yorolpal


Yup...you're everything we love in a citizen...but we still don't really trust you to pay your debts:-/

Glad you got it worked out, ol pal.  Sorry we're such Aholes.

You know, there's a thing I've realized when we went to Russia. They make it so complicated to get the papers that you really feel like visitors aren't welcome. But that's the country's administration, not its people. I've rarely met people so eager to communicate despite the language barrier and help you any way they can.


Likewise we instantly felt home in NY and we're liking Vegas more and more. There's so much to love about the US that one cannot let a few things taint their perception. Which is why we're seriously considering the green card sometime in the future.

(Not so) funny update...

First we were told that we needed a Nevada driver's license to buy a car. But you can't take the test w/ a rented car. We figured it out and we're now just waiting for the papers. Which won't be delivered before 20 days. By which time our transit will of course have expired. :s We've been lucky on that one - we could get the test scheduled w/in days. Most of our friends had to wait a month.

You also have to provide the name, phone number and address of 3 local residents/references. Fortunately for us, we have friends (w/ cars) here. We'd be stuck otherwise.

Then, we finally bought the car, but, because we didn't have a credit history, the bank now asks to see some bills for our current address - of course, we've only been here for a week, so don't have any bills, just a lease. 

So we went to try and change our current pre-paid phone plan for a regular plan, so that we'd have something billed here (pre-paid isn't associated w/ any address). After almost 3 hours waiting there, our request was declined due to... of course - lack of a credit history in the US!

I can't imagine things are for people just starting out here. But it's not just here by the way, it's the same in France, in Canada and probably almost everywhere. We have a very decent income, good contracts and good contacts, friends here and all. I can't imagine how things would be otherwise.

I'm just so grateful that we had planned so far ahead and rented this place months ago. And also that we decided to come here earlier. We have plenty of friends coming here only 2 weeks before the show starts, and they'll only have 2 weeks not only to take care of all of that business but to find a place to live. 

It's been a full-time job for us for over a week now. 

Rant mode off... At the end of the day, a fresh beer on the balcony and a dinner w/ friends, and I'm just glad that we're here. We'll figure it out. :)

Can you get a credit card at a department store?  Target? Kohls?  Sometimes those are easier to obtain (at least they USED to be) and can help establish a line of credit... I used to work for The Limited... And any of their stores (NY and Co, Express, etc...) would practically just hand them out to anyone who could breathe.  That was the 90s, though. :S

On my first real job I was told I could go full-time if I had a car.  The car dealership said I could have a car if I was working full-time...

I resolved that one by having the sales manager of the dealership call up the HR person where I was working and had them each agree.  Of course, just to be safe, I was only able to get the crappiest car on the lot (which, naturally, got traded in on a "real" car about a month later - and with a different dealer!).  *Sheesh!*

Everyone wants you to live and work here, then they make it next-to-impossible to do so if you follow the rules...

Hope everything works out for you guys out there!

If it is of consolation, when I moved to Germany, my wife was American working for Met Life but living on the economy, I had reams of paper work and waiting in line and learning German when I moved there after marrying her.Lots of cultural shock and groping to acclimate to the system, and "playing" the German game. Luckily had understanding and accepting Landlords who loved me (I am Hungarian Descent) anfd my wife and helped us.Financially got a job with an American contractor and got Military Privileges I could live/shop American.Bottom linr. you have American friends who will help you with the "system"

Thanks Jules! We may try that.  That's pretty much how those worked in Canada too - they'd practically harass you in the alleys at the grocery to take their store's credit card.

I wonder if Sweetwater or Guitar Center would accept. Buying gear to get credit history would be an awesome inconvenient I could put up w/... ;)

We do have an American bank account and credit card - but the credit is sort of "fake" - we had to put a few thousand $ in an account so we're really borrowing from ourselves each time we use it, until they judge that we are indeed good w/ credit and can manage. Which could take a year - it's only been 3 months.

musicman100


If it is of consolation, when I moved to Germany, my wife was American working for Met Life but living on the economy, I had reams of paper work and waiting in line and learning German when I moved there after marrying her.Lots of cultural shock and groping to acclimate to the system, and "playing" the German game. Luckily had understanding and accepting Landlords who loved me (I am Hungarian Descent) anfd my wife and helped us.Financially got a job with an American contractor and got Military Privileges I could live/shop American.Bottom linr. you have American friends who will help you with the "system"

That must have been quite something. At least, even if language is our second language, it's not that hard to get by here - though the legal/financial jargon can be a bit perplexing at time. But for the rest, we've lived in english long enough to be ok (my wife is still struggling at times to get used to the local accent, though. ;)


But as you mention, we're not alone. And I'm grateful for that. 

