LA->OC->TJ - Adventures south of the border

I decided to get my H-1B visa renewal done "locally" before Christmas mainly because London's US Embassy takes days to process. And since I got it completed on the same day in Tijuana (affectionately known as TJ in American circles) back in 2006 I thought I'd give it another go.

This time was different though...

* I was going to drive and park the car in Ysidro, CA on the US border to Mexico near the Americana Mall rather than go the night before ($8 a night in Camino de la Plaza...last stop before "Meh-he-co." Even has ok toilets for $0.25.)
* The application process has a new form DS-160 that replaces three other forms (after November 9th.)
* Applicants need to confirm that your approval has been logged in the system ahead of any visit - It's called PIMS (Petition Information Management Service) otherwise might delay your return to the US?!
* The US Consulate has moved since 2006?! (I didn't know until the taxi asked me which one to drive to...No biggie, as I had the address and a print out of useful info in my back pocket)
* Last, but not least...I had to wait until the next day at 3pm for the visa to be processed.

Scared? There were stories earlier this year about how the Marines are banned from R&R in Tijuana since it's too dangerous, and the threat of the H1N1 virus. But, I didn't think the US Consulate would be in a warzone, and no one told me a local policeman had been shot outside Pockets billiards hall 50 steps from my hotel in a drug related killing?! Glad to say I wandered around oblivious to the recent violence and enjoyed the hospitality of the local businesses near the US Consulate in Zona Rio.

Where to stay My first stop was athe chic, renovated Real Del Rio hotel listed in a blogger's notes which a better choice than the corporate looking Lucerno hotel nearby. What sealed the deal for me was the offer of a US$80 rate and upgraded to a double room vs. the US$118 rate for a single room. You can keep the gym access, but I'll have the free internet :)) There's a restaurant and an under patronized bar (how about no one!?)

How to kill time There were a few interesting places to eat and be merry like the popular Los Remedios Cantina. Less popular was La Inmortal karaoke bar/restaurant and I didn't check put the Pockets billiards hall (before I found out about the shooting.) For snacks you can't beat the Los Troncos tacos spot with its "Jugo de Res," a rich beef consomme and Carne Clasiqueada and Pechuguita al Mezquite tacos. There's even a Sushi Itto across the street, which has transplanted itself from San Diego. For breakfast I went to the first Starbucks in Tijuana which hard stronger coffee than the US Starbucks...and even the muffin Navideno tasted better :) Oh and the decor and cliente are just a step above US branches.

I'm not saying come to Tijuana for a weekend trip instead of Santa Barbara, but if you have to stay for any reason it's not so bad.

Someone's pointless video of Zona Rio, Tijuana


6.10 minutes is where the Starbucks is (not built at the time of this video) and at 8.30 minutes is the Benjamin Franklin statue which is a landmark for those looking for the Banamex and US Consulate.

So wrong it's right..?! Yankee madness

Sometimes the flaws in the system make my head hurt. Excuse me for this slightly verbose and serious posting.

What am I talking about? Some things in the US are stellar, but when it gets it wrong, there ain't no half-steppin'! Witness the medical mis-system (where the admin costs more than the treatment or where the same prescription costs more at Ralphs than it does at Costco?!) But my complaint stems from the disparities of the federal vs. state administration systems.

To drive is to work? Let me share a recent idiotic conversation I had at the infamous Dept. of Motor Vehicles, aka the DMV. Here in Cali your driving license expires every few years. Mine expired on my birthday. No biggie you'd think, but actually since the US recognizes the driving license as a form of identification, as well as a sign of your ability to drive a car, it's treated with extra vigilance. Why's a driving license used this way I'm not sure, but heck, what do I know...I'm just a foreigner! :)

Anyway, because of the license's multiple uses I have to prove my status in the US. What status? Well, my ability to work here legally. Hmmm...that officially expired two months earlier than my visit to the DMV! Oops, but a renewal's* been filed so it's fine! But, the USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Service) are so backed up that something that should've been renewed in 2 months took over 5 months! So I was in this illogical loop: No word on my work visa = no driving license. And to drive is to live in Cali. No car kindameans you're f*&ked!

Stevio: "What does working have to do with driving?" I asked innocently.

Stevio: "Can I get a temporary license whilst my case is pending?" I continued.

Negotiation 101 Those questions didn't compute with the DMV lady so I tried some Stevio charm.

Stevio: "Why is the system so broken?"

DMV lady did have a retort for that: "it's not broken...USCIS is federal and DMV is state..."

Stevio thinks: "Huh? Say what? So what? SHUT UP lady!"

I tried to start a new line of logic*.
Stevio: "The federal USCIS says I'm legal to work for 240 days after filing my renewal, so I'm actually legal to work and here's a print out of my receipt..."

DMV lady asked: "Where's your card?"

