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[This message has been edited by Gary Bala]

The political winds are not blowing in favor of
immigrants at this time.

1. WHAT IS REAL ID?

The REAL ID Act, mostly driven by "political" post 9-11
security concern because some of the hijackers were
using fake state driver's licenses, was just passed by Congress
and signed by the President (as part of the Supplemental Appropriation
Bill for the Iraq War and Tsunami Relief). This law imposes federal
standards on state driver's licenses and effectively limits immigrant rights.

SEE: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense,
the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief Act of 2005,
Pub. L. 109-13.

This law allows only certain types of state driver's licenses
to used at the "federal level", such as to enter a federal building,
board a federally-regulated commercial plane, or open
an account with a federally-regulated bank (i.e. only those
that show valid immigration status.)

Non-immigrant visa holders (such as the spouse whom you
brought here under K-3 visa) or people with adjustment of
status petitions pending (such as the fiancee whom you married
under K-1 visa) can only get a temporary state driver's license
to the end of authorized stay or up to one year.

This law also severely restricts judicial review of immigrant
cases involving removal orders and in some cases detention orders.
This means practically no rights of habeas corpus, mandamus
and other court reviews in these cases.

Those of you anti-government critics who opine that Uncle Sam is
sitting on his hands while "illegals" stroll in with a free ride, the new
law gets tougher. New ground surveillance border enforcement
technology is mandated, and money authorizations are approved for
U.S. Border Patrol, as necessary, for detection and apprehension
for fiscal years 2006 to 2011 (subject to Congressional review of
Border Patrol's full report.) At least 500 new Border Patrol Agents
and almost 2,000 beds for detainees are immediately authorized, far
more than were called for in President Bush's budget.

The law also provides for the construction of a border fence between
Tijuana, Mexico and Southern California.

(By the way, one of my clients right now is a U.S. Border Patrol agent
with a fiancee in Colombia, who works on the "Arizona Border
Initiative" and who tells me that things have gotten a lot tougher for
the "stroll-ins" lately. Apprehensions up 50% from last year at this time.)

Here is a review of the new law from AILA
(American Immigration Lawyers Assn.), which
opposed the law and feels it is a step backwards
for immigrants:
http://www.aila.org/fileViewer.aspx?docID=18433

For the full text of the new law:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c109:6:./temp/~c109Gddp9q::

For a One-Hour Audio Program with excellent discussion
of this law by proponents and opponents, see this audio file:
"The Diane Rehm Show" (05/09/05):
http://www.wamu.org/audio/dr/05/05/r1050509.ram

2. HOW WILL ALL THIS AFFECT MY FIANCEE OR BRIDE?

Possible ways once the new law is phased in:
1.K-1 fiancees and K-3 spouses, and those who have adjustment
of status petitions pending, may now only be able to get a temporary
state driver's license (with immigration status marked on the document)
to the end of authorized stay or up to one year.
2. K-1 fiancees and K-3 spouses may not be able to enter a federal
immigration building for their adjustment interview or fingerprints,
board an federally-regulated airline flight, or open an account with
a federally-regulated bank with only a state driver's license,
if it is not marked with her immigration status.
3. K-1 fiancees who decide not to marry, and overstay their visa,
and choose to live with family or friends or on their own, will have
even less rights for any judicial review or habeas corpus to fight
removal or deportation.
4. Attempted "stroll-ins" will have a harder time at the border.

3. WHAT'S NEXT?

I believe that Congress, the Administration and the public are
now ready for major immigration reform this session of Congress.
The Administration is expected to push their "guest worker" proposal
later this year and, of the proposals now pending, the Kennedy-McCain
bill, "The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005" and
its sister version in the House, will most likely pick up steam. I believe
that more likely than not the public may ultimately see some combination
of the Bush proposal and the Kennedy-McCain bill mentioned above
passed into law.

Hope this information is helpful.
Regards.
GB

PS#1: Important forms revision: USCIS just revised
the I-485 Adjustment of Status and I-765 Employment
Authorization forms. See USCIS website at www.uscis.gov

PS#2: We are working on an all-new interactive
Immigration website, geared specially for Latin America
and hopefully on the cutting-edge. Please look for it;
it's coming soon. www.VISA-Attorney.com

PS#3: I will be in Colombia from June 09 to 30, first visiting
Barranquilla, then Cali. My Colombia Cell: 315-416-2746

... in response to Immigration: REAL ID is now law (Long), posted by Gary Bala on May 12, 2005

Thanks for the great info Gary -TNC

... in response to Immigration: REAL ID is now law (Long), posted by Gary Bala on May 12, 2005

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the info.