Rain


Thanks Jules! We may try that.  That's pretty much how those worked in Canada too - they'd practically harass you in the alleys at the grocery to take their store's credit card.

I wonder if Sweetwater or Guitar Center would accept. Buying gear to get credit history would be an awesome inconvenient I could put up w/... ;)

We do have an American bank account and credit card - but the credit is sort of "fake" - we had to put a few thousand $ in an account so we're really borrowing from ourselves each time we use it, until they judge that we are indeed good w/ credit and can manage. Which could take a year - it's only been 3 months.

Guitar Center/Sweetwater! A stroke of genius!  Oooh! I hope it works... Two birds, one stone! :)



Yeah, I figured you already had one of those pay-as-you-go "credit" cards... even the store cards will take some to build on.

 Sorry to hear of your troubles here Rain.
 If you're still in the market for an interface and if firewire is an option, I just picked up one of these TC Impact twin I got it mostly because of the reverb and compression in the monitoring mix that doesn't get recorded. I think the pros call it confidence reverb. I only used it a bit so far, but I can say so far it's a heck of a lot easier getting a vocal done when you’re not hearing that dry unmixed vocal from the monitor mix. It's for mac and PC.

Rain. Borrow a car from someone in the Cirque and I think you and your wife should have a talk with someone high up in Cirque management. Even I know it is a huge company and they may not know that this is happening. With a company that big, they can exert some pressure on someone at some bank, whatever bank the Cirque uses in the USA and things will change if someone is made aware and is willing to push a little. The banks have money, they just aren't lending but they will if they think they may lose good business. Sometimes things just have to work that way. You wife is a lead singer, they should listen if she talks, not just for you guys but as an advocate for both you guys and others who will run into this... and really... it is nothing to a bank, it is just something no one has pushed them to do. 
I truly think that you and your wife can start something that will change this if you handle it right. It is wrong and needs to be fixed but it wont be fixed if the people who can fix it don't know. I really believe this. Besides, the worst that can happen is you can be told, "sorry, there is nothing we can do"... as long as you guys play on sympathy and don't project any anger. If you guys just stay like lambs in need of help you won't trigger a defensive reaction in the people who can, and will, help.

You are young but and you will be surprised what you can accomplish simply by trying. I have done things that were impossible, simply by trying. I'll give you two examples. When my kids were in middle school I decided I wanted to send them to The Darlington School about 30 minutes away in Rome, GA. Darlington is a high class boarding school with local "day students" also... however it is more expensive than a lot of colleges. We lived in a two BR, one bath home. The first home we owned, well we paid the payments, laff. IIRC, the payments were 384.00 a month. It was the 90s, I had started my own business in 1989, we were just getting by financially... still we decided to try to do the impossible. You see, most people would never have tried because frankly it was absurd to think we could pay over 20k a year in tuition. We really didn't have extra money but, well I/we applied. The girls were accepted. Then we had to figure out how to get the money... cbow got a job at the school in the office. At that point we found out that the first child could go for 50 bucks a year and the second for half price, which they would deduct from her salary. So, we did the impossible just because we tried. 
Second was starting my business. Most people never try to start a business because they have no vision that it is possible for them... but I saw my dad do it, so I knew it could be done. I bought a used B&G spray gun, a plastic toolbox for my truck, a backpack sprayer, a container of chemical and I hit the streets. I made under 200 bucks the first month but I kept at it and it grew. 
I guess what I am saying is that almost anything can be changed or done just by trying. Don't believe people who say it cannot be done, not even that inner voice that says, "I can't do that"... because you can do it if you try and have confidence. YOU and your lovely wife can change something that will help a LOT of people in the future. Pay it forward... make it happen.
You will also have something inside yourself after you get it done that will never go away and make even more things possible in your future.
Make some notes about what is happening, the important points about how the Cirque people are hitting roadblocks and maybe a few suggestions about how you think it can be fixed. You never know, the person who has the power to make it happen may not take the time nor have an idea of what to do unless you subtly point them in the right direction so that they have just enough direction to think that they thought of it. Getting a god result will also be good for the Cirque management who gets it done. Helping others always helps the one who is helping.

Make it happen Mr. and Mrs. Rain... you can DO THIS. Don't even entertain negative thoughts about it. Assume that it needs to be fixed and assume that if you work on it, it WILL be fixed. Again, you have the opportunity to not only help yourselves  but to help a lot of others who will never even know about the trouble they could have had. Don't forget about rich and famous Cirque fans if management doesn't work out. Simply a word from some people will change everything for everyone. The bank should be treating you better but the right people just haven't been involved.

I hope this doesn't sound weird, I know I am weird sometimes but I REALLY believe in this sort of thing. 

"Ask and you shall receive"... "you have not because you ask not"... Jesus

HTH,

Julien