I have had a setback

[Capstone]

ok what's up with the 50lb thing on bags???
last time they allowed me three 65lb bags (Delta)

Take it from a seasoned Delta flyer - the 2 bag/ 50lb limit rule on economy international flights to Asia has been their rule for several years now. However there are a couple of exceptions to this rule:
 
1. Skymile Medallion (Elite) members are allowed to check 2 bags weighing 70lbs each. In my opinion, this along with upgraded seats is one of the best benefits of becoming an Elite flyer with one of the airlines (or airline alliance). I use this benefit often and it applies to everyone on your itinerary so my wife and I get to check 4 bags weighing 70lbs each on our trips.
 
2. Business/First class passengers can check 3 bags weighing 70lbs each.
 
3. Military passengers traveling on orders can also check 3 bags weighing 70lbs each.
 
Maybe you lucked out last time and got a sympathetic agent who applied one of the exceptions to you. But I wouldn't count on that happening again as the airlines are pretty much sticklers about their baggage limits these days as the added fees for exceeding the limits are a big money maker for them.

[robert angel]

actually i 1st asked if they could somehow strap me to one of the wings so that i could receive a deeply discounted fare. they declined so i was forced to buy one economy ticket 
 
 
pig

Ha ha--For some reason, I thought Pigglet always travels 'steerage' class!

[michaelb]

Pig, have you tried air freight? Or if you've got the time (and a Seaman's card) you could sign on as a deck hand and actually make a profit on the trip!

[thekfc]

Take it from a seasoned Delta flyer - the 2 bag/ 50lb limit rule on economy international flights to Asia has been their rule for several years now. However there are a couple of exceptions to this rule:
 
1. Skymile Medallion (Elite) members are allowed to check 2 bags weighing 70lbs each. In my opinion, this along with upgraded seats is one of the best benefits of becoming an Elite flyer with one of the airlines (or airline alliance). I use this benefit often and it applies to everyone on your itinerary so my wife and I get to check 4 bags weighing 70lbs each on our trips.
 
2. Business/First class passengers can check 3 bags weighing 70lbs each.
 
3. Military passengers traveling on orders can also check 3 bags weighing 70lbs each.
 
Maybe you lucked out last time and got a sympathetic agent who applied one of the exceptions to you. But I wouldn't count on that happening again as the airlines are pretty much sticklers about their baggage limits these days as the added fees for exceeding the limits are a big money maker for them.

Similar for me for Cathay/OneWorld.

I have status with Cathay Marco Polo club & also Oneworld Emerald (about to go down to oneworld Sapphire) and if I fly on Cathay I get 3 bags no matter what class I fly. On my first trip to the Philippines I forgot all about that & only took 2 bags. 

[thekfc]

Pig, have you tried air freight? Or if you've got the time (and a Seaman's card) you could sign on as a deck hand and actually make a profit on the trip!

Don't temp him - he might just do it. 

[piglett]

Pig, have you tried air freight? Or if you've got the time (and a Seaman's card) you could sign on as a deck hand and actually make a profit on the trip!

how much seaman will i have to bring with me to prove to them that i am the real article???

[piglett]

well due to the fact that this tread is still alive & kickin i guess i can turn it into my pre trip prep report
.......................................................................... ............
 
i have been hitting ebay & scooping up books for the wife so she can start to study for the NCLEX once she takes the national nursing exam in Manila on July 2nd & 3rd
 
I also started to hit the yard sales 2day
i intend to load one of my checked bags baby with & children's clothes for my wife's family. i bet they go nuts when i open up a bag & say "dig in"
 
i did a clean out down the street last month
the old guy who lived there up & died
he was about 90 so i guess his time was up
i scored some goodies including some carpentry tools
i bet my farther in-law could use a good handsaw,hammer,wrecking bar,bit-brace & drill bits
so I'll hook him up because how much of that kind of stuff do i really need??? once i have 2 or 3 of everything i think that mite just be enough
 
 
pig

[thekfc]

i intend to load one of my checked bags baby with & children's clothes for my wife's family. i bet they go nuts when i open up a bag & say "dig in" 

I did that on my first trip with some items & I almost started a fight - never again.

Now with everything I send or will send, I (we) will label who get what. I am also more selective with the items I send/will send & who get/will get what. We also divided her family into "tier". 

[piglett]

I did that on my first trip with some items & I almost started a fight - never again.

Now with everything I send or will send, I (we) will label who get what. I am also more selective with the items I send/will send & who get/will get what. We also divided her family into "tier".

except for hand tools (& fish finder)for dad the rest is all going to be clothes. After hearing about your previous experence maybe it would be best if i gave the bags of clothes to mama &
let her decide who gets what? i am sure they have their own pecking order & i don't want any hard fealings. one item that i already have is a pink Seatle cap, i bet they will almost scrap over that    they seem to love anything american. 
 

