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Learn to make appointments for everything Coming to America I quickly learned that I had to make an appointment for almost everything. This was a difficult adjustment for me as I was used to the Naija style of getting services by just walking in but it doesn't work that way here. You want to see the doctor? Make an appointment. You want a haircut? Make an appointment. You want to change the oil in your car? Make an appointment, and it just goes on and on. There are exceptions and sometimes you can get service without making an appointment but the problem is that you may have to wait a very long time for them to attend to people that booked appointments, so the moral of the story is - make an appointment. This Saturday I wanted to change the oil in my car and I forgot to make an appointment. I called like 6 different car shops and all the car shops told me they were fully booked and they couldn't attend to me. You would think that I should have known better having lived in America for a while but sometimes the Naija boy in me is just too strong. |
MackyNaija:@MackyNaija Thanks for pointing that out, I almost forgot that there were special cases were you could get a license without an SSN. Do you have any tips you want to share? |
Get a credit card America runs on a credit system and your credit worthiness is determined by your credit score. Except you are Dangote's som and you plan to pay for a house in cash, if you ever want to buy a house, you need a good credit score. If you want to buy that nice car you have been dreaming about, chances are that you will buy it using a car loan and no bank will even look at you if you do not have a credit history. Heck you can't even rent a car if you don't have a credit card so having a credit card is a MUST. In order to have a credit score, you need to have some kind of credit card or loan. Like I said earlier no bank will give you a loan without a credit score so you need to have a credit card. As a first timer without a credit history, you need to apply for what is called a secured credit card. This is a credit card that is secured by cash and once you get this card or any credit card, you wll then have a credit score. A word of warning for the wise, a credit card is NOT free money, as you have to pay it back. Another great advantage of credit cards is that some cards offer free cash, gift cards, airline miles and even free airline tickets. My friend got a free ticket to Alaska because she signed up for an Alaska Airline credit card. If you know what you are doing, you can apply for numerous cards and collect free multiple airline tickets to countries around the world. This practice is called credit card churning but as a beginner DO NOT even think about doing this. You will wreck your credit card score and be saddled with debt. The only people that do this are experts that understand the system The awesome thing about the USA is that loans have a very low interest rate. I remember when I was in Nigeria and I wanted to buy land to build a house so I went to First Bank Mortgage to see if I could take a loan. They told me that the interest rate for the loan was 26% and I would still pay about 3% or so in loan fees. Lest I forget I also had to repay the loan within 5 years. When I moved to the US and decided I wanted to buy a house, I got a mortgage loan for 3%. In my opinion credit is definitely a good thing when used WISELY. |
Open a bank account with a credit union Forget opening a bank account with a regular bank like Bank of America, Citi Bank, US Bank, Wells Fargo etc. A regular bank will kill you with bank charges. You didn't put money in your account within 60 days, you are charged. You are withdrawing money from another bank's ATM, you are charged. You let your account go into debit, you are charged. You recieve a wire transfer, same old story you are charged. Heck if you don't have any money in your account you are still charged. If you don't want to see your dollars dwindle in the name of charges, you need to open a bank account with a credit union. Credit Unions are not for profit so they don't charge their members for basic bank services. Services like ATM withdrawals, incoming money transfers etc are free. When I discovered this, I closed my all my accounts with the major banks and opened an aaccount with a credit union. |
Get an SSN and Drivers license Without a Social Security Number (SSN) you can't do anything in the United States. You can't work or get a drivers license. This is why being an illegal in the US is so difficult. No reputable company will hire you without your SSN and documentation that proves that you can legally work in the USA. If you are thinking about overstaying your visa or entering the US illegally, take my advice and DON'T do it. You cannot work and the only people you can work for will DEFINITELY take advantage of you and pay you peanuts. It is NOT worth it. If you can't legally emigrate to the US, there are other options that are easier like Canada. A Social Security Number is so important that babies are given one when they are born. In addition your SSN is confidential and should be known to you and you alone. There are times you will need to give your SSN like when you are getting a job, applying for government identification, going to the hospital etc. Just be aware that identity thieves can steal your identity with your SSN and other personal identifiable information so guard your SSN jealously |
Get a Green Card This is definitely the most important step. It opens up doors that will for ever be closed without this little card. If you are on an F1 visa, you should start thinking about how you want to get your green card. Do you plan to get it through marriage or work? This topic alone should probably have its own thread. Because this topic is so large, I will leave it for last |
