Thursday, June 2, 2011

How it started (part III)

Read about Part II here
Read about Part I here

We live in the house he built in the North East Huntsville- nice neighborhood. I work as a student assistant at the Office of International Programs and Services- the same people who hosted me when I was there on a sponsored program- people who became my American family.  I change my major from Sociology to Finance and do better at school. I find a paid internship at Scottsboro and since I have a car now, I work there every other semester.  I can finally pay myself for my education and give my mom a financial break.

In 2007, I get in a car accident- my car is totaled and the guy who hit me doesn’t even have his driving license.  My boyfriend starts teaching me how to drive  his stick shift truck.  After a couple of nervous and teary months, I feel somewhat confident driving on my own.

I graduate in May 2008, Magna Cum Laude (hell yeah all this work!), and my mom gets to come to my commencement ceremony. We travel to Mobile, AL and Chicago, IL to show my mom some of America.

We decide, that since she is here, we can go ahead and get married and have a wedding. And so we do it on August 29th, 2008.  My best friend from back home who now lives in NY flies in to attend my wedding.

In September, we go to NY to see my mom off. We come back and I start my new job- Teller at Wachovia bank.  According to F-1 visa rules, I get to work for a year (as optional practical training) after my graduation.

Life is getting better, but I am still an "alien" and I cannot change my status until I fulfill my 2YHRR. We make a decision that its better for me to go home than stay in the States illegally. My husband starts looking for a job overseas or in DC to be closer to embassies and make international travel easier.  He finds a job in Kuwait and we start planning our unknown future. We sell our house, quit our jobs, pack our belongings and go to his parent’s town.  From there, he goes to his pre-departure orientation in Fort Benning and I go to Atlanta airport to fly back home. 

1 comment:

  1. It's so interesting to look back and reflect on our lives. We've gone through quite a bit, and I can say I've definitey broadened my mind going through this and living abroad (even though it's been very painful being apart).

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