Havana, Cuba

[sassylassie]

Yayyyy shuster you must be soooo excited!! and I know, packing for Cuba is a nightmare!! lol When I go with my parents we all have overstuffed suitcases and carry ons... lol My mother gets as crazy as me bringing things, dresses for all the girls, we've even brought like 5 or 6 strollers for ppl over the years! They always look at us funny bringing one and we have no baby with us... lol

Avana..that is really nice of your family. It is so hard to get good quality items for babies down there. Bless you

 

[KJG]

Yes after her all emails (once a month) when she just wanted to add proof to her file. In September she got a email saying that sending emails penalized her and it clearly decescribed 1 email one month and 2 emails 2 months. I understand everyone is different but why risk it when you could get one officer that is as strict as the above case. It is not worth it.

wow...that is almost illegal......I can't see why this would delay your case by sending additional proof which is your right....I can honestly see if you are bothering them with .....am I in process....have you done this....what stage is my file at....that I totally get...but to submit further evidence and be penalized........wow.....

 

[sassylassie]

I've done the stroller thing quite a few times.

People look at you like freaks!!!!! ;-)

Bless you too Shu!!!!!!

 

[sassylassie]

Well I have a hard time believing that about the delay....I sent two emails in the month of August.....one on August 8th and one on August 11th and we received generic reply byack on Aug 20th and on the 29th we were called for an interview....so again I think it is up to the IO dealing with your file........and there is no rhyme or reason or set pattern.....and the day we were there for the interview people were dropping off additional proof left, right and centre.....

Ughhh I would like to hope this is true KJG. My husaband and I are planning a lil family trip to Havana in the new year. As you all know I REALLY want to see Havana and we thought we could go and drop more proof off of our continuing relationship.
This brings me to another question I have been meaning to ask:
How did you guys show proof of text messages? When I submitted my app I wrote that I had no way of showing these as they are not on the phone bills. Since I have submitted my friend showed me a way to take screen shots of his "missed calls" (a way he lets me know he is thinking of me without having to spend a peso several times a day for texts) and of our actual texts. I was going to print these off as pictures and submit to them in the new year. Does anyone have a better solution?

Avana......you mentioned using BBM. How much do you pay for his data on the phone? And who do you use a carrier? I imagine the same concept would work with two old Iphones non?

Have a brilliant week ladies!

 

[Avana]

Avana..that is really nice of your family. It is so hard to get good quality items for babies down there. Bless you

Thanks It is!! I even hit up a garage sale last year in a rly nice neighborhood and packed a suitcase FULL of baby clothes and shoes for under 100$. gave some to everyone!! baby stuff is impossible! My husband has a great-niece (crazy, hes only 33!) and we bring her stuff allllll the time! shes only 2!!

Bought my mother in law a coffee (espresso machine) for her bday and apparently she's been bringing all her friends over and saying "did you see what my daughter in law got me?" hahaha soooo cute! made me so happy! It feels good to help

 

[327856]

wow...that is almost illegal......I can't see why this would delay your case by sending additional proof which is your right....I can honestly see if you are bothering them with .....am I in process....have you done this....what stage is my file at....that I totally get...but to submit further evidence and be penalized........wow.....

Ya i agree with you for sure. this girl is now in total shock and well totally sad. Her 6 months was on October 5th and she contacted her deputee (i think thats the person who can help you after the DND is passed) He sent an email to Havana and this is what they received as an answer. She sent 4 emails so 4 months that brings her to next year ouch especially since she initially sent her file late december 2011. I just wanted to share this story as I do not want it happening to any of you as I was shocked myself and glad I have sent nothing. Then again every file is different but I am not risking it. NO WAY!

 

[sassylassie]

Shuster2210.....where did you go in the Dominican.....my daughter is getting married in Punta Cana in December? I have never been there...did you like it????

KJG...before I discovered Cuba Dominican was my go to place : ) I loved it there. I have stayed at the Sierenis Tropical Suites and Cansino. It was was nice. Where is your daughter getting married?

 

[Avana]

Ughhh I would like to hope this is true KJG. My husaband and I are planning a lil family trip to Havana in the new year. As you all know I REALLY want to see Havana and we thought we could go and drop more proof off of our continuing relationship.
This brings me to another question I have been meaning to ask:
How did you guys show proof of text messages? When I submitted my app I wrote that I had no way of showing these as they are not on the phone bills. Since I have submitted my friend showed me a way to take screen shots of his "missed calls" (a way he lets me know he is thinking of me without having to spend a peso several times a day for texts) and of our actual texts. I was going to print these off as pictures and submit to them in the new year. Does anyone have a better solution?

Avana......you mentioned using BBM. How much do you pay for his data on the phone? And who do you use a carrier? I imagine the same concept would work with two old Iphones non?


Have a brilliant week ladies!

