An Immigrant's Story (Part III)

Nolvia's first job as a surgical technician went great. She soon adjusted to life alone in a new city. She initially lived in an extended stay hotel, but was later able to find an apartment close to her job. Transportation continued to be a problem, but the city transit system and rides from coworkers allowed her to fulfill her obligations. I must again point out that all of this required a network of friends and patrons who contributed financially to help her succeed. I can't see how an immigrant without such a support base could have ever made it to that point.

She applied for an extension of her work permit. This time, we asked for no congressional help, since she had applied months ahead of the expiration date of the original permit. In hindsight, that was my mistake. The original permit expired in May, and the hospital would no longer allow her to work. She was assured that she could resume her job when the permit arrived, if the position was still available. The permit eventually arrived, but the job was long gone by then. She moved back to Auburn and began to prepare for her wedding.

Nolvia and Terry were married that summer. Terry, a full-time student, had also joined the National Guard, and he left for boot camp soon after the wedding. Nolvia filled out job applications and waited.

Since she was married to a U.S. citizen, she would be eligible to apply for a "green card" (U.S. resident status). We all thought that this would be a straight forward process that would end the uncertainty of her status as an immigrant. We were actually about to get an education in U.S. government bureaucracy and incompetence.