone. I bought a game called "Ratchet & Clank, Size Matter" (only $6.99 on eBay). A little corny for my age maybe, but I like those games that reminds me of the video games I played as a kid. After playing a game called "Neopets" on Jon's PSP it left me wanting more. :D
I've already gone through Leisure Suit Larry, Mario Kart, Super Mario Galaxy, Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero World Tour. I've played wii Fit andd wii Sports so much that just the thought of it makes me yawn. And all those online games like Ikariam are getting boring too.

I know I've said it before, I really NEED a job!

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Aentligen aer det Jonathans helg! Vi ska baka semlor idag, men ingen av oss gillar mandelmassa sa jag hittade ett recept online pa mini chokladsemlor. Jag vet att det aer en dag senare aen i Sverige, men vi verkar alltid vara foer tidiga eller sena naer det gaeller foedelsedagar, jul, alla hjaertans dag o.dyl. Vi, eller raettare sagt jag, grattar naestan alltid familj och vaenner i Sverige och Thailand en dag foer sent. Jonathan och jag firade jul den 17 December, vi firade alla hjaertans dag den 13 Februari och pa nyarsafton firade vi det nya aret samtidigt som alla pa oest kusten (New York), fast vi bor pa vaest sidan (Arizona).

Inget green card i brevladan idag heller, sa fortsaett halla tummarna! Jag haller dom sa hart att dom blir bla!

Jag koepte ett nytt spel till Jonathans PSP igar kvaell sa att jag har nat att goera naer jag aer ensam hemma. Jag koepte ett spel som heter "Ratchet & Clank, Size Matters" (endast $6.99 pa eBay). Lite larvigt i min alder kanske men jag gillar spel som paminner om tv-spelen jag spelade som liten. Jag fick mersug efter att ha spelat ett spel som heter "Neopets" pa Jonathans PSP. :D
Jag har redan spelat Leisure Suit Larry, Mario Kart, Super Mario Galaxy, Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero World Tour. Jag aer sa troett pa wii Fit och wii Sport att bara tanken pa att spela far mig att gaespa och alla dessa online spel som t.ex. Ikariam boerjar ocksa bli riktigt trakiga.

Jag har sagt det foerr, jag BEHOEVER ett jobb!

Monday, February 23, 2009

BORED

Didn't do very much today. I cleaned the apartment early this morning then Jon and I basically slept all day. We got up around 9.00 pm, took a shower, and then made some chicken alfredo with pasta and garlic bread. Yum!

Now I'm just watching tv and hoping that someone will sign on to MSN.

Looked at some job ads, I found a couple I could apply for, if my green card would arrive soon!
Nothing in the mail today, keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow though.

Anna called this morning, but my phone kept dropping her calls. After the 3rd attempt we ended up on MSN instead, where my terrbily rude cell phone (T-Mobile) couldn't keep dropping the calls. It was so nice to talk swedish, cause I don't wanna end up like Victoria Silvstedt, 'Ehh, what's the word, I can't remember, ehh?'
I miss my friends. And my family. It's so nice when I get to talk to them on the phone or online.

Well, not much more to write about so I'm gonna go back to Food Network and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

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Har inte gjort mycket alls idag. Jag staedade laegenheten imorse, sen sov jag och Jonathan hela dagen. Vi gick inte upp foerraen runt 21.00, duschade och sen lagade vi chicken alfredo med pasta och vitloeksbroed. MUMS!

Nu sitter jag vid tv:n och hoppas att nan jag kaenner ska logga in pa MSN.

Laeste lite jobb annonser igar, hittade ett par stycken som skulle passa mig, om bara jag kunde fa mitt green card snart! Tom brevlada idag men jag haller tummarna att det ligger ett litet vitt kuvert daer i imorron.

