ama537621

New York State is good at taxing it's citizens and only caring about the area around New York City

Always carry at least a copy of your bio page and current visa page from your passport. For my first few weeks here I carried my passport with me. It was getting the crap beat out of it so I just said the screw it and now have a copy with me. I would imagine that you would have to do something really stupid to get arrested here. If I were you I would be more concerned about crossing a street than getting arrested. My first week here was a sharp learning curve. There is a scam here where a cop will stop you and ask to see your passport, if you do not have it they tell you there is a fine you have to pay. If this happens just ask to be taken to the local police station. The cop was just looking for a quick buck at your expense He/she will back off if you ask to be taken in.

Quality also depends on who you know. Yuan insisted on staying with her parents until after the baby was born, and she is still there. I was a bit miffed until she dragged me down to the hospital to introduce me to her cousin, the president of the local woman's and children's hospital. Needless to say her quality of care was extremely good. On our visit her cousin walked with us to the hearing exam room and let us in before the other 20 people waiting, then did the same thing with the washing/swimming area, which was a bit weird but hey Emily liked it. She also was there when she had the C-section and sowed hew up herself. She might not even have a scar when she finishes healing up. Who you know means more in China than money (sometimes)

Well, the trip went well, flight was a no brainer, easier than in the US. Just make sure you press english for the self check in counter, I did not even have to scan my passport, I just typed in the number and was thru security and check in withen 10 minutes. The train was also pretty easy, a little over an hour by subway and I arrived at Lohu station. Had my first Mc donalds in a month a pity no quarter pounders here . Foreign devils cannot use the automated e ticket pickup so I had to head to a window. Waiting room was decent 4 stores a KFC. Only downside was only squatty toilets that had been pissed all over. Good thing I went in the Shanghai airport. The train was pretty clean in the soft sleeper section. I will admit it was nice to lay down with a pillow and take a nap for an hour. The only down side was no lower beds were available. So my view really sucked, thank-god for the tablet. Anyway baby is crying and it is my turn to attend her.

I should have a very interesting day tomorrow. My first domestic flight from Shanghai to Shenzhen, Then a 4 hour train ride from Shenzhen to Xingning, also a first trip on a regular chinese train. Strange thing there was no soft seats on the train, the women at the office refused to book me a hard seat they said no no no to crowded, you will get a soft sleeper. It is crazy why would they even have a sleeper stlyle car on a train that is a total of 5 hours from start to finish?

I have come to the conclusion that except for breakfast I will be eating out until Yuan comes to Shanghai. My only hope is the local TESCO which I will go to tomorrow and check out their supply of western style of food. But KFC dinner 15-20 RMB, local Bullfighter, 166-288RMB Japanese restaurant 100RMB for 2 people, Pizza Hut 125RMB . I can almost eat out cheaper than I can buy food and cook it at home. Anyone else noticed this???

Thank's Tsap and Dan Yuan is going crazy because she has yet to hold the baby, she has been in an incubator since they did the emergency C-section. She is worried about the insurance paying the cost 1500RMB a day for the incubator and the norses, I told her in america that price would be closer to 5,000 USD a day so they will have no problem forking over that amount of money.

I have the domestic travel permit. It is just a receipt showing that they have my passport and a passport picture stapled to it. It does have my DOB, Pasport Number. Yuan had the baby on Tuesday, she says that since whe will be in the hospital for a week that I should come next weekend. So I will just wait until the 5th and have my passport back in hand and travel then.

I must make a trip by plane and train this weekend. Chinese immigration still has my passport for my residency permit process. Tomorrow I can get a Domestic travel permit from the PSB that they say will allow me to travel within china without my passport. Anyone done this? I would not even think of traveling, but Yuan is having the baby this afternoon and I want to ge there as soon as possible and do not want to wake until June 5th for my passport to be returned to me.

MY connection in Jinshan district Shanghai is fine, I am still staying in a hotel until my apartment is ready. I would assume that my apartment/house will be just as fast as it is 1.5 blocks from my hotel. I also use VPN most of the time on my computer, the only time I do not use it is for Skype and QQ, both my company web filter blocks.