First, I think it is about time that the government started taking this ILLEGAL immigration situation seriously. Hallelujah! But as far as I am concerned, this is only the first step in the right direction.

In addition to the real threat of terrorists taking advantage of our system, the crackdown on state driver’s licenses is obviously in response to states like California where the liberal legislators want to give ILLEGAL immigrants driver’s licenses and all kinds of other privileges of citizens and LEGAL residents. Letting millions of people thumb their noses at our laws and disrespect our borders, and then giving them all the benefits of our society is insanity and the American people are sick and tired of it.

As for your “HOW WILL ALL THIS AFFECT MY FIANCEE OR BRIDE?” points, I see this kind of stuff as just more cheap scare tactics by AILA and other ILLEGAL immigration advocates. To imply that K-1 fiancées and K-3 spouses may not be able to enter a federal immigration building for their adjustment interview or fingerprints is just pure nonsense as far as I’m concerned. And those K-1 holders who decide not to marry and stay here ILLEGALLY should be sent home in accordance with our laws and the terms of their visa. Perhaps visa processing times for LEGAL immigrants will actually improve if the CIS doesn’t have to spend as much time on the ILLEGALS who are here to take advantage of our system.

It is really quite obvious to me why AILA is in favor of ILLEGAL immigration. Because of the lucrative business it brings to many of their members who specialize in assisting those who broke the law. I guess they will just have to find a new line of work (LOL). I am certainly in favor of immigration if it is done LEGALLY in compliance with our laws. But those who have no respect for our laws don’t belong here IMO.

Note: The reason that I emphasized the words “LEGAL” and “ILLEGAL” was in response to your obvious neglect to use the terms to distinguish between those fine immigrants who followed our laws and came here legally and those illegal aliens who chose to disrespect our laws and come here anyway. When you lawyers use terms like “immigrants” and “immigrant rights”, why is it that you don’t distinguish between the two???

Just my $.02,

Ray

... in response to An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by Ray on May 12, 2005

It's ok for los Mexicanos to feel justified in denying Guatemalans access north, but what a wicked bunch are we  who favor denying licenses to their brethren law-breakers here.

Thankfully, the global insanity of the politics of race will expire for me when I'm dead and gone in another 30 years or so.  And I'll leave behind no progeny to witness the continued stupidity of such games.

... in response to An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by Ray on May 12, 2005

I would like to say a few things about this.

First, it appears that the federal government is usurping the traditional state’s role in forming its own requirements for the driver’s license.  The driver’s license, which is a state document is now being hijacked by Homeland Security.  One might be tempted to say that this is unconstitutional as a violation of state’s rights, except that the Supreme Court hasn’t left much in the way of state’s rights left.

Second, it is going to create a bureaucratic nightmare, not only for immigrants but for current US citizens.  I read one article that said you may need four types of identification to get a license and make two separate trips to the DMV.  According to the articles on the Internet, the States are opposing this for this reason.

Third, there are malignant forces that have taken control of our federal government that are using the fear of terrorism as a pretext to take away our fundamental freedoms... and this is just the beginning of a long chain of increased surveillance, intimidation, and erosion of basic rights and will not stop at immigrants.  You are next.  

... in response to Re: An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by valuedcustomer on May 12, 2005

We implimented a "6 points of verification" for our drivers licenses(New Jersey) about two years ago... It was painless...  Everyone was paranoid about having to have all of this "proof"... I actually thought it was a good idea with all of the bogus drivers licenses going around.

... in response to Re: An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by valuedcustomer on May 12, 2005

“Malignant forces”?  ROFLMAO! I think the only “malignant forces” you need to worry about are the fear-mongers who are telling you that you will need 4 types of ID and multiple trips to the DMV to get a license :-)

Here in California, it is and has been DMV policy to require proof of being in the country legally before you could get a California driver’s license. So, this bill will not change the status quo, but only stop those idiot leftist politicians in Sacramento who want a new law to give a license to any fool who walks into the DMV. Hallelujah!

Could you please list the “fundamental freedoms” that this bill will take away from YOU? I wasn’t aware that some guy crawling through a hole in the border fence had any “fundamental freedom” that guaranteed him a driver’s license in the USA.