I remember when I was a regular on the USA Visa Enquiries thread 5 years ago. Back then I was working on the island in Lagos, single and living in a self contained room on the mainland. I made just enough to pay me rent, fix my car and basically keep body and soul together. Fast forward five years to the present. I am now married with a child on the way, I bought a 4 bedroom duplex last year and I work in a job that pays me six figures in USD not Naira. God has been faithful and the American dream is truly alive. If you have been fortunate enough to emigrate to the US, know that the sky is your limit and the American dream is indeed in your grasp. That said let me start with what this thread is NOT about. This thread does NOT tell you how to get a visa so please refer visa related questions to other threads. This thread gives tips to legal immigrants and students on how to succeed in the USA. I plan to elaborate on all the tips listed below in posts in this thread. These tips are things I wish I knew when I was a "JJC" (novice) and first landed in the States. Hopefully other folks will add their own tips as well for living in the States. Let's get the ball rolling and remember feel free to add your own tips! Get a Green Card Get an SSN and Drivers license Open a bank account with a credit union Get a credit card Learn to make appointments for everything Shop at discount stores, warehouse clubs and outlet stores Craigslist and Ebay are your friends There is free stuff everywhere, you just have to look Load up on coupons Look out for sales Learn to be handy Cook your own food Nigerian foods are cheaper at Asian stores Travel and enjoy yourself Go for festivals and events Have an open mind Get a car or a bus pass No job is menial, don't be afraid to hustle! Buy a house Make friends with Americans not just Nigerians Don't buy a phone line from At&t, Verizon or Sprint |
DSDLIVEREPORT:We should not crucify the man? Did you actually read what you just posted? When I see comments like yours I am tempted to use very strong words but there is no use. Are you aware that he hit her with a knife? What kind of man does that? What he did is attempted murder plain and simple. Then the man even has the effrontery to call himself her Lord! He is probably wondering why the woman is making noise over one small beating when she is his slave. Ladies marriage is NOT do or die! If your life is in danger LEAVE THE MARRIAGE! No man is worth dying for |
Heykayxx:Sure thing Heykayxx, send me a PM |
@blowjobs I just checked my status at https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/mycasestatus.do and confirmed that my green card has been sent. Don't worry about your interview, you will surely get your green card. Just make sure you bring ALL the documents that were requested for in the i797c interview notice you received. |
Adesquare1992:I don't get it, are you paying BJ? Why do you say you are yet to attend to this like BJ is a civil servant or you paid him to respond to your inquiry? Please remember that what blowjobs is doing is completely voluntary and he does not owe anybody anything. Next time please ask nicely. |
BlowJobs:Interview scheduled after less than 2 months? That is insanely fast! Is it the Green Card interview or Biometrics interview? I think the Notice of interview document you got was for Biometrics not for the green card interview because USCIS does not work that fast. They have to get your biometrics, do background checks, process your application and this usually takes a minimum of 4 months. Bro check the document you received again, I am pretty certain it is for a Biometrics interview not a Green Card interview |
IForgotMyLoginD:Did you ACTUALLY say that this "bridge" is a step in the right direction?? People like you are the reason Nigeria is a banana republic and will probably always remain so. First of all that thing he constructed is NOT a bridge! I repeat it is NOT a bridge. You said something right which is " It’s Dino’s job to make sure his constituency is taken care of." The next question you need to ask is how much was Dino given for his constituency? How much is the "bridge"? Rotimi waas right when he said that politicians steal because we do not stone them. |
Bishopp007:Lol! That is because I am invisible! |
More pictures from my visit 1. Millennium Park I think 2. Millennium Park 3. Musicians performing on sidewalk
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Pictures of my visit to Chicago 1. Cloud Gate - A very famous man made sculpture also pretty cool 2. Crown fountain - Very cool concept, water cascading over massive video sculptures 3. Sculpture in Crown fountain 4. Somewhere in downtown Chicago
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I absolutely love Chicago!! I went visiting about 2 years ago and I fell in love with the city. Taxi drivers almost remind me of Lagos drivers and driving in Chicago can be a little stressful dues to traffic and some people's driving styles. I stayed in a cheap hotel which I regretted as the room was sub par and there were shady characters loitering in the hotel premises. The good thing was that I was enjoying the sights and sounds of Chicago so much, that the only time I was in the hotel was when I wanted to sleep. Downtown Chicago is so cool and has a great mix of modern and traditional architecture. I particularly liked the overhead trains as it reminded me of New York. Parking was a beast however and tends to be quite expensive. The great thing about Chicago is that there is SO much to see and do. I barely scratched the surface during my visit and I plan to visit again. If you are in Chicago for a visit I will definitely recommend you spring for the Go City Pass as it gives you access to over 26 tourist destinations. Some of the places I visited during my visit included Navy Pier Millennium Park Crown fountain Jon Hancock Building Sky Deck Art Institute of Chicago Adler Planetarium In my opinion if you have not been to the Millennium Park, Crown fountain and downtown Chicago, you have not visited Chicago. These destinations are a MUST for anybody visiting Chicago. |
BlowJobs:Its a good thing that you are taking it seriously but to be honest you have nothing to be nervous about. You are married for real and you and wifey live together so you are good to go. I will post tips for the Green Card interview in a latter post. Have you gotten your EAD card yet? |
