Wednesday, February 13, 2013

US Immigrant Fee Took Effect on February 1, 2012



Effective February 1, 2013, the USCIS implemented that all immigrant candidates who will be receiving 'Immigrant Visa Package' from a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad will be required to pay the new Immigrant Fee of $165.00 USD.

In addition, applicants will also pay applicable Department of State (DOS) application fee.

USCIS noted that the new fees will be necessary to cover the costs of producing and delivering US Resident Cards.

Exemption from paying the fee:
Children who enter the United States under the Orphan or Hague adoption programs, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning residents (SB-1s), and those issued K visas  are the only immigrant visa cases exempt from paying the new fee. 

Payments of the required fees must be made through the USCIS Pay Your Immigrant Fee Online.

Please click on the link to read the full Final Rule on this matter.


For additional information about USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) please visit http://www.uscis.gov 

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Join Our Skype Conversations this Thursday, Feb 7 2013 at 10AM PST - Code FRSKYPE

Are you having difficulties in demonstrating your Conversational English Competency? 

Our resident expert in Coaching Communications, English Linguistics, Business and Leadership will host a Skype English Conversations with individuals residing  in or from Colombia, India, France, Mexico, Abu Dhabi, and USA. 


Focus: Understanding Conversational English and the Benefit of the Competency 

Join us in English Conversations Session via Skype with a Code: FRSkype  
Date of the Session: February 7, 2013
Day of the Session: Thursday
Session Time: 10:00-11:00AM (Pacific Standard Time)
Hosting location: San Jose, California, USA

Attendees will be limited - reserve your spot immediately!

When you missed this session? Check back in our website, Skype, Twitter or Facebook pages for the next interactive sessions in the future. If you like to propose a particular topic, you are welcome to email your topic of interest to: info@ideasnconversations.com or send a message to skype ID: ideasnconversations 


1. Send an email to: info@ideasnconversations.com with Code: FRSKYPE
2. Skype us at our ID: ideasnconversations with your Skype ID Name to be registered in the session
3. A Confirmation for your participation will be sent to your Skype ID
4. Please reserve your slot ahead of time

Please note, that our regular program is available at:  Interactive Conversations 

Looking forward to speak with you.



Saturday, February 2, 2013

Simple Journeys to Being Healthy Means Success and Happiness in Life

The Year 2013 is in stride and we have arrived in the month of February.

For those who do traditional concepts, they made their New Year's Resolutions. And those who are non-traditional, they have their own way of marking 2013 and began their journeys for the next 330 plus days.

Personally, I began my New Year with a perspective where Great Health achieve Success in Life. This year I put forward to be more healthy and consume healthier foods that will sustain my healthier well being.

credit: @junteet

Being Healthy is at the top of my priorities because I believed that when one is in great health, all goals in  personal or professional will be achieved. The end result of it all is abundance of success. Would I like to become successful? If you are an optimist like me that is a big YES.

With anyone I work with, I will share with them that insight of being healthy. Let's put our health as a main emphasis in our daily living. When we are healthy, there are more opportunities in the future that we will enjoy, many places that we can go, and many more advancement that will cherish.

What options do we have to be healthy? The following tips may be a good starting point about how to make extra effort in managing one's health by your own means and capabilities. I do these things myself :-)

Simple Journeys to Being Healthy:
One Author said; "to heal your inner life you simply need to be healthy"

1. Eat Well with Nutritious foods. Eat plenty of  vegetables (preferably organic ones), beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. There are many different foods that are nutritious. You don't need expensive foods to get the rich vitamins from nutritious foods. Shop and buy  smart across various food outlets and find the food that gives you nutrition and fresh. Do not shop at groceries that sell wilted vegetables and with nearly rotten fruits.

2. Drink a lot of Water. Natural water is best with your system. It sustains oxygen in the body. Avoid water that were produced with chemicals because you are adding toxics in your body. Drink 8 glasses of water a day is a simple rule. How many of us do that today? We have many excuses as being busy. Really! Dr. Oz says, "water if great for the body".

3. Help Generate Enzymes for your Digestive System.  By eating foods that provides raw materials will help generate enzymes for your digestive system; it will keep you away from unhealthy discoveries within your digestive tract. Avoid supplements as necessary. Health Scientists say, foods with fibers are great for your body and they give natural enzymes. The likes of pineapple, asparagus, papaya, grains, etc. An old knowledge from generations is by 'chewing your food 20 times before swallowing' - that means eat slowly. Do not gobble up in 20 minutes.

4. Omega 3 Fat is Essential.  Eating fish regularly provides Omega-3 that is useful for being healthy. Explore various fishes like wild caught salmon, and similar. Be creative in cooking them. If you are lazy to prepare, there are ready to broil packs of wild caught salmon, etc. By eating sufficient amount of fish you avoid inflammation in your system.

5. Sustain a Healthy Weight. By maintaining your healthy weight that is proportionate to your height and body structure, you will sustain better and active living. Again, by eating balanced and nutritious foods, vegetables, fruits and a glass of favorite wine at dinner time, will keep you retain your healthy weight. Exercise is a good routine. You don't need a gym membership to exercise, there are many ways to exercise like walking, take the stairs when you are at work, or go up and down in your house when you have stairs. Simple things are treasure and they are inexpensive. I am in progress with it.

6. Dieting is not a good program. Understanding your body system is more important. Learn the sensitivities of your body and avoid those that create troubles to yourself. Increase food intake (carrots, apples, use fresh and organic herbs and spices like garlic, ginger, etc.) that give your entire system a boost of energy and circulation. Do not use supplements, plenty of foods are naturally embedded with natural vitamins. Health experts have said dieting is not a solution for a healthy body.

Realistic and Sensible View:
Let's face the reality. It is a matter of knowing what is bad and good for your body. You just need to be a sensible person and smart about food intake and avoid junks, understand what are causing your deficiencies. You don't need to read an encyclopedia either.  Always take a look at what you are taking into your system. Learn something new every day about how to sustain better health. You cannot become healthy over night, take the approach "slowly but surely". You just need to make that determination to achieve because you will gain more results on anything that you will do this year when you are healthy.

You can create your small group of friends and family members to start a realistic "healthy-oriented program" that covers the 6 items listed above. They are simple and yet everyone will enjoy and see the difference in each other's health. Create a chart of all the participants and check-in with one another how you are progressing. This will create a motivational factor in achieving certain level or progress within your healthy goals.

The Harvard School of  Public Health created a diagram that shows a Healthy Plate. Something to think about  as a reference when you prepare your plate whenever your eat. You can make your own plating combinations and enjoy the food with your family and friends.

Acknowledgement: Harvard School of Public Health

Your comments and insights are always appreciated. We like to hear from you.

Reference Sources:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/
http://www.naturalnews.com/026909_enzymes_digestive_health.html
http://www.betternutrition.com/enzyematichealth/columns/askthenaturopath/697
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/