Dan R

Trevor I'm in the L.A. area. I would think you would find a good SSA office tapply at anywhere near Chinatown or the San Jose area which has many Asians. The meetup is in August at San Luis Obispo. Check out the forum Contact List under the Californians Unite thread.

Does that mean you'll be joining our California meetup?

Just finished arranging everything in 8.5x11 windowed envelopes with notes on each. These I have duplicate originals going in seperate courrier packs just in case of lostmail. 1) Notarized I-134 complete 2) Employer's Letter 3) Bank Letter 4) Copy of 2004 Tax filing and refund check Other things are joint financial accounts, copy of wallet spread to show Ping's pictures, retirement account, a touching email from Ping about our future, phone cards, phone bill, letter from Harty's office. Oh yeh and the letter of intent. This is it! I decided to keep it simple. I think it is important from what I have read that she be able to present specifics quickly in answer to questions. Since I can't go over these with her in person I have attached notes. Photo copies are not acceptable photo evidence but I wrote comments on each and signed them so legally they become original documents. She will also have her phone records, email print outs and photos as well as letters from friends. OK anything I didn't include that I shouldn't be without? I still have time to send another packet.

PDA an interesting subject. until the 60's in the U.S. it was a taboo. It has loosened up to the point that many feel it is a sign of the breakdown of American morals. It is embarassing to walk down the halls of a high school. In China it varies by region and many factors. The youth like everywhere lead the way in change as they reject the way their parents do things. Touch is a very culture oriented thing. Area of the body to touch and situation vary greatly. Nonverbal communication is an important field of study today for understanding social differences. Plato wrote condeming the decline of morality and blamed the vogue of youths wearing see through togas made of Chinese silk for much of it.

Things become lost in history. But clicking was a very hierarchical ritual. There were those you raised your glass to and those you clicked with. The degree of contact from tilted edge to full straight on was the difference between social grace and comaraderie. Change happens.

Do they have a nice Chinese two star or People's Railworkers' Hotel in Portland? You know something in the 350-400RMB range? I hope my SO doesn't find out I spent more than 150RMB for a room. Trigg I'll keep quiet about the stories you told if you don't reveal the cost.

Don't we all Trevor

If they just issue a 6 month dating visa with no work permit and requiring a sponsor there would be no need to worry over this. The visa holder and sponsor would be required to report any change in residence. This could probably be processed in a week, would discourage fraud and reduce the consulate work load. If there is a marriage then the AOS would be done. OK I'm just dreaming. This would reduce government jobs thus damaging the economy and cost incumbants elections because they aren't serious enough about the terrorist threat.

So David how does that differ from here? Some things are less formal here than in China, but I found that most people on both sides of the ocean don't know why they are just following protocol. I still recommend if you think you can't take heavy drinking, make it clear at the beginning that you don't drink at all. In formal or celebratory drinking there is no limit> It is all or nothing.

Ed I know the routine. Ping will walk away rather than feeling taken advantage of. I am pretty good at it too but this laowai doesn't often know true value

Paul what place do her parents live? I have been in Penglai and Qixia west and south of Yantai. The area is famous for its orchards. The fruit business makes it a better economy than vegetable growing areas. We really must talk to Don about the use of four letter words in CFL. I keep hearing that S word, even from my SO and it is starting to strike terror to the core. Oh I hope it is exaggerated.

It isa matter of fair but how our government is organized. Fiance while being looked at as an intended immigrant is still a non immigrant class. Spouse is immigrant classification. The difference is one gets to enjoy going through the same things again after arrival and the other gets looked at by multiple departments before arrival. This is strictly an issue of bureaucracy and turf wars that is characteristic of our government.

Ok, so we form a totem pole to fit in, then how do we BBQ the sheep (maybe we will be lucky and it will be a goat like in China).

Jason I don't think they use the word park like we do down here. There was talk about a place earlier where if your shoe size is too big you can't stay inside. Maybe we will all line up and pass through one by one Wow! A national gathering of the tribe is happening!

Steve check out the Californians unite (aka Californians' Hideout) thread in contact list forum. We've been busy while you were away.

Congratulations Steve and Amy. We will have to celebrate the wedding both in Oregon and in San Luis Obispo. Also Jim and Jennifers at least by the San Luis Obispo meetup.

Many Chinese are without birth certificates. There are alternatives given in the instructions for filling out the forms from USCIS. The city notary can also issue a document that is accepted along with the marriage, single, noncriminal certs.

Oh you are in Shenyang? I highly recommend the Yuanweizhai Restaurant. You can get more info at my virtualtourist page. http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/3b91e/f4d1c/2/

Do you mean "great" as successful or productive or "great" as positive and beneficial? High tech does lend itself to an Orwellian twist and language reflects as well as leads society..

Not likely as this would be before he was able to exercise free choice as an adult. Even the Pope has a childhood background in the Nazi Youth Corp. If you feel this means answering the form yes under this question, then I would explain it using the 2 points I mention. Personally I do not feel this is what they are asking about in the question. American law differentiates between acts as a child or an adult. I read this as being adult activities, not those required or directed to a child. Laws and forms are always open to interpretation.

Fred are you saying the rest are dummies that don't think? (disclaimer: this is a serious enquiry and not meant as harassment based on occupational orientation)

Do we need to bring our electronic translators or will there be regional dialect translators available? What does "renat a car mean?" and does "handicap accessible" mean no preferential treatment by regional origin?

Redling we need all the chuckles we can get to deal with this dang process. As for the announcement by Trigg, I for one am shocked! Of course Davy Crockett might be relieved to hear it. By the way can you imagine someone in government today saying this? It is a quote from a speach Davy made while campaigning for reelection. 'Fellow citizens, I present myself before you today feeling like a new man. My eyes have lately been opened to truths which ignorance or prejudice, or both, had heretofore hidden from my view. I feel that I can today offer you the ability to render you more valuable service than I have ever been able to render before. I am here today more for the purpose of acknowledging my error than to seek your votes. That I should make this acknowledgment is due to my self as well as to you. Whether you will vote for me is a matter for your consideration.' How much better off would we all be if politicians could recognize AND admit their mistakes. Imagine today reversing a position only because you made a mistake of interpretation that led to voting $20,000 for helping victims of a fire. The mistake was that, while he had the right to spend his own money to help these people the constitution nowhere gives Congress the right to spend the people's money on this.

See Trigg California isn't bad. Out here the SSA not only is familiar with the visa thing but the people in the office may be naturalized Chinese. I plan to drive 30 minutes to a city that is predominantly Chinese and apply there.

That's interesting. Cingular L.A. has no ability to connect text message to China. We have had problems sending or receiving when either of us changed phones. Had to get the phone reprogramed.