USA Chicago Dilemma

Hi there,

Hoping that someone can offer some advice as have been stressing about the situation below.

I have a Girlfriend in the USA who I met in Cork in 2013 during her Master's Degree in Ireland. Having completed the degree, she came back on a work visa in Dublin the following year 2014 to continue our relationship. She has now returned home to Ohio since October when the visa ended and has recently accepted a teaching position in Chicago.

The plan was for me to spend a year over in Chicago with her to continue the relationship, this time on her home ground, and enjoy time while getting to know each other even more. I started looking at options properly in October and had underestimated the USA visa restrictions and rigidity. I am aware of the K1 fiance and marriage options but I feel that would be rushed and doing so out of necessity rather than the 'right moment'.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business and subsequently graduated from a Master's Degree in Business in 2011. This means I am outside the year timeline for the Graduate visa. The option that I am looking at is the J1 trainee option but the resources and assistance aren't as plentiful for this option.

I have now finished up with job am now thinking of using the ESTA holiday visa during the 3 months of the summer to visit Chicago and possibly play with a GAA team in a bid to meet contacts and build links with the hope of applying for the J1 internship/trainee visa which is valid for 12-18 months. Am I making the right decision or is there a better way?

Long distance can be tough at times especially when it is proving tough to see immediate resolution.

Any advice/critique/words of wisdom or past experiences of this visa would be welcome as wits are reaching breaking point.

Thanks.