Biometrics

Biometrics- I simply understood it as high tech finger printing. It is one of the things you will go through in applying for a Status of Adjustment or a Green Card.

My son's apppointment is July 7, 2008 at 3:00pm, mine is on the next day at 8:00am while my daughter's appointment is at 10am on the same day.

Hubby was working that time so he asked his sister to come with us. We can reschedule the appointment as we are allowed to but Ricardo doesnt want to. He cannot wait to get another appointment again.

So my kids and I went to Reno last July 7 together with Carol, my sister -in- law, at around 9am. We got there at around 12 noon. We looked for the USCIS address first and have found it before we headed for lunch. But before we got there we lost many times already. We looked for a resto in the vicinity to eat lunch but we find nothing so we headed to the next street, turned to the corner and to the other street again until we found a place to eat. Then we got lost again more times, as in more times, shall I say 5,000 times (just exaggerating) going to the USCIS Office. USA has confusing roads and highways. They have Interstate 80 east and west freeway (even number) and 395 freeway, north and south (odd number) and there are different exits. If you happen to take the other freeway or exits, then it will be hard for you to get back to the same place where you took the wrong lane.You may drive ahead and look for another road to take you to freeway again or you have to go around 5 miles to get back again. It's really very confusing for me especially that I am very poor in sense of direction.

At long last, we got there in USCIS at around 3:03 pm. When we were about to enter the door, a man asked us if we have an appointment, we said yes and he asked what time, we answered 3:00pm, he looked mean and said "you are late". My sister-in-law apologized and admitted that its her fault because we got lost many times and that she was driving the car. Another man popped up and then he looked more mean because of the same reason. I was so nervous that we will get denied to enter the door but finally the first man said we can go inside if we have the appointment and ID Card or Driver's License.I gave him our 3 passports and Carol gave her Driver's license. We passed through the X-ray machine. Carol was checked 3 times because the machine buzzed when she passed. The man found out that it was because of her sandal's metal strap.

Anyways, the other man gave me a priority number for Jun. Although he looked unfriendly to me, I tried to ask him if Jen and I can have our biometrics also considering that we are family and we applied all together and so that we will not come back the next day and get lost again. I sensed that the man was still disappointed and displeased because of what happened but I talked to him straight to his eyes although a little bit hopeless already. But I believed in the saying "Everything is not meant to be but Everything is worth a try". And I did try. I was surprised when he gave me another 2 priority numbers! Carol was suprised too! Whew! I was happy that he considered my request. He was talking to me nicely that time. Thank you Lord! He asked me our passport and the appointment letter only then he gave me 3 forms to be filled out and said to fill them out shortly. The 3 of us filled the forms out hurriedly but carefully. We don't want to be in trouble again, gosh!

The following are the required data in the form. (I hope I remembered them all):

Name, Birthday (be careful because the birthyear is the first being ask not the month or date), Alien Number and Application Number( you will find these 2 numbers in your appointment Notice), height, weight, address, name of mom and dad, place of birth, country of citizenship, contact numbers then you have to encircle the benefits you applied, I encircled I-1485.

I was told to sit down in a chair in the corner to wait for the finger printing. The he requested me to stand up and he put liquid to his hands and told me to do the same before the finger printing. Then he held my fingers in my left hands and pressed it in a tiny window of some kind of a computer machine, then the fingers in my right hand. Afterwards, he took my thumbs and my other fingers one by one, rolled them from left to right until the computer says it is done already. Then he took picture using a web camera.Then he let me affixed my signature using an electronic pen stuck in the machine.

After a few minutes, he handed me the appointment I gave to him earlier with scribbled notes therein and said to keep it and dont let anyone to make a copy of it and wait for the green card in my mail. I am not sure if I heard the latter right. I was expecting him to tell me to wait for an appointment for interview because I came here using K3 Visa. I was too occupied to having conversation with him.

By the way, we were talking while doing the biometrics. I said I was grateful for his consideration and that I salute Americans for being a time conscious people unlike Filipinos. He was so nice to me and even shared to me that he is going to the Philippines next year (February) for a golf competition together with 9 other guys from here to compete from different countries. I jokingly said that I thought he's gonna meet up his fiancee there. He was smiling at me and admitted that somebody from here who got a business there in our country will introduce him to filipino lady. He said he is divorced for 12 years already and he heard that filipino girls are caring and wife-material, etc... I knew it.. He became nice to me when he learned that I am a Filipino.

