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Everything posted by lele
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Thank you *very* much! I have never minded paying for a nice place, and in most parts of Western China (ie. not near Beijing, Shanghai, HangZhou, and Nanjing) we have always been able to find 2-star to 3-star places at 40-80RMB a night. In Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Nanjing, we could not ever for under 80 and for the 80-150 range we could have something nice. I never minded spending, and sometimes we spent more, if we were tired, or the place was really nice/clean. However, given that I will not be able to be there due to school (unless the P4 is suddenly issued for another January date for us), and since then her dad will go with her (they are worried about safety in GZ...especially with their "proper" northern putonghua accent), he will insist on paying. And their income just will not be able to support any more than that. It has been hard enough to get them to agree for my darling and I to cover our own expenses when we travel outside of their home city (but we are glad that they care for us so much!!!), so I really want to be able to help them to have a wonderful time, for their first time to Guangdong. Thanks again!!!
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Ok, getting better. However, since I will likely not be able to be there, and since I *know* that in BJ and SH you can get a clean and safe place for 80-100RMB a night, and since her dad will insist on paying, I was sort of looking for places that fall into this category. If people want to know where we found in BJ or SH, just ask my via a private message. Thanks everyone.
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Thank you so much for that reply! I got lunch after reading this biased, bigoted, piece of writing, and I was thinking of millions of ways that I could write against it. However, I could not even eat my food thanks to the terrible taste in my mouth. However, your words sum it up quite well, and I would like to second them!!!
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Medical workup for fiance visa
lele replied to Chad&Tong's topic in General Visa Discussion & First Steps
There is a list: here it is to the best of my ability (and no way in SZ, as you say, there are not any good ones there!) 2 in GuangZhou 1 in ShangHai 2 in Beijing 1 in TaiShan (Guangdong) 1 in FuZhou ?? in HongKong (these *are* possibly allowed, as they are listed on the HK consulate site, but not on the GZ site...I would inquire first before going to one however, even if the quality is better) http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzho...edicalexam.html Oh, one thing: I do not want to sound rude at all, because you are a really nice guy, but the inconvience that you must go through to go all of the way to GZ is really quite small compared with most of the people here who have to go by train for a day or more just to get to Beijing or Shanghai! Now, maybe if you took a bike to GZ, then we would be talking!!! -
When should she apply for SSN?
lele replied to Jim - Portland, USA's topic in AOS & Immigration Challenges
You make a very fair point! For me, I want for her to wait until she is comfortable and finds something that she is interested in doing (there are many things, so I think that the comfort level should come first). However, it is *she* who is in a hurry to get a job. She feels really frustrated that I have had to help her out at all financially, and wants to start to financially contribute to our life together (not the amount is important, but that she is participating!). So, since I think that the idea is noble and wonderful, I really want to help her along with that. Thanks again Carl. -
How to send RMB from China to the US?
lele replied to dvs7310's topic in General Visa Discussion & First Steps
Yeah, I know that zhongguo yinhong does it, but I thought you were limited in total amount. What is the amount that they will transfer up to, and what is the exact exchange rate (is it 0.12, or 0.121, or 0.1207, etc.)? -
How to send RMB from China to the US?
lele replied to dvs7310's topic in General Visa Discussion & First Steps
ni shi qingdao ren ma? ni ren wei qingdao piaoliang ma? -
How to send RMB from China to the US?
lele replied to dvs7310's topic in General Visa Discussion & First Steps
ni shi wai guo ren ma? -
How to send RMB from China to the US?
lele replied to dvs7310's topic in General Visa Discussion & First Steps
If you are considering the black market, then I *urge* you to try the airport method first! Seriously, just find any foreigner, and ask them privately. Offer them a slightly better rate of return than the banks would offer to them. It is easy. I know many people who have done this before. Well, I guess it depends on how badly they want to trade money. From xinjiang to hanoi by train is only a 2 day's trip. It is much more slow than to the black market, but if you are trading anything really *large* the black market is more likely to either get you killed or thrown into jail. -
What about the *flower* portion of yu rong! yu rong is a specific reference to a specific type of jade flower. If you have been to chengde, you can find one there, or if you have been to suzhou in jiangsu, you can also find one there. it also means clever and a traveler (at least I have been told). It seems like a whole bunch of names that will need to be changed! Oh, congratulations on being together!!!
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How to send RMB from China to the US?
lele replied to dvs7310's topic in General Visa Discussion & First Steps
Someone posted a bank in Nanjing that will effectively convert RMB to US$ first, and then deposit that. However, the practice is illegal. Technically, it is tough as a Chinese citizen to convert RMB into US$ inside of China, unless you own a business outside of China. However, there are a few easy ways, all needing to be done in person: 1. Go to Hong Kong, and trade for HK$ there. These are then tradable 2. Go to Thailand and trade for Bhat there 3. go to BJ or SH airport, wait for the next flight to arrive from Europe or the US, and offer to deal directly with the people coming off the flight before they hit the banks. Offer them a slightly better rate than the bank (but you may have to do this discretely. If you are friends, it is legal, but if not, I am not sure)! 4. In Vietnam, every gold shop near the boarder will gladly take RMB. They will then trade for US$. They only make a small profit off of each transaction. And now, since Chinese citizens can go to Vietnam visa free (so long as they cross by land), this is a new possibility, if you can speak Vietnamese! As of January 1st, it should be legal to take up to 20,000RMB out of the country at any given time. And since Chinese people can get a visa to go to Thailand of HK really easily, these are ways to do it. What other suggestions would people think of? Have people had problems converting RMB in HK or Thailand? -
When should she apply for SSN?
lele replied to Jim - Portland, USA's topic in AOS & Immigration Challenges
Oh! When finally things work out for us *grrr, GZ is so slow* JFK is the intended POE (the direct Beijing to JFK flight). If there *is* a chance to do this, coming in on a K1, will it speed things considerably or is it not a really big deal? Thanks! -
When should she apply for SSN?
lele replied to Jim - Portland, USA's topic in AOS & Immigration Challenges
Thank you for clearing up that situation! Very helpful indeed. BTW, do you know if they still issue EADs at POE airports? Thanks!! -
When should she apply for SSN?
lele replied to Jim - Portland, USA's topic in AOS & Immigration Challenges
You said that you already had the EAD though when you did this. How did you get your EAD? Thanks for all of your help Carl! -
It *costs* money to notarize documents at the consulate? Woah! What a farce! My university does it free of charge. So does my bank.
