Update continued

I haven't felt like writing in a while. A lot of things have gone on. Things that I can't believe happened. Things that feel more like a nightmare than a part of my life.

Last update I had was that I had an appointment for May 3 at the Consulate in Ciudad Juarez. I was so excited. The moment I had been waiting for for so long was finally here. I was anxious, nervous, but confident that it would go well. I had done everything the right way, hadn't I? I had filed my paperwork as soon as I was able to, I had payed fee after fee after fee. I never crossed the border ilegally, never had job ilegally, never even ran a red light! So I knew in my heart that I was gonna get the prize! all the hard work was gonna finally pay off.

So I bought a plane ticket to the most dangerous city on earth. That would not stop me, that would not spoil the moment. John went with me, to help me out, to be there for me if I needed anything and simply to keep me company. So early on Wednesday,April 28 two good friends gave us a ride to the airport.

I don't mean to be supersticious, but this trip seemed jinxed from day one. When I went through security at the airport, I immideatly got pulled to the side. They questioned me about what i had in my backpack "Any ilegal substances?" they asked...mmmm I don't think so. I don't think I've ever had any ilegal substances on me, specially not if I'm going through customs! Well, they searched me, patted me down, question me and gave up. Ugh, I was nauseous. I thought that was a horrible experience, but of course I didn't know what was yet to come.

We arrived in El Paso. I had to be in Juarez early the next morning for my medical exam. We crossed to Juarez, I went for the exam, where the experience I can only compare to being a cow herded to the slaughter house. I finally got out of there. And we decided to go back to El Paso to wait for Monday. Big mistake.

When I got to the border, I showed my border crossing card, the agent asked what I was gonna do in El Paso, and honest me says, I'm going to spend the weekend. He says I need a special permit, a visa. So I go in and ask. The agent inside says, "you don't need a visa" just go ahead. So I go with a different agent and I say the guy inside told me a didn't need a visa. Well, another agent gets involved and they ask me what do I plan to do in El Paso, so me, being honest again, say "I'm gonna stay in a hotel till Monday, when i have to be back for an appointment at the consulate" Oh well, if anybody ever told you that honesty pays, this wasnt the case. They started questioning me, I only answered with the truth. They decided i was trying to ilegally migrate to the USA, therefore I was a law braker and a criminal. I told the guy I didn't know and could he just please let me go back to Mexico, that I would just stay there till Monday then. Yeah, not happening. He accused me of trying to bribe him. They bring me inside, where they do the "investigations" and I get handcuffed to a chair after beign mug shot and patted down"protocole" they said. Lucky for me, they didn't do a deportation (which wouldv'e automatically stop my residency process), they only did a voluntary withdrawl "it will only be a couple hours" they said at 5 pm. "We need to process you"

I was put in a cell. In my 30 years of life I had never seen the inside of a jail cell till then. I was crying. I was scared. I was mad. I was alone. I didn't know what was gonna happen. I kept crying. I was held for 12 hours aprox. When I got too cold inside the cement and steel cell I asked for a blanket, which they gave me. When I got hungry I had to bang on the window for one of the officers to come, he came and said he'd get me something, but he forgot. After a few more hours I asked again, that time I was lucky enough to get a half frozen burrito. (everyone knows that's what we mexicans eat right). I cried off an on. I was sad. I was embarrased. How could this be happening? I wanted to go home. At some poing one of the officers asked why was I crying, all I could manage to say was "I just wanna go home" to what he replied laughing, "Oh me too, and I am going home" since I guess it was the end of his shift.

At two in the morning, after being questioned like a criminal, I was set free. With my belongings in a plastic bag with my name. I kept the bag a souvenier. As something to remind me that THAT really happened. That one day I was treated like a criminal and put in jail.


to be continued.....

p.s. I don't have spell check so ignore the mistakes please :)

Update

A lot of you already know what happened. A lot of you don't know yet.

Long story short Immigration needs aproximately 12 months to finish reviewing my case, they then will give me an answer. Sad part is, I can't go back to the states at all while they are deciding. And the answe after 12 months (or longer) could still be no.

Needless to say, this was completely unexpected. I tried to do things the right way, I filed form after form, payed fee after fee and this is my reward.

Anyhow, all I can do is wait, wait, wait, the waiting game again.

I will post the long version soon.....