Homeland Security is not hijacking anything. YOUR congressional representatives passed the law, not some bureaucrat at Homeland Security. I think perhaps that you and many others have forgotten that this country is at war. Have you ever considered the possibility that Homeland Security may be the only thing between you and some stinking terrorist with a bomb?

As far as the federal government usurping the states’ role in forming local driver’s license policies, I think Gary did clearly point out that any states can opt out of this requirement if they wish to. If your state wants to give away driver’s licenses to any illegal alien or terrorist who walks through the door, this bill will not stop it from doing so. It’s just that your state’s license won’t be worth the paper it is printed on for federal ID purposes (thank God!).

And once more, this bill is NOT aimed at “immigrants”, but rather at ILLEGAL ALIENS and TERRORISTS, unless of course you consider terrorists as immigrants (LOL).

Ray

... in response to Re: An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by valuedcustomer on May 12, 2005

Speaking of bureaucratic nightmares, can you imagine what a "guest worker" program would do to the work load at CIS, assuming they are the agency that would process those petitions? 8-10 million illegals submitting petitions pratically overnight to an already overworked, understaffed, apathetic mess of an agency. I'm sure that any pending legal immigrant spouse/fiancee petition would be put on-hold (as if it's not already) while the politically-correct "guest worker" application is trumpeted as the answer to our illegal immigration problem, thus it must be put into practice ASAP, to hell with the US citizens and their foreign spouses/fiancees visas and petitions.

... in response to An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by Ray on May 12, 2005

Thanks for your opposing viewpoint, Ray.

This is one political area, "illegal" immigration, where you and I
will have to agree to disagree.

Just two points as, hopefully, food for thought to anyone reading.

There is no lawyer at AILA, myself included, who has made a "lucrative
fortune" from "illegal" immigrants. These are people struggling to pay
for food and shelter, much less able to pay an attorney's fee. The cold fact
is that family immigration attorneys, as opposed to business immigration
attorneys and attorneys in most other specialties, are not known
for their "lucrative fortunes."

AILA can speak for itself, but to my knowledge neither AILA or me
has ever advocated "illegals" violating immigration regulations, anymore
than the Bush Administration is advocating "illegal" immigration by
proposing their "guest worker" program for undocumented aliens,
or Sens. Kennedy and McCain are proponents of "illegal" immigration
by their bill proposal for undocumented aliens.

I encourage people to study and think about the policy reasons
and equitable considerations, as well as economic and practical
arguments, in support of these proposals, which I do favor.

I myself have repeatedly urged readers here to think twice about
trying to bring their fiancees or brides into the U.S. "illegally", as you say,
i.e. by any other means than under immigration regulations. Then again,
we lawyers don't want to be accused of "scare tactics" either :), so we will
have to leave that to the media who has done that job of documenting
and video-ing the plight of those "illegals"...

Regards.

... in response to Re: An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by Gary Bala on May 12, 2005

Gary,

Actually, I didn’t say "lucrative fortune". I think I said “lucrative business”. There may not be any immigration attorneys in Philly making a living off of illegal aliens, but it is big here in SoCal. And those “…people struggling to pay for food and shelter, much less able to pay an attorney's fee” may just surprise you. They do come up with big bucks to pay attorney fees and immigration scam artists and they also are able to pay $300-500 or more for a smuggler to get them into the US. Maybe you should relocate here to San Diego where the business is much better…LOL!

What I meant when I said that AILA was in favor of illegal immigration, was that they always seem to oppose any new proposals designed to curb the flow of illegals. Why AILA would be concerned with a bunch of lawbreakers getting driver’s licenses and other public benefits is beyond my comprehension. They broke the law to come here and I would expect a law-abiding attorney to tell them to go back home and do it legally in accordance with our laws. What’s wrong with that? I think CIS is overwhelmed mostly because of the number of cases of illegals attempting to find away around the intent of the law. I would rather see their valuable time spent processing petitions from American citizens and legal resident. An officer of the court doesn’t have to agree with a law to enforce it, does he?

But, like you said, I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this one… :-)

Ray

... in response to Re: Re: An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by Ray on May 13, 2005

Thanks again Ray.

