Heather -
Thank you for that excellent post. That's very close to the situation my neighbors are in, who moved here from Canada to take a very prestigious job in a scientific field. The wife was unable to work for years (she's an RN), and they couldn't even allow the children to visit family in Canada without *both* parents present for fear they wouldn't be allowed back in the country. So little flexibility in travel. It's been very frustrating for them.
Sue
Since I'm about 10 miles from the Indian River and a lot further from the Ocean, it would be difficult to row. lol
What those poor folks do is get out of the boats and swim to shore, generally under cover of darkness. I'm not certain of the exact way the law is written, but I know they need to actually make it to land or they will be sent back. Very sad because lots of them are killed and/or hurt very badly.
I guess when you're desperate you'll take dangerous chances like that.
Heather, I left your post in full!! Here is an old-timers story.
How times have really changed! I am from England.In 1961 I was
24,single, and at the peak of my training as a medical technologist(it took 7 years, no college degree, but night school, professional examinations and qualifications.), specialising in hematology and Clin Chem.For the excitement of an adventure I applied for a job as head of hematology in a hospital in Pittsfield MA. It was a one-year contract. I also taught in the Med Tech school there.
When I went to the US Embassy in London to do the paperwork, it was ridiculously easy. I felt a bit insulted at the questionaire ( do you plan to kill the pres, do you plan to be a prostitute etc), but after it was explained to me that would be the grounds of deporting someone, lying. Apparently the Pathologist at the hospital in Mass had filled out paperwork saying that US training at that time was inferior to UK ( he was right back then) and no-one with my training could be found here.
I was surpised to be given an immigrant visa, and a green card, although I had no plans to stay in the USA. I was told it was easier that way.
As it turned out, I met and married my first husband, became an American citizen in 1968...... and am still here. Voting too!!!!!
Gillian
Florida
It is sad, Sue.. It was so easy eons back.. see my reply to Heather!( Heather also being my middle name!)
Gillian
OK, then Heather can call you from her cell phone while she's rowing and you can drive down to the water to pick her up as she arrives. You can back her up to the authorities that she came from Cuba. (Pssst, Heather, there actually is a town of Cuba in western New York. Start your journey there so you won't be lying. VBG)
Thanks everyone for the kind words of support. It felt good to type it all out and get it down "on paper" for people to see. It has not been an easy process, not in the least, but the truth is that is could always be worse. We have an apartment in a (mostly) safe neighbourhood and have managed to keep our heads above water financially. I can't tell you how much it means for Brian to be able to start working finally. He may be only working part time to start and get back into it, but it feels like we're suddenly rich! (And I'm getting extra spoiled since we're sharing one car, and he works next to an AC Moore, who conveniently send me coupons every week by email.) The process is broken and they expect people to make tremendous sacrifices in order to follow it. And as long as there are people like us willing to do so, I don't see any hope of it getting fixed anytime soon. But the truth is, we do have a better life here, and I've a much more fulfilling career than we would have had at home.
Heather in NY
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