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Then there are also the Universities. They pay much more (I know a person this summer who will teach ESL via one of the premiere universities, and is getting paid 15,000RMB a month to do so, plus free housing), but often require you to have at least a MS/PhD degree (and do not except a TEFL certificate as meeting this minimum requirement).

After using NJStar now for about 2 weeks, we are finding it to be rather uncomfortable for people who want to go back and edit comments using such devices as QQ and YahooIM. It also makes some workds almost impossible to find if they are not very common words, such as the characters for elements on the periodic table. Does someone have an alternative program which can handle these better (and that is still, ideally, free)? Thanks!

Quick, easy, relatively painless, putonghua speaking doctor, and only 90$ lighter for it.

I do not know. Rong will finish the series today at my University and we are wondering what to do next. There are so many books, CD's, DVD's, and other supplies, as well as a plethora of language schools (the first two I went into to screen seemed like they were pretty crappy). If I did not have to go to school, I would teach her intensively myself, but given the time, and the confidence on her part, I do not think that this is ideal. Any advice? Thanks!

for an immediate flight try: www.flychina.com They are really cheap if you fly within the next 1-2 weeks. However, they tend to be hard to book more than a single ticket on for any given flight...

Ours was 8.5 months, via vermont. I say the answer is obvious: go to HK and get married there! the waiting time there is incredibly short. If not, then it really is not too large of a difference...

You make an excellent point! My darling will likely never apply for a US Passport, if a Green Card is ever even issued. She is happy to remain a permenant resident here, while we live here. But in the future, our work may take us elsewhere...who knows. All we know is that we will purchase property in China soon, and be open to moving back there, and my going through the paperwork...or moving on elsewhere! As I see it, applying for the passport just burns a bridge, and right now, in this world, one needs flexibility of one is to survive wars, famine, poverty, obtain education, and access to ideas and information, as well as basic humanity, love, caring, history, etc. Good thoughts...

Good advice for everywhere in the world! Avoid large crowds... and in China (as in most of Asia) where the population density is higher, it is hence easier to become a target. But do not worry! Since you look so different, many people, good as well as bad, will be watching you.

I do not see it as being too barbaric. Due to the pope's and bush's pushing China, China was forced to spend more than 100,000,000$US of its own money on contraceptives after people pulled aid back from the UN Population fund. Now, what about all of the poor African nations who can not afford even that money. There was an article published that states that the pope still has never offered the money for the more than 40 million Chinese herion addicts that became addicted in part due to the missionaries dissemination of herion to people as a prelude to the opium wars. The church was also responsible for helping the French to barbarize many people in Southern China as they expanded north from Vietnam. And John Paul the 2nd, did he not help to pay from his coffers for his Church's past support of Adolf Hitler (and hence Japan) and their repression of the Chinese people? Or of his continuation of support for the US Occupation of Taiwan province since 1949? I wonder why this was not all included in the broadcasts? Well, I guess that if someone broadcasts something which is not representing all facts as they are, that one way to deal with it is to block the broadcasts. This sounds logical. I would prefer to publish the truth in its entirety. But this position makes sense to me. Sorry, I do not mean to offend, but the entire coverage of the pope's good points, but not his support of the US wars in Vietnam and in Taiwan Province, and his support of the rising HIV levels in Africa and other places due to his opposition of condoms, really piss me off.

I strongly am sorry to hear about your experiences in China, but I must factually object to your conclusion about China as a whole. It is true that South China has a much higher crime rate than the north, but the absolute murder rate and violent crime rate is far higher in the US than China as a whole. And on a city to city basis, it shows. In Boston, each month, more than 35 people are shot and killed. In Qingdao, a city which is far larger than Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville combined (about 3x the population), the total number of murders is less than 35 a month (and this includes all forms of murder, as compared to just being shot). The rate of violent crime in NYC, and it is much improved today, is still larger than in Beijing (a city which is slightly larger in population than NYC). There are numerous reports by NGOs which will back these statistics which I have observed. However, it all depends on where you are. GZ is dangerous, no doubt it. But, compared with Cleveland, it is quite safe, on a per-person basis... And if you want to see dangerous, I would like to invite you to Bangkok or Manilla, both extremely hyped US tourist destinations... Just my liang fen.

Singapore is ASEAN, and so a Vietnamese Passport holder may be able to go, but only for 30 days at most. The processing at the consulate there is EXTREMELY FAST. However, to be there for more than 30 days requires a special passport, the exact reason they say more than 30 days. It is tough... Can you try Malaysia (another ASEAN nation)?

If you *marry* in HK, you go through HK, which is MUCH faster. But, it is NOT EASY for a Vietnamese Citizen to get a visa to go to HK...

