MarkLuvsShuPing

I was looking at those GD 986's. They look pretty sophisticated. Are they as nice as they seem to be? More importantly though, did it have too much? $300 is a lot of dough to roll on something I don't need half of. I saw a few cheaper ones on e-bay, but I'm short of time and it didn't look like I'd get it in time before I go to China.

Y'know, I think that was actually the price I saw. Too outrageous for me to remember correctly.

I've been looking at some of the Chinese pocket translators on-line lately, thinking it would help me quite a bit to have one. Should I invest $100 - $300 for the talking kind and if so, which ones do you recommend?

I don't know about you guys, but one of the biggest pains of this whole process for me is the realization that the clock is ticking. ShuPing and I want to have children, but having read Robhon's story and a few others, I know I don't want the additional trauma of having my wife go through the whole thing in China, without me. Being unable to get them both over here with me is not how I want things to happen. For those of you currently in that situation God bless you, really. I'm 41 and ShuPing will be 36 in January and instead of taking a year to ourselves before having a child, that year will probably be spent mostly away from each other. The timetable will get pushed back and we'll probably rush things a little once she gets here. Not exactly an ideal situation for her on top of the culture shock. I tell her all the time how wonderful I think she is and how brave to come to a new world. Add having a baby on top of it and she's just incredible. Can I get an "Amen" gentlemen?

Maybe that should be "Terrorist Twos". Yes, someone had to say it.

I'll be flying United next week. Denver to San Fran to Tokyo to Beijing - $730 R/T on Orbitz. I leave 8:30 am and arrive Beijing 9:30 pm the next day. Sounded like a great deal to me since the only other cheap fares I could find were nearly $800. One airline I saw was actually charging $3000 for the flight. No doubt first class, but DAMN!

Thanks, it's about the same as iKobo.

I thought "Hey Ya'll" would be the best response, but maybe "Wassup" would be fun too. I just wonder if they'll be teaching me the Chinese equivalent in return.

Is that what I have to expect when the in-laws get drunk at the wedding?

I'm going to keep this info for future reference. I don't kno how well iKobo will work. That First Federal thing sounds good though.

ShuPing doesn't think the marriage license will be a problem. She seems to think it will only take one day. Therefore, probably no bribe needed. therefore, no cigarrettes are needed. I think I will go ahead and give the bro-in-law a pack, afterall, he will buy and smoke some anyway.

I found iKobo and sent $100 to ShuPing. She got her card in the mail, went to the bank but either didn't know how to use the ATM or it didn't work for her. She lives in Nanning and there were plenty of ATMs listed on their web page for Nanning. I'm not sure what went wrong, but the money is still sitting there and she can't get it. I plan to show her how to use it when I get to Beijing, but if the ATMs don't work in Nanning, it won't matter much.

Wow! $500 for translation, you must've had a bunch of papers. I'm getting 3 documents translated for $75. I can only hope that we can walk in and walk out. I am asking ShuPing via e-mail now what she thinks.

OK, I know what to do. I'm going to the Diamond Shamrock station and load up on the free moist towelettes. No worries, I'll keep myself fresh and clean at both ends.

Happy Birthday Brian! Have many more to come!

I have a moral quandry. I was talking to a friend of mine about the gift I need to give my future brother-in-law. I've settled on a cigarette lighter, a cigarette case and a cigarette holder or ashtray. He asked me, "Why don't you give him a pack of American cigarettes?" I told him my objection to handing out cigarettes and supporting a bad habit. Then he turned into the devil and tempted me with dollar (or RMB) signs. His idea was for me to take my limit of cigarettes and when the neccessity to grease a palm arises, use them instead of money. No doubt they are a sought after commodity and rather than offering $20 or $30 whenever a "tip" is needed, spend that money on a carton of cigarettes here and give away a $3 pack instead. Actually, he also suggested that I sell them, but I don't know how legal that is. I have to admit, despite my dislike for cigarettes, it is tempting. I already stated in a previous post that I didn't like the idea and wouldn't do it, but this has me considering the possibility. They are going to smoke anyway, whether I give them cigarettes or not, why shouldn't I take advantage of the situation? What do you guys think? Is it evil, illeagal, stupid or a really good idea?

It sounds like we could get away with it in Beijing, at least, but ShuPing is pretty adamant about it. I think for her it's a rather important issue. It may mean we cut the stay in Beijing to a couple of days and go to Harbin to get the marriage license sooner. Which, considering the possible delay in getting it, may not be a bad idea anyway.

Wow Ray, that was definitely way out of left field, but nonetheless appreciated. I wonder if I can use that when trying to convince ShuPing that one hotel room is a lot cheaper than two.

Hey Clifford, I didn't mean to add any more unwarrented doubt to your situation, we all have to endure enough uncertainty without anything added unneccessarily. I'm sure your gal is too legit to quit, especially if you've met her family and you both have persevered this long. You're right, it would be nice to see some numbers. I'm willing to bet that American international marriages are more successful than domestic ones regardless of where the foriegn spouse comes from.

Isn't it cold eough to freeze before it hits the ground? Doesn't seem too dangerous, unless it's like stepping on marbles. Great! I'll finally have some time to work out. So busy working around here that the stairmaster goes unused. Of course I have an advantage, I live a mile high in altitude, it'll be easier to breathe in QiQiHar. Or so the theory goes. Being originally from the south, I'm used to that. I'll teach 'em all to say "Hey ya'll".

