griz326

We have similar problems here...we just do not call it the "little emperor syndrome." We have men and women who number their sexual partners in the hundreds; a hideous divorce rate - in fact - people marry with the expectation of divorce (pre-nups anyone?); a "what's in it for me" mind set; a "not my job" work ethic; and a huge population of 35 year old "men" who are still attached to momma's tit (remember the abortion argument that a fetus could not survive outside of the mother's womb...consider those people). Thank God for the exceptions!

I am looking forward to watching the documentaries, Chilton. However, as to your remark: >>>old school Chinese journalists give their opinions ... ...an old school journalist never flatly states their opinion - it is outside of the discipline. Comments from an old school journalist will always be ladden with qualifiers like "it appears that," "from what I can see," or other such phrase.

You mean Ì«¹ó !!!

From memory: If you married in China your relationship with the child must have begun before the child turned 18. If you filed for a Fiancee visa you have until the child is 21 so long as the child is named in your application. I am not familiar with the other paths into the country...other than to say that my company brings in foreign nationals very quickly. You said the child is "sharp" ... sharp in what? Science, engineering, medicine...or clothing design???

It is difficult for Americans to stand back and look at any country's evolution without bias. ...many years as an old school journalist may have helped my perspective. I do not look at Mao as good or evil, but rather as a (necessary) step forward in a feudal society's evolution into modern times: there was good progress and there were heinous things. The evolution of modern America is not without many comparable moments. My gal's family was broken up when she was young; the children worked on farms and I do not know where her parents were sent. I do know that she won't discuss it in email, but promises to explain to me at Spring Festival. I just ordered the documentary from Amazon and will watch it with interest.

Looking at most of the times listed in other members sig tags - the NOA2 comes about 90 days into the process. I am 90 days from the receipt of the NOA1 and have not received the NOA2. When I called USCIS the agent said that I would not see the NOA2 until March or April of next year. That's 7 to 8 months to NOA2 (9 months from the initial filing). I am puzzled by the timetable. Is this the result of the flood of applications before the increased fees?

This is quite an assertion, Chilton: >>>...the people there in large are more happy than they have ever been. They may have more money than they have ever had, but your statement does not jive with my experience. The Chinese I met in Shanghai in 1978 were as happy as the happy Chinese people I meet today. IMO China has the best citizen disposition of any country I have visited. Sadly, the richness of family experience is fading as young people abandon traditions, that does not bode well for happiness. As for the stability of China, IMO China will do just fine if we get our nose out of China's business and allow her to move along its own road to improvement.

I am not concerned about the sincerity of my feelings for my gal - and I am not concerned about her sincerity. I am concerned about the extreme level of change to my life and my ability to handle that much change. Perhaps this is just a normal part of the thought process in making a serious, life changing commitment. ...especially in the mind of a worry wart perfectionist.

I was last divorced 23 years ago and am now 56. Being alone is fine but sleeping alone without the comfort of a loyal and loving mate is another matter. For the last 6 years I have looked high and low for a life partner and finally found my gal. Overall, I believe we have an excellent chance of making it together. During the first week of my hunting trip I could only think about the joys of showing my gal and her daughter the wonders of Montana. During the second week of my hunting trip I became concerned with how having a wife and a daughter will dramatically change my life. Everything will change: disposable income; new responsibilities; loss of "do as I damned well please" freedom; delayed retirement; and so on and so on. (BTW - I stopped wolfing around many years ago. ) ...and another huge concern is that by the time I get my sweetheart and her daughter here, my savings will be severely reduced. I am certain that I do not want to spend the rest of my life without a mate, but the amount of change being married will bring is frightening to a guy who has been single for so many years. I know my gal and her daughter also face dramatic changes - however - their changes are irrelevant with regards to the point of this post. Did any of you experience the "dramatic change revelation" moment? If so, how did you reason your way through it?

The detox article has two facts: cold water reduces body temperature; hot water increases body temperature. Beyond that, the article is happy horse manure. ...but I've been drinking more hot water than cold water since I first visited China in '78.

I am really surprised jim_julian and hankster. I've been doing network security for almost 15 years and would immediately flag such a connection as a vulnerability. But then the security implemented since 9/11 doesn't follow the best practices I was taught...so I guess I should not be surprised.

