Steve and Aiwen

Well, suh, ah beg to disagree....we Southern Gentlemen here in the South have always viewed ouah ladies as treasures. Like yoah Texas gals, ours can be handy with a shooter and can take care of themselves, yet I was raised to treat the fair sex with respect and courtesy. This sometimes gets me told off by the fem-nazis, but I could care less. You gals derserve all the perks you can get, in my opinion. Like Texas, it's virually a LAW here in the South to hold doors open for the ladies, what's funny is when some dummy or parade of dummies tromp though on her heels without so much as a thank-you. Ya gotta just smile, 'cause they're too stupid to get it...."Hey you....outta the gene pool!" Steve

I agree. I've never been the "player" type, and I'm not going on a shopping trip for a SO like you would go shop for a car or something. I'm most certainly not going to the other side of the planet just to visit another "meet market". I find these "romance tours" you read about to be kind of sleezy, meeting so many women on these trips, how in the world can you even think you will find the true one? I went though the "weeding out" process with my eyes open, it just happened I got lucky to find my SO after only a few months of searching and trying. Like you, we already know that we are for each other, everyday we grow closer together. I'm a one-woman guy, this is big with any woman, no matter where she's from. Hell, life's complicated enough, it's all we guys can do to get along with one woman, much less two(or more). Steve

That is cutting it quite close. It'll take some time to come through immigrations and baggage claim at PVG. It'll take at least an hour to get to hongqui from PVG without traffic, and with traffic, it could take a lot more. There is a shuttle bus from PVG to HongQuio. It's about 20rmb. They go on a set schedule, perhaps once every hour. Your layover is so short that I think a taxi is a must. Taxi fare will probably be 160-200rmb. You have NO time to waste. Rush! Push! Get to HQ airport as quickly as possible! Thanks....I'll make plans accordingly... Steve

Michael, I guess I am in for trouble also, as Trigg and his lovely wife are(so far) the closest couple I have found to me. They live about 2 hours drive away, I would guess. I'm about an hour and a half from Nashville. Do you reccomend a pre-exorcism as a precaution? (Laughing) Steve Hmmmmmmmmm, just two hours away! Me thinks me sees a free meal in my future!!--Medium rare please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you ought to offer up some of those choice steaks for the occasion. That is, unless ML has already chopped them up. I've got a 1,300 pound steer that is gonna meet his maker next month--Even she can't chop that much meat up for the wok!! Steve, medium rare please!!! What time should we come??? Gotta be soon so I can hand deliver a fresh copy of the Triggtioanary (price to be discussed later) I got the grill if you got the meat.....I live across the street from the hang gliding park just outside Chattanooga....great place to come hide out for the weekend...cabins and rv park onsite.... Steve Do I have to bring my own hang glider too?? Bring it if ya got it....maybe you'd like to try a tandem with an instructor? I don't know the prices, but you can check out hangglide.com for lots of info and pics...be careful, this sport can be addictive and ya might get sucked into the vortex and wind up a sky hippy like me..lol....really, this is a great place. The busy season is from April to October, with cookouts and parties at the clubhouse every Sat. nite....we had over 300 at the Halloween party last weekend...live band, kegs and kegs.....catered food...all for only $10 bucks..,,,,normal cookouts are $5 during the season, often with a keg or two in attendance.... Steve

David, Going to Nanning via Shanghai via Chicago from Nashville, depart Nashville Nov 30, arrive Nanning Dec 1 at 9 pm local time.....long ride...huh...returning to the US Dec 18. Anyone have any experience transfering from Pudong airport in Shanghai to Hongquio airport, where my China Eastern flight connects to Nanning? I have about 3 hours layover in Shanghai between arriving there from the US until my flight to Nanning leaves from the other airport. Is there a shuttle bus or is a taxi the better option? Steve

Steve, someone needs to do that very thing. I don't have personal experience with it as I've stayed in hotels. During the one exception my wife's brother-in-law did (he's a cop). I don't know the details but chalk it up as an adventure when you go do it and tell us about it. Will do...expect a complete report when I return, I'll try to post some while I'm in China, taking the laptop along. Steve

Michael, I guess I am in for trouble also, as Trigg and his lovely wife are(so far) the closest couple I have found to me. They live about 2 hours drive away, I would guess. I'm about an hour and a half from Nashville. Do you reccomend a pre-exorcism as a precaution? (Laughing) Steve Hmmmmmmmmm, just two hours away! Me thinks me sees a free meal in my future!!--Medium rare please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you ought to offer up some of those choice steaks for the occasion. That is, unless ML has already chopped them up. I've got a 1,300 pound steer that is gonna meet his maker next month--Even she can't chop that much meat up for the wok!! Steve, medium rare please!!! What time should we come??? Gotta be soon so I can hand deliver a fresh copy of the Triggtioanary (price to be discussed later) I got the grill if you got the meat.....I live across the street from the hang gliding park just outside Chattanooga....great place to come hide out for the weekend...cabins and rv park onsite.... Steve