[robert angel]

Piglett,

When we go over we pretty much hand over the chocolate and trinkets over to my mother in law to let her decide what goes to whom. More pricey stuff, like Victoria's Secret, etc, my wife usually has some special people in mind, but we keep her mom in the loop. She has the most knowledge on who needs and what and who deserves the goodies most. It's easier and keeps us from looking cheap, bad etc....

I'm sure you've seen this too, but it still never ceases to amaze me that despite how precious things like American chocolates, candies and other little things are to people in their village, they pretty much give it all away. They are more inclined to keep some clothes that they need and certainly the tools I bring. It's kind of embarassing to go back, because inside their  home, they have almost sort of a non religious 'shrine' on which they have mounted assorted small wrenches, mini tools and the like. I guess I'm the patron saint of hand tools or something, lol. We think a pair of vice grips are handy and for sure they are, but over there, they find twice as many ways to use just about anything we give them.

[thekfc]

After hearing about your previous experence maybe it would be best if i gave the bags of clothes to mama & let her decide who gets what?

Good Idea!!

I'm sure you've seen this too, but it still never ceases to amaze me that despite how precious things like American chocolates, candies and other little things are to people in their village, they pretty much give it all away. They are more inclined to keep some clothes that they need and certainly the tools I bring. It's kind of embarassing to go back, because inside their  home, they have almost sort of a non religious 'shrine' on which they have mounted assorted small wrenches, mini tools and the like. I guess I'm the patron saint of hand tools or something, lol. We think a pair of vice grips are handy and for sure they are, but over there, they find twice as many ways to use just about anything we give them.

I have notice the same thing too about the chocolate.

Yep, the tools are precious. I gave 2 mini all-in-one tool last time and all I can say is that I am waiting for when they have the street fairs again to but a few more (different ones).

Another great gift to give is batteryless (shake) flash light - they do come in handy at night especially during brownouts. Also the small flashlight that you can attach to key chains are great.

[piglett]

Guys (&gals) i think i may need some input here
 
here is the deal.........
i have a night gig that used to only be about 3 or 4 shifts a week
it didn't really get in the way of the other things i do & infact payed my house payment & a couple other small bills
(electric bill & car insurance) 
However starting last winter co-workers started to quit or get fired & not all of them got replaced
so the rest of us started to get more hours which was OK with me at the time due to the fact that it was the middle of the winter & it was cold as hell outside. (i didn't mind standing next to a pizza oven 
however it is now prime time for me to go make some real money & the part time gig has turned into 5 shifts a week which is making it really hard to do other things that pay a hell of lot better. i have asked for less hours but that fell on def ears
i have requested 3 days a week off in a row so i can clear out a pile of dead horses. still not much luck in getting these people to straighten up & fly rite
they say that they are having a hard time finding help because of the high price of gas & this job involves some driving.
 
here is the thing i have been putting people off that want to pay me double or more an hour to do work for them.
 
I also bought a good used f250 this spring with cash
to pull my car trailer with (my old toyota is really tired)
the price of junk cars is about $200 to $270 a ton this year in my area i can make anywhere between $100 to $300 per car depending on how cheep i can buy it & on how much they are paying at the scrap yard that week.BUT I have very little time to haul cars because i am always tied up. 
 
the long & the short of it is this , at this point it looks like the stupid pizza gig is costing me money
However how important is continuous emplotment ?? ?? 
i have been there 2 years & i don't want to screw up Marily's visa interview.
 
so do i grin & bear it & know that i could have made 5k / 10k more this year? or do i give my notice, leave the cave & go see what i can drag home ?
 
if i just show up to Marilys interview with a pile of receipts will that wash with them or am i shooting myself in the foot???
 
 
thanks
pig
 

[Ray]

 
pig,
 
They like to see steady, full-time employment with a decent income that at least meets the minimum standards. How long you have been on the job is not so important if you have been working steadily elsewhere before changing jobs.
 
You will need a letter from your current employer, dated near the interview date, and very recent payroll statements going back about 6 months or so, along with your last tax return.
 
I would secure a permanent position BEFORE quitting what you have now, especially if you get free pizzas!
 
Ray
 
 

[piglett]

pig,
 
They like to see steady, full-time employment with a decent income that at least meets the minimum standards. How long you have been on the job is not so important if you have been working steadily elsewhere before changing jobs.
 
You will need a letter from your current employer, dated near the interview date, and very recent payroll statements going back about 6 months or so, along with your last tax return.
 
I would secure a permanent position BEFORE quitting what you have now, especially if you get free pizzas!
 
