Zhou Zhou

We also have to wear wazi on our feet, salt foods and change into house clothes first thing when arriving home. Lao po, came up with a food that improves the skin. We made a dozen hard boiled eggs and with shells still on put them in a jar and filled it with vinegar. After they sat aged for two weeks they were ready to eat. The shells had softened where you can bite into them and eat the whole egg. I found only one problem, THEY SUCKED! Now I love pickled eggs and have made them for many years. So I made some for Tai Tai and convinced her to try them. She liked them and the spicy flavor a few squirts of Red Rooster gave them and of course they are good for the complexion. (wink) ZZ

I ordered a couple of coffee mugs from zazzle.com today for Lao po. They have hundreds of zodiac designs that you can customize to make them special...check it out. ZZ

I'm sorry to hear about your rejection and feel your pain. I had my let downs and was pissed at their delays and hoops. But like the others have said, you got to stay the course and not give in. We all wish you the best of luck. ZZ

Interesting you posted this...my wife went through the removal procedure last month...you're right there was no string so the Gyn couldn't remove it without putting her to sleep in a minor surgical hospital. She came through it very well. The next day I missed her and looked out the window and found her raking leaves. Oh, btw her sister back in Fujian had her's removed while awake...no other option. The Gyn said in the US they remove them after 10 years...sister-in-law's and lao po was in for >25 years. ZZ

We are avoiding CNY after all the travel glitches, cold temps and crowds we faced a couple years ago. But the week long fireworks show was amazing!

We were given a glimpse of the train on TV news last night...lao po said it looked dangerous, hummm?

I've often wondered what eligible/young Chinese men thought of us Westerners coming to court women in their homeland. I've never felt any dislike or anger. ZZ

This will give the party a lot to do in the coming years.

From PEK to CAN in 9 hours is very fast...it has taken me about 31/2 to XMN by plane. What is it from PEK to CAN by plane, does anyone know?

An example of ABC in the PRC for me is when I watch the travel logs on CCTV. I've seen several nice looking hosts that speak US English as well as Chinese. I'm sure it's a great experience for them.

Looks like they are opening the door for illegals to enter and flood the whole country.

Now that is very classy and the train looks good, too. I wonder if it costs more for me to bring my dawg and a small cage of quackers with me?

Greasing palms is as ancient as the Great Wall and is still relevant today. But I wouldn't suggest doing it with a VO, he may have a conscience or a camera focused on him 'n' you.

I took a (semi) high speed train from Hangzhou to Shanghai and thought it was the ultimate, but this one has it beat by a kilometer. And riders should see some nice countryside, unlike the view from an Airbus.

I enjoyed that and other articles from China Daily...thanx.

By front loading you give service center a picture of your relationship and it's seriousness. They are trying to guard against fiancees/brides coming over and then bailing. Checking in: There are threads about this and like me guys have done it several ways. I have checked in and they fill out a form and copy my passport/visa. And I have just forgotten to do it and then just not done it. And I've stayed in hotels and traveled to many places without difficulty....I've been all over the PRC on eleven trips and never been challenged by the police. I can't say the same for many countries in America.

Excellent! She did a great job, looks like a professional made it.

You are getting great advice, Art. I think all will agree that "front loading" and "documentation" are keys to remember. Save a/l tickets, entrance ticket stubs, anything with a date, take pictures with family/friends/together in different places, in different clothes. Your initial application will be measured not so much by pages rather in kilograms or pounds. I treated the process like a second job. And these CFL members have a wealth of knowledge and love to help others through the immigration hoops. Good luck.

Bao Mama...that's a good one!

You don't really think we'll stop meddlin', do ya? But iImma tellin' you that them Lhasa folks darn sure have learned how to work the touristas. They use every gimmick in the book and a few that ain't been added yet. But to be honest most are good folk that are willin' to hep ya, but a few are crookeder than a snake crawling up a hog wire fence.

I taught over Chinese New Year so it was me that got lots of learnin' and more fun than a wagon load of monkeys.

Yep, <$10,000 is the cut-off...ya know they are making some fine (innocent) looking money belts these days and you can do as a hillbilly like Tsap would do and stuff your shoes full. I have heard the Bank of China now has branches in the US...for sure in NYC. And I believe the last time I bought property here (Florida) I had to give my SS# and I know for sure you have to give it when you sell property. (for IRS) And I envy you plan to visit Oz, it's on my list...but I ain't riddin' on no chopper, no where, no mo! G'luck!

We used the practice questions that Tsap is talking about. We used every edge that we could think of, practice questions, roll playing, front loading the I-130...even thought about bringing in home made jaozi and my supremo dippin' sauce. There are threads here about the CCP question...bottom line you have to be truthful. If she's a member she can quit, but if you lie you chance getting caught and that could be more than just embarrassing, if'n you get my drift. Best of luck.

Yep, you need friends in Chiner. That close friend/classmate of Lao po is always there to help us. She was in the PLA for 15 years and her lao gon is a Minister, so shes got lots of connections. Lao po and I went to check into our reserved hotel room in Lhasa after our exhausting, high elevation, 34 hour train ride and was turned away. They had no room at the Inn for a Wild Eyed Southern Boy from the "Great PX". So after being turned away from 2 other hotels because I looked foreign, ( I really just look regular) we called her friend, back in Fujian. She scolded the wife for not telling her ahead of time and told us to sit tight. In 10 minutes a guy pulled up in a big shiny black rice burner and took us to a hotel that loved us long time. And was about this time that I acquired my bad opinion of Tibet and everything about it. But anytime we get in a bind we call our friend and she's on the spot with bail money, lawyers and guns.

Yes, indeed leave the #@*^%*!!! staple alone. At the Fuzhou marriage office they refused us because they said my single guy certificate was a fraud. My wife argued with the boss woman for 20 minutes (I timed it) I went over to separate them and was shown a Canadian certificate. It had a beautiful 4 color seal and a round grommet... a first class doc. She wanted to know why mine didn't look that official. Finally lao po called her close friend/classmate who's husband was a provincial minister. About 5 minutes later the boss woman got a call and the process got moving along...the next day we returned and were awarded our Lil' Red Books. And if'n y'all know about China...the marriage minister showed up to our wedding dinner and ordered about 4 of his favorite dishes. He was a pleasant looking and nice young man and looked like family when he joined our family photographs. "OIC, right?