Green Card Interview Experience My application for a Green Card was based on marriage and I received the i797c notice notifying me of the interview 3 weeks in advance. Obviously I was not going to wing, this so I ensured that I gathered all the necessary documents and put in a file before the interview. We got to the address where the interview was to be held 10 minutes early but as a Naija boy I was looking for cheap parking. My wife was freaking out at this point and told me to park in a garage that charged $15 but I convinced her to give me 5 minutes and I eventually found a parking spot where we paid $2. We took an elevator to the floor that housed the USCIS office and we presented our interview notice to the security guards before they let us enter the waiting area. Security was very tight and reminded me of an airport. Our bags were scanned in an xray machine and we went through a metal detector. After registering at the front desk we got a number and we were told to wait for our number to be called. We waited for about 15 minutes before our number was called and a lady came to meet us requesting for our documents. I gave her the folder with all our documents but she said she only wanted documents that we did not send along with our original application. After collecting the documents, she ushered us into her office and told us to raise our right hands and swear to tell the truth. She then introduced herself and I cracked a joke to lighten the mood. We sat down and she proceeded to ask my wife the following questions What is your name? When were you born? Where were you born? When did you get married? When was your spouse born? Were was your spouse born? After my wife answered the questions, she asked me the same questions she asked my wife and some additional questions Where did you get married? When did you come into the country? When was the last time you left the USA? I could not remember the exact date but she seemed okay with it and told me to estimate the year. When she asked me where my wife was born, for the life of me I could not remember the exact city. I laughed and told her I could not remember the city but I told her the county she was born in. How many people are living with you? My wife is pregnant so I joked and told we are 2+1 living in the house. You have to remember that the interviewer is a human being and if you can, try to establish some rapport with the interviewing officer. It will make the interview a lot easier. After the intial question and answer session, she asked if we had proof of marriage. I gave her 40 pictures in a clear envelope and informed her that the pictures were arranged in chronological order. The pictures were from when we first started dating, our wedding, our honeymoon in Hawaii and some post marriage pictures. She looked at the pictures and nodded her head as she flipped through the pictures. She then informed us that she will keep 10 pictures for my file. Prior to this time I scanned the internet looking for ways to present the pictures - should it be in album etc? Tip - Don't even bother with the album, just put the pictures in an envelope and you will be fine. I also presented copies of insurance documents in our names, a printout of texts we sent when we were dating and utility bills as evidence of our marriage. AT this junction she asked us to tell her how we met and she added that the question was for the both of us. My wife gave some background detail on how we met and I filled in the rest. I noticed that she was scribbling furiously as we talked and she filled at least a page with notes. I should add that this question is probably the Immigration equivalent of asking "Tell me why I should hire you". Finally she proceeded to ask me questions from the i485 form I filled when I applied. Questions like are you a terrorist, war criminal, rapist, murderer etc. As I answered she referred to a form in front of her and checked some boxes. One thing I did notice during the interview, was that she compared our responses with different forms. Basically they are looking for inconsistencies in your response and in what you filled out in your application. It is okay if you and your wife don't fully agree on an answer because the interviewing officers know that husbands and wives don't always agree on everything. However you don't want to disagree on important questions like where were you married. That is a clear sign of an "arrangee" wedding. When she finished asking her questions, she informed me that my i693 (Medical Examination and Vaccination record) was expired as it was more than a year old. Due to this, she could not immediately approve my green card but as soon as I submit a new i693, my Green Card application will be approved. So another tip for folks going for a green card interview is to check the expiry date of their i693. If it is expired, get a new one(sealed) and take it with you to the interview as this can delay your green card. In conclusion, as long as you are genuinely married and living together, the chances of you failing the interview is very slim. I will write another post on tips for the interview but I need to go and do what I am paid to do which is work |
lionlee216:@lionlee looks like we are both saying the same thing. Attestation of birth or Certificate of declaration of age is a big No No. They want to see your actual birth certificate. You can always contact the hospital you were born in and they will issue you another birth certificate. By the way what is NPC? |
BlowJobs:@blowjobs Sorry been very busy, I used my Naija birth certificate. There is absolutely NO problem with using your Naija birth certificate, I am not sure where Lionell got his information from. The only problem is if you are using age declaration or something similar. If you lost your original birth certificate you can get another one from the hospital where you were born. I just did my green card interview this week and I will give a rundown of how it went later today. |
This song is truly pathetic! Peter's singing voice is terrible and the weird auto tune just made it worse. The song was completely disjointed and it almost had no chorus or bridge. The lyrics? Please let us not go there as it was absolute rubbish. The song has no structure and it is truly shameful that Peter is putting out such garbage. Does this dude have a manager at all? I grew up listening to P-Square and it is sad to see a member of this amazing group putting out such a subpar and substandard song. |
Dremca:Marriage |
@blowjobs Congrats on you application I just received my letter from USCIS requesting me to appear for the green card interview(I have uploaded the letter). It took a year between the time I applied and the time I received my interview letter. However the actual time varies depending on the state you live in. My brother applied for a Green card and it took him about 10 months. I always tell folks that you do NOT need a lawyer to apply for a green card. Just read the instructions carefully and ensure you send ALL the documents requested for. In fact add jara to the documents to strengthen your case. The great thing about America is the fact that the system works and you don't need to know or grease some official to get things done My interview is next month and once it is done I will upload the transcript of the interview.
