IllinoisDave

Death toll up to 254. Hundreds more feared buried.

Wow! A DavidZ sighting.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Your description of the rooms sounds exactly like ours down to the lack of internet and AC and "shared" toilet facilities. I'll just add that we had no warm,much less hot, water in the morning for showers. But due to a lack of much sleep because of no AC, a cold shower wasn't all bad. In all fairness I should add that we didn't have any need of the Yang's assistance for our paperwork,logistics etc. Not everyone's so lucky. If you're the least bit unsure of having all your ducks in a row for the interview and don't mind the most basic of accomodations, Mr. Yang's place may be the place for you.

This is just my opinion... others will probably disagree. And as I've indicated, I come at this from the perspective of having a fiancee who's family saw no necessity in this practice. But if I were in your shoes, I'd discuss with your fiancee just what you can and cannot afford given your financial situation. Reminding her that that situation will soon be hers as well.

This thread has great potential...to turn into another political back and forth.

Yeah, bad gums can lead to bigger problems down the road. Hopefully the female dentist can convince her that something needs to be done. Best of luck.

Yep. Christine had major problems too. Mostly because of poor preventative habits before getting here. She's had one tooth filled,one pulled, another to be pulled and deep cleanings wedged in between. She's been a real trooper though. I chose my dentist specifically because I'm a wimp and she uses gas. Christine will have none of that. "Make me act silly? No use. Too expensive." Not even for the extractions. Novacaine is all she'll use. I'm with Jim on the SoniCare brush. Really works wonders. I can't stress enough how important it is for everyone to get their wife/husband/fiancee/fiance to the dentist as quickly as possible once their here to get checked out and started on a good dental-hygienic program if needed.

Have you discussed this with your fiancee? My wife is from Shanghai and said the "dowry" wasn't expected or necessary. I believe that's been the case for others here whose wives/fiancees are Shanghainese. YMMV

Good luck.

From all accounts Buzz Wong has the Wight Stuff. B)

The article mentioned the hesitancy by Chinese couples to adopt because of various handicaps the children have. I would hope that if that hesitancy is permanent or even prolonged the government would revisit it's decision to not allow foreigners to adopt. Having any loving home,even if that home isn't in China, would certainly be a better alternative than an orphanage IMHO.

Amazing! I thought my wife was the only one. It doesn't matter how large or small the parking lot. After we park and go in a store or mall and come back out, she invariably starts walking in the wrong direction. I mean EVERY time. It was funny the first hundred or so times but now it's a little annoying. I'll have to try your "find the car" game.

Just bought the plane tickets... Will be arriving to the US on Nov 10. Wow...two months. Are you staying in China that long? Major jealousy here if that's the case. Congrats and have a safe trip.

Ah, but soon we will ... Yes we will.

Ditto.

My wife says she's too practical to believe in/need religion or gods. We are in complete agreement.

Sounds pretty reasonable.

CONGRATULATIONS!! And thanks for the great write-up. Even having been through it myself, no matter how many of them I read, the descriptions of the re-unions in the hallway/coffeeshop get me every time. Good luck and have a safe journey home.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Hi Amanda. I'm assuming you've done the Beijing- area things, Great Wall,Tombs, Summer Palace, Tianenmen etc.? If not those would be great places to start. Xian is somewhere I'd like to go someday. Not sure if the weather would affect those choices one way or another. My wife tells me Lijiang is very nice. Maybe too far for you? I've found Shanghai fascinating every time I've been. Just some suggestions. Have fun.

Wait a minute. An American company looking to buy a foreign one? And Chinese no less? Holy man-bites-dog Batman!

Very interesting notion Rog. I hope people don't read into it any implication implying that China is somehow backwards because of the comparison to 19th-century Chicago. For those times, the World's Fair was considered very modern and innovative. So the comparison is actually very flattering and IMHO, accurate.

A classmate of my wife's from her elementary school days happens to live in one of Chicago's northern burbs. They've invited us over for mooncakes. We're both looking forward to it.

Yikes! Amazing that gangrene or some other infection hasn't set in and killed him already. I agree Jim, I'd love to hear what our resident doc (shushuweiwei) has to say. I wonder if he's ever seen anything like this?