It’s been a while since I last blogged! With all this quarantine time, I’ve decided to get back into journaling and blogging. Hopefully, this will keep us both entertained. You might feel like you’ve missed a lot of updates, but I’ll try to fill in the gaps as we go. In the meantime, stay safe and remember to wash your hands.
Day 45 of quarantine has arrived, and it feels like it’s been an eternity. We’re in sunny San Diego, living on the beach with my spouse and our two Great Danes, but despite all that, it still feels tough.
Today was particularly frustrating. We took the dogs for a walk on the beach, and they tried to run off after another dog. They pulled so hard that I had to let go of their leashes, which scared the other dog’s owners. I apologized, but they walked away shouting.
When we got back, all my frustration hit me at once. We have to leash the dogs now because of the new rules, and we walk the same route every day. We’re stuck in a 300-square-foot space, unable to go anywhere because my visa expired. I can’t leave the country until I get my green card’s travel authorization.
I hate being restricted, especially after traveling freely since 2003. After getting married, I applied for a green card to stay beyond my six-month tourist visa. USCIS closed just two days before my interview. By now, I should have had my travel authorization and work permit, which would have also given me a social security number to build credit.
I thought about getting a job in the U.S. to access credit and eventually invest in real estate. But now, I’m just a tax resident, conveniently found by the IRS for taxation, yet unable to obtain a green card from immigration.
Recently, I logged into USCIS to find out that a letter sent to our P.O. box couldn’t be delivered three weeks ago. Missing this correspondence stresses me out, as it might affect my application. We can’t receive letters at the RV park, and the base post office personnel tested positive for COVID, causing it to shut down.
I signed up for email notifications for any correspondence, but I must have missed it due to the slow internet in the RV. One of the reasons I sought financial independence was to avoid dependency on institutions and people who impose restrictions.
The silver lining is that I can afford not to work, unlike others who desperately need their work permits. Once they receive them, they probably won’t have the luxury of holidays to visit their families for a long time.
Before COVID, green card applications based on marriage took about a year to process. If I’ve lost 3-4 months due to the closures, I might not be able to go to France until next summer. This would mean almost three years without seeing family and friends since I didn’t visit last summer.
My last trip was at the end of 2018. In 2019, I decided to stay in Guatemala and Colorado instead of going to Paris. I avoided winter traveling due to miserable weather, and now France might not reopen its borders for months.
Technically, I could go since your own country can’t deny you entry, but that requires the travel authorization first, and I risk being denied re-entry to the U.S. So, it’s not worth the risk.
It’s like the tale of Bluebeard where the princess is given all the keys to the castle except one, and she only wants to open that one door.
I just want to get away from my husband’s work drama, our neighbor’s issues, and adult responsibilities in general. I’m looking into visiting nearby national parks for a little escape soon. It’s better than nothing.