After his hiatus in Manila brought about by a personal predicament, Puey Quiñones flew to Dubai. His friend, Michael Cinco, had achieved success in the Middle Eastern kingdom, and Puey thought of exploring it as a possible new base for him. After a few weeks, he realized he could not operate in that cultural setting. He recalled, "I was not keen on the preferences of my prospective clients who preferred colorful outfits. That would not be me."

An invitation to do a fashion show in Los Angeles came just in the nick of time when he did not know what do next. "It was being produced by this Persian guy whom I had never met. And I said yes to the show because I felt like it was my opportunity to do a comeback in the US. It was a successful event.

"However, in terms of the promise that I get paid. I didn't get paid by the producer. So, ang nangyari (what happened was) I had to keep extending my stay in the US kasi nga nagaantay ako na mabayaran (because I was waiting to be paid). But along the way, other opportunities cropped up. Katy Perry's stylist was in that show and I am told he noticed

my work. He invited me to collaborate on one of Katy Perry's music videos. So, I did one of the costumes and accessories. It was a good opportunity and they paid me for that. I sort of realized I could make it in America. And then, another opportunity came from Tyra Banks. I did one episode for America's Next Top Model. I did the whole collection of the show.

"I took it as a sign I could make a go of my stay. So, I asked a lawyer, an immigration lawyer, about the possibility of my staying in the US. And she told me that, 'You know, with your portfolio, I think you could qualify for the Einstein Visa.' He was referring to the Extraordinary Ability talent visa. So, I tried applying and the US government granted me a green card in six months. That was fast because it was self-petition.

Daily Tribune (DT): It must have been easy. You just had to wait for its release.

Puey Quiñones (PQ): There were a lot of struggles while I was waiting for my documents. Because, you know, if you're on that stage, you cannot do anything. You cannot work. Technically, it was a no-no. I didn't have the money and I didn't have rich parents who could support me. And I really didn't have close friends. I was actually living in my friend's garage. I offered to clean the house in return for my free stay. I also cleaned other people's houses. Or I washed dishes. If a friend was transferring to a new home, I volunteered to help. I also did Christmas decorations. And, of course, I cooked when there were parties. And they commissioned me because they knew I was a designer back home. All these, for a fee, of course. I did everything to survive. I'm a survivor. I'm a cockroach. Then, I got my green card.