Stevio: "What card? I've never had a card...I've got an authorisation in my passport."
DMV lady: "You need your work status approval..."

Let's try reseting the conversation.
Stevio:"What happens if the police ask for my license and it's expired?", I pleaded, hoping I might get through to the sensible side of the brain of this public servant.

DMV lady: "Your car gets towed...," that was a lie, proving she is a dimwit, dumb ass!

Lady, SHUT UP. If you're not sorting out your inadequate, poorly-designed crap system you're part of the problem! My last word on this topic is I wonder why fools don't read the back of the driving license:

"This license is issued as a license to drive a motor vehicle; it does not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration, or public benefits." It's truly ironic that people don't stick to what the license was designed for, yet get all paranoid about the multiple uses it's been empowered with. Yankee madness report over!

My advice There's no way to beat the system head on. Just drive safely, keep your UK license handy and if you're sneaky like me and are bored of waiting for the system to fix itself, just file for a renewal in the mail and wait for 2 weeks and it'll arrive in the post. Like I said, the system is broken ;)

April 14th ~ it's tax time...again!

Now, that's what I'm talking about! This year there's a happy ending!

Previous years has had me owing the IRS up to $5,000! So this year if feels *soooo* good to get a tax rebate, even if it really means that you paid too much over the past year and let the government spend your hard-earned money instead of you putting it to use!

"How did I do it?" a friend asked. Hmmm. Home office tax break and investing the max in a Roth IRA seemed to help a lot. May be giving to charity helped too.

It's a b-boy weekend on MTV

This weekend on MTV in the US comes a chance (well four to be precise) to watch "Planet B-Boy" one of the most engaging films about a b-boy's ascent to world champion. More accurately, this is a film about five b-boy crews repping their countries (France, South Korea, Japan and the USA), but you get up-close-and-personal with key members of the crews and their motivation to succeed. It's addictive viewing and real reality, not fake shite!

Tune into MTV
January 11th, 11.00am PST
January 12th, 12.00am PST
January 14th, 1.30am PST

Last summer, director Benson Lee was interviewed for UCLA Asia Institute. It's a dope interview that gets into the thinking behind the film. When asked about why he chose to focus on the "here and now" of b-boying, Lee said:

"If you're gonna do any justice to the history, you either just skim it, or you go for broke. The history...it's like a black hole. Once you get sucked in, it's kind of hard to get out. You are constantly walking on eggshells. And you are constantly questioning the authenticity of information and you know it's a scientific approach with no scientific evidence. It's all just like "I was there," "He wasn't there," or it's just constant bickering. It's very political, there's a lot debate within the community. I'm certainly not the person to go in there and say that this is the definitive history. It's actually much safer not to do that. The last group I want to disrespect are the b-boys."

If you hadn't heard...OBAMA 364 vs. McCAIN 173

This is history folks...unbelievable! Rock the Obama mixtape here courtesy of Russell "Rush" Simmons and DJ Green Lantern.





Win or Lose These speeches show the true character and spirit of these men. Can't hate on them!

Britain and US...solidarity

Three reasons the UK and US stand together! A little bit of politics? Nah, not really, just some lighthearted observations.

Holiday I just realized that this weekend in England is a Bank Holiday...yes, the banks are closed, but so is everything else except retail looking for extra cash as consumers try to quell their boredom ;) And in the US it's Memorial Day, aka a long weekend.

Weather Another common factor...this weekend Cali (ok, may be not the whole of the US) and the UK will probably be overcast by clouds with a high chance of rain.

How's Your Father? Unlike Mother's Day, the UK and US Father's Day are on the same day next month. June 15th...Don't forget, Stevio's given you plenty of time to work it out!

H1-B visas...The flood gates open today

I woke up today this morning in Redmond, Seattle. Yes, I'm here for a meeting with my company's Microsoft account managers.

I mention this because National Public Radio (NPR) ran a story that made me very grateful. Today, companies like Microsoft file work visa applications for highly-specialized people from outside of the US. People like me!

The application is highly over-subscribed. There are only 65,000 a year (unless you have a Masters degree which opens up a special quota of an additional 20,000 visas) and in previous years the government ceased accepting applications in one day and resorted to a lottery to chose who received a visa...Scary!

Good luck to everyone who is seeking a job in the US. It's not getting easier...and did anyone mention the word...'recession' aka 'contraction of the economy'?!

Customer service...the Americans got it licked!

Can't beat this! Southern California has been ravaged by wildfires whilst I've been out of town. Malibu and San Diego were severely affected.

Then I got an email which surprised me..."Our records show you live in or near the areas affected by the California wildfires. As an xxx Customer, we would like to assist you in any way possible during this time of hardship. Please give us a call at 1-888-xxx-xxxx and an Associate will assist you. For your convenience, we're available from 8 AM - 8 PM, 7 days a week."