Ray

the pizza sucks IMHO  however the rest of the food is good
i have my last tax return for 2010 & i was over the poverty limit for two no problem.
if i become self employed full time i will not have any payroll statements .....will i
that is what i am worried about
 
 
 
pig

[robert angel]

Yea Piglett,

Until she gets off the plane, >>I would secure a permanent position BEFORE quitting what you have now<< sounds like a good idea. I make really good money in my part time job, but there's no guarantee of hours, so I keep my so called 'full time' job.

I have buddies who make great money on their own, with 'here or there' kind of work, but having a full time job, or at least steady work that gives you paper tax returns, means you're 'hitting for average' and actual or not, to the govt. it means that you're likely to make more money and be stable over the long run. Right now, salvage and metal in general is hot, but that'll change too.

[Ray]

the pizza sucks IMHO  however the rest of the food is good
i have my last tax return for 2010 & i was over the poverty limit for two no problem.
if i become self employed full time i will not have any payroll statements .....will i
that is what i am worried about
 

Being self-employed is much harder to show evidence of a steady income. After 2-3 years you can show a steady income with your tax returns, but in the short term you may have a lot of problems with the income/public charge factor at her interview time.
 
Being that you are getting real close to the interview, I would opt for staying with the steady employment, at least until she gets here. Then you can do whatever you want without showing evidence of income again.
 
You said over the poverty limit for two. Is that also over 125% of the poverty limit ($18,387)?
 
Have you already submitted your I-864?
 
Ray
 
 

[piglett]

Being self-employed is much harder to show evidence of a steady income. After 2-3 years you can show a steady income with your tax returns, but in the short term you may have a lot of problems with the income/public charge factor at her interview time.
 
Being that you are getting real close to the interview, I would opt for staying with the steady employment, at least until she gets here. Then you can do whatever you want without showing evidence of income again.
 
You said over the poverty limit for two. Is that also over 125% of the poverty limit ($18,387)?
 
Have you already submitted your I-864?
 
Ray
 
 

last year i had a little over 10k from the pizza shop plus a 1099 from a job i did for the local hospital which was $3500 (i tore down a building for them on a property they owned) the rest was from recites from the scrap yard. i didn't lay rite into taking every single deduction that i could have so that my adjusted gross income would be above 20k. what i have found is it's not all that hard to make your adjusted gross income fairly low if that is what you wish. however i didn't wish for that to take place this past year so i just took the standard deductions that most self employed people take.
 
no i haven't done the I-864 yet because Marily one way or another has to be in the Philippine until she gets her nursing license & then her employer requested that she give 30 days notice which she agreed to. in return they will give her a great letter of recommendation. i know some guys would say "screw them , get on the plane already" however they were nice enough to let her take 3 1/2 months off two different times so she could study for her nursing exam so i don't think it would be rite for her to not hold up her end of the agreement.
 
once i return from my July trip we will start the ball rolling again.
infact if i get my act together i can print up & have her sign whatever needs signing while i am over there.
 
 
thanks pig
 
PS: it looks like i have to suck it up & hang out with these turkeys a while longer 

[Ray]

 
piggy,
 
That $18,387 minimum income is not adjusted gross, but net income.
 
So if she fails the exam again, you're leaving her over there until she gets a license, no matter how long it takes?? If I were you, I would get hot on that paperwork ASAP and get her visa now! After she takes the exam, she can jump on a plane and wait for the results here with you.
 
In the event that she doesn't pass this time, you better have a plan B!
 
Ray
 
 
 

[thekfc]

I have to agree with Ray - get the visa now and then make any "adjustments/changes" to her/your "schedule".
 
You have already waited a year, how much longer will you wait?

[piglett]

piggy,
That $18,387 minimum income is not adjusted gross, but net income.So if she fails the exam again, you're leaving her over there until she gets a license, no matter how long it takes?? If I were you, I would get hot on that paperwork ASAP and get her visa now! After she takes the exam, she can jump on a plane and wait for the results here with you.
In the event that she doesn't pass this time, you better have a plan B! Ray

I have to agree with Ray - get the visa now and then make any "adjustments/changes" to her/your "schedule".
You have already waited a year, how much longer will you wait?

well here is the thing guys, after talking with our long time member Howard & hearing about all the pitfalls which can show up the safe money is on Marily getting her nursing license there & then getting on a plane with her visa. now granted if she doesn't pass this time the plan will have to change. having said that once she is here there is no good way for her to get her nursing license for the PI. she does have the paperwork in hand to start her credential review which is the 1st step for any foreign nurse who wants to obtain a new hampshire nursing license.
so i am trying to spread my bets so if something falls through there is still something to back it up. I know you guys say " get her here NOW" well that mite cost me 80k & she mite have to retake all of her nursing classes here so do you still feel that way ?? ??
 
oh also Ray i was screwed up when i said adjusted gross income i really meant net income that i paid taxes on
 
 
thanks guys
pig   

[thekfc]

I know you guys say " get her here NOW"

I was saying to get the Visa (NVC process) started now - not get her here now.

