griz326

25% overweight? Horsefeathers! However, the Chinese are putting on weight as a group. On my first trip here the people were tiny, now a good number of women are as tall as me. ...and it seems their waist size is competing with mine as well.

Or it could be a trial balloon to see if it is time to dump the great helmsman....

Here is the plan we've devised: 30 minutes of English; 30 minutes of Chinese with our 18 year old Chinese daughter as the instructor. I'll be looking at English language courseware for our instructor, but we've got enough material to get going. Because my gal is a news junkie, I'm thinking that getting the US and Chinese versions of non-political news items might be of great interest to her. I am hoping to expand the English of the 18 year old by asking challenging questions and helping with pronunciation. As for the Chinese lessons, Pinyin will be the basis of the teaching because my gal does not know Pinyin. Fortunately, I have a wonderful array of language books as well as computer software, audio DVDs and even a professional recording studio to use.

Congratulations!

Thank you, I remembered reading somewhere that we needed to present packets of information from the interview. But remembering where I read it or knowing what to search on is a different matter.

The visa should get the girls in, correct? But what interview documents must come to USA with us to assist in AOS and other settling in issues? The x-rays and med tests necessary? I do not want to leave things here that we may need. TIA, Griz

He told me he plans to stay with her for 6 months this trip. I felt like I needed a bath after talking with this creep. YUCK! ...as for the sex vacations, I considered that but at my age decided I prefer my integrity to frivolous sex.

I had the dubious pleasure of meeting an American man on his way to meet his fiancee on the flight over. It was the first time that I met an American guy who was seemingly leeching off his Chinese girlfriend. He had dozens of excuses why he couldn't afford to bring her to the USA; why he couldn't get a good job; why he couldn't afford the immigration process; how nice it was to live in China and have a successful Chinese girlfriend. He gave me the creeps. Why do women fall for such losers?

While I was in the coffee shop waiting for Xiaoyuan this week, there was one young woman passing the coffee shop alone with a flood of tears falling from her cheeks. I can only imagine the sadness of getting WHITE. Time will ease the pain. Good luck to you and your future husband.

Do put ACH on your agenda as Jim suggests. Read BCCO's post about his interview results to see how attending has the potential for big payoffs. Think PINK!

I returned to Nanning with my two gals last night to say goodbye to family and friends before leaving for the USA. We were pooped after a big day collecting passports w/visas and buying airplane tickets. >>>Interesting how security gates and guards are especially found around the poorer tenaments. I never noticed this at all around poorer housing developments, I've always thought of it as a sign the development was for those of higher position.

We had one professionally created album of engagement pictures, but the rest were in those cheesy 4x6 photo albums you get for free from Walmart when you ask. The pictures were organized by site or event.

I did not spot Don aka HumbleStudent at the Consulate. Perhaps Brian did. The plan is for my girls to return to Montana with me July 9th. I checked the airfare for them on my current flight through Northwest and it's $5000+ plus a $100 change fee for me. I'm looking for better prices than that; may have to dump my existing ticket and buy a 1-way back in China.

Congratulations, Brian! Your Coco is a real Sweetheart. I know she wanted to go get hotpot when you told her you wanted to stick around in the coffee shop. That coffee shop would have been a really dark place if Xiaoyuan and Yawen came down with BLUE and we were alone. Thank you for hanging in with me.

The visa officer was a han-maguoren man who had given out a number of blue slips earlier in the day. After the name, rank and serial number questions, he asked the following: * Do you speak English? (response in English: I am learning) * How did you meet? (response: Internet, Chineseskisses) * When did he visit you? (response: last summer, spring festival and now - she showed him my passport) * What is his job? (response: computers and she mentioned my company's name) He asked for the taxes & pictures. THEN he asked Yawen, the daughter (18): * How often do you see your father? (response: every week - which surprised the hell out of my gal) When I asked Xiaoyuan if she was nervous she said, "No, no, no! I know you." She had with her every email I had written, every IM transcript and her Chinese translation of them. Her speech is lagging far behind her English writing, but her vocabulary is exceptional. The entire interview lasted 3-4 minutes, but she was in the Consulate until almost 12:00...with me sweating bullets in the coffee shop downstairs. I drank 5 cups of Italian coffee and a Pepsi! PS - I forgot to mention that we got the PINK! Added by request.

Parity has almost arrived in the big cities of China. The Kung Fu Panda tickets in Guangzhou cost the same as they would have cost in Kalispell, Montana. A tasty but modest dinner last night cost the same as a modest meal would have cost back in Montana. I doubt our wages will fall, but our buying power is clearly plummeting.

Just a quick report.......... Brian & Coco were the first to get PINK this morning. Xiaoyuan and Yawen had to be the very last people interviewed but they finally came downstairs with the PINK! There were 5 fiances in the coffee shop, 4 of us got PINK; there was one BLUE. The blue came for not having his previous divorce decrees in their packet. I am certain Brian will add details soon.

She's sleeping like a baby; I've been up and down all night. At least now it is 0500 so I can justify taking a shower.

I met Brian and Coco picking up the medical results Monday evening. When we left the medical center the girls patted their chests and expressed their nervousness to each other. Then my Lao Po thanked me for being there with her - she did not know that she would get so nervous. Today, my gal, my future daughter and I walked to the US Consulate to cases the joint and then went to see Kung Fu Panda. The movie was a welcome relief. Just a few minutes ago, the three of us finished our last minute POW-WOW. The girls are ready, but I am not sure about me - I am nervous enough for all of us I'll be sitting in the coffee shop with Brian in the morning. I'll be wearing pink underwear

It gives a whole new meaning to the whine.... "How do I look up a word if I don't know how to spell it..."

Off to the interview I go.... We have a July 2nd date with destiny in the US Consulate in Guangzhou. My future daughter emailed me this morning to tell me that she is nervous. My future wife says she hopes she gets a good looking VO!

Because it is a handwritten letter, he needs a translator. It is unlikely he is able to enter the Chinese characters into the computer himself. I have not yet found a character recognition program that can interpret handwritten Chinese characters. If one exists, I would like to know about it.

I'm going for my gal and her daughter...not because the VO might be swayed (although I hope there are brownie points). This is a defining life moment; if there is any way that you can be there, be there.

I saw it as an interesting read, but poison pen article about China, Dave. I considered it propaganda and not even handed at all. >>>After all, most of the quotes and facts cited in the article, including one you used, are from Chinese citizens,researchers,officials and academia. It's the job of a journalist to take someone's words and club them over the head with them. That said, it is a huge problem growing out of the consequences of the one child policy. It could indeed plant the seeds for war if a solution is not found. I suggest that the USA ship China 37 million liberated women.

:cheering: Wonderful news! :toot: A trifecta!!!