Anna ringde imorse, men min sjukt daliga amerikanska mobiltelefon (T-Mobile) tappade all taeckning hela tiden och la pa. Sa efter 3 foersoek att ha ett normalt telefon samtal hamnade vi pa MSN istaellet, daer min extremt oartiga mobil inte kunde stoera varat skitsnack. =)
Saknar att prata svenska sa det va kul att Anna ringde. Vill ju inte blir som
Victoria Silvstedt: "Ehh vaoood heteew de nu igeeen, ehh?"
Jag saknar mina svenska vaenner. Och min familj. Blir sa glad naer vi kan prata i telefon eller online.

Har inte sa mycket mer att beraetta idag. Ska ga tillbaka till tv:n och Food Networks "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives".

NOT THE WEEKEND YET AFTER ALL

And I was so excited that my hubby was gonna be home with me for two days, but no, not yet. When he came home yesterday he told me that two off his co-workers had been laid off after their shift. An hour or two later his phone rang, it was his boss. He told Jon that due to the changes earlier that day his days off had changed, effective immediately. His new days off will be Wednesday night and Thursday night, which means Jon isn't off until Wednesday. I was so disappointed, I bet he was too since this means he'll have to work 8 days straight. Lucky he had those 9 days off for the green card interview in Phoenix and has only been back at work since Tuesday night. But I guess we should be happy he wasn't laid off too.

I need to find a hobby or something until I can find a job. At least, before we went to the green card interview, I had things to do every night when Jon was at work. I was scrap booking, putting an album together with pictures going all the way back to when we first met 'til now, to show at the interview.

I had read about other green card interview experiences online and some of them made me really nervous. We we're lucky and got a really nice interviewer, she was joking and laughing, and made me and my husband feel very comfortable. First she asked to see our id's, and all my previous immigration documents. Then she looked through our papers really quick and then asked Jon a couple of questions. Nothing difficult only basics like what's your name, and things like that. Then she turned to me and asked me some questions like, what's your name, what's your phone number, what's your parents name's, when was Jonathan born. Only easy basic questions. After that she asked to see any evidence we had to show her that we are living together. We showed her our apartment lease and statements showing me as an authorized user from our electric-and internet company. Then we showed her our bank statements in both our names and a credit card statement. After that she told us that she needed to check something regarding my vaccinations with her supervisor and left the room. The interview was being video-and audio recorded with a web cam. When the interview officer left the room Jon started singing the "Aladdin" song, I started laughing and told him to be quiet. After a while the officer came back in, she was giggling and smiling at us and said the magic words 'OK, I'm going to recommend that your application for permanent resident status will be approved.'
Jon and I were SO relieved. After almost 18 months of visa applications followed by AOS, EAD and AP applications we were finally going to be able to breathe for a while. At least until the end of 2010.

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Jag som var sa glad att det var Jonathans helg naer han kom hem fran jobbet igar, men sa blev det inte. Han beraettade att tva av hans medarbetare hade blivit sparkade naer deras skift var oever. En till tva timmar senare ringde Jonathans chef och foerklarade att efter "aendringarna" som hade gjorts tidigare den dagen sa har Jonathans ledig dagar aendrats, fran mandag och tisdag till torsdag och fredag, med omedelbar verkan. Vilket betydde att Jonathan var tvungen att jobba ikvaell och att han inte aer ledig foerraens pa torsdag. Jag blev sa besviken, men inte lika besviken som Jonathan som maste jobba 8 dagar is straeck. Som tur aer var han ledig i 9 dagar naer vi akte till Phoenix pa varan green card intervju. Sa han har bara varit tillbaka pa jobber sen i tisdags natt. Samtidigt som vi aer besvikna sa far vi vara tacksamma att han har kvar sitt jobb.

Jag behoever verkligen en hobby eller nat tills jag hittar ett jobb. Innan intervjun hade jag iallafall nat att goera naer Jonathan jobbade. Jag satte ihop ett fotoalbum med bilder fran 2002-2009 som vi kunde visa som "bevis" under intervjun.

