Tomorrow I'm going in for my immigration interview. Basically, they will determine if they will extend/grant me a green card for me to remain a permanent resident. Should the officer/government decide that Roger and I got married for illegal reasons (to obtain a green card), then I will be forced to leave/deported from the country. Needless to say I'm nervous as hell. Although me, you and all my friends now that we never got married for the green card, the government/officer can only base his/her decision on any support that I can give. Naturally...it's a little more difficult since we're divorced, but also the fact that we do not have the "normal" support that "normal" couples would. Such as a lease or mortgage (we lived with his parents), joint account (we weren't making money), joint utility bills (his parents paid for everything), children, etc.
I can only be totally honest and try to obtain as much proof as possible, but I can only go so far. So I'm nervous as hell. For those who pray, please pray for me. Otherwise, well wishes and positive energy is also appreciate. Gosh....I dare not even buy groceries for fear that I'd have to leave in a week. For those who care, I'll let you know what happens on Monday.
It's been a while since I posted. And it's been a while since I talked about something fun and interesting, like my Middle East trip! So let's get back to that and hopefully I'll be able to post pictures of my old and new apartment soon.
After Giza, we flew to Aswan. From there, we were going to take a private car (about $75 per person) on a 4 hour ride to and from Abu Simbel to check out the Abu Simbel Temple. So the whole trip was about 10 hours long.
Anyway, you're going to get a kick out of this. I know Mike did. He was practically on the FLOOR laughing. This is what we saw at the airport when we got off the plane to meet our guide.
Do you see what's wrong? They totally messed up my name!!
Since we had some time to kill, we went to see the most famous thing in Aswan. A dam. Hahaha, it's really nothing, but the history behind it was that they had to build the dam in order to prevent flooding and to provide electricity. If I remember correctly, the guide said that the dam provides for electricity not only for Egypt, but for some of the surrounding countries.
After that we went for breakfast and the guide actually suggested McDonald's! We laughed and politely turned him down and I said I wanted something local. So we got...tamas, I think they're called. It's SO GOOD!
This is what the store looked like.
This was our DELICIOUS breakfast. One had eggs, the other beans, and another falafel.
Then we went to meet our other guide and started out on the long track (with envoy) to Abu Simbel. 4 hours...very boring...but our driver does look like President Obama!
Finally we got to Abu Simbel. The big thing with Abu Simbel is that it's a temple that was built by Ramses II. This is really cool, it was built in a location so that every year on the day of Ramses II's birthday, the sunlight will shine into the temple and light up his statue along with two other gods. However, when they built the dam in Aswan, the temple, if left where it was, would be flooded. So in order to preserve this great monument, the Egyptian government took the temple apart (cut it into a couple hundred pieces and numbered them) and then put it together again some 200 meters up from the water. Wikipedia has a cool picture comparing where the temple was and where it is now. In fact, during the process of deciding what to do with the temple, someone even suggested making it an underwater temple and have people take a submarine to go see it.
The temple of Abu Simbel.
This was another nearby temple for his wife Nefertari. Apparently in Egypt it's a big deal when a king builds a temple for his wife. This is only the second temple built for a wife. She was obviously his favorite.
Here's a view inside the temple. You can't take pictures inside in order to preserve the paintings.
Then it was back to Aswan and then we took the night train to Luxor, where we will stay for the next 3 or so days.
Mike moved out yesterday. I feel....really sad. I cried Saturday, Sunday, Monday and today. I hate this. I honestly loved the apartment we were in. I saw Mike's apartment for the first time yesterday. It is small, but I hate him for being able to afford it. I think about the apartment that we have now and I hate having to give it up. I think about the apartment that I could have had and I hate Avalon for not working with me. On top of that, I was talking to one of the leasing agents the other day and she basically told me that she would have worked with me and gave me the apartment at the time that I wanted it. I was shock and regretful, but then, she say that now, but she was in the room when I was telling the other lady that I don't want to move in immediately because I do not want to be paying for two apartments. And neither her nor any of the other leasing agents did or say anything.
I went to look at the apartment that I'm moving into today and it looks worse at night. For some reason I seem to see all the scratches and cracks. On top of that, I found out that the radiator is leaking and they are going to fix it tomorrow, but the floor is damaged. I'm fine with that as long as I don't get hurt walking barefoot. I'm a barefoot kind of girl. I hate this I hate this I hate all this. I am a very hateful person this month.
It has been a rough month. First it was busy season at work and working everyday from 9 am till 12 am. Dealing with my annoying senior and a new manager. Finding an apartment. Arguing with Avalon. Planning on moving. Immediately starting work with another client. Then immigration sent me a letter after one year saying that they need more prove that I did not marry Roger for a green card and I have till April 10 to prove that. And apparently they lost some of the previous documents that I sent them. So now I have to scurry and put together all the paperwork from four years ago!!! Poor Roger. I asked a shitload of stuff from him. And he moved a couple of months ago, so he threw away everything...Well, good for him! Finally a clean home. But now I have rush my friends to write me letters and all that shit. And of course, I'm moving... so now I'm afraid that the mail might get lost. On top of all that I had to make travel plans asap because 92K of my miles are expiring today. So I guess that's one good thing that has happened. I found out that my sister is taking my niece back to Malaysia and I coordinated to go back at the same time as her so that I can see my niece and the rest of my family. Of course it had to be difficult because ALL FLIGHTS ARE FULLY BOOKED.
Anyway, March is coming to an end. April is an almost new beginning. I look forward to a happier post. There are people worse off than me.
After all the whining and moaning, two nights ago before I went to bed, I went to check online and found out that….someone had signed for my apartment. In less than 24 hours, the apartment was gone. I cannot believe this…and now that it's gone and I sit down and look at stuff in perspective I tell myself, I would have had to pay $445 extra upfront for that apartment. It is only $20 more than the other one per month. Yes, as a whole, the other apartment is cheaper, but…I really liked the apartment at Avalon. As much as I hate the people and the management, I really liked the apartment and really wanted to stay there. If I can go back to Monday knowing what I know, I think I would have signed for that apartment. But then of course, today you'd hear me whine and moan about having to pay more. Mike was right. If it was him, he would have signed for the apartment. I on the other hand am too indecisive and cheap. But the question should have been, do I want to pay a $445 premium to stay somewhere I like? And that is newer and slightly better? With extra closet space?
However, to put things in perspective, a friend of mine made a good point. "One thing about apartment hunting is while every detail seems very important at the moment, once you move in you get used to everything and it becomes your cozy home before you notice it. So let it go, you did a good search despite busy season."
So I'm going to let it go….soon…ok, now. *breathes in and out* I'm going to love this apartment! I'll take pictures before and after I move in. Which reminds me, pictures of my current apartment needs to be put up!
In less than 24 hours, the apartment was gone. I cannot believe this…and now that it's gone and I sit down and look at stuff in perspective I tell myself, I would have had to pay $445 extra upfront for that apartment. It is only $20 more than the other one per month. Yes, as a whole, the other apartment is cheaper, but…I really liked the apartment at Avalon. As much as I hate the people and the management, I really liked the apartment and really wanted to stay there. If I can go back to Monday knowing what I know, I think I would have signed for that apartment. But then of course, today you'd hear me whine and moan about having to pay more. Mike was right. If it was him, he would have signed for the apartment. I on the other hand am too indecisive and cheap. But the question should have been, do I want to pay a $445 premium to stay somewhere I like? And that is newer and slightly better? With extra closet space?
I'll take pictures before and after I move in. Which reminds me, pictures of my current apartment needs to be put up! 
