fortunecookie

Face it guys...... It seems that Chinese women do have one fault - they like to portray a "rich image". And to them this includes owning at least one LV handbag. I don't mind the handbag so much - but it cost about half the cost of the handbag to get a matching "wallet"...... This kind of bugs me because why spend $700 on a wallet that nobody but a cashier is going to see. Ha Ha Scott

Hi Everybody, I know you all are going to laugh - so go ahead and do it. My wife and I are going to China this Fall. I offered her the idea of going "east" and flying into Paris and change planes there, then go onto Guangzhou. The original thought in my head was that the tickets were a little cheaper than going "west" the other way. But now my wife has figured out what Paris is...... It is home to many designer brands such as LV, Channel, etc. Now she wants to go that way purposely for the shopping!!! The tickets we are looking at give us 7 1/2 hours in Paris (7.5 hour layover). Here are my questions: 1) I think (read) that no visa is needed/required just to sight see one day in Paris. Does anybody think/know different? Although wife is Chinese - at the time we travel - she will have a US green card. 2) Has anybody had a flight through Paris before - and do you know if any of these designer brands are available for sale IN THE AIRPORT? 3) How far is the shopping district from the airport? I am asking about the shopping district that would have designer stores such as LV or Channel? Any help or advice would be HUGELY APPRECIATED as these are things I need to know BEFORE we decide to take this route!!! If we do not go for the shopping and sight-seeing - then the reduced ticket price is hardly worth the extra hours (longer flights and longer layovers) going this way vs. taking Delta to LA and then on to Guangzhou which cost only $250 more and is MUCH FASTER and HAS MUCH BETTER CONNECTIONS. I definately need to find out about the visa situation - but really want to hear any feedback from anybody who has taken this flight before. Thanks, Scott

I never knew this........ very interesting!!! Scott

Can someone please give me some examples of airlines that fly east. I assume flights leaving New York or Newark, NJ fly east - but this I am not really sure about. I would think it should be cheaper for me - i live on the east coast - to fly east - but I am not finding ticket prices this way. What carrier flies directly east to China from US east coast? And what cities do they depart from? Is ATL included? Thanks Scott

What is the route, and how long does it take? I've always flown over the pole into Beijing. It is Atlanata to Paris...... then onto Guangzhou.

Does anybody here have any experience with flying to China going EAST instead of West??? I have found some tickets with Air France that are reasonable and the flights seem to be pretty nice. Plus - we will get to see Paris for a few hours. Thanks, Scott

I have not heard anything about this. I thought it was business as has always been - IE: Several different VISA options. I hope some others chime in here and tell us what is current facts. Scott

What is the longest term, with the most entries - Chinese VISA I can get? In the past I got 3 or 6 month, multi or dual entry visas (don't remember right now). But I heard or read that they will issue longer term ones now - if you are married to a Chinese citizen? Anybody know exactly what I can expect to get this time? Thanks, Scott

Hi, Can I also ask if anybody knows exactly what a person is required to take (documents, payment, etc.) to renew a chinese passport in the US? Does anybody know if you must have a valid green card to renew a chinese passport in the US? Thanks, Scott

Hi, since I cannot read chinese - and since all the instructions I see on the chinese consulate website are in chinese - can somebody who reads chinese please find for me the size requirements for the photos that are accepted for chinese passports? I understand they have new requirements? Thanks, Scott

This is exactly my thinking. I am too worried something may go wrong. I am one who has learned the hard way that it is better to be safe than sorry. As important as the trip to China is - it is certainly more important to be with my wife! I have even thought... that with my luck - we will be in China at the same time that they decide to deny the removal of conditions - then my wife will have to sit in China and wait while we fight her case in Immigration Court! Thanks all for your input. For now - I guess I have no choice but make an info pass appointment and see if I can get some answers from them. They are certainly sitting on this case for some reason. I am thinking that perhaps they are waiting on "something" from a third party - maybe something from the ex-boyfriend? Maybe it's just paranoia - but they are waiting for something and definitely sitting on this case. Scott