Well, if the "illegals" are such a "big buck" enterprise in the San Diego
area, and can offer such a "lucrative business", then I suppose
they are also powerful enough that they can lobby Congress
and the "powers-that-be" to change any new anti-"illegal" immigrant
federal laws in their favor, LOL

AILA "always seems to oppose any new laws to curb 'illegal'
immigration". Actually, they have issued a statement strongly
supporting the Kennedy-McCain bill, which includes some
pretty tough measures on the immigration enforcement side.

http://www.aila.org/fileViewer.aspx?docID=18531

http://www.aila.org/fileViewer.aspx?docID=18540

But then again if AILA lawyers and Uncle Sam sat back and let all the "illegals"
in scott-free (as some think they have done thus far), they are accused of being
lazy and incompent and lawbreaker-accomplices, and perhaps should be locked
in their rooms until they see the light. On the other hand, if AILA lawyers,
Uncle Sam and USCIS spend limited time, money and energy addressing
the issue of undocumented alien and worker cases and how to deal
once-and-for-all with society's "illegals", their case processing for US citizens
and residents gets uncontrollably backed up, they are overwelmed and thus
lazy and incompetent and perhaps should be locked in their rooms until they
get caught up on their cases.

You're right, we will have to agree to disagree on this one :)

G.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: An Opposing Viewpoint, posted by Gary Bala on May 13, 2005

[This message has been edited by Ray]

Why does AILA support Kennedy-McCain? Because deep down it's just another stupid amnesty bill that will let another 10,000,000 illegals stay here and encourage even more to sneak across the border.

AILA seems to support anything that favors illegal aliens and rewards them for breaking our laws.

Ray

... in response to Immigration: REAL ID is now law (Long), posted by Gary Bala on May 12, 2005

[This message has been edited by valuedcustomer]

My wife has her driving permit but hasn't taken the driving exam yet.  Does this mean she will have trouble getting her license, or is she already in?  Should she hurry up and get her license?

When is the effective date of this law?

... in response to Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now law (Lon..., posted by valuedcustomer on May 12, 2005

Common questions:
1. What is the effective date of the new law?
2. Do I have to apply for a new "REAL ID"  state driver's license now
to enter a federal building, etc.?
3. Should a new driver applicant "hurry-up" and get their state driver
license now? Are they "grandfathered-in"?

Answer:
There will be a "phase in" period to the new law, it appears up
to 2008 in some cases. The states actually have an option to "opt-out"
of the federal standards for their state driver's licenses, in which
case they lose certain federal funds and you and your fiancee or bride
will need to use other id such as U.S. Passport (in your case) or
foreign passport and U.S. visa or green card (in her case) to enter a
federal building, open a federally-regulated bank account, board a
federally-regulated airline flight, etc.

As a practical matter, people will face the issue of getting a new
state driver's license (which complies with the new federal standards
if your state "opts-in") at the time of their license renewal. New driver
applicants will face the issue under an application for new state driver license.
Everyone should be guided by their state motor vehicle department or
agency's latest information and updates.

Some states are complaining that this new law is just another "unfunded
federal mandate", and are already gearing up to mount legal challenges
to the new law because it may cost them millions they don't have (one
estimate $125+ million) to eventually re-issue state driver's licenses
and perhaps even birth certificates to meet the new federal standards.

The courts may ultimately have to decide the validity of the new law.

In the meantime, your own state motor vehicle offices are your best
source of current information on the status of your state's compliance
with the new federal law.

... in response to Immigration: REAL ID is now law (Long), posted by Gary Bala on May 12, 2005

Thanks for the info Gary!

Anyone in need of an immigration attorney should contact Gary, I highly recommend him!

CaliMD

... in response to Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now law (Lon..., posted by Cali MD on May 12, 2005

No flame here, but if someone wants to pay $1200 for a secretary to fill out simple paperwork after you gather it all and send it to her, to be neatly typed, be my guest.  $1200 is actually (if you can believe it) low compared to what some other attorneys sucker guys into paying with outlandish scare tactics on their websites (Not Gary's).  NOBODY is going to do a better job than the person who wants the woman to be here as soon as possible.

Visajourney.com lays it all out, step by step.  Anyone can do it.  Document, document, document everything in your relationship, fill out the simple forms, pay the government and follow the next steps as they come up.  

Of course, if money is a non-issue, then by all means throw your money away.  I think most guys dont really want to do that, but are scared to do it themselves.  $1200 can buy her a plane ticket here, and maybe even one for you to go down for the interview.  

As for the immigration issue.  This country has a bad habit of waiting for bad things to happen before taking any action.  ie. WWI, WWII, 9-11, etc.  I suppose that after more terrorists walk across the Mexican border and start blowing up shopping malls, machine gunning people in the streets, taking hostages and be-heading them, etc. etc. etc......then the USA will finally take border security seriously.  This bill will NOT stop determined individuals from making their way into our country who want to kill Americans.  Its only a matter of time, its been three and a half years since 9-11 and sooner or later the shit will hit the fan again.  K-1 and K-3 visa petitioners have no worries, dont even think about it.  

