Recently we moved to NYC, USA. I live here for 2 weeks already, I survived that!
Long story short, we had so much adventure this year. When on New Year's Eve we were reading horoscopes for the upcoming year I couldn't even imagine that everything predicted will become true. Despite the fact we already have our plans for this year.
The first change happened quite soon. Russia is famous for long New Year holidays. Most IT people cannot afford to have this much rest as we have foreign customers who cannot wait. So on January 4th I went to work. And received the news - I don't work there anymore!
When last fall we have known we have chance to move in a year, I came to my bosses and informed them that I will need to go to USA for a month next spring and move there next fall. That company has office in Washington, so I thought it is a good idea to work for this office remotely, get working visa, etc. Of course, they were not willing to make me job offer. And later they said they wouldn't let me go to NYC for a month. And I said I quit in March. They asked if I can work for them until March, 1st. I agreed and they fired me in a week. That was so unexpected and so mean, they actually could have said me that I am fired before holidays, so I can spend them with my family. They did that in that way instead, so I got up really early on January 4th, and got fired that morning so quickly I didn't even imagine it is possible.
They only thing I regret is that I didn't ask them why. I was so happy that moment so I just tried not to smile and look polite. So silly.
Anyway, I got my time to make wedding preparations!
On the 1st of March, we got married. And that was magical! We removed all annoying russian wedding traditions and celebrated this very important moment with the closest people ever. Our best friend organised our wedding ceremony. I cried, Vlad cried, it felt like everyone was crying there, I still can remember that excitement.
My father took me to the altar, and he gave my hand to Vlad. This was the most keen moment in the whole day, coz I didn't expected that! SO beautiful.
Three days later we first visited NYC. But just for 1 night - we had our flight to Dominican Republic to celebrate our wedding once again on the very beautiful ocean shore. No words, just see those pics:
After that we spent amazing month in NYC. It's so strange when you first come to this huge city and in couple of weeks you just feel like you always lived here. It is even more strange when you come here half year later and feel like you never left the place.
Anyway, that time we got back to Russia. Several month were spent in permanent waiting for Vlad's working petition approval.
I had to change my lastname (because I was willing to) and all the documents, moreover, I set a goal to get driver licence. I was so nervous the approval comes when I still don't have my documents ready... But they delayed it until September!
Working visas are opened on October 1st, so starting from this date we were going to be in situation "we should have been there yesterday" so we were so nervous we still don't have visas, don't know what to do with our apartment, don't actually feel like leaving home in a month, 3 weeks, 2 weeks.
They finally approved our petition and we planned consular appointment and visiting our friends like in one evening, a day later we were already on our way to Moscow.
We got our visas approved and visited our closest people in Saint Petersburg.
So we finally had a single week to complete all our business in Russia and leave. That was crazy, but, again, we survived!
And we finally are here. I remember that evening we got from the airport. Our apartment in on Newport, Jersey City, NJ. So we took Path, and here we are, riding escalator, on our way out subway station... And I hear this wind blowing, crickets in the park, and it is all dark already and those skyscrapers light... I just love it so much, magic.
So we had to find our new home here.
And we almost had found one, but in the very last moment the landlord rejected our offer. All those nerves again because of all our money are on Russian card, and no SSN due to government shutdown, and we already have no place to live, staying at our friends'...
We found nice apartment in the community building, it has Hudson water on three sides! And even after we signed all the documents and made sure they have no problems with lack of credit history, SSN, money on american bank account, etc.. I still was worried about talking we have found our home.
It has been 2 days since we moved in. I have huge 1br apartment with waterfront and amazing lower Manhattan view, with the biggest bathroom and closets I ever seen! Completely empty like a clear sheet of paper and me going to create my masterpiece.
I have so many things to order to my new home, but problems again! All my money on my russian card, and they constantly block it after every more or less big purchase! This is not even funny, I always cannot be sure if I can pay for my food)) Crazy russian bank.
All the rest is still fine. My working table is on its way to me, so in some days I will be able to unpack my beads/gems bag.
