REPORT: One year in the US with my Barranquillian wife.

[fathertime]

fathertime, congratulations! I am truly happy you are doing so well, man. Time sure flies, doesnt it? It just doesnt seem that long.

Two questions for you: how much non-Spanish TV does your wife watch? And have you noticed any of the disease I call "Americanization" at all?

Hey henry!

Regading TV, my wife rarely ever watches TV in English.  My wife is not "Americanizing" at all actually.  She was raised differently and she clings to her habits/culture and that works for me at the moment. 

Fathertime!

[fathertime]

Fathertime,

Let me also send my congratulations to you and the little lady for your one year together. I guess now
she has finally decided to put up with you for good, eh?

I wake up every morning and thank what luck I have for scoring my lady. She takes good care of me, so
I too have no intention of letting a good one get away. Looks like we both got lucky with the same make
and model!

My best to you and yours -

Pivery

Hey pivaroni!
I know what  you mean about waking up in the morning thankful.  Sometimes I look at my babe sleeping and wonder how the hell I scored like this.  It does appear she is going to put up with my silliness long term.

Fathertime!

Posted by: vanderweerdtmike
Insert Quote
Hi Fathertime,

I want to tell you this also: "congratz!"

I hope I can have the same and good story likes yours

I'm also looking for a woman from Colombia (or Brazil), you have any good advice to give me?
How did you meet your wife?

Kind regards!

hey van,
I met my woman through international introductions which is based in Barranquilla. I can't give you any advice because I don't know much about you yet.  Just have fun and meet some ladies and get to S. America as soon as you can and you will learn what works for you.

[Henry]

Fathertime, what is the average day like for your wife? Does she interact with any AW-Latinas (American raised Latinas)? Does she get bored much at home?

[fathertime]

Fathertime, what is the average day like for your wife? Does she interact with any AW-Latinas (American raised Latinas)? Does she get bored much at home?

hey Henry,

I sometimes wonder if she get bored too, and I talk to her about it.  She says she is happy and so I gotta take her word on it.  Her normal day is sleep in, take care of the house/kids, watch tv, talk to her friends on the computer.  We usually get to the gym during the day at some point, and we take a walk almost every night.  She hasn't made too many friends here but she does have a couple.  Ironically the one she has the best conversations with is my buddie's Chinese wife, who only speaks English.   They are both pregnant and they are both able to communicate in English which is a second language for both of them.
We also have been to Vegas around 20 times, San Diego, 6 times, and a couple other places, so we get around on the weekends!

Fathertime! 

[Henry]

It sounds like you guys are having a blast!

[raycjs]

Congratulation FT

i am very happy for you and your family, our mutual friend in BAQ says hi and congratulations also...


best of luck to you and your wife and i hope you have a very happy and healthy baby

Ray

[z_k_g]

Congrats FT!

Sounds like things are going great!

Take one day at a time and treat her like your princess!!

Zulu

[zack]

Congratulations FT!

You know that the first year is usually the hardest. Sounds like you have a gem. I'm happy for you.

Zack

[fathertime]

Congratulation FT

i am very happy for you and your family, our mutual friend in BAQ says hi and congratulations also...


best of luck to you and your wife and i hope you have a very happy and healthy baby

Ray

Thanks Ray, and say Hola to our mutual friend, haven't heard from him in a while and hope he still hanging in there! 

Fathertime!

[fathertime]

Congratulations FT!

You know that the first year is usually the hardest. Sounds like you have a gem. I'm happy for you.

Zack

Hey Zackaroni!

I do remember everybody telling me the 1st year was the most challenging so that is good since we survived that milestone.  For me, I think the first 6 months were the most challenging. After the initial 6 months, I'd say the most recent 7 months have been about the best time of my entire life, with the exception of the time my previous kids were born.  I'm just hoping it doesn't end and have the smallest tinge of sadness that my body is a little older than I would like it to be, if you know what I mean.   

Fathertime!