Tommy

... in response to Re: Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now law ..., posted by Tommy on May 12, 2005

Speaking as some one did it myself I can say that it is NOT a no-brainer process. I have a lot of experience with SEC filings that make USCIS filings look tame but I found filing my I-130 and I-129f to be a very daunting task. The fear of making a mistake that could cost you months puts it in perspective. That being said it can be done if you are willing to put the effort into research and if you are detail-oriented. I learned a lot from the Visa Journey website and it helped me avoid a lot of mistakes. However with all the research I did and the filling in the forms and redoing them 10 times I put at least a 100 hours into the process. It is not easy. And there are differnet factors in everybody's case that are not always as straight forward and are hard to find answers too. I ended up consulting with Gary on some issues that were extraordinary to my case and that saved me a lot of headaches and money. If I had it all to do over again I think I would have just paid the $1200. And you are right. $1200 is not much compared to some other attorneys. And the stories of incompetent attornies abound on the Visa Journey website. I really think that Gary is a real bargin. He knows the process inside out and uniquely understands the issues faced by the men on this board. The whole process of marrying and bringing my wife here cost me between $15-20k. The extra $1200 amounts to about $1 an hour for the sleep I lost worrying about if I was going to get an RFE.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now ..., posted by littlebhuddha on May 13, 2005

If there are circumstances that are difficult to resolve then a good attorney that charges a fair price is probably worth it.  My petition was fairly straightforward so I felt confident filing it myself and it went smoothly.  However, things like divorces or a child are not really that much more difficult.
If a woman has a criminal background or other similar difficulties then I would have probably sought out an attorney. (not saying your girl had that problem, I am sure there are other problems I am not aware of that would entice someone to consult an attorney)  

For example, I know a couple guys who petitioned ladies of the night that they "inadvertently" fell in love with. LOL  Somehow, the embassy found out, or the girl coughed up the info when the interviewer questioned her.  

Personally, I would most likely never petition these types of ladies, but to each his own. Never say never I suppose.  I am not referring to your case at all here, just some other ones that I am aware of.

I am curious though.....I wonder if a "working girl" who is found out by the embassy could still be issued a fiancee visa, or a K-3?  I definitely would hire an attorney at that point if I, for whatever reason, still had to have her after finding out about this information.  I think many guys who go to the Philippines run into this sort of problem more often than others, but that is mere speculation on my part, nothing to back it up.  

Anyway, there is nothing wrong with hiring an attorney.  I think my main point was that its not necessary in most circumstances if you want to do it yourself and can follow simple instruction, and research a bit.  The main thing is to find a good girl who is truthful with you from the start, then you need not worry about anything coming later that will cause rejection by the Government.  I guess thats the hardest part of all in this endeavor, finding someone you can trust with the limited time most of us have for face to face time.

Good luck to all no matter what decision you make on how to go about it.  No sense losing sleep about it if it makes you feel more confident about the outcome.

Tommy

... in response to Re: Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now law ..., posted by Tommy on May 12, 2005

Great points, Tommy.

"...then the USA will finally take border security seriously."

I think most Americans take border security seriously.  The cluster that don't--and those who most contribute to the detriment of the majority--are composed mostly of ultra-lefties and the headlines-oriented "Immigrant Rights" groups.

"This bill will NOT stop determined individuals from making their way into our country who want to kill Americans."

For sure.  But every little bit counts.  I work in an office that issues identity documents of the very nature the REAL ID Act intends to secure.  Though, many Americans might think the Act a trivial step, it will have a profound impact in many areas where the law breakers had previously encountered no barriers.

Another consideration:  Deny anyone the ability to register, rent, or own a vehicle unless they can verify they are a legal resident of the country.  I've yet to see the idea floated in the media, but it is critically important.  It is negligence unforseen on a mass scale.  Many would be shocked to discover how simple it is to own and operate a vehicle in many states with NO evidence of legal presence or liability coverage.  In fact, in California there's a float period that lasts up to 14 months wherebye the registered owner of a vehicle is under no obligation to show evidence of insurance before receiving their vehicle tags.  Furthermore, anyone over 18 years of age--no matter their nation of origin or residence status--can buy a vehicle and title/register it WITHOUT a driver license.  A wreckless driving record, multiple DUI's, or criminal record are of no consequence.  