Innan vi akte pa varan intervju laeste jag om andra pars green card intervjuer pa internet och en del intervju upplevelser gjorde mig riktigt nervoes. Men vi hade tur och fick en jaette trevlig intervjuare som skrattade och skaemtade. Foerst bad hon att fa se min och Jonathans legitimation och alla mina immigrations dokument som jag hade sen tidigare. Sen satte hon sig och kollade igenom vara papper och boerjade med att fraga Jonathan ett par fragor, t.ex. vad han hette. Sedan vaende hon sig till mig och fragade mig ett par fragor, t.ex. mitt namn, mitt telefon nummer, vad mina foeraeldrar heter, naer Jonathan var foedd osv. Bara enkla fragor, inget konstigt. Efter det bad hon att fa se bevis pa att vi bor ihop, sa vi gav henne varat hyres kontrakt och vara senaste el och internet raekningar. Sen visade vi kontouttdrag pa Jonathans spar-och check konton och hans kreditkortsutdrag med bade mitt och hans namn pa. Naer hon hade tittat pa allt hon ville se sa foerklarade hon att hon hade en fraga angaende mina vaccinations dokument som hon ville ta upp med sin arbetsledare och laemnade rummet vi satt i. Hela intervjun spelades in med en webbkamera. Nar var intervjuare laemnade rummet boerjade Jonathan sjunga "Aladdin" laten "Haer kommer prins Ali", jag boerja skratta och sa at honom att vara tyst. Efter ett tag kom var intervjuare tillbaka hon smaskrattade, log mot oss och sa dom magiska orden "Ok, jag kommer rekommendera att eran ansoekan om uppehallstillstand blir godkaend."
Vi var sa laettade. Efter naestan 18 manader av immigrations dokument fram och tillbaka skulle vi aentligen fa pusta ut ett tag. Iallafall till slutet av 2010.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

WELCOME TO THE U.S.

Yesterday I got my "Welcome Letter", exactly one week after my Green Card interview in Phoenix. Hopefully this means that I will get my actual card sometime next week. The interview officer took all my previous immigration documents @ the interview, including my EAD-card (work permit). Which means I can't resume my job searching until the green card arrives. Not that there are that many jobs to apply for in Bullhead right now. But we've been living solely on Jonathan's paycheck since July now so it would be really nice with a second income.

I talked to my mom and one of my brothers on MSN Live today. It's "sports vacation" in Sweden. They were at the winter cabin in Orsa @ the beginning of the week. Snowboarding, skiing, sledding... I wish I could have been there. This was my second time in my entire life I wasn't able to go, it sucks. I love snowboarding.

I get so bored being home alone. Luckily it's Jon's Friday today so it'll be his weekend when he gets home. Hopefully I'll get a job shortly after my green card arrives so that I don't have to be bored anymore!

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Igar fick jag mitt "Welcome Letter" fran amerikanska immigrationsverket, exakt en vecka efter min green card intervju i Phoenix. Foerhoppningsvis betyder det att jag far mitt green card i slutet pa naesta vecka. Hon som intervjuade oss tog alla mina immigrations dokument som jag hade fatt innan intervjun, mitt arbetstillstand och mina resedokument. Sa nu maste jag vaenta tills jag far mitt green card innan jag kan fortsaetta mitt jobbsoekande. Just nu finns det inte sa manga jobb att soeka haer i Bullhead City. Vi har klarat oss pa Jonathans loen sedan jag flyttade hit sa det krisar vael inte men det skulle inte vara helt fel med en extra inkomst.

Jag pratade med mamma och Jacob pa MSN Live idag. Dom har sportlov i Sverige. Dom akte till vinterstugan i Orsa Groenklitt och akte slalom och snowboard foersta halvan av veckan. Jag oenskar att jag kunde foeljt med, jag aelskar att aka snowboard, jag har bara missat en vecka i Orsa innan.

Det aer sa trakigt att vara ensam hemma hela naetterna, men idag aer det Jonathans fredag sa naer han kommer hem aer han ledig 2 dagar.

Jag hoppas att jag hittar ett jobb snart!