msmckee

We reported in person to Houston mid January. It was a 40 day wait to renew and they would not renew her passport and change the name at the same time. It will be another 48 hours driving (two trips) to change her name.

Tony, this is an interesting post. I did a search for names that start with "Y" and there just are very, very few girls names beginning with that letter that do not sound really weird. The only thing that sounded right to me was "Yana." This might be easier for Americans to feel comfortable with but it is so close to Yan anyway. I thought about Yanny or Yannie. I think she likes Katherine or Katie. She keeps changing her mind. It was Kelly and Erin a few years ago. I don't like Kat because I was born in the rat year. I corresponded with a gal for some time named Yan. She had taken the name Anne. I've read advice in the past... the name shoud be phoneticaly similar and/or attempt to convey the same meaning. I think Yan may relate to migratory geese? My wife's name, Yue, means moon. It is difficult in both Mandarin and Cantoneese. We toyed with Greek and Italian variations for moon, Selina, etc., in the end she didn't really care. Everyone knows her as Yue, though she invariably introduces herself as HuangYue. Names are an important part of identity, especially if you are out to choose one for yourself. You might want to consider its origin. Then, Yan is a very nice name too.

Humans are herd animals. The more important you look or act, the more people are willing to follow. Just watch the news

This is dead on. I could smell garlic on almost everyone in China, and trust me, as a recovering smoker of over thirty years, I can't smell much. It gets in the clothes and lingers even after washing. I had read years ago that Americans thought Asians (of unspecified origin) smelled less than floral. Well turns out that those Asians thought the same of Americans. Principle suspects... high protien diet and deoderant. On my trips to China I took uncented deoderant so as not to offend. I probablly still smelled of beef and cheese (maybe a little guacamole). In response to a later post... Deoderant is not so much a Western thing as it is an American thing.

Mom's World Famous Enchiladas, complete with all the "trimmings"

Or no JOB

I thought any broadband connection worked with VoIP. Have you looked at Broadvoice.com ? You need a router.

Wife doesn't want to "sleep" with a dirty man

I cashed some AmEx travellers checks at the BOC in Beihai. I think it was probably the main branch. It was a little troublesome... but no more so than any simple thing in China. I brought the rest home in reserve. The ATM was much easier, though at the more "remote" branches it would not work.

How are you getting to GZ? I was checking mid-April (Wednesday) flights on Orbitz.com from HSV today and they were a little over $1100 for Delta-CS Air. CS-Air arrives 6:20 am in GZ, no need for hotel. I always booked the GZ (CAN) flights to/from Beihai (BHY) as e-tickets online dirtectly with China Southern at http://www.cs-air.com/en It was about $82 each way. It was not trouble free, but I got there and back.

Yes, ESL is taught in all the grade schools here.

Everyone that speaks English does so with an accent. From Boston to Baton Rouge there are a thousand different ones. You will likely never lose your Chinese accent anymore than I will ever lose my Alabama one. Don't let that slow you down

Shangri-La Beihai wanted 10,000 RMB for a reception of about 25 people and it had a fixed time span. You have to leave at 5:00! We had the reception for 80+ at LP's house for the same amount and the neighbors and relatives got to party into the night I also presented father with a 10,000 RMB gift and he reciprocated with gold rings for the both of us. Also add in cigarettes and sweets and fireworks, etc., and I easily spent close to $3000. Oh, and the party guests did make monetary gifts (all duly recorded in a little red book). Mom and Dad kept that and it was alright with me. In the end everyone was happy, and that was what was important. I will admit to experiencing some anxiety over the money at first, but WTH, my first wife cost me substantially more

I don't know what they were like before so it is impossible to comment on any changes. I will say the experience was nothing like what I might expect you would need a lawyer for. Maybe an interpreter though He went down the the list of questions about excludable behaviors (the one you completed at application), so if your wife is not familiar with terms like "political party", "genocide", "illeagal gambling", etc I would try to familiarize her with the list or at least advise her all the answers are no B) You can't answer the questions for her. Other than that if you bring everything that is listed on the notice ov interview there shouldn't be a problem. At least that was our experience (jan 11, 06)