What about the spitting? Is it a matter of dodging loogies or being arrested for doing it? As far as the cab ride, I'll sit in back with my Baby.

Orrin, First of all - thank you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for fighting in that war. For that alone, you are a hero and this country owes its' freedom to guys like you. I mean that with all sincerity. But now I'll make my comments. When you were over there in Nam, fighting the good fight and following orders, you probably heard about all the pansy-ass, chicken sh**s who found a way to avoid the draft. While you were over there putting your life on the line, they were over here bitching and moaning about the war. In fact, a whole lot of them were protesting in front of the White House. They should've had their ass on the front line with the rest of you guys, but they chose to get out of it. Viet Nam was a government run war with no definition of victory, no clear objectives, with a total lack of coordination between military groups and a bunch of jerk offs trying to advance their own agenda. Had the war been run properly and by the military, we would have won and Viet Nam would probably be democratic. The little pansy-asses who stayed home, bitched and moaned about the war, in fact, they bitched and moaned so much that the government eventually decided to get out of Viet Nam. Now whether or not all that bitching and moaning and protesting was a deciding factor in the pull out can probably be debated. I think it cost Lyndon Johnson the Presidency. It was definitely a pain in his ass. Nevertheless, I think it had a major impact on the situation. In any negative situation there will be those who do nothing, those who do what they're told and those who refuse to go along what they're told to do. In my mind, the ones who do nothing are just in the way. The old saying, "Lead, follow or get out of the way, but do something" comes to mind. The situation with the immigration of our loved ones, as I understand it, (remember I'm still kinda new) should be a lot better. There is no apparent reason for the delays in processing except that the government is trying to run it. It is a situation we can all just accept it or we can bitch and moan and protest about it. The situation can't get much worse, can it? But it can get better. So let's all fight the good fight. We'll dutifully submit our paperwork and submit to the wait time, but I don't think it would hurt a thing to be a pain in the ass to some of these beaureucratic jerk offs that are needlessly keeping us away from our loved ones.

Don't flatter yourselves. Yes, perhaps America is a dream for many. But, at least for Russians and Ukranians, of the women who decide to marry outside of their country, many women find their loves in other parts of the world. Unfortunately I don't have any numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if more Russians immigrate to Europe than come here to the USA. I have one friend that is now happily married in England. I have another friend that first headed off to Sweden. After that fell through, she has now found someone in Poland. The introductions agency that I used has now hired an Italian interpreter to help with introductions to that country. The only difference that I find with women who immigrate to Europe versus those that come to the USA is that they don't have to wait a entire year just to enter the country. ------ Clifford ------ Yeah, well if I don't flatter myself, no one else will. OK, so the delay tactics work. Rather than wait a year to dupe some poor sucker in the US, they go where thay can do it quicker. Russian and Ukrainian women are notorious for using a guy to get out and then dumping him or worse. (See this link: http://k1.exit.com/woes.html ) Don't get me wrong, I've known some very nice and stable Russian women, but I personally have heard many more horror stories from that part of the world than any other. So there!

I think Orrin is just addressing the concern that we all have at first, does she want me or the land of the free? Personally I wouldn't begrudge anyone the opportunity to come to America and partake in/contribute to the prosperity that we enjoy. I don't doubt that a good majority of immigrant wives and fiancees were inticed to leave their homeland for the myth that is America. I mean I don't think they're lining up in droves to immigrate to, oh let's say, France and Germany. Does that mean they're wrong or criminal? I don't think so. Haven't you ever thought, "If I had about $30,000 I could go retire somewhere in southeast asia and live like a king."? Is that any different? Leaving your homeland for the perception of a better life in another country. Unfortunately that is sometimes the only reason a perspective immigrant marries an American. It's OK as long as true feelings grow from there, but if it remains the only reason, that's when it's wrong. That's when we have a broken heart and a lot of unhappiness all around. Now, as to Orrin's use of a certain demographic, Chinese women under 30, I don't have the numbers to support my suspicion, but I would guess that's where a lot of broken hearts, i.e. insincere marriages, come from. The bad news for us is that they delay the process for those who are truely in love. But that's the point, isn't it? How do you tell the difference? The length and inconvenience of the process seems to be the current solution. I (of course) think it's fine to meet on the internet, fall in love and bring your loved one to this country. My guess is their work ethic and dedication to a life here in America is much better than many of the spoiled natives we already have here. So how can that be a bad thing?

Well it looks like this ole Florida boy is about to hit the deep freeze. Fortunately, I've also learned how to adapt to the cold somewhat, living and skiing in Colorado. Still, I'm sure I'll spend as much time as I can in a hotel. Yes, we are going to the ice festival, I'm actually looking forward to it. ShuPing has never ice skated, so I told her we'd go when we are there. Funny thing is, ShuPing lives in Nanning. She is from QiQiHar and her family is there, that's the only reason we're going there. She hasn't been home in over 3 years. Lucky me, I decided to get married in December. More good info on the toilet paper thing Patrick, thanks. Also, I'll try to enjoy the taxi cab rides, it should be fun.