Why?  

Driving records and vehicle records are entirely separate data bases, and there's no move by the public to push for legislation on something that even the politicians--those who craft the state's vehicle codes--are unware of.  

The chasm of a loophole:  A terrorist may need to show a license to RENT a U-Haul truck, but he certainly doesn't need one to buy and register such vehicles.

... in response to Re: Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now law ..., posted by Tommy on May 12, 2005

“NOBODY is going to do a better job than the person who wants the woman to be here as soon as possible.”

Tommy this is not true. Qualified professionals can do a better job. They are less likely to make a mistake, they know the latest rule changes, and they know the extras that can play a role depending on the guy’s situation. I know of many guys who did not feel comfortable tackling this process and wanted someone experience doing the job they certainly don’t want their woman here any less than someone who does it themselves.

“Of course, if money is a non-issue, then by all means throw your money away.”

It continues to amuse me that those that object to how others spend their money because they can not appreciate the value the spender is receiving define such spending as wasteful. By your definition anyone who buys a first class airline seat is throwing his money away. He arrives at the same destination at the same time as the guy 10 meters back but for so much more.  These people are somehow smart enough to make more money but not very smart in how they spend it. Seems like a strange pairing.

One does not have to be scared in determining that for them the preference is to have the expert do it.

Engage the Exotic - Latin Women
http://International-Introductions.com

... in response to Did someone say fire? :), posted by Jamie on May 12, 2005

If someone wants to throw their money away be my guest, its your money.  I would say persons that buy first class airline tickets have that type of money and paying a lawyer is chump change to them.  Most of the guys that I have met do not have this kind of money and this is a money saving alternative for them.  Money better spent on things that HAVE to be paid for.  Its not difficult to learn any new changes to the format.  If I can do it, anybody can do it.  (I had a girl come here, but things did not work out and she returned, post 9-11.)  

However, your opinion is valid for anyone who does not want to hassle with the paperwork, has extra cash, or just prefers to have a lawyer do it  To each his own. As my mother always said, waste not, want not.

Take it easy,

Tommy

... in response to As I said....., posted by Tommy on May 12, 2005

tommy ........... you will never win any debate with Jamie .... he claims to be the expert on just about every subject ... When I had the extra cash I would fly first class ... the seat and leg room is much greater .... maybe if Jamie ever rode first class he would know this ......... I need to catch a flight ... I will be in touch when I get back from Brazil ... I wonder if it is the same lady pre 9-11 ???? I also sent one back after 3 weeks.  take care

... in response to Re: As I said....., posted by Jake on May 12, 2005

I dont think it was the same girl, that would be quite the anomaly.  My girl was ok, she became disallusioned when she arrived and was here for a period of time, about two months.  She said she didnt  expect life here to be like it was, despite my painstaking attempts to explain in micro detail what it was like. She also missed her family tremendously.  Or perhaps it was me that was not what she expected.  When in country, we all become somewhat different, full of energy and hormones bursting at the seams.  Here, we are working and have our lives and routines, and its hard to change if you really dont want to.  Especially when the girls say she doesnt want you to change and simply wants what she had in the person she came to know in her country.

I think that is what many of us fail to realize.  We do become different when we travel and meet these ladies.  We are not all that we seem to be in their eyes.  Once here, they see us as we really are in our lives and sometimes is not what they want.  Perhaps not anyones fault, just the way it is in this chance that we take.  The devastation can be real thought, to the girl when she goes back, and for the man who is suddenly alone again. It sucks.

Choose carefully....not only for yourself but for the girl as well.

Suerte

Tommy

... in response to Re: As I said....., posted by Jake on May 12, 2005

"I also sent one back after 3 weeks. take care"

Another proud moment in Jake’s epilogue of disastrous adventures with women.

"the seat and leg room is much greater .... maybe if Jamie ever rode first class he would know this ........."

Jake you are a real wiz, nothing gets by you.

... in response to Lady Killer, posted by Jamie on May 13, 2005

You should know Jamie that Jake has made a ton of trips to S.A. so he knows
about those evil agencies. What I was wondering if they are so bad why keep
using them? Could it be the person complaining and not the Agencies?  I have
read post from other people that complain all the time about the agencies and
have been doing this for years, but still have not found their girl.

... in response to Re: Re: Immigration: REAL ID is now law ..., posted by Tommy on May 12, 2005

:-)