Story of our life - Part VI

Story of our Life - Part I, II, III, IV and V

December 2009 - After the wedding, honeymoon and some extra few days, it was time to say goodbye to family and everything we knew to fly to the USA and start our new life together.

I don't think I have pictures of the day we left, but I clearly remember crying the WHOLE flight. I even remember a nice passenger asking me if I was okay. 

I also kept crying for the following week after arriving in Utah. Leaving my family was the hardest thing I had ever done so far.

When we got here in Utah, we lived with Ale's brother's family in Saratoga Springs for a while until we found our own place in downtown Salt Lake close to LDSBC where Ale would be attending. 

Our first apartment was one-bedroom dormitory in Salt Lake City. We started our new life with an used car (that we had to sell short after), one mattress, a TV that didn't really work, and a two-seat table Ale's brother lent to us for a few weeks.

That time we only had the money our wedding guests gave us as gifts. Ale needed a job ASAP. So after pleading with God for a while, he got a position at Wells Fargo Bank in Kearns.

Our first year together was difficult as we had to adapt to our new marriage life in a foreign country. We encountered our first big challenge when our car broke and we (by "we" I mean "I") decided to buy Ale's brother old car. On the very next day Ale woke up in the morning to find the car wasn't working. 

Without getting into details, because of that we lost $500 we paid for the car, Ale's semester at school, and eventually his job at the bank. 

It was an ugly time with lots of stress and disappointment. In the midst of this hurricane I found out I was pregnant with our first child. Ale lost his job when I was about to have the baby. It was the hardest time for all of us, and specially for a pregnant woman.

Long story short:

Ale loses his job.

My mom flies to Utah. 

Because Giovanna is induced on the 29th of October I am able to have her under our health insurance which was good until the end of October, 2010.

While my mom stays with me and baby Giovanna, Ale flies to California.

Ale gets a job at church.

I just want to say the whole process of being an international student while raising a family and keeping a legal status in the U.S is very complicated. That was our first trial in this magnificent land. After that came many others.

Story to be continued...