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I am on my way to NY to set up an account Anything to save 4 bucks Again, with the exchange rate difference, on 1000$US being sent, you save more like 65RMB extra too, so it totals to a grand $12. However, with myself, or others, who are FROM NYC, it is a much better service to use.

HK is belong to China. it's just a city of China. just a SAR (special administrative region). but yes, it is china in all aspects that matter, and will be fully integrated in under 45 years, with the cities of HK and SZ effectively becoming one large city.

Why would she want to sell her home, now? That makes no sense! Where will the two of you live when you go back to China in the future?

Would it be fair to have married first in China only to find out that, once in the states, there are irreconcilable differences between a couple? I think the 90 days is plenty of time for two to realize if they can live together or not. Any sensible couple should know this. Although in some cases, it may be, I have seen many when it was not the case. For couples I know or knew well, there were 23 of note that I am considering. All of these were couples who were together for at least 24 months in their dating. Since the time I met them and they passed the 24 month barrier 4 have married, 18 have split up, and one is still living together (not sure if common law married or not yet). Of the 4 that married, 1 has since divorces. So that means only 4 out of 23 survived when all was well after having known each other for 2 years or more. Naturally my selection of people is not statistically unbiased, but it raises the point that for some, 90 days is not enough. I think it is all about communication. I will stand by the 5 aspects needed for a relationship (as I see them), and the realization that people change over time, and hence may as easily grow apart as together.

Oh...squats provide another benefit: I have heard that since there is less water used to flush, that it allows for more efficient composting of the material, and hence more fertilizer for the farmers as well as less polluted water runoff.

Hmmm, Although I grew up with a seat toilet, and although it is cleaner, it is actually better for your body to squat, in that it allows for a better allignment of the rectum. At least I have heard this. For me now, it is not the style of the toilet, but the cleanliess which matters. After having seen a few spotless squats (just that they are harder to keep clean), I soon became fine in either setting.

WU may be faster, but the BOC can send for only $10 up to $3000 US, and their exchange rate is 8.28 (the bank to bank rate) which saves you another small percentage when you go to change the money. The only drawback is that this only works from their midtown Manhattan branch in NYC. GL!

Interesting and similar experiences to all here with two additions: 1. I got a *better* rate with a US$500 or US$1000 Traveler's Cheque than with cash (It is not posted as such, but the rate was better, but only with the *large* denomination cheques). 2. they do *not* know, even in some of the larger cities, the newly designed US$20 and US$10 bills. The old ones I had they took without a problem, but they refused the new ones. Odd...

If you are in the US, it is easy enough to change RMB. Just go to the nearest University, and find a Chinese student on an F1 and make a private transaction. They can not get a good rate on US$, so offer them something reasonable.

I would not consider Hangzhou a medium sized city. I consider it *big* 1. it is a provincial capital 2. it is larger than every city in the US except for NYC, LA, and Chicago. To me, that is pretty big. When I say medium sized, I mean a city like Datong (1 million people in the suburban area), or Louyang. Cities that *may* or *may not* have an airport, that definitely have a train station, and that do not have any direct overseas flights (like Hangzhou). you are right - i have seen "pinyin". but I have also seen "pinyon". I think it depends on how it is translated! However, I will gladly use pinyin from now on. And it is not just clerks. On the *train* from Kunming to Chengdu, not a single officer or attendant could read pinyin. it made filling out my forms tough.

I have a 100% record. 2 things to watch for: 1. except for in *big* cities, people may not be able to read english. Even in small cities, people may not be able to read pinyon (so it will be delayed or just not delivered). 2. Never send anything of value! people will likely steal it and the rest of the package along with it. *GGG* this already happens to US main services (why we are always told, do not send cash!)

This likely does not help you, but I know that my university offers a way to do this, albeit for a monthly fee. You may want to look, as a local university to you may offer a similar service.

Careful with those originals! I think that you need some of them (the NOA2 at least) for the AOS interivew (although it may be possible to get a copy of that one). I think that more is better, but maybe you can read ahead to see what you will need later and not bring those with you!

The timeline should be 1 year (from what it says on their website). However, they really have *no* reason to complain at all. Their wait time was at least a month faster than everyone else with an august p4. The fact is, they were *supposed* to *legally* have the documents before turning in the P3, so just stick with them... Just my thoughts on this!

So can a nice little trip to Guantanamo, at the liesure of your American hosts...