This is too complex. Take the easy road out. A person with a vietnamese passport can go to Thailand, Cambodia, or Laos for 30 days without a problem. Check the rules in each of these nations. However, then be warned, that the Visa may have to be applied for through them!

Why are all of the shots so expensive?? I just talked to two civil surgeons in Boston Today (and one in Cambridge). My darling has never had a single shot, and all three have offered to do all of the shots, and the paperwork, returning it to us the same day, for between $90-$100. I know that two of them are Chinese, but the third is not, and since all are so closely priced, I am wondering if I am missing something here....

Same thing happened to us. But we went on Monday of this week (only a few days after Rong arrived). However, a copy of that form saying it was being processed was enough, and the MA RMV issued her a state ID Card that same afternoon... Now, it is time to finish compiling all of the AOS papers and getting married next week! Good Luck to you. also, if you are in Boston, I can fill you in on the place we went to (it was no problem at all for us)...

I generally like the idea of stratigezing (my scientist/student side). However, when it comes to loved ones and this terrible process that we must go through, I am completely opposed to it! I do not want to waste an extra minute, never the less a possible extra few days/weeks/who knows how long. If you want to strategize however, let's think of a way to get the issue raised into the press and to get some support for our cause! Jason

You are very smart to *not* go through with it. I (Jason) would recommend to people that if your SO has a Guangzhou Hukou to go to Hong Kong and get married there (then you can legally file through the HK Consulate, which is MUCH faster than GZ). I *know* of someone who did the above route (came in on an F1 visa and then got married). However, you have to be *very* careful. If your intent was to marry, then you have some serious problems... I would recommend that people take a legal and safe way. However, I just wanted people to know that other ways do exist (although I definitely do NOT endorse them). Jason

If she can get to the US, you will not have to file anything through China. Once you are married, she will not have to leave the US if you *quickly* file for AOS. This is known as the 10' pole issue. However, I would recruit a lawyer first, because if you mess up, she could be banned for up to 3-10 years from coming to the US, even if the K is processed. However, most people from Europe who do it this way, just save all of the hassle of going to get a visa (and for them, it really is not much hassle). Again, I never wrote this...and I am also NOT a lawyer!

Agreed. However, it is the EAD which *authorizes* employment. The SSN has nothing to do with employment. Hence, one who is authorized to work, if they want to work before they get their SSN, I believe, can legally do so. However, the employer certainly can not give MONEY to a person who does not have a SSN, because of the violations of the tax code. However, since the SNN will come in a couple of weeks at most, and most of the time paychecks come bimonthly or monthly, it should be ok, at least I think! Does anyone know the actual law on this?

Yeah fine, Jennifer and I are both learning so I will have home cooked chinese food soon myself B) Wait a minute!!! Did you say YOU are learning to cook so that you can have home cooked Chinese food??? There is something wrong with that picture. hey! not fair! Rong is teaching me to cook shandong and chongqing style food, and I am teaching her to cook french and italian food (i can actually cook quite well after 2 years of pressure cooking for 50 hungry university students in my coop house). Can anyone help us with South Indian food??

I'm with you! It is nearly impossible to find any good Chinese food in Boston. Thankfully, I know of some chuanfandian in nyc which are authentic! I miss the wonderful colors, textures, smells, authentic lajiao, whole fish, and the great and amazing fresh food 24/7. I have to say, I have never really liked american food...but after eating authentic Thai, Vietnamese, Chuantai, qingdaotai, hunantai, and others, I think that besides premire italian or french or spanish, that I can not bear the sight of more western food! And it has been almost 2 years to the day since I first set food in Asia...

Excellent question! The law is not completely clear on this one. It seems like it *is legal* to *work* with an EAD, but before having an SSN. However, it is *not* legal for the employer to actually *pay* you until you have an SSN. Hence, if she were to work, and the employer were to conviently wait until after the card arrives to hand over the first pay check, it *should* be ok. However, I am not a lawyer, so please do not go by my advice. I may be dead wrong... Does anyone know about this?

I have read this too. BUT, if a K1 arrives at JFK (as Rong will do in a couple of days) he/she GETS A 90-day EAD stamp in the passport. If you arrive elsewhere, then you need to make an appointment at the local Service Center and ask them for an EAD stamp. They can then give you one (not sure how much it costs), which is good until the K1 Expires. Or at least that is how I read it!

Like the rest of China, ALL BANKS (except those at airports, such as at the GUZ airport) close at 5pm (or thereabouts) EVERYWHERE IN CHINA (including Guangzhou). You can use the ATM after this, but nothing else...

Not to worry. In Rong's case, her city did the exact same. They are not allowed to state that a person is single (as they can not prove that). Just have her go in and make a sworn statement, that she is, and they will certify that. It worked just fine last week for my darling!