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Air China *already* provides direct flights from SF and LA to GZ and SH, they also provide direct flights from SF, LA, and NYC to BJ. Finally, DragonAir provides Direct Flights from SF, LA, and NYC to HK. I just do not see the benefit of paying more money on united than on Air China, to have to stop in Narita. Additionally, at the right places in Chinatown, if you take the Air China flight into BJ, they can often purchase you a connecting flight at 50% off, so long as they are bundled together (useful for anyone going anywhere other than BJ, GZ, SH, HK, or a short train ride from one of them). If you look at a globe, it is usually *out of the way* and *longer* to stop first at Narita. Plus, what Chinese people want to give the extra airport taxes to a country that has just listed china as a military threat? Most that *i* know would be happy to have a shorter flight in addition to not transferring any extra money to Japan. Oh, There are also direct flights from Vancouver, but I am not sure if you can come through customs that way... I am sorry that you were treated unfairly by customs. It is a sorry state of affairs, living with all of the prejudice that we are surrounded by through this entire process and thanks to this entire government.
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Camp Hill is just across the river from Harrisburg. Both are about 1 1/2 hours west of West Chester. Phila is about 45 minutes east of West Chester. There are lots of Amish communities between West Chester and Harrisburg mostly in Lancaster County. There are lots of interesting names for some towns in the Amish communities. For instance if you travel east on Route 340 in Leacock township starting at Bird in Hand, you will then proceed to Intercourse, and by turning right you will wind up in Paradise. These are the actual names of the towns. Do you live near Franklin and Marshall College?
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I just read an article today that talks about babies of Chinese people who are born in Hong Kong can get a HK residency. This is actually amazing for your case, since it is allowed to have a US residency concurrently with a HK residency. And if your wife's hukou is from SZ, she can get into HK no sweat. I just closed the window to the link, but it was in today's straitstimes (www.straitstimes.asia1.com.sg)
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Dave, I never realized it was that bad back here. Air seems pretty clean to me, and I have travelled all over this country. The summer humidity can be pretty bad. I agree with you on that. I lived in Colorado Springs for about six months. It was ok. But there are few places prettier then Chester County, Pa. Where in Colorodo do you live? What line of work took you away from West Chester and out to "where the money is?" Good Luck on the next leg of your journey. Well, the air in the North East is far worse than the new EU pollution levels allow (and WHO levels, but by US levels, we still rarely exceed the limits), at least for ozone, NOx, and particulates. However, the majority of the pollution in the north east of the US comes from power plants in western PA, OH, TN, KY, ID, NC, etc. **sigh**
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A very sad story for our cases to come out now. *sigh* I also feel for the people involved. It is *very* common for snakeheads to take people into the US via container ships from the Philippians, Thailand, China (this was more common in the 1980's and 1970's), etc. And these people usually charge 40,000$US to do it (at least back in 1990 this was the number recently reported by an independent film which was done following the lives of three of these people who came to the US in 1990). 130 may seem like a large number, but compared to the other scams out there, it is quite small. I feel for us, since we may suffer. I also feel for the families of these people. Often times, the money (which in Vietnam is about a full lifetime's wealth accumulation by a person) is begotten through extended family members all pooling what they have, and placing their lives into semi-slavery to the thugs, until the debt is paid off at ever-increasing interest rates. **sigh** Thank you for sharing this sad story...
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My university offers Chinese 1 and 2 course materials online, free of charge. http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Language...eHome/index.htm And Carl's suggestion is a good one too! See if she can get one too (possibly it is cheaper, and likely it will be easier for *her* to use).
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Is there a clean or safe place to stay, preferably for under 80-100RMB a night? I know that in all of the other cities I have been to, even BJ and SH, this is do-able. I am wondering this, since in all liklihood, my interview time will conflict with school, and my darling and her dad will then go. I want to do what I can to help them to have comfort, but at the same time, since he will insist on paying, I wanted to save him as much as possible! Thanks. B)
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*ugh* It reminds me of a meal in Hanoi that I was a witness to. The man at the head of our table ordered a snake, I thought it would come out cooked, but first, they brought it out still live!!! They placed it on the ground and prodded it, but it would not do anything. So the man yelled and they took it away and brought back out another one. This one leaped to attack, and the man was pleased. They then right there, in front of everyone, (...I will leave out the rest of the details...) and suffice to say they made snake blood wine right then and there. They then passed the wine around and took the snake away (still writhing) to cook it. Luckily, it was before we ordered, so I told everyone I was a vegetarian, and since there are many Buddhist vegetarians in Vietnam, they accepted my account and I was not made to drink it! *whew* Ok, sorry to gross everyone out... How did the snail taste???
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I understand what everyone is saying, but not specifically why they use "cheetos". Sorry for my being so slow...
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What?!? You never tried mao's home cooking??? Some of it is pretty good, especially when they have the mala doujiang (is that right, or have I mangled it with something else??).