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Signed , Sealed , Delivered Palladium Sports Lounge Winstar Casino Thackerville , OK
Rick Jawnsun Bricktown Brewery OKC , OK
Tony Orlando Sugar Creek Casino Hinton , OK
The Michael Updegrove Band Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewing Co . OKC , OK
February 5 , 2017
OU Jazz Department Othello ’ s Norman , OK
Chief Keef Cain ’ s Ballroom Tulsa , OK
Brandon Clark Mercury Lounge Tulsa , OK
Open Jam W / Karma Bourbon Street Bar OKC , OK
Hosty One Man Band Show The Deli Norman , OK
Joe Derosa ACM @ UCO Performance Lab OKC , OK
Ike Fonseca The Fur Shop Tulsa , OK
February 6 , 2017
Bloodline Thunder Alley Sports Bar & Grill OKC , OK
Redneck Nosferatu , Hudson Falcons Blackbird on Pearl Tulsa , OK
Steve Parnell Bourbon Street Bar OKC , OK
Open Jam W / Cara Black & Scott Wright Woody ’ s Sports Bar & Grill OKC , OK
Motown Mondays & Jam ! Diversity Sports Bar & Grill OKC , OK
Open Jam W / Eddie Edsel Mojo ’ s OKC , OK
I were dealing with the being separated . This is another thing to worry about . Obviously , when doing something as complicated as falling in love with someone from another continent , you will be tested . The entire process is one giant test to see exactly how eligible and willing you are to enter the U . S . Thankfully , we weathered the storm . My wife and I have always been very independent within our relationship , but being on the other side of the world whilst the person you love laments the loss of savings and the difficulties of finding work , is not enjoyable .
Eventually the day of reckoning came and the immigration officer believed that our relationship was legitimate . I was granted access to the U . S on a K1 Visa . A week later , I touched down in Dallas and was reunited with my love . Cue harmonious “ Aahs .”
The joy of being together again was short lived , as I immediately had to start the process of applying for permanent residency , a . k . a . a green card . For my wife and I this process was just as bad as getting the K1 visa , except this time we were together . It took weeks to get a Social Security number and months for a work permit . It took even longer for the green card , which I only received after another
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interview at the beginning of August . I landed in America on my birthday , Dec . 6 , and became an official resident nearly nine months later . While all this was happening my wife worked 70-plus hour weeks to keep us comfortable . Being unable to work , watching the person you love suffer day after strenuous day , is not an easy thing .
I recently became employed at WhyteSpyder . It ’ s a great , Fayetteville-based startup staffed by a fantastic group of people working together on some really cool things . While my life is not perfect , I remain ever grateful to the people who have helped me down the long treacherous road of immigration : my wife , our families , and our friends . I know things could be much worse , but I have been able to live comfortably thanks to my wife and a few other good people .
Coming to America is not easy . Anyone who says so is a fool who has never gone through the process themselves , or is very lucky ( rich ).
I ’ m not sure if I ’ ll ever find the American Dream , or if it even exists anymore , but I did find an American who encourages me to dream and that is more than I deserve .
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