I really appreciate your input! However, as you pointed out - the letter may be legal but it does not guarantee that she can get back into the US. Next, as her passport will expire while she is in China - the I-551 stamp in her passport will be a problem as well.... unless you know if there is a way to have this stamp transferred to her new passport??? And one last thought - I will have to double check the dates - but I think the I-751 letter will be expired before the date we planned to leave. If this is the case - it will be worthless. Thanks Again, Scott

Hi All, To say the least - this removal of conditions is about to get the best of me! I really am about to loose it! I was so mad on the phone with the immigration office employee - I "kind of" told her off. I know - not her fault - but I am loosing it big time. Let me update all - then I would like opinions of what I should do. We went to the final interview like 4 months ago - of course a days drive from where we live. We were interviewed - They seemed to treat the wife like she was royalty or something - and on the other hand BASHED me for a very long time - asking questions that I never thought would come up or were issues at all. After the interview - the IO told us he would recommend approval - but he emphasized that he was not the decision maker - that our case would be decided by someone above him. He also said we should have an answer (positive or negative) in about 3 weeks. After 3 months - and no reply from them - I telephoned. I was then told that because our case has run over the typical time frame and that we had not been told anything - they then said to expect an EXPLANATION (at least) from the office holding our case - explaining the delay. They said we should expect a letter (I think). Well, another month has gone by and still no reply or explanation!!! I telephoned again - and this time was told that there was no further action that could be taken (by the personnel in that office). So basically I am now in total limbo - not knowing anything - with nobody else to ask. I am aware I can make a info pass with the IO - but this is a full days drive - and I can't help but think that it will be like pissing in the wind - nothing will be said or done - I will only be told that the case is still pending - which is all they seem to be able to say. Does anybody have any advice? Is there anything else I can do to find out anything from these people? What is killing us is that we have LONG planned a trip to China this fall - but cannot go now because she has no valid green card. Now we will have to drive all day (the other direction) to go to Houston to renew her passport which will expire this year. So just another expense and trouble for us - what else is new. Thanks, Scott

Don, I also agree with you that it has slowly changed a little. She will sometime admit that she has realized that some things and/or behaviors may actually be better in the US vs China. But one thing that still really "gets her crawl" is to see American women flaunting their bodies in public - especially if it is not an attractive woman. We live right across from the beach and she sees this a lot and hates it. She says this would never happen in China. FC

Oh please... while china has the longest history of any civilization, it doesn't mean that every issue is the result of defending their country. Spend even a few months studying how their ancient observations of the universe and man's life resulted in a 'natural order' which was then extended to emotions, food, health, medicine, illness, personal, social, society, political, philosophical, and religion issues. It is the most systematic explanation of life and it was done thousands of years ago. Describing man and his interaction with nature is essentially unparalleled among all cultures. Besides just life interactions, they developed a 'beginning' which is both compatible with the western transcendent religion and scientific big bang... Again, done thousands of years ago. I often wonder why westerners are so critical of the eastern way.. and accuse them of not understanding our western way... which simply suggests the western is as adamant about not understanding the eastern way. This is a generic question to all westerners... Most have no clue as to the development of this thought... we think of it as cute words like "Feng Shui", "Daoism", "Confucianism", "Buddhism", "Yin Yang", etc... It is ALL connected into one whole system... Few have the courage to really try to understand it. That does not mean one accepts it.. but that one is willing to get outside of their own western understanding. David, Perhaps I worded my comment wrong. IN MY CASE... MY WIFE will defend her country, her culture, her religion, etc WITH GREAT DEDICATION. And in doing so will mock any belief that is different. So I stand corrected to suggest this is done by other Chinese people. Although, I suspect others here will agree with me - if they have had any deep conversations with their Chinese SO's. FC