After everything was done, we thanked him and said goodbye and before i forgot, I said goodluck to him for the golf game. He thanked me then gave me a hand shake.

When we were outside the building, we felt relieved! We are not gonna come back the next day!

Americans are always on time. When you have an appointment here you have to come on time or else you will get into trouble. Lesson learned.

So, don't ever be late!

Filipino Party in Winnemucca!

Venue: Swimming Lesson Bldg., City Park

Date: June 15, 2008

Time: 4:00 o'clock PM

I was sleepless the night before. I was too excited. Hubby said he couldn't come with me because he has to go to bed early for his work the following morning. Jen and Jun declined when they learned from their dad that he is not coming. So I was expecting to come alone. Okey fine, whatever.

Nath and i decided to bring foods with us to the party. She choose to bring her yummy Leche Flan (i love it!) and I asked Ricardo to buy me "lechon manok". Since I was coming alone, Nath and Randy fetched me. But when Ricardo learned that Randy is coming and other hubbies are also coming, he promised he will come to the party later.

We got there at around 4:30pm. Only few people were there yet. Children were swimming outside. Emy was there smiling at us, she was too accommodating, we exchanged hellos. From the corner of my eyes, i was looking for Ate Henny and the other older woman whom i met at Raley's. Not yet around. But I saw more or less five "grandma"- looking women in the center table. I doubted if they were Filipinos. As I listened to their conversation, they were speaking English language. They looked like Americans, though.

A smiling lady approached us and offer a hand shake. I talked to her in Tagalog, "saan ka sa Pinas?" and she shook her head and made a gesture. She did not get what i meant. She said she only knew few Tagalog words, only basic words. She asked us about what the Filipinos are famous for, about being coming late always... Nath answered, "Filipino Time!" and she got it right, hehehe! Everyone laughed!

Here came Ate Henny and Ate Solidad, Sol for short (the older woman whom Emy was with at the Raley's) with their respective hubbies and kids. An hour late! And my Ricardo came in too. And more people were coming. They were bringing foods too. Speaking of foods, wooow... pure filipino foods were being served! Lumpya, bihon, bistek, gulaman, empanada, adobong manok, atbp! BUT No lechon baboy. Sigh.

Hubby and I went back to the house to get my teeners because everyone wanted to meet them too. Its good that the park is close to the street where we lived. I was happy that everyone cared to meet my teeners, hehehe. But when they saw them, I heard someone said, "oh.. anak mo ba talaga ang mga yan? o mga kapatid mo?" Ahahahaha! Ahem! I took it as a compliment ha!

Ricardo and Randy were just sitting in the corner, observing us the whole time, smiling... Randy tried to eat the foods. Ricardo declined politely when somebody offered him foods. Gosh!

Anyways, we introduced ourselves to everyone. I only remembered few names (except Henny, Sol and Emy). Josie: her hubby is a Geologist. She has 2 kids. She was very funny. According to her, she has a struggling English but it helps her somehow to teach her kids a Tagalog words, hehehe. I liked her because she is too honest and so i admitted it to her also that i am struggling the same way. Her family will soon move out for Australia. They have been in Canada before they came here to US. She got to travel allot of countries because of her hubby's job. Lucky for her!

Sharon: (pronounced as Sherine daw), is the woman who knew few Tagalog words but she is trying to teach her kids to speak our language (I wonder how can she do that hehehe, she only knew few Tagalog words, right?). She said she danced Itik-Itik and Tinikling last month as presentation in her kid's school activity and she is planning to dance "Pandango sa Ilaw" next time. She is a very proud mom to her daughter whom a champion and a scholar in a dance school here. Her hubby was not around but she said he is a Mining Engineer.

Jen: a Chemical Engineer, single and bubbly! She called me and Nath "Tita". She works as a chemist in one of the mines here. She shared her experiences about being late twice going to work. Such a Filipino she is! She could have get fired. But good she was not. Well, mining needs a chemist after all.