I would expect it to cut both ways.... Jeopardize your chance of getting the FBI job.... And jeopardize your chance of getting a visa if you do get the job. A Chinese woman represents a major risk when her husband has the sort of access you will acquire. I could write a spy novel based on your vulnerability.

I hope to teach in China for several years. In doing my research, I came across this story about a year ago. What seemed clear is that the young man was inexperienced and naive. It cost him his life. At one point he surrended his passport to a school official. Sad.

My gal and I discussed this the other day. I gave her my diamond ring when I asked her to marry me and told her that she could trade it for a stylish engagement ring if she wants to. Initially she said no because she was so enthralled by this big ring. Now she told me she wants both of us to wear a Chinese style gold band. ...she still hasn't decided on the engagement ring.

I've seen a good number of those sights in China. Because I was a journalist for the first part of my adult life, I saw similar sights - and worse - in the US. IMO, living conditions in China's cities have deteriorated for many with modernization (and dramatically improved for some). Living conditions in rural areas appears similar to what I first saw in China.

It may be true but this really sounds bogus. >>>Of the tens of thousands of random samples analyzed, not one, I'll repeat NOT ONE sample met the minimal standards as set by the US FDA (which was the bench mark for food analysis). Pretty scary stuff. It might be more believable if we knew which minimal FDA standards are being referred to; or if there was a comparison with "tens of thousands of random samples" from American restaurants. As stated it sounds as if the FDA standards being applied are specious. ...as for pollution... China is an emerging nation; emerging takes time. In 20 - 40 years China will not only have a handle on the pollution problem, but her people will be making more money and China's economic, technological and military standing will likely surpass the US.

>>>No - nobody's missing anything. They really do make it fairly easy. LOL.... You did not make it clear that you must take a double dose of Job's patience pills every day until you see PINK and then GREEN.

That is exactly why I posted. It still does not sound right to me. What sounds correct is that a mother and her child would travel together to the US. However, I think that you are correct that additional paperwork must be submitted for the child. BTW - the congratulations are premature...our interview probably won't be scheduled until late April.

My gal's been peppering me with questions about coming to the US and how the process is going........... So I call USCIS to get a few of her questions answered authoritatively. Long story short... I was initially told that my gal's daughter would not be interviewed with her in Guangzhou and would not travel to the US with her mother. ...but this gal tells me that my future daughter will be interviewed and granted a visa if we get PINK and she can come to the US with her mom. (This is actually how I thought it was supposed to work) Anyway...I am going through a mental readjustment. Now it looks like I will have two homesick Sweeties to take care of... Horseback riding and snow skiing should keep the younger of the two pre-occupied. I'll have to think of something for the other Sweetheart.

Having grown up in Pittsburgh, PA I know well that the 3 rivers had to die and the air had to make people sick before industry budged . At every turn, American industry attempted (and still attempts) to evade environmental law. Industry leaders figured out that the easiest way to evade environmental law was to export American jobs . Attrition has done as much to clean up the US environment as legislation. You are dealing with the bottomline. Greedy businesspeople and crooked government officials around the world smell blood in the water and are circling to get their portion of the profits. None of them give a hoot about the health of the Chinese people, the condition of the planet or anything other than lining their pockets; they don't care if every Chinese citizen gets cancer as long as they don't die before their kids can take their place on the assembly line. That's exactly what happened in Pittsburgh where an extraordinarily high percentage of people in my age bracket and older get/got cancer (because of breathing polluted air, drinking polluted water and living the lifestyle of the period) during the great industrial age.

In an ideal world this would be a matter of taking care of business, not profit margins. But it is not an ideal world, after all, "environ mental case" Al Gore just won the Nobel prize while driving SUVs and living in an energy pig mansion. ...and each of us share in such Gore hypocrisy. So what are YOU going to do about it?

Westerners working to influence and change China is the same as Californians working to influence and change Montana. The result is disaster.

If you really want to teach, this is where to have your question answered authoritatively: http://www.eslcafe.com/

Thank you for your perspective, jim_julian. I presume you are Jim's better half? Your perspective is the same as mine. Having seen a good bit of the world as a merchant seaman, most of my US shipmates could not perceive that a different way of life (in any country) did not necessarily mean an impoverished, unhappy way of life. Perhaps such arrogance is a noteworthy characteristic of American culture?

If a gal could so quickly switch to another USC how legit could her entry have been in the first place? One fiance to another within 90 days?