Went to Laredo....

Yesterday we went to Laredo. Miguel and his nephew went with us but, they only rode along to Nuevo Laredo and hung out at the Zoo and park until we returned.

We left at 8:30 yesterday morning and arrived to Nuevo Laredo at 11:00. A lonnngggg drive!!! I dropped the guys off at the park and went to the border.

I was expecting a long line just to get to the bridge but, no. I crossed through the toll only to hit traffic on the bridge and it was moving extremely slow this time. I think we stayed still with no moving for 15 minutes at a time. After being in line for and hour and a half, we were finally at the last stop before the booth.

I was sitting there watching to Agent question the guys in the truck and thinking that he was taking a long time, I had been sitting there for 15 minutes. I was irritated because, it is Saturday and lunchtime for God's sake!! He told the driver something that I believe was that he would be right back because he ran pover to the other booth and came back with another agent. When the got to the passenger side they opened the back door and jerked the guy out and handcuffed him. At this moment, I being nosy opened my windows to hear what was going on. One of the agents was talking to the other guys, wasting time I guess until the other agents arrived. When about 10 more agents came over, 3 positioned theirselves behind the truck pointing their rifles toward the back, I was right in front of them, a little nervous by now. They then removed the other 2 guys from the truck and handcuffed them. After that, they were talking to the original agent who said, these guys thought I was an idiot, he looked nothing like the guy on the passport! So, lesson learned, never try to croos with somebody else's passport, Border Patrol is not blind!

Well, finally about 10 minutes after they remove the truck, I get to go forward. I am uin a rented car with Quintana Roo plates coming from Monterrey so, he was suspicious. He opened the back door and asked my son his name, well, Luis, was nervous after all he had seen. He said, "Hmmmmm, Luis," like he didn't know his name! Jeni answered immediately. After he questioned me about where I was going and why my vehicle had Quintana Roo plates, he sent me to the 2nd check or whatever it is called. I sat there for an hour or so before an agent got to me. He was very nice and was asking me questions abot why I was in Mexico to which, I told him I was living there with my husband. He asked the hated question, was he deported? I told him, no, we came by ourselves. He then, started giving me advice on how to get Miguel's Visa. He said, don't get married before you apply and petition him as a fiance. I told him it was a year too late for that. He responded that then, it is really difficult to get a visa for a spouse. Afterwards he aske dthe kids their age and said I was free to go.

I do not understand how it is easier to get a fiance visa than an spouse visa, you would think spouse is more important than fiance but, not to USICS. Who knows why the have their proirities so screwed up! Unite fiances but, seperate families?

Ok, enough complaining, it doesn't do any good.

I went to Walmart and HEB, that was all I had time to do, thanks to Border Patrol but, I can't blame them for doing their job. I had planned on going to Zaxby's before going back to Mexico because, Zaxby's was a family tradition, we used to go every weekend almost! Their chicken is the best but, Laredo has yet to get a Zaxby's so, I stopped by Burger King and got Double Whoppers for Miguel and his nephew adn then, went to Mcdonald's, I had to have my Iced Coffee, they don't sell it here in Monterrey and it was my addiction in the States! I bought a large for myself and Miguel and a small for our nephew. I had to show him the joys of the US! The kids got their beloved Big Kids meal and off we go to the border.

I crossed the border just fine, USICS didn't stop me like before and I got green in Mexico! I only had 1 problem, my phone was still in roaming with AT&T / Telcel and wouldn't let me make any phone calls even thoyugh it had 120 pesos on it. So, I rode around the park looking for MIguel. Thank God that, at that moment, he was walking out of the park. He said his phone had the same thing and he couldn't make calls or answer calls.

We went to renew tourist permits and left Nuevo Laredo. We got lucky and din't get stopped at either the Aduana checkpoint, Federales roadblock, or the soldiers road block, only got caught in the traffic.

We talked about how nice the area was in Nuevo Laredo near Bridge 2 and how I enjoyed being in the states again. We talked about looking for a house at the border, me getting a job in Laredo, TX, and Miguel creating a job of selling things I bring from the States in Nuevo Laredo and sending some to Monterrey to sell at the Mercados there.

I just need some advice on how to do this. I pay 25 pesos to leave Mexico and 3 dollars to leave the States. This doesn't seem feasible to do everyday to work but, I'm not sure. You ladies that are at the border, how do you do it? Cheryl? Emily?

Also, would it be possible to register my kids in school in Texas? I have found a house that is really reasonable, 1800 pesos a month for 2 bedrooms and another one for 2500 a month for 2 bedroom with a full kitchen. Any advice on this?

Right now, we are between the Rancho or the border and I think the border has mor epossibities for an income.