Anita: very short but motherly among the Pinays around. I think she was in her mid 50's already. She was still 3 months old when she got here. Cannot speak Tagalog. But in fairness, she got a very tall and pogi hubby, hehehe.

I forgot the name of the host of the party, as in! Bad me. I think the party is kind of a thanksgiving party because her son has just graduated in High School. Her son was there of course and he was recognized and introduced to us but i could not just remember his name either. Shame on me.

The "oldies" in the center table i mentioned earlier has their own world, hehehe. They did not introduced their names.They were too occupied talking with each other. But when I asked them for a picture taking they were readily projected and smiled in the camera. I learned that they were all Filipino but are now "americanized". I called them "the old filipina generation". And I claimed that the rest are the "new Filipino generation". I guess, I am right.

In between our conversation, somebody confessed that at first she was hesitant to talk to me and nath because she thought we were not Filipinos. She thought that Nath was a Chinese and that I was a Mexican. We were kinda "shocked" to hear that! "Whaaaat?" And everyone confirmed that they really doubted us at first, hehehehe! Its good that we know how to speak Tagalog!

It was a nice experience for me. As sociable, extrovert, exposed and as friendly as I am, the party somehow made my boredom and homesickness diminished... diminished lang... not vanished! Haaay... truly, there is no other place like HOME!

Kababayans

Hubby and I went for a breakfast in Model T Hotel n' Casino's resto this morning. A Filipina-looking waitress approached us and before she could ask our orders, hubby has already asked her "from where are you?" and the woman said "California". That time, I was thinking she was a "kababayan"! but when I heard her answer, I was wrong then. But hubby is too nosy hehehe. Every time he see a short, brown-skinned, black haired woman he always approach and ask "Filipina ka ba?" but this time he said to her that he was thinking she was a Filipina. I was a bit surprised when she said both of her parents are Filipino but she was born in California. We are right after all. I am so happy to know that she is indeed a "kababayan", I smiled at her and ask if what province in the Philippines her parents from and she said she doesn't know, all she knew is that she is a half-Visayan and half-Ilokano. I asked her if she can speak and understand Tagalog word and she answered, "no, I can't speak and I can't understand tagalog, my parents did not teach me". I was a bit startled. Tsk,tsk,tsk,tsk! I feel so sad that the woman is a pure Filipino by blood yet she cannot speak Filipino words.

Anyways, when we are done with breakfast, she approached again and asked us if we need anything and we said "no.. nothing, SALAMAT". She smiled and said she didn't understand what is "Salamat". We said "it means thank you". She grinned. Poor poor lady. Hubby gave her a big tip (tipping is a must here) and we left.

We headed to shop at Walmart and there.. we saw another short, browned-skinned, black-haired woman in front of the cash register, Geez... Filipino lady again... "kababayan". I guess, I was too lucky today! And then, as expected, Ricardo asked her "Filipina ka ba?" And she replied, "Oo!" with a big smile on her face. She spoke Tagalog! I was too happy to know that this woman can speak and understand Tagalog, hehehe. Her name is Emy. She is from Aklan.We exchanged "nice meeting you, see you next time, bye" words, and waved each other.

At around 8:30 in the evening, we were on our way home from a Picnic at my sister-in-law's house, we dropped-by at Raley's, a supermarket store here, to buy ice cream. And there... I saw Emy with two other Filipinos! What a small world, right? There are only few Filipinos here in Winnemucca so every time i meet one from here, i will feel very happy. I knew one of the two Filipinos she is with, she is Nathalie's friend named Henny. Henny's husband is working in the same mine where Randy (Nath's hubby) works. So we exchanged "hi and hello", etc. Hahahaha! I couldn't believed it, I have met 4 Filipinos in a day, shocks! It was really a lucky day for me!

But wait, I will be meeting more Filipinos tomorrow! Because they were inviting me and Nathalie for a Filipino Party which is to be held in the City Park! There will be swimming for the kids and I guess, allot of Filipino foods too,hehehe! I am soo excited already, yippppeee! You know what, when you are in a foreign land and when you get to see or meet "kababayan", you will really get crazy!

I can't wait to meet them all tomorrow!