Yes we both use BBM! I dont think it works with Iphones tho, because its specifically the BBM that works there as a data package (I think Iphone uses a different method than Blackberry) It is supposed to cost 60 a month, but we send tons of pictures and voice notes and stuff and are known to go over :S lol Just with text shldnt be more than the 60! We can literally communicate alllll day looong this way! like we dont stop talking from 6am-11pm. I used to call him every day for 30 mins and it would lead to over 1000$ phone bills, so I switched to this way and it has saved some dough! I'm with Rogers and from what I understand theyre the only one that has an international roaming data package. the phone doesnt even have minutes on it, but only the data package.

 

[sassylassie]

Thanks It is!! I even hit up a garage sale last year in a rly nice neighborhood and packed a suitcase FULL of baby clothes and shoes for under 100$. gave some to everyone!! baby stuff is impossible! My husband has a great-niece (crazy, hes only 33!) and we bring her stuff allllll the time! shes only 2!!

Bought my mother in law a coffee (espresso machine) for her bday and apparently she's been bringing all her friends over and saying "did you see what my daughter in law got me?" hahaha soooo cute! made me so happy! It feels good to help

Wow you ARE the best daughter in law. But as an italian I am sure you NEED a good coffee when you are down there : )

I usually pack extra stuff for the family and extended family when I go. I feel awful because when I go next in January I am just concerned with getting everything down that my newborn and I will need for the 3-6 months of being there But good news is I will be able to leave all her clothes down there when we go. I am also going to start leaving my own clothes down there so i have less and less to pack each time.

 

[327856]

Yes we both use BBM! I dont think it works with Iphones tho, because its specifically the BBM that works there as a data package (I think Iphone uses a different method than Blackberry) It is supposed to cost 60 a month, but we send tons of pictures and voice notes and stuff and are known to go over :S lol Just with text shldnt be more than the 60! We can literally communicate alllll day looong this way! like we dont stop talking from 6am-11pm. I used to call him every day for 30 mins and it would lead to over 1000$ phone bills, so I switched to this way and it has saved some dough! I'm with Rogers and from what I understand theyre the only one that has an international roaming data package. the phone doesnt even have minutes on it, but only the data package.

Yes Avana is it not great!!!!! we use BBM too. Is is the way to go. I speak to him all day long and I get to see him and hear him too. It is amazing.

 

[Avana]

Ya i agree with you for sure. this girl is now in total shock and well totally sad. Her 6 months was on October 5th and she contacted her deputee (i think thats the person who can help you after the DND is passed) He sent an email to Havana and this is what they received as an answer. She sent 4 emails so 4 months that brings her to next year ouch especially since she initially sent her file late december 2011. I just wanted to share this story as I do not want it happening to any of you as I was shocked myself and glad I have sent nothing. Then again every file is different but I am not risking it. NO WAY!

Thats insane!!! Im glad we didnt end up making it to Havana to give in extra proof, I will refrain from contacting them until after I order GCMS notes. I am thinking of ordering them at the end of this month, in case we would have an interview in early december, because some people got notification so soon before interview they didnt have time to get them. I figure by Oct 31st they would have had my file there for 6 weeks so something should be on it by then! If by the time i get the notes theres nothing about it being received or anything at all, then Ill send them an email asking if they received my file! Im still afraid my huge pile of papers hasnt yet reached them even thought it was transferred Aug 30.

 

[Avana]

Yes Avana is it not great!!!!! we use BBM too. Is is the way to go. I speak to him all day long and I get to see him and hear him too. It is amazing.

I know!! I honestly dont know how I would manage without it! Love getting pics and sending him some! it makes us feel slightly more normal as a married couple I guess!

 

[Avana]

Woohoo just earned a new star and am now a "Hero member" lol

Oh, the little things.......

 

[327856]

I know!! I honestly dont know how I would manage without it! Love getting pics and sending him some! it makes us feel slightly more normal as a married couple I guess!

I totally agree! It is way more personal!

 

[sassylassie]

Ya i agree with you for sure. this girl is now in total shock and well totally sad. Her 6 months was on October 5th and she contacted her deputee (i think thats the person who can help you after the DND is passed) He sent an email to Havana and this is what they received as an answer. She sent 4 emails so 4 months that brings her to next year ouch especially since she initially sent her file late december 2011. I just wanted to share this story as I do not want it happening to any of you as I was shocked myself and glad I have sent nothing. Then again every file is different but I am not risking it. NO WAY!

HMMM so knowing this I am wondering if I should just keep gathering evidence and keep it very well organized for when he is called for an interview. I mean also it seems the difference between your friend and what KJG is suggesting is that she sent stuff EVERY month. So maybe sending periodically is better ?!?

Has anyone every heard of someone NOT being called for an interview and just plain being denied PR?