[ashwood4860]

I am very happy for you fathertime, I hope my marriage goes as well as yours.
Anything you share about her culture difference and how she has adapted is a big help to me.
thanks

[fathertime]

I am very happy for you fathertime, I hope my marriage goes as well as yours.
Anything you share about her culture difference and how she has adapted is a big help to me.
thanks

Hey ashwood,
Generally speaking my woman has adapted in some ways and not in other ways.  After a period of disliking the food here, she now seems to have adapted well to our food.  We buy more meats than I used to, and she cooks them up real good. 
She does not communicate much with others, despite seemingly having a pretty decent handle on English, the few times she chooses to use it.  She hears EVERYTHING and may be in the midst of a learning process that requires listening. I don’t know.
On a very light note.  When my woman first arrived here, she had to be the slowest walker I had ever encountered.  I told myself that I was just going to have to accept that we are going to be passed up by senior citizens.  For a while I resigned myself to being a very slow walker with her.  Over time I just couldn’t help myself though, and began to walk at my normal quicker pace.  For a while she would be left in the dust, but surprisingly over the past few months it appears she has adapted her pace to the American style of walking. 

if you have a specific area you would like to ask about feel free to.

Fathertime!

[whitey]

On a very light note.  When my woman first arrived here, she had to be the slowest walker I had ever encountered.  I told myself that I was just going to have to accept that we are going to be passed up by senior citizens.  For a while I resigned myself to being a very slow walker with her.  Over time I just couldn’t help myself though, and began to walk at my normal quicker pace.  For a while she would be left in the dust, but surprisingly over the past few months it appears she has adapted her pace to the American style of walking. 

if you have a specific area you would like to ask about feel free to.

Fathertime!

Haha ... the only time I've seen my wife walk fast is when she's crossing the road.  She always grips my hand really tight and says "corre corre corre (run run run)!"

There's nothing like a colombiana walking slowly in high heels ... I hope she doesn't lose that ... but once she gets up here in the Great White North, she'll probably have to walk faster just so she doesn't freeze!

[fathertime]

Haha ... the only time I've seen my wife walk fast is when she's crossing the road.  She always grips my hand really tight and says "corre corre corre (run run run)!"

There's nothing like a colombiana walking slowly in high heels ... I hope she doesn't lose that ... but once she gets up here in the Great White North, she'll probably have to walk faster just so she doesn't freeze!

hey Whitey!

You know my woman doesn't wear high heals much, she is just an incredibly laid back person, and her walk exemplifies that trait.  It is nice to know she had the ability to adapt and pick up the pace somewhat. 
Your woman is really going to have to adapt to the temperatures of the north.  I will say this, my wife is completely adapted to the cooler winter temperatures here in SoCAL but we don't get snow or anything here.  She is not one of those 'always cold' type girls, although when she first got here she was chilled easily. 
Is your wife going to be with you soon whitey?

Fathertime!

[Jedimaster]

Congratulations FT!

Best of luck to you and your wife 

[whitey]

Hey FT:

Nazly's pretty laid back too ... I like that about the costenas (at least many of them).  She wears the high heels mostly for work or if we go out.

It's good that your wife has adapted to the climate so well already.  I don't think Nazly will ever adapt to the winter here ... I don't like it either!  But I think she may end up liking the late spring, early fall, and especially the summer weather.  Summer temperatures here are usually much nicer than Barranquilla ... more like Medellin only a little hotter sometimes.

Nazly is VERY slim ... only about 94lbs.  I'm pretty sure the words I'll hear most often after "mi amor" and "te amo" will be "TENGO FRIO!"  Ahh well, I've got a gas fireplace in the bedroom ... hopefully I won't have to turn it on in the summer.

I was finally able to put the visa paperwork in the mail on Saturday, so I should receive confirmation of receipt tomorrow or Wednesday.  Then I'm told the wait could be as long as a year.   

Unfortunately, we don't have fiance visas here in Canada.

[fathertime]

Hey FT:

Nazly's pretty laid back too ... I like that about the costenas (at least many of them).  She wears the high heels mostly for work or if we go out.

It's good that your wife has adapted to the climate so well already.  I don't think Nazly will ever adapt to the winter here ... I don't like it either!  But I think she may end up liking the late spring, early fall, and especially the summer weather.  Summer temperatures here are usually much nicer than Barranquilla ... more like Medellin only a little hotter sometimes.

Nazly is VERY slim ... only about 94lbs.  I'm pretty sure the words I'll hear most often after "mi amor" and "te amo" will be "TENGO FRIO!"  Ahh well, I've got a gas fireplace in the bedroom ... hopefully I won't have to turn it on in the summer.

