Fabrice's Future

Fabrice is joining the US Army. This is because:

1. I don't want to live in France.
2. Neither does he.
3. He wants to continue to be a cop.
4. You generally need to be a citizen and to speak English to be a cop in the US.
5. If you join the US military as a permanent resident alien (which he is now, with the Green Card), your citizenship request can be processed earlier - as in after a year of active duty, and certain requirements are expedited.
6. The Army is the only branch of the service that will take someone who is 39 - they'll allow people to enlist up to age 42.
7. The military will provide him with English training.
8. After the minimum 3-year stint, he will have citizenship, will be able to speak English, and will, therefore be eligible to integrate a civilian or US Federal police force, no problem.

He got his green card on January 14. I applied for it on November 30. The darn things usually take years. His was in-hand in six weeks. Even the embassy was shocked at how fast it went! He has to emigrate within six months.

Thursday, he is going to NY for four days. They don't issue a SSN until you enter and go through the official immigration process (besdies everything I had to do to get him the Green Card in the first place!), and he can't work until he has his SSN. So he is entering the US and then coming back here. He works until February 25. Then, they owe him four months' vacation, so we'll probably leave on the 28 or 29.

I, for one, can't wait. In the words of that great philosopher, Kris Kristofferson, "...I won' be leavin' no more quicker than I can, 'cause I've enjoyed about as much of this as I can stand."

We've been married ten months now. It's been hard. Getting used to one another was difficult enough, especially given the fact that we met in person the night before the wedding, and all. But the process has been a hell of a lot more difficult than I ever would have though. And, to top it all off, among other things, I apparently suffer from major Seasonal Affective Disorder, and this winter, this long dark northern European winter is totally throwing me for a loop. It's been better lately, but there was a point when the doctor couldn't think of anything more he could do to help me other than to send me away to someplace sunny!!! I guess I am not fit for living in this particular climate.

So, having been ill the past few months, the new marriage, the SAD, my not enjoying France nearly as much as I used to, being far from my kids for so long, and Fabrice's dissatisfaction with the problems the Federal Police face in France, have made it clear that the only way to keep the marriage and its inhabitants healthy and happy and forward facing is to leave here as soon as is feasible.

His knees are good to go - no lasting damage, except a scar. He's gone through a bunch of tests here, both for the green card and to assure himself he is in good health before enlisting. No evident problems - all tests came back clear.

Can you think of any better game plan?? Seriously, if you can, I would love to hear it!!!!