Waiting For My Import
Immigrating to the US is a pain in the ass for the fiancée of a starving artist.
By Nedroj Walker
It is gut wrenching that the majority of people I tell my story to are surprised that it is so hard to start a family in the US with a foreigner. It seems there is a popular belief that because there are so many poor foreigners pouring into the US, then it must be quite easy and relatively cheap to immigrate.
People are cowards. It was not brave of me to go to Japan, or to decide to marry a Japanese woman. But it is cowardly to think about it and back out again and again. There should be more people like me. Why do I feel so alone? Granted until my dear sweet import arrives I am very painfully alone, but it would be nice to have some peers to talk to.
Family is not vital for many Americans. I live alone, disconnected. When I need help, I can’t rely on my family. I have to rely on myself first, my friends second and my family a distant third. This is not uncommon, especially in Portland. So I do have near peers at least, and this helps.
I try not to think about my love. It’s distracting and masochistic. She will be here soon enough and then I can bury my head into her gentle heart. Of course I still have to think about the cost. No woman, save one, has ever cost me so much money. Is it really worth it to import love? Couldn’t I just give in, save a few bucks and go with the local fauna? I’m just handing money to the government to prove I have some. They keep it and buff up their security. Oh yes, I feel safer and content knowing that my money is being so well spent.
In the end I have trusted my heart that says she is indeed so rare I’d have no chance of finding like here or anywhere. My brain doesn’t believe this, but it is far too logical for a romantic like myself.
Advice for near peers interested in importing wives to be—shelve your hobbies and get a full time job that pays over 125% of the poverty level for two people. Keep it for at least a year and then start the process. In all, you are looking at least two and probably more like five years that you have to surrender to the Man before you can go back to your old life with your new foreign wife.