In July or August Yuan and I will be going thru the Cirt of Birth Abroad/passport/SS card paperwork in Shanghai for our daughter. She wanted to do it in Guz, but I am going to be very busy with the factory construction and machine install that I will not have the time to go there for a few day's. I put my foot down "which I will pay for later". So we are going to do it in Shanghai. She keeps saying something about an exit paper that she must do in her HOKU city. I told her we can go there for a visit after things settle down here in Shanghai, and file the paperwork then. I was wondering if anyone has gone thru the process lately and if it was as much of a pain in the arse as the whole K1 process? I have brought a lot of information with me to help out. Dr bills from the US for her ultrasounds, Marriage license, back w-2's a few pictures of her pregnant. My college transcripts to prove I was in the USA.

Mike, I was thinking about making a spray system hooked up to a 55 gallon drum. When I walk out the door I will get misted with Industrial strength Off. If anyone has a contact with the OFF comapny let me know LOL. Fu Lai, I have no idea of the cost my company picks up the housing for any contract under 12 month's in length. We are going to live the wallpaper for the short time we will be livinh here.

Mick, Shanghai, Jinshan District downtown Jinshan, The best thing is it has 3 bedrooms, So we get a nursery and a storage room. the owners want to keep the storage locker which I have no problem with, we are only going to be here 6-11 months. Well unless they offer me a ton of money to stay for a little longer.

Well, 2 dumps one apartment I would not even walk into and 1 decent place later I have reached a decision. As much as I did not want a ground floor unit I ended up picking it. It is in the center of the gated area so almost no street noise. Ends up the owner is a chinese woman with a husband from Singapore. They have refused to rent the unit out to any Chinese people, they only want western types so "they do not trash the place" owners husbands exact words. I posted pictures on my album. I hope I do not live to regret this.

I never would of thought about the plumbing issue, or the mosquitos, looks like I will try for a mid level apartment when I go looking with HR today. Thank's for the advice.

ok me being from a town where 4 stories is a high rise and 4 cars behind a red light is a traffic jamb I have a question. Would you trust getting a ground floor apartment in a small 4 story housing block? There are about 20 houses in the gated area. It has a small garden with a swing outside the livingroom. It would be perfect to rock the baby to sleep in if she is fussy. On the down side I am afraid of traffic noise keeping us awake at night. Or I can go with an apartment about 10-20 stories up 2-3 bedroom down side, riding the elevator up, lugging groceries, but probably much quieter. Yuan is staying with her parents until the baby is born and we get the passport and the COBA filed in Guangzhou. She say's it is my choice "I said ohhh S**T in my head when she said that". Both are within walking distance from a shopping mall, 3 bank's and a Tesco. Any advice would be appreciated.

I had to scroll back thru a second time. I completely missed that there were baseball field's in the pictures.

I will be moving to Shanghai next week. Are there any EX-Pats from this site living near there?

Great News

Dan, I would head to the city but the project I am managing is taking all of my time. I sent the paperwork off to mychinavisa.com today. I have used them in the past and they are very fast at getting the visa back to me.

I have my Alien Employment license of the people's republic of china in hand. WOOT. The supplement form for the visa asks for the license number, on the English language side there is no number listed. On the Chinese language side there is a number on the bottom 2013-XXXX. Anyone know if that is the number I need? I also have a Invitation letter of Duly Authorized Unit that also has a number on it. I am short on time and I do not want a delay because I typed the wrong number into the supplement visa form. If my timing is perfect I can get to shanghai, check out some apartments with the companies real estate agent, get my residency permit and still have time to get to Yuan before the baby is born. If my timing is off, well You all know how Chinese woman can be when you cannot do what you promised, LOL. :tomato: :tomato:

Congrats,

Awesome link Dan, I just received my STAP letter today the link is going to be a huge help.

My wife and I went to Guangzhou a day early. I was short on vacation and I wanted to be there for moral support. Get to the medical center first thing 7AM and you should have no problem getting your information the same day. We were first in line nobody around the elevator dinged and BAM there was 30 people in line behind us.

My wife did the same thing as Dan's. She insisted that we drive around the testing area for weeks before her test. As to item #4 I was on many occasions after a driving lesson a 1. "Bad Man" 2. "Bad Teacher" 3. "Bad Husband" And on 2 occasions she would not even talk to me for 4 hours. She did however choose to look at me with "that look in her eye" as she hacked up chicken with her HUGE ARSE knife that she bought at the Chinese food store.