I am happy that you are comfortable with that term, for you! However, sometimes people with high self esteem are the ones who are *more* likely to talk back. For it is they who are the ones more likely to call out a piece of prejudice than someone who does not have high self-esteem.

Oh no! Not the "china doll" phrase again! *sigh* Sorry, I am sure that you have not read the previous threads on this one... This is a term which has usually been used in a highly prejudicial way to stereotype Chinese women as being weak, submissive, frail, servants in waiting. It has a very negative connotation. I am sure that you did not mean this, so no problem, but please, if possible, try not to use this phrase in the future! Thanks.

Amber, First thing's first. You *may* be able to switch programs after you start at the university and not loose any time. I have done it personally myself in the past. It is all a matter of connections once you get there. Secondly, in terms of degrees, you should never think about jobs that it can open doors for. The fact is that unless you have a PhD, the doors may not open for you at all, and that any MS will be far better than none. Thirdly, what do you want to learn? Only you can answer this question. It is the 2nd most important question that I ask people in this situation (and believe me, I get it asked often). Fourthly, Why do you want to go to school? (the most important question) I have more to share if you want, send me a PM. Good Luck!

No, these were special Immigrant Visas or H1-B's that were being offered (the same as for the highly skilled workers) and they were hence immigrant visas. But, I believe the argument above is what holds, there were *very few* nurses. Most of the highly skilled workers are in academic fields anyway, and this number will likely change very little...if anything it will only get more difficult as the number of Investor Immigrant Visas goes up.

Thanks for the information!!! Actually, she will go with her father (the reason that I can not be there is my university, so I wanted to find them an inexpensive place), so I hope that this is ok. However, the only time in China I experienced that it was no problem, and we were able to talk our way in anyway. Hmmm...how interesting! But thank you so much for the recommendation. (I personally have roughed it in Laos and Cambodia already, so even when I went to the west of China, it was not a problem.) But, when I am in China, we will usually find a place that is clean and reasonably safe. I know that GZ is more expensive, as even in SH and BJ we could usually meet this for 100RMB a night, so 130 is definitely not a problem! Thanks...

Hmmm, I never heard of Colin Powell or Tom Ridge firing people because of this? What ever happened to the people responsible? Oh wait, sorry, it must have just been a few rouge people, although why *they* were pressured to meet such standards, naturally, was completely irrelevant to the process. I feel for the people who had their lives torn apart because of this. It is the type of stories that we hear of private business or of closed societies discussing things behind closed doors, and not something that an open and representative government stands for. *yikes -- a chill goes up my spine*

must be nwa... i am going minneapolis->tokyo->GZ on friday... oh yeah... going to see my baby! guess you're on the flight... so i can probably say, hope you enjoyed the trip... let me know how it was... never flown nwa for long distances. My father had *no fun* on the trip, with him being held up in Narita for a long time (it seems they wanted to search every white and Chinese person's bags very thoroughly). From that point on, we have decided to boycott Narita.

You ask many of the right questions there! I think that you should wait some time based on what you say. However, this is a personal decision which has so many variables to it that it is really hard to come to any easy conclusion. However, what I can tell you is that you do not need to rush. All of the scientific evidence says that if you remain strong and healthy, that if you wait until your late 30's to get pregnant, it should not be a *medical* issue. This aside, I have seen so many trends. In academia, it seems that many people wait until their mid 30's at least. I also have friends who had kids before they reached 20. However, for you and your position in life, I would ask when you will be ready to make an 18 year plus commitment. Do you have a secure job yet? A place in life that you want to live in? Knowledge of how things will go? Are you two secure enough in your relationship that you are ready to bring yet another person into it? Good luck with your decision, and enjoy your time!! I think that everyone should spend at least 1-2 years after they are done with school before delving into this...there is so much more that we can always grow and learn from, and that will only help us, I feel, to be better parents (if that is what we want from our lives).

I thought the law in china prevented people from working for long periods of time outside of their hukou city. Maybe they are just doing this to follow Chinese law??? I know that Chinese laws have been changing in terms of things like this, but is this possibly why they say it? Yangzhou in Jiangsu is a pretty town! Why not head up there and work and live together there? Good Luck!

I am sorry that your case is taking so long at the AOS stage. I really do not know much about it, except for the fact that it seems to be a function of *where* you live when you file for AOS. However, given your *fast* timeline in Guangzhou, you really are **quite** fortunate. Those of us with only slightly later P3 dates have had to wait 5 months or more from p3 to p4. At least you two are living together!!! Good Luck...