Jitters
Kristien will arrive at Tampa International Airport on 19 December!
Because the date is so close, worries about homesickness are beginning to concern her. I expect some degree is normal and healthy. Belgium is a nice place with many of the same opportunities as those here in the America. I think once the initial novelty of the U.S. wears off, longing for the customs of Belgium will come back. However, there are certain things that will help ease the transition:
- The weather here is now averaging a low of 14.4° C and high of 24.4° C. That’s 52 and 72° F, respectively. If anything reminds a Belgian of home, it’s got to be cold weather…and rain. I hear it rains in Florida, too.
- Phone calls to home are cheap. Using VoIP the cost to call Belgium is negligible. My service provider charges per-minute on international calls but it’s really cheap. When I travel to Belgium I’m taking the box so I can call the U.S. for free.
- Webcams are cheap and video conferencing software is free. I’m putting this on my shopping list as a must-have. As you can see on the Projects page of my site, the last webcam I owned was an egg.
- Belgian news VTM is available online the day it is recorded. The quality is very high. I just need something to stream it to my TV for convenient viewing.
- I have a Belgian waffle maker but it’s round. I was told by a real Belgian that they’re supposed to be rectangular. Tell Black & Decker they’re wrong.
- Having a great fiancé to say “everything will be alright” is really important. I hope it’s enough to ward off the homesickness blues.
Social Security Number
What’s highest on the list of things to-do after arriving in the US? To get married and proceed with the adjustment of status, Kristien needs a social security number. It’s the most basic form of identification next to a driver’s license. The Social Security Administration has a great FAQ section and has already answered my question: How does a K-1 visa holder apply for a SSN?
What’s really nice is the local office locator. I’ll take a day off from work and go with Kristien so we can do this important step together. Welcome to America–here’s some paperwork!
Change of Address
Moving is a fact of life in America. From what I understand about Belgian culture, moving from house to house isn’t common. Belgium is a country with much less land area (30,278 km2) than Florida’s (139,670 km2). Given a smaller area to move within it seems logical to settle down and get exactly the home you want. Perhaps Americans are less content or they feel like there are too many options to settle in one place. This brings me to my topic. I’m in the process of buying a home and must, for the Nth time, change my address.
The USCIS says: “All non-U.S. citizens (aliens) who are required to be registered are also required to keep the USCIS informed of their current address.” I’m not sure if this applies to Kristien now as she still hasn’t arrived for the first time. Another point: form DS-230, which is required prior to her interview at the embassy asks for the U.S. address where she “intends” to live. This leads me to believe she has to send the Form AR-11, Change of Address as soon as she arrives. Is it absolutely necessary? I think this is a good question to ask an officer at the Port of Entry.
Does the paperwork stop? No. As the sponsor, I must file Form I-865, Sponsor’s Notice of Change of Address. I believe all the bases are covered with these two forms.
Driver’s License
Freedom in America, independence, is rightly associated with driving. Kristien and I discussed the pros and cons of having her car (a Renault Twingo) shipped to the US. My personality and background in business first made me consider the economic benefits, but the engineer in me neglected to see the immediate downside to shipping her car to America. Pay roughly $500, wait two months and the car arrives. Unfortunately, there’s a problem.
What’s the feature every American car has that’s not so common in Europe? If you said air conditioning, you’d be right. Once again, I took this convenience for granted. I considered insurance, environmental standards, safety regulations, but forgot the one feature absolutely necessary to driving in Florida. I give Kristien full credit for thinking of A/C and for considering another potential problem: obtaining parts and service. That’s three big strikes against bringing her car here.
This all leads back to the original intent which is to get Kristien a Florida driver’s license. She’ll first have to review the basics from the driving handbook then make sure all the paperwork is in order. The requirements aren’t too bad according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. I would assume she is classified as an “immigrant” and so only needs to show the stamp on her I-94, passport, and possibly her Belgian identification card.
Name change
Kristien has a big decision to make. That decision is whether to take my last name or not. I’m flexible and respect her wishes, but she told me this weekend that she would like to have my last name. Minds can change and I’ll still accept her decision if it changes. She’s just pleased to have the same initials: KC.
I’m sure it’s a question many women struggle to answer. How do I identify myself? What defines me? Shakespeare said, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I never loved the name Kristien until the woman I know gave it meaning to me.
Disney’s [lack of] personal attention
I requested an information packet from Disney Weddings several weeks ago and received nothing in the mail. I’m disappointed that the only communication from them has been a single automated e-mail. Although, it doesn’t matter at this point since plans were made elsewhere. I can imagine the whole affair with Disney turning into a booking, something reduced to a reservation, rather than a special event that’s planned and customized.
No visit while holding visa
Kristien asked an important question while at the US Embassy: Is it possible to have the K-1 visa but not use it for entry to the US prior to its expiration? No. When officials tell you this it’s best to not risk traveling. From what I understand being issued a visa takes precedence over the normal tourist or business visas.
Wedding date (finally)
After making a reservation with the Don Cesar hotel, I can finally say that we’re getting married on March 1, 2006. I toured the hotel last Saturday and was pleased with the setting and professional staff. It seems I’m not the only one who’s impressed. Last year it was the location for 377 weddings. That’s a lot of weddings even for a leap year.
On our wedding day it will be 387 days since I applied for Kristien’s visa.
Beach wedding contender
Another beach wedding organizer: Florida Wedding Services. After reviewing the e-mailed information from Don Cesar’s, I was pleased with the location but not the options for the ceremony. I think if Florida Wedding Services and Don Cesar’s can work together, it would be a great combination.
Wedding date (almost)
Kristien and I have been searching high and low (online) for places that fit our expectations for a wedding. A beach wedding seems fitting for Florida. Although we still haven’t ruled out an inland wedding, our first plan is to have the ceremony on the coast.
Scouting locations and arranging the details falls on my shoulders. So far the system has worked well. Back in January I checked out the Don Cesar’s hotel in St. Petersburg. I sent back photos to Kristien and detailed everything on the phone. I just recently contacted the Don’s wedding coordinator to find what dates are available; no response since it’s a holiday weekend. But this brings me to the important part. Back in January we were only beginning to organize for the visa petition. Now things are moving forward.
Our wedding is going to be held sometime between February 21—March 2, 2006. There are several possibilities at this point, none of which have been seriously pursued. I think we are both in the idea-generating phase. The most recent ideas are…
- Barefoot Weddings: This site offers many different photos and seems specific about pricing. I haven’t contacted them but it seems to be the best à la carte option. That could mean extra planning (for me) or getting exactly what we want. A reasonable restriction is that it’s only for Tampa-Clearwater-St. Petersburg beaches.
- Disney Weddings*: I nixed this idea before I even checked; bad decision on my part. Disney seems to offer a good package with their “Intimate Wedding”. Details are few and marketing hype is high, so I’ll have to drive there and take photos and talk to real people for the answers. They transition you too easily from the “Intimate Wedding” site to the “Custom Wedding” site; beware because the price difference is huge.
- The Don Cesar: They offer a convenient package for smaller weddings, which is great for us. We’d like to have a room reserved for after the wedding and enjoy the Don’s spa. Just how much they can customize the beach setting is still in question, not to mention if their services are available during the time we want.
* My first idea of a Disney wedding was something tasteless and crowded with Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the characters. This site has photos to disprove my theory. I lumped Disney into the category of a Las Vegas wedding or something on a cruise ship, but on first glance it seems I was wrong.