Dan R

Too bad you couldn't get the passport stamped. That made trips easy for Ping. But you have what you need. Don't anticipate and just enjoy. Take things as they come. Life is an amazing adventurer when you let it be. Be well.

I believe they discontinued single entry visas some time ago and issue multiple entry ones as the standard. So they don't like me? :'(

Picked upo my visa yesterday. Arrived 10 minutes after they closed. Door was locked. I opened the back exit door. The guard was across the room, waved my passport receipt at him and he waved me in. Two windows finishing the last applicants. Got out in 4 minutes. I applied for single entry but got multiple. I guess China likes me.

Be honest on forms. Lying is regarded as the worst offense while honesty is rewarded as long as it is reasonable. Having a "bad" answer is not automatic denial. Voting by mistake is more common than you would think. They should have a sign saying noncitizens may not vote, if you received voting materials please arrange for removal from voter registration inside. I know several who voted. One was notified of the error after being interviewed for TV outside the polling place.

Now how about the USA and the Electoral College?

Results would be interesting.

Went to the L.A. Consulate yesterday with passport, air ticket itinerary, photo, invitation letter, her ID copy, and the application. She took the passport, photo, application, and itinerary. I asked if she wanted the letter of invitation and her ID copy. The lady at the window said; No, this is fine and gave me the receipt for pickup next week. Don't anyone tell her that the letter she wrote wasn't even needed. Ssshhhhhh.....

Yup, I remember how nice it was overlooking the river when I made a quick weekend visit some years back. You even have good public transportation, which is unusual in America.

He must not have been Navajo.

If you have one foot in the reservation and one foot in the state of Arizona what happens to your biological clock?

But stay off the Navajo reservation, they change times. Better to go to Hawaii.

What a difference now people can go to work in the light again but come home in the dark. I think it is a plot to increase the population so Americans will out vote Chinese in the new world order.

But Jim, you aren't there to show them around and walk the bridge. Had a great time with you in SF.

A good man who dedicated his efforts to make the world a better place.

By "Black Bone Chicken are you referring to a silkie (used for women's soup? They are small and bluish black skinned. I had pneumonia a few years back. It was serious and didn't have insurance. A Korean Acupuncturist friend made a tea I had to drink every day for 3 weeks. tasted terrible but I did it. In just 4 days breathing was easier. It was a simple brew of ginseng and deer horn. Not only did the job but strengthened my lungs so I haven't had anything serious since.

The key is what did they list on the declaration for customs. Many food items and medicines can not be sent to the USA. Of course it will go through if not inspected or declared as something else. If they catch it you lose it. But most inspection is very lax and if not too much money it is worth a try. Unless you live in L.A. or can take the Chinese taxi/mini bus service here (cheap and runs throughout the western states). In L.A. everything Chinese is available irregardless if it is restricted or not.

No bad habits, just that under communism laws don't mean the same as under a Republic. We must follow the law or pay the consequences. There laws that don't tell you what you can say are only suggestions. Like driving on one side of the street. Silly Americans. LOL! That will be one of the joys of this, having to break her of all the BAD driving habits from China.

It seems it is getting easier to bring parents over to visit. A friend just got tourist visas for her parents. She is an only child and parents are retired. She just submitted a letter from her USC husband explaining their plans for them while they visit and submitted their tax return with the visa applications. We didn't think they would issue for both of them to come together but they did. No Attorny Good Luck!!

Urbanization and a high cost of living while wanting to be upwardly mobile seems to be a bigger factor in number of children. Taiwan is now the lowest birth rate in the world with 1 child per woman without a one child policy. Persuing personal goals (among child bearing women) and cost to achieve them seems to determine the modern young woman's child bearing quantity. In the age of women's rights many see no reason to marry or if they do they will wait until much older to have a child. The biggest problem is that a shrinking growth rate of the population puts us baby boomers retirement funds at risk. Retirement fund???? Heck it puts ever retiring at risk.

City people have alienated themselves from the farm and where their foods come from. The image is what they want to think and industry plays with it so the squeemish can eat their steak in contentment. I have actually met people that eat steak and think it is not from a cow. They actually call it beef animal which some how makes eating them better. Thankfullly FDA which rarely inspects and has few controls does not inspect meat or poultry. This is under USDA with daily inspection. Supermarkets are however under your local health department with little control.

no comment

Developing a conscience is not an excuse for commiting atrocity. Society depends on the rule of law being followed.

Thanks for sharing Amanda. It is always helpful to the rest of us to hear how arrival affects newcomers.

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