Michael, I guess I am in for trouble also, as Trigg and his lovely wife are(so far) the closest couple I have found to me. They live about 2 hours drive away, I would guess. I'm about an hour and a half from Nashville. Do you reccomend a pre-exorcism as a precaution? (Laughing) Steve Hmmmmmmmmm, just two hours away! Me thinks me sees a free meal in my future!!--Medium rare please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA! With these trips to China in Nov and Feb(so far planned) I'm gonna be eating peanut butter and ketchup soup for a month! Maybe we need to organize a CFL party in Nashvegas this winter to shake off the cabin fever...btw, got my passport and Chinese visa today....woo hoo,,,,, Steve

Welcome to CFL Steve and Aiwen, I have been to China 3 times and I have never registered with the police department. I wish you luck. I'm from the Atlanta area, there are a few members from Georgia here, some wives are in the process, but some are happily here and thriving. You will enjoy China. There is even a Walmart in Nanning... near the walmart is a few photo place where you can have your pictures taken... if you get your passport picture taken here you can go to CVS and have 4 taken for like $7. and you can use one of those pictures for the K1 process. I'm taking my digital camera and will make tons of pics, email them to myself, burn to cd on my laptop, etc. Hope the walmart has photo shop to do prints...Aiwen says the Walmart is nearby, so I guess I'll find out what the Chinese greeters at the door are like, lol.,,, Steve

Michael, I guess I am in for trouble also, as Trigg and his lovely wife are(so far) the closest couple I have found to me. They live about 2 hours drive away, I would guess. I'm about an hour and a half from Nashville. Do you reccomend a pre-exorcism as a precaution? (Laughing) Steve

Thanks, MIke, Sounds like, from your timeline, ya got caught in the IMBRA logjam. It's been pretty much cleared up, at least for the most part. I think we are looking at 6-10 months for our processing, unless something happens. I will just have to be patient and stay up on the changes. I already got the Cheetos stocked up...lol..... I know you are on top of the world right now, since your love is now in the US. I am most certainly looking forward to that day myself! I see from your timeline it took 11 months for you guys. Let us know, when you come up for air(grin) how things are going. Steve

This I do not know if you have to then . I understand if you stay at her place you need to register, I cannot see why it would not hurt to have it done at police station.It is a 10 minute process. You do get an offical form from a government agency stamped and certified saying you were at that location at that time.In my mind it does not hurt to have going into this process. I think it is excellent proof of being there. There is a sign at my SO parents housing complex that state if even a chinese person stayed there for longer than 3 weeks or so for a visit they even have to register with the police. This is to prevent the movement of the population from one place in china to the other. I just found this.... From this website. On March 1, 2006, a new Public Security Law went into effect that gives police new powers, including the authority to detain and deport foreigners, relating to the commission of a wide range of offenses. The list of offenses has been expanded to include certain religious activities and prostitution-related crimes. Americans in China, who are not staying at hotels, including Americans who are staying with friends or relatives, must register with local police as soon as they arrive. Otherwise, they may be fined up to 500 RMB per day http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html Thanks, Lostinblue, I'll register with the local police station. I arrive late Friday night, so we will go first thing Saturday morning and take care of this. One more piece of documentation! Good! Steve

By the way, lostinblue, I am renting an apartment, arranged by Aiwen, for my visit. Do I need to go to the local police station there to register? I've registered my itinerary with the Consulate already.... Steve

Lostinblue, Thanks for the advice. Yes, I am keeping copies of everything, even DHL waybills. I plan to have the "kitchen sink" package all ready for the interview in GUZ when the time comes. Aiwen has never been married, I have been and already have multiple certified copies of the divorce papers ready. We have gotten started on the paperwork, in fact I am hand-carrying it to China for her signatures. I always do my "homework", it seems from my research that the correct paperwork properly filled out and everything just as the paper shufflers want will help the process proceed through the mill without any more delays than is normal. I will triple-check everything before I mail the first package to the TSC on my return. Thanks for all the good advice and experiences all of the folks here at CFL are sharing. Our case seems straightforward, but you never know what the government weenies may come up with in the time between now and the interview in GUZ. It is so typical of our government that the place that needs the resourses, like GUZ, doesn't get them.....I always remember that "an elephant is a mouse built to government specifications". Talk about swatting a fly with a sledgehammer. This whole visa process is a gigantic pain in the keister, but the end result will be more than worth all we are putting ourselves through. I am lucky in that I have the type of job that allows me to take off and fly to China to visit(I'm a truck driver), so that makes the separation easier. I plan to return to China again in about 3 months, if I can stand being away that long....I'd take a job there if I could, just to avoid the separation. But that seems hard to find... Again, thanks, and I'll be checking the site here daily for emotional support, if nothing else...lol... It's a long haul, but truckers are used to that...lol.... Steve

Hello All, MY SO and I, Aiwen from Nanning, are just entering the visa process, and I would like to thank everyone for such a good, informative, and supportive forum. I am sure we will need your support as we endure this overly-difficult and often aggravating process. I'm going to China for a visit Dec 1 for about 18 days, and I'll post my experiences here. Aiwen will be logging in as well, I am sure we will make many new friends here who are enduring the separation and anxiety of this visa ordeal. We are seeking the K1 visa because it seems faster to obtain. Wish us luck! Steve Wildwood, GA