Zhou Zhou

I've never had to do so much paper work for any visa in my life...this includes the old USSR, back in the cold war days. Four page form, color photograph, invitation letter, their ID cards (front & back), xerox of my passport & marriage book, wifes passport. My son-in-law used a form for the invitation and this was rejected and now they have to hand write the letter. I have had 5 China visas that cost much less money and have made 12 trips. I should be in the data bank by now. I've used Oasis many times and it would take them 11 days to get my visa to me. I asked if this increase in red tape was because of homeland security or terrorism in the world, but got no answer or conversation. Growl!

I have used Continental/United for years and have used most of my accumulated miles on the last trip. So I'm shopping now for a new airline, too.

We arrived early and my wife went in with several hundred others at 0615 for the interview. She was there all morning as I waited at the coffee shop and finally appeared with pink sheet in hand at 1220. It was worth the wait for me.

How about the, "Qiaodan" sports gear, with the guy dribbling a basketball?

It'll still be good sport for politicians to bash'em, ain't it?

The wife was keeping up with this case, since it's from our town. The word is that a 60 year old man disgruntled with the government, threw gasoline in the bus and ignited it. He also perished along with 47 innocent passengers.

Yup, lao po is learnin' good Americun speak like, "Absolutely, positively", "See you soon", "Over my dead body" and "You can't handle the truth"!

I figured at most I'd spend an average of $3 a day on transportation if I lived in Chinervania. Ain't no way I'd put my shiny Pickup on a street over there. I spent a couple weeks in Fushun in '06. I didn't see a bird the whole time and it was my first experience with a taxi driver pulling a "U-turn" across a 6 lane avenue, in the snow.

Most of the trains I've been on are pretty good. Took a hard sleeper to Lasa, thirty four hours I want to forget. In fact I want to forget the whole trip to Tibet.

I saw a program on PBS some time ago discussing and describing about a dozen dialects that are heard in the Boston area. Very interesting. Down here we only speak 100% Americun!

We visited Xi-An' a few years ago and took the 20Y bus from the airport to the city. Then tried to get a taxi to our hotel only half dozen blocks away and was told no by three drivers until one with a soft heart took us. I have always thought if I lived in Chiner I would never have to own a car...taxis and buses are the way go.

Excellent information...gotta print it for my mother to use.

Incredible...beautiful building and sculpture, but for a Consulate? I reckon I'd have to visit it to make a fair judgment.

The house is clean, I took a bath and ate lots of jiaozi...Happy New Year 4711!

Have y'all seen the price of a "P.O.Box" lately?

Lao po and I went to a showing of, "Last Train Home" at an independent library, last week. There was a lot of good discussion after....check it out. ZZ

Very nice photos...lao po and I enjoyed them. I'm a big fan of you yu and it looked delicious. ZZ

Welcome to the forum. I celebrated my birthday in a club in Xiamen in the summer of 2007. That night there was a fantastic all Filipina band the rocked the house. They did covers of Pat Benitar and Heart and everyone loved them. Did you ever work with them?

Glad the trip was a success...good pictures, I'd like to go bake for a long visit someday.

I also have seen the morning pep rallies and enjoy the welcomes. It is reminiscent of the old days in the US. Not long ago the wife and I ordered 2 meals at Hardee's (like Carl's) and the space ace boy gave me a bag took my money and when I looked it was only one meal....he told me he didn't know I wanted two...I told him that the woman I had my arm around was going to eat with me and also it was why I held up 2 fingers. So I sent in a card to the company and got a nice letter in return and two coupons. Last week we went to the, "Rack Room Shoes" for new hiking boots. It was all self service...find a shoe you like, search for the box on the shelves, get it down and try on the shoe and if you like take it to the only employee, the cashier and pay. The times, they are a changin'. ZZ

I'm sure that many on the CFL forum have been helped through the USCIS gauntlet and have been given help and advice from experienced members. Even with all of the time and study I put into our visa process, CFL help was invaluable. I feel for this reason we should all pony up some support for that assistance we got. Can I get a, "Ooh-Rah"? ZZ

Speaking of waitresses...when my wife first came here to the US she was struck at how the Chinese servers in the restaurants could speak English with me. I told her several times that they only spoke, "Restaurant English". I explained about them always asking how many? What do you want to drink, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Seven Up, Root Beer, Ice Tea or Hot Tea? And more drink and thank you. So I showed her one day. After all of the ritualistic chat I asked our server where she was from, after a thousand meter stare she replied, "Thank you" and walked off. So the Lao po asked about it and she was told that she only knew enough English to do her job...true story. ZZ

Very interesting sites all...thanx. ZZ

Congratulations, now you can take a breath.

Excellent post. I was an election observer in a couple Central American countries in the '90s and counting the ballots was not the end of the festivities...it started the war anew.