Piglett, Marily came so close to passing the last exam & I think that she will pass the exam this time so this was the reasoning behind my thinking:

Start NVC: June/July 2011
Case Complete: September 2011
Interview: October/November 2011
Visa: November/December 2011
Expiration of Visa:  April/May 2012

She get the exam results = September 2011
Say another two months to get nursing license = November 2011
Give her employer 30 days notice = December 2011.

If everything goes according to plan - that would give you & her until April/May 2012 to "tie up all loose ends".

If by a slim chance that she do fail again, remember that the petition expire in a year & you will have to make a decision on what to do before it expires.

You know your situation better than anybody else & what is best for the two of you. And whatever route you take, we are here, will be here & will support you but we will still bust your pork chops. 

[Ray]

　
pig,
　
Hopefully she will pass the exam this time.
　
BUT, if she doesn’t pass then you better have a plan besides sitting on your butt for possibly years before she gets the license.
　
Say she takes the exam in July and passes. She doesn’t have to stay in the Philippines waiting for the results for 2-3 months. And She doesn’t have to attend the oath taking ceremony either from what I understand. I believe she can sign the oath form and turn in a notarized copy, probably by mail, and they will mail her license. She might even have to go to the nearest Philippine Consulate here to take the oath. Have her check with the nursing board.
　
Get the damn visa, have her study her butt off, have her take the exam, and then jump on the plane. The worst that could happen is that she fails and then you two can decide what to do from there. As far as studying for the licensing exam, she can do that here if she decides to go back and take another exam next time.
　
It’s your marriage pig, but it is my opinion that you are too concerned about that RN license and wasting your time by not getting that visa processed ASAP.
　
Ray
　

[piglett]

I was saying to get the Visa (NVC process) started now - not get her here now.

Piglett, Marily came so close to passing the last exam & I think that she will pass the exam this time so this was the reasoning behind my thinking:

Start NVC: June/July 2011
Case Complete: September 2011
Interview: October/November 2011
Visa: November/December 2011
Expiration of Visa:  April/May 2012

She get the exam results = September 2011
Say another two months to get nursing license = November 2011
Give her employer 30 days notice = December 2011.

If everything goes according to plan - that would give you & her until April/May 2012 to "tie up all loose ends".

If by a slim chance that she do fail again, remember that the petition expire in a year & you will have to make a decision on what to do before it expires.

You know your situation better than anybody else & what is best for the two of you. And whatever route you take, we are here, will be here & will support you but we will still bust your pork chops. 

　
pig,
　
Hopefully she will pass the exam this time.
　
BUT, if she doesn't pass then you better have a plan besides sitting on your butt for possibly years before she gets the license.
　
Say she takes the exam in July and passes. She doesn't have to stay in the Philippines waiting for the results for 2-3 months. And She doesn't have to attend the oath taking ceremony either from what I understand. I believe she can sign the oath form and turn in a notarized copy, probably by mail, and they will mail her license. She might even have to go to the nearest Philippine Consulate here to take the oath. Have her check with the nursing board.
　
Get the damn visa, have her study her butt off, have her take the exam, and then jump on the plane. The worst that could happen is that she fails and then you two can decide what to do from there. As far as studying for the licensing exam, she can do that here if she decides to go back and take another exam next time.
　
It's your marriage pig, but it is my opinion that you are too concerned about that RN license and wasting your time by not getting that visa processed ASAP.
　
Ray
　

well guys i can look into what the NVC people require & then go from there. I haven't even looked due to the fact that i was wanting to give her some time so she could wrap up the nursing license thing there.i didn't want to put any extra pressure on her by having her have to sit on the visa. i thought that she had enough pressure on her already due to the fact that she didn't pass the test last time
if she doesn't pass this time i guess I'll roll the dice & get her on a plane. however due to the fact that she only missed it by 1% last time i would think this time would be a cake walk .....but i could be wrong.

[michaelb]

Well they're not going to give her the visa the day after you apply for it, you know, takes them quite a while to process it. Even after they give it, she has 6 months (Ray or W-3, correct me if I'm wrong) to use it....so you may as well go ahead and apply for it now.

[piglett]

remember that the petition expire in a year & you will have to make a decision on what to do before it expires.

 

are you saying that she needs to have her visa in hand exactly 1 year after we petitioned for it
 
 
pig
 
PS: 1 year ago i was saying "I DO"
just got off the phone with Marily & she is well in Manila
but it is quite hot there