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BlowJobs:Oh my goodness!!! I thought I was the only one the bolded happens to! My wife always wants me touch her, kiss her when I am going out, tell her she is beautiful etc. I told her that I wasn't raised that way but since it makes her happy, I try to oblige but sometimes my old habits kick in and I forget. I don't have much experience with African American women but from my experience a lot of oyibo women tend to be touchy touchy and very emotional. But make I no lie the thing dey sweet me sha |
ensamy:You OBVIOUSLY didn't go to school or else you would not be posting such inanity. You are a product of a failed educational system else how can you say that rape cannot happen in a crowded place? |
The comments I am reading on Nairaland just goes to show how barbaric Nigerians are. A woman was beaten by the very same people that are meant to protect us and we somehow find a way to blame the victim. Whatever happened to the rule of law? Nigeria is truly a jungle |
BlowJobs:I applied for Adjustment of Status last year December and I am still yet to do my interview. The length of time it takes depends on where in the US you live. My friend lives in Texas and he got his green card in 14 months from the date he applied to when he received it in the mail. On average the minimum length of time it takes is 1 year but it can take up to 2 years. I found the link below to be very useful as it tells you how long the service office handling your AOS case will take to get to your application. https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do It will take at least 3 months for you to receive your one year work authorization from the date you apply so you need to plan accordingly. |
I really like the writer of this post. He is a hustler and he has the Naija never say die spirit. I am currently in the process of getting my green card by adjustment through marriage and I wanted to contribute to this post. Here are a few tips I learned 1. Apply for the one year work visa when you apply for adjustment of status. I made the mistake of not applying for the one year work visa when I applied for my green card and my student work authorization expired leaving me stranded. I could not work for almost 4 weeks because I did not have valid work authorization. Thankfully the company I work for was very understanding 2. If you are applying based on marriage, ensure you put as much evidence as you can that you are married. Things like joint bank account, joint credit card, rental lease agreement, marriage certificate etc. The more the merrier 3. READ the instructions!! READ the instructions!!! READ the instructions!!! As Nigerians we tend to be lazy when it comes to reading but you CANNOT afford to be lazy when it comes to applying for a green card! I probably read the instructions at least 3 times. You will be amazed at how many applications are rejected because the applicants did not thoroughly read the instructions. 4. Create a checklist of all the official forms you need to send and supporting documents. Often times it is easy to forget to add a crucial piece of supporting documentation. If you create this checklist it will make your life a whole lot easier as you can confirm that you have all the relevant documentation before you send the application out. @poster Have you and Lady K gotten married? |
Sorry to say this but your family are ingrates who are enemies of progress. You should be thankful to God that they have revealed their true colors. Right now your only priority should be you and not your family. 10 years is a long time to help your family, let them learn to fend for themselves. You are not doing them any favors by giving them money or are you Santa Claus? If you are then please send me your number so I can get my own share. Jokes apart you need to focus on yourself right now. If your family refuses to come for your wedding then that is their problem not yours. |
This song is pure garbage! The lyrics are dumb and makes absolutely no sense. D'Banj is trying to copy American rap music and it is truly pathetic. When Jay-Z, Biggie et al rap about pushing drugs they are actually telling their story. For goodness sake how can DBanj sing about pushing cocaine when he doesn't even know what it is? Even Wande Coal is also singing about gang warfare. Has Wande Coal ever seen a real gun before? This is truly ridiculous and DBanj has no business singing about pushing cocaine or gang warfare. Please leave that to American gangster rap. |
Danmaiduguri:Who is he to object? He is a human being with common sense and not a paedophile. It is funny how people are quick to use religion to support depravity and paedophilia. Why is it that it is only muslims in backward countries like Nigeria(North to be specific) that still engage in paedophilia? For goodness sake separate culture from religion once and for all! Do you ever hear of Southern muslims engaging in paedophilia? Paedophilia is no different from the killing of twins that used to happen in the South South. It is a barbaric practice and needs to be stamped out |