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The Medlin News
JULY 2023
My Summer Jobs Were Monotonous! BUT THEY GUIDED ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY
Summer is all about soaking up the sun, taking vacations, spending time with loved ones, and finding time to relax. For those in high school or college, some of you may have a summer job or internship for the season. I’m sure many of you can remember the jobs you had when you were younger — and I’m willing to bet they helped you discover what you want to do with your life. Several summer jobs during high school and college taught me the value of responsibility, accountability, reliability, education, and opportunity. However, the biggest lesson I learned was that I wanted to be in a career where I could impact people and have opportunities to face new challenges to overcome daily. Most of my summer jobs took place in warehouses. I can still remember those hot days in Texas with no air conditioning — my colleagues and I were drenched in sweat by the time the workday was over. One of the jobs was
to unload items from a conveyor belt and load them onto racks. This was a nonstop, monotonous job — all I did was unload and load for hours. The repetitive nature of it was straining. It felt like I was doing this for hours, but when I glanced at my watch, only 20 minutes had passed. While we can’t control time, it honestly felt like it was crawling. Then, another warehouse job I had was buffing and refurbishing phones. Do you remember the phones we had in our homes back in the day? The ones that would hang on the walls or sit in the living room? I would buff the outer shells of the phones so they could be used and sold again. I buffed what seemed like thousands of phones eight hours each day — it was mind-numbing. While both jobs weren’t too labor intensive and pretty straightforward, I was more exhausted than if I had done something labor-heavy or requiring lots of brain power. Likely, the lack of variety and engagement could be why they seemed so monotonous and draining.
Even though these jobs made me want to pull my hair out at times, they taught me valuable lessons I still practice today. And for that, I couldn’t be more grateful. These jobs also inspired me to finish college strong, attend law school, and make a living for myself. I realized I wanted to be able to impact others, make a difference in my community, and bring new challenges and opportunities each day. And I am happy to say I achieved all these things. I’m very fortunate, because people don’t get to experience that. To anyone out there who is in a job they find repetitive or unrewarding, I empathize with you. I understand the stress and frustration. But I encourage you to keep pushing forward, search for new opportunities, take chances, and continue following your dreams. You’re in the driver’s seat — so take control and continue guiding yourself where you want to be.
What summer jobs did you have growing up? Did you learn any valuable lessons or skills?
– Gary L. Medlin, Esq.
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Experience the Joy of Group Travel The More the Merrier!
Local guides know their stuff. Taking a tour of the local attractions in any country can give visitors a deeper understanding and connection to the culture. However, if you don’t know where to find those local attractions, guiding yourself through a city or town might deprive you of insider knowledge or interesting details. With managed group travel, the tours are already arranged for you to enjoy, with local guides who know the best places to visit for an authentic experience. Some groups even employ scholars to travel with you to provide interesting lectures and tours. Group travel is an easy way to make new friends. When you meet with your travel group at your destination, you’ve automatically made new friends you’ll get to know over the upcoming days. Meeting new people can be challenging in our normal lives due to our routines, but a managed travel group creates a close-knit environment where you spend
Now that most countries have returned to their pre-COVID travel norms, taking a jaunt around the globe is a great way to take a much-needed break. But doing it alone can seem overwhelming, especially when it comes to planning the details of a trip. That’s why managed travel groups have become popular among middle-aged adults. And no matter which travel agency or website you book through, traveling with a group offers many benefits you can’t get if you go alone. Here are a few! Trip planning becomes stress-free. Traveling abroad can be exhilarating, but planning the details of your trip can be daunting. Flights, hotels, and local attractions all require research and individual reservations, so all the moving parts may be difficult to keep track of — and even more expensive. With managed group tours, the price you pay for the trip includes all those pesky planning details.
enough time with people to bond, laugh, and share a few stories.
Set a budget, and stick to it. Most travel companies charge an upfront price that encompasses all the expenses you’d typically spend during your trip, including flights, hotels, and activities. This means that when you shop for a group trip to book, you can decide how much you want to spend ahead of time. You never have to worry about going over budget and finding a surprise on your credit card bill.
Pack Your Belongings — We’re Going Abroad! Travel With a Pending Naturalization Application
Because of this, you can travel without any restrictions — even if you have a naturalization (N-400) application pending. However, you must consider residence and physical presence requirements. For any trip you make (outside of the U.S.), ensure it doesn’t supersede 180 days (six months). This number includes all the trips you make outside the country combined. If you accrue more than 180 days outside the U.S., the USCIS will presume you disrupted your continuous residence requirement and deny your N-400. When you apply for naturalization, you must prove to an immigration agent that you have lived and are currently residing in the U.S. Those applying for naturalization based on five years as a permanent resident must show they have lived in America for at least 30 months. Those applying for naturalization based on three years as a permanent resident as a qualified spouse
of a U.S. citizen must prove they have been living in the U.S. for at least 18 months.
Furthermore, while you don’t have to worry about travel restrictions, ensure your journey doesn’t impede or overlap with your naturalization appointments. If you fail to appear for your biometrics appointment, naturalization interview, or oath ceremony to become a U.S. citizen officially, your N-400 application will be denied. The best rule of thumb is to be cautious when planning to travel while your naturalization application is pending. To help you with this process and ensure everything goes smoothly, please connect with an immigration attorney today! At the Medlin Law Firm, we will make sure everything is correct and in order throughout the entire process. You don’t have to experience this journey alone! Please call us today to get started!