I was finally able to put the visa paperwork in the mail on Saturday, so I should receive confirmation of receipt tomorrow or Wednesday.  Then I'm told the wait could be as long as a year.   

Unfortunately, we don't have fiance visas here in Canada.

wow whitey that is a long time to wait. I'm surprised the wait is Sooo long.  are you going to visit her in the meantime?  hopefully you can time it to where she experiences some canadian warmth before the cold dark winter sets in.  what a change that will be for a young woman.
yeah at 94#s she is going to need a big fluffy jacket, the gas fireplace will come in handy...my woman is natural body temperature is like a furnace so i have a fan running nearby.

Fathertime!

[raycjs]

FT

our good friend in BAQ is having a 2nd baby and it is due any time now, we meet in the states for dinner and a few beers, He is happy to hear you are doing well he is always on the internet working so just send him an email.  once again best of luck to you and your wife

talk to you soon

Ray

[robert angel]

Hmmm...

Re:>>Haha ... the only time I've seen my wife walk fast is when she's crossing the road.  She always grips my hand really tight and says "corre corre corre (run run run)!"<<

My wife almost never runs, although at work, she moves--walks pretty fast, non stop. She moves fast enough to make circles around the teachers she works with and at her part time time job (which I'm making (errr--firmly 'asking') her to quit by Christmas, she makes the rest look like statues.

But for some reason, she's always yelling at ME, saying :

Run!--Forrest--RUN!......!"

[fathertime]

FT

our good friend in BAQ is having a 2nd baby and it is due any time now, we meet in the states for dinner and a few beers, He is happy to hear you are doing well he is always on the internet working so just send him an email.  once again best of luck to you and your wife

talk to you soon

Ray

Hey Ray!
Coincidentally a week ago, I exchanged emails with our buddy in Barranquilla, he is having his boy just a few weeks after we are having ours.  I am sorta planning on me and my wife going to Baq sometime in 2011 and introducing our child to her side of the family.  Hopefully our buddy is available for some Buffalo Grill, because my mouth is salivating at the thought of eating there again!
Thanks for the good wishes.

Fathertime!

[Researcher]

    It's funny I never realized how fast I walked until my wife arrived.She walks slower than old folks and she is from Bogota.You would think a big city girl would be used to hustle and bustle.


  Researcher

[JimD]

Hey whitey great business oportunity: high heeled mucluks for imported latinas.

[whitey]

wow whitey that is a long time to wait. I'm surprised the wait is Sooo long.  are you going to visit her in the meantime?  hopefully you can time it to where she experiences some canadian warmth before the cold dark winter sets in.  what a change that will be for a young woman.
yeah at 94#s she is going to need a big fluffy jacket, the gas fireplace will come in handy...my woman is natural body temperature is like a furnace so i have a fan running nearby.

Fathertime!

I too was surprised to find out how long the wait is.  I've heard estimates anywhere from 7 to 14 months, so we're kind of assuming a year.  I think they purposely under staff to weed out some of the false marriages up front ... who knows.

Ahh well, I need to use the time to save up for all the new clothes she's going to need.  She of course has nothing warm like coats, boots, gloves, etc.  Plus she won't have any spring, fall, winter outfits.  Sighhhhh ...

I'm fortunate to have 4 weeks of holidays per year, and now that we're married and she's built a new bedroom+bathroom at her house, I have a place to stay without paying for hotel.  I'm going down at the end of October, and possibly for Christmas, but we'll have to see on that one.
 

[fathertime]

Ahh well, I need to use the time to save up for all the new clothes she's going to need.  She of course has nothing warm like coats, boots, gloves, etc.  Plus she won't have any spring, fall, winter outfits.  Sighhhhh ...

This might seem cheesy but you don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money on these things.  My lady LOVES yard sales and where I live they are all over the place.  She is completely amazed at the stuff we can get for 1 or 2 dollars.  I bought her quite a few things from Macys but to be frank, I think she is happier getting stuff a couple bucks at Walmart or a yard sale. 
Do the people in your 'hood' have many yard sales, I guess there aren't as many opportunities for that sort of thing in the great white north. 

Fathertime!

[Researcher]

   My wife loves flea markets and thrift stores.She makes most of her own clothes but every now and then she will go to the thrift shops or a yard sale.She has picked up quite a few bargains.



  Researcher