We had our AOS interview in Atlanta yesterday. It started out a little shaky but everything worked out in the end. I didn't anticipate tough questioning and I thought Yue's English was probablly good enough for casual stuff, but then we started down the list of questions about her personal relationship with Adolph Hitler and her possible illeagal gambling habits. Question 2 about political parties had her giving him the look. They wouldn't let us conference in her friend from home and I'm thinking we're screwed. But we finally managed to get through the list somehow. He was pretty helpfull in this regard, rephrasing the questions and such. I'm quessing terrorist plots and the Final Solution are not everyday topics of conversation for most of us, so if your darling is not fluent it might be worthwhile to brief these questions in advance. For the other stuff, he wanted to see some evidence of "jointness", bank accounts, same address, etc. Other than that I think for the most part he was looking to see if the answers provided were consistent with the previously supplied paperwork. He didn't ask to see any pictures. I was disappointed. You know how guys love to show baby pictures to each other Of course Mom was holding baby (that was a big obstacle to the raise your right hand thing). In the end he told her she needed to study English so she can become a Citizen. Smiling very big she says "I know, but before pregnant, baby"! But she has her temp passport stamp now and the GC should be here in a couple of weeks.

After our daughter was born I had to go home the next morning to cook up black chicken stewed in sake to take back to the hospital Yue has been eating mostly black chicken with some pork liver, heart and kidney (also cooked in sake) for the past two weeks. Like Frank says, $8 for a tiny bird (8 tiny birds in this case). All this was cut up and prepositioned so a stupid man could cook it

Thanks Frank. Since parking sounds reasonable it might be best to leave it behind. I'm having trouble squeezing into the car with all the overnight/diaper bags and evidence It would have been nice to wheel some of that stuff rather than carry it and a little girl to boot.

We have our AOS interview in Atlanta on Wednesday. We have a two week old daughter and don't know if it is acceptable to bring her in a stroller given the current "security" environment. Has anyone with relativly recent experience noticed strollers in the interview area or seen one turned away? We would like to keep her as comfortable as possible through the ordeal. I would also like to bring my laptop. Also, any advice on parking near the MLK Federal building would be appreaciated.

There is also the risk of contracting Hep B in the hospital. You know, the cure all for everything in China is the IV and they have a reputation for reusing needles (or repackaging and reselling as new). I wouldn't be surprised if medical treatment was the primary source of Hep B and AIDS infection in China. Your first taxi ride will probablly convince you that the possibility of requiring medical attention is not all that remote As an aside, both of my parents are chronic Hep B (inactive). At least one of them got it in a hospital here.

I tossed most of the kitchen (and other) junk before she got here. We went and bought most of it new together. The stock excuse for anything remotely old is ... yard sale. Just struggling along 'till you got here darling

feminine adornments.. though both of those words are in my pocket translator. At least they would have to work for it. Remember, there is a good chance a lot of this stuff gets x-rayed. Might not matter what you call it.

I've been curious. China issues gold and silver Panda "currency" just as US issues Eagles. 1 oz. silver has face value of 10 RMB. Of course the true value is more like 65 RMB. The 1 oz gold is 100 or 500 RMB face value, dpending on year. Are these coins considered monetary instruments at face value for customs purposes (both coming and going), or would they be considered trade goods, subject to duty?

I think 6's are reasonably lucky. 9's have something do do with love. a lot of the profiles I browsed before ended in 99 or 999. Then there were the ones that ended in 666. OMG! It may be different between Cantonese and Mandarin?

You may need to loose the cartridge belts.

When I bought the salt water pearls (cultured) in Beihai, they gave me fresh water pearls as a gift. Natural salt water pearls are only used in medicine.