Curious..

[AllisonChains08]

I mentioned in another thread how me and my boyfriend communicate every night via an online voice chat program called Ventrilo. We've been using this to talk nearly every night for close to two years now. We also email each other multiple times a day, nearly every day while we're at work. These are basically the only forms of communication we have other than occasional text messages that we send when we don't have computer access. Neither one of us are letter writers and we don't talk on the phone due to the expense of it, so I have no phone records period. What I'm kind of worried about is not being able to prove that we communicate enough while we are away from each other. Ventrilo (or Vent) has no record of any type of conversation that is held on it and I have no way to prove that we even use it daily. The only footprint that it leaves is he has to pay $10 a month for it, but what does that prove? What if we aren't even using it? I'm just worried that I might not be able to show adequate proof of our communication if all I send them is copies of emails and copies of my inbox pages of my email. I don't know if they'll believe me if I explain the Vent situation to them. Am I being too paranoid?

Edit: Something I also was curious about is whether I should tell CIC that we met each other online through an online game. I know that sounds childish but it's a game we both play every day that has a large social aspect to it. I know I'm supposed to be completely honest with them but I'm afraid of coming off as childish if I explain exactly how we met. The last thing I want them do is judge me or my relationship over how we met and knowing my luck, that's what would happen. Sorry for the long thread, any help or insight would be appreciated.

 

[rorita_76]

Hey there, I don't know much about your case, but here are some idea for proof you can use:
Picture, western union receipt, airline ticket, any joint account, gift receipt, letter from friends and family who know about your relation, vaccation receipt.
Think of anything that show that you are together.

 

[Boncuk]

Allison.. there is a LOG FILE that is kept for the server.. wonder if you could somehow correlate your chat with IP's etc..
you can keep a eye on who has joined and who has gained access right to your ventrilo server by looking in the log which is available in the ventrilo server directory named "ventrilo_srv.txt" reading through this you can find IP addresses, names, and how long they have been connected to your server you can also see if they have accessed the admin rights to your server.
Maybe you could somehow track it?

Anyway I think worst case scenario you explain it and show screen captures or something to show you are using it.
Hope that helps!

 

[JamesM]

For the Horde!

 

[AllisonChains08]

For the Horde!

Rofl.. of course

 

[Boncuk]

lol just say that im sure they will understand

 

[AllisonChains08]

Hah, god, if I told them that they'd think me and my boyfriend were both crazy.

 

[mitamata]

If you wouldn't tell them you met through an online game, what else would you tell them? If it came to an interview, would you lie? Successfully?

Don't go down that path. You will just complicate things for yourself. The easiest thing is to tell the truth, saves you from worrying about being figured out. And I'm sure this will be fine. Even if they find you childish, they can't say that means your relationship isn't genuine. I don't think you have anything to worry about there.

The lack of call logs is unfortunate, but with enough other evidence (save the emails!), I think you'll be fine

 

[AllisonChains08]

Well I intended on telling them we met online, I just wasn't sure if telling them exactly how would help or harm my situation. I've started sorting through my emails, pulling out a lot that I can make entire copies of for them to see. I also have the plane tickets from both times I've visited him, and hopefully will have tickets from him visiting me if everything works out later this year. It is unfortunate that we don't have something like phone bills to show them, but honestly neither one of us would be able to afford to call each other on a nightly basis so we've never even considered that an option.

 

[JamesM]

Nope, don't leave it out. Especially if you guys have been keeping in contact with the game. Screen shots of both of you in Vent with the date and time is another idea.

 

[mitamata]

Personally (just my opinion), I think it's a good idea to give them more information on the initial meeting than the forms require. At the end of the sponsored partner questionnaire, you have room to write whatever you want, that's a good place for. I know meeing in a game might not sound very mature or necessarily romantic, but it's your story, it's how it happened. If you write it out for them, you force them to see you as a person rather than some facts on a form. It's just more personal. Who would you have more sympathy for? Couple A, who say they met online or couple B, who met while playing a game - they joined the same guild, went on missions together, got to know each other through it and eventually started talking outside the game, realising they liked each other and decided to meet in person?
Again, just my opinion. But I think extra details help bring you closer to the IO. It makes it easier for them to relate and understand your relationship.

Besides, if you just say you met online, then you leave it open to interpretation. That could mean anything. Maybe you met on a dating site. Maybe you posted an add online saying "seeking man to get me into Canada, will pay greatly!" Maybe you met in an adult chatroom where you spent your days cybering strangers. Compared to that, meeting in a game might not sound so bad, eh?


Oh, and screenshots are a good idea! Might seem childish, but hey, what couple doesn't have their childish moments? One of my favourite "pictures" of my husband and me is from a game. Well, of our characters anyway. I was a priest, he was my tank. I thought that was so adorable xD

 

[AllisonChains08]

I suppose you're right Mita, World of Warcraft seems like a rather normal way to meet someone when you think of all the other possibilities there are on the internet. Saving screenshots is also a good idea.. I'll start doing that, even though I'm sure it will look totally alien to the IO that works on my file. I guess it's better to give them something they don't fully understand than nothing at all.

 

[Boncuk]

If anything it makes your story stand out and perhaps shows them how natural your relationship formed. It's a "hobby" you both enjoy.. if anything shows more connection between the two of you Yeah like I said screen captures and getting logs for the server time etc.. I think being upfront is better than just averting the complete details.. leaves less guessing for the IO

 

[JamesM]

Just pray the Immigration officer isn't Alliance with a chip on their shoulder

 

[AllisonChains08]

hehe