Did you know around 93 million Americans will travel at least once this summer? Because school’s out and the weather is getting hotter, more people are packing their bags and setting off to their vacation destinations. But for green card holders or those awaiting naturalization, you may wonder if you can travel with your application pending. If you’re concerned that traveling internationally will negatively impact your application process, we’re here to tell you it won’t! You don’t have any specific travel restrictions because you are a green card holder, meaning you’re a permanent resident.
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KEEP YOUR COOL!
Tip No. 1: Face the speaker and maintain eye contact. When talking to others, we may do something else while listening, like scrolling through the phone, writing a text or email, watching a video, or participating in another activity. However, it’s vital that when someone is speaking to you, you give them your undivided attention — it shows the speaker you genuinely care about what they have to say. Tip No. 2: ‘Listen’ to nonverbal cues. When you’re maintaining eye contact and listening to what others are saying, you gain more information about the topic at hand by “listening” to nonverbal cues. Pay attention to not only what people are saying, but also how they say it — did their tone or body language change? Did they pause between words or points? You can learn much about what others convey by paying attention to those nonverbal cues. Tip No. 3: Don’t interrupt. Sometimes, people don’t listen to understand the whole meaning behind a story. They simply listen so they can respond. However, you can’t simultaneously hear and prepare what you want to say. Furthermore, if you have a point you want to bring up, it’s frustrating for the other person if you interrupt them. It gives the impression that you don’t have time for what they say. Instead, slow down and allow the speaker time to communicate their point. You can also return to topics and share your input when it’s your turn to speak. If you want others to listen to what you say, show them respect and give them the same opportunity. So, in honor of World Listening Day on July 18, take some time to practice active listening. And remember, practice makes perfect!
Listening plays a significant role in our daily lives. It allows us to engage with others more meaningfully, helps us improve and strengthen our skills, and show we care about what others say. However, while some of us may believe we are great listeners, we aren’t as good as we think. Here are three strategies to improve your active listening skills. 3 TIPS TO IMPROVE ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS Use Your Ears More Than Your Mouth!
Grilled Steak Salad With Peaches
Ingredients
• 1 lb skirt steak, fat trimmed • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1 tbsp light brown sugar • 1 tbsp vegetable oil • Kosher salt
• Black pepper • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 1 large lemon, juiced • 6 cups baby arugula • 2 ripe peaches, thinly sliced • 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese or feta desired doneness. Rest 5–10 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain. 4. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil and lemon juice to make dressing. Season with salt and pepper. 5. In a large serving bowl, add arugula, peaches, blue cheese or feta, and steak. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss.
Directions
1. In a large resealable plastic bag or baking dish, combine steak, vinegar, garlic, and brown sugar. Marinate 20 minutes at room temperature.
For resources, practice areas, and more, scan the QR code to visit our website, MedlinFirm.com.
2. Remove steak from
marinade, coat with vegetable oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. On a grill or pan set to
high heat, cook steak until
Inspired by Delish.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. The Texas Heat Is No Joke!
2. Solo Travel Not Your Thing?
Understand Travel During the Naturalization Process
3. Practice Active Listening and Learn More
Grilled Steak Salad With Peaches
4. The Swine That Dared to Defy
THE STORY OF THE DANISH PROTEST PIG An Unconventional ‘Bacon’ of Hope
In the 19th century, Denmark and Prussia couldn’t agree on where to draw their border. Both countries refused to concede or couldn’t reach an agreement on which country would ultimately control Southern Jutland, which today is Germany’s northernmost state called Schleswig-Holstein. This refusal to compromise ultimately led to war, and in 1848, Denmark won control. However, their victory was short-lived, as roughly a decade later, the Second Schleswig War was underway. This time, though, Prussia was victorious.
Danish farmers began to crossbreed their pigs to create a new breed, one that had the same markings as the Danish flag. These pigs were red in color, with one white vertical stripe and one white horizontal stripe. The farmers named their new pigs Protestschwein, or the Danish Protest Pig. This protest pig quickly became the mascot of Danish cultural independence, and their efforts didn’t go unnoticed by Prussian authorities. In 1881, a local Prussian police station sent communications back to the government in Berlin that farmers were breeding strange-looking pigs. However, while they could not prove that farmers were knowingly breeding the pigs to look like the Danish flag, “it was believed that the farmers were well aware of this and that this pig represented an affront to the Prussians,” according to records from the Red Holstein Breeders Association.
After their victory, the Prussian authorities slowly began to move into the peninsula, implementing new laws over the Danes living there. These new laws prohibited anything Danish, including all uses of the Danish flag. Needless to say, the Danes were not happy — especially the farmers.
Today, the Danish Protest Pig is recognized as its own breed but has a different name: the Husum Red Pied. And, the now-German state of Schleswig-
These Danish farmers knew they had to protest this oppressive Prussian government, but they couldn’t just publicly wave the Danish flag. So, they got crafty.
Holstein supports the protection of this pig due to the cultural significance it offered its Danish ancestors so many years ago.
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