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Back to Seattle. It was now
July, 2007. This time it was even better. I'm known there now
and when going through passport control, I expected to have to
turn right and onto immigration. But the passport officer,
seeing that I was a fully law-abiding and compliant tourist,
said that I could just go though and onto my destination. What
a nice surprise and a good start to the next 90-day stay
To be honest, I had little idea
of how to resolve the problem with my marriage. 'Ling-Ling'
could not just go back to England with me, she needed a
marriage visa which she needed from her own country. That was
no less than £500 ($1,000) and not available to us. It wasn't
just the visa either, it was all the air fares that had to be
added up.
My only chance was to try and
find an employer in the US who would consider applying for a
work visa for me. Even though this may have meant I would have
to return to the UK to accomplish this, it would have been
enough to stabilise our future together.
It was impossible to find
anyone. I had not enough of the desired skills to attract a
needful employer, and not enough individuality to persuade
either an employer or the US Government that I was worthy of
such a visa. 'Ling-Ling' and I were struggling.
Our only chance was that we find
a place to live together in her new working location, and that
I spend several 90-day stays in the US with her until we can
work out some solution. Whatever the outcome, I thought we had
little time to resolve something.
Our other main problem was
actually finding a place to live together during my stays in
the US. I was not familiar with the housing system in the US
and we struggled to find anywhere to live. In fact i spent an
awful amount of time over those 90 days just searching for a
place to live.
I was also back with CarolLee in
Eugene. I think 'Ling-Ling' and I only saw each other on
alternate weekends. This was distressing for both of us. But
at least we on the same continent and in the same State.
Flying to and from the US every other week was not an option -
financially or otherwise.
It's difficult to recall
anything significant about these 90 days. There was just too
little contact, no success. Nothing was working for us.
The 90 days was almost up. I
discussed with 'Ling-Ling' about living in Indonesia. I said we
should give it a try. At least if it did not work we could try
for a visa to get 'Ling-Ling' back to the UK with me.
This was virtually a
last-minute, and desperate action. I cancelled my return
flight to the UK and was on the verge of booking a new flight
to Indonesia to meet my wife's family. But fate took a very
decisive turn for the worse.
Within hours of booking a late
economy deal ticket, I was called by my sister in the UK. She
told me our 59-year-old brother had died. I was needed back in
the UK. Fate was telling me that I could not go to Indonesia.
Fortunately, my mother paid for my round-trip ticket to the
UK.
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