oregonknl

I see where you're going with this Michael ~! Rack o' lamb on a spit....... Hell, maybe the whole damn thang' HUMMMMMMM ~!

Yeah Jim, Let us know where to go.... And Trigg, what kind of BBQ would they be servin' in Portland Tenn. on the 26th. of June?? I'M SORRY ~! What I mean't to say..... White House Tenn. on the 26th. of June! ........ my lil' mistake.....

Take the Airporter (bus) into the city... Even if your hotel isn't on the direct route, it will be much, much cheaper than a taxi ... (be sure to pick up several free bottles of water from the bin at the mid-door exit, it is often hours before check-in) My Fei, lived in GZ for over ten years before I "rescued" her ( ) --- and she was constantly at war with GZ taxi drivers ---- Very hard on them! ---- I also saw why independently in several trips before I met her.... My suggestion is that you limit your exposure to taxis by taking other transportation when possible..

Wow, I think AOS must either be in transition nation-wide, (very possible) --- or it is significantly different region to region. Fei's interview was on April 4 here in Portland, and she wasn't asked any of these questions. The IO had a huge file on us, all together, and the one similarity that I see in your post was asking for pictures together, (which I didn't bring either) ---- but he then flipped through the file and found some that I had submitted earlier in the process, so that passed. Also the proof of marriage came up, but after I produced a marriage certificate, that was all that was necessary... no proof that we were living together required... The only questions asked of Fei: 1) May I see your Chinese passport? 2) Can you hand me those papers as they come out of the printer? Also totally unclear what this CIA thing is ---- Fei got her "Welcome to America" letter: "Permanent resident status has been registered." letter last week ---issued 23 days after the interview...

Wait a Minute ~!!! JIM! How can you NOT be De Man ----- with all that recent snorkling under your belt! You never watched "Sea Hunt" with Loyd Bridges ~?!?! Ok, Sunday, June 26 ! Be thar or be squar ... (Sort of a TN Twang....... don't you think?)

".... and well into the night lots and lots of .... snorkling..." JIM ~! What the hell you talkin' about ??? I've been to Hawaii many times, but I never snorkled at night... You have an underwater light or somethin'?? Also, given all that non-stop snorkling, weren't your fingers mighty wrinkled? Anyway, naturally, we all want to hear about the trip (spare us the snorkling details... but where you were and what you saw of interest .... assuming you two made it out of the room occasionally.... ) Also, I agree with the other PDXer's: ~ YOU BE DE MAN!! ---- might add: Juxin seems to have a certain planning ability ---- maybe she could contact Fei --- could help you out with this assignment....

Ok, If everyone wants to do this sooner .... but June ain't that far off... When Trigg finally get his act together it will definately be summer, so perhaps when he gets here we can all have a fishing contest! (Trigg, first thing, we gotta' talk about the bait rules.... )

Sounds just about right for me... ........although Fei and I sure as S will still be workin' on the house.... What do others think about it?

PJ, I think thats great news!! I had no idea you were a PDX native! Hope we can move closer to a date collectivelly... I have been trying to pin Trigg down.... but his ears must still be ringing from the last mop slap....

Beijing Jenny, Sorry to have to add this: But at least here in Portland, you can't just go to the DHS office... you need to make an appointment online first... Don't know how it is where you are, but also don't want to add to your frustration...

Lynne, There are many expedited passport services out there with only a few days turn - around.. (sorry I don't know one ----- maybe other Candle members do??? --- of course, you can Google it also..) They cost more, but I'm sure not as much as the difference Long-Strider just found it ticket savings.....

Lynn, Sounds like you got a good deal for June. Generally, I like NWA better than United, but it was on a United flight that my sick two year old, coming to America, got very special treatment from the flight attendants!

Yeah, I'm experiencing many of these Chinese traditions here with Fei.. During her first period in America, we were doing very hard physical work on the new house... I asked her to push a full wheel barrow, and she said she was having her period.... I said something like: "so what?" BIG mistake, she was mad at me for days.... Although I now know that she really does lose strength during that time, and since then I have been giving her iron fortified vitamins, which seems to help quite a bit.. Wonder if anyone has heard about this: Recently, Fei corrected me for leaving tea leaves in the pot of tea over night in the refrigerator... Apparently, in China, when reusing tea leaves, for sanitary reasons, you are supposed to drain the tea into another pot if you arn't going to drink it in the first few hours. But I pointed out that if you just leave the wet leaves in the pot between uses, doesn't that allow mold or germs to grow on the leaves? For some reason, the answer is: "No" ---anyone else heard of this?

Lynne, I think its wonderful that you will soon be reunited! And I'll bet your husband is beside himself at the prospect of meeting his son~! I would suggest two things: First, having traveled with very young children between Asia and the US, (one with significant health problems) ... Expect support from the flight attendants ---- after all, that is why they are there, and my experience is they consistantly come through for the kids.. Secondly, I would strongly urge you to fly from Portland (PDX) to Tokyo on the daily NWA flight ----- in my experience, it is never fully booked, and is a brand new, very comfortable plane... Your chances of getting the special services (and additional attention) you require are much greater, and of course, it is just a short commuter plane hop from Seattle... (it may even be cheaper than Seattle, if booked directly with NWA ) Hope you have a wonderful trip!

LeejCandle, Sorry to be a day late and a dollar short..... that is exactly the vent hood I recently bought and installed in my new house.... Yeah, lots of nice features, and REALLY moves the air... My recollection is about 550 CFM (both fans on full) but of course, you can use just one (over the burner you're using) and hi/lo setting... for a combination of setttings... Purchased locally at Home Depot for under $200.00 ......

aosnow, Racism in China has been discussed at great length here at the Candle --- many times... but these discussions pre-date your involvement here. Suggest you go back and find the various posts. While no one on this particular thread talked about being spat upon in China, I did specifly mention that there are racists in China as well ------ as did others.

Dan, I'm sorry if it appears that I am trying to excuse what happened... Not at all, I agree that often these things are one on one ---- I was just trying to give Lele some comfort that one individual does not make an institution, local, or Federal government policy... Certainly, that is a concern Lele raised.... You in your own excellent thoughtful response pointed to the strides made by the Federal gov. in the area of civil rights, and it is so true that all of us --- when we bring our SO's to America, we do, to some extent join the minority community, that we all have the potental for being targeted in this manner... I had a very unpleasant incident maybe 5 years ago (daughter #1, at about age 5 was the target) --- and like Lele, in a place where you might least expect it --- a very upscale grocery store here in Portland named Zupans (think we all know the kind: fresh produce displayed like a work of fine art --- and priced about the same..) I was buying one of their only affordable specials from the deli counter, and I felt Jet tugging hard on my pant leg --- I look down, and I see terror in her eyes, and then immediately see the source: A very well dressed (white, WW 2 vintage) guy practicly leaning over her giving her the evil eye..... not saying a single word.... OK by me, I don't need to hear it. I push Jet behind me, and square off: See, thats not at ALL what this guy expects in such an upscale store (many well healed, who have adopted in China shop there, and I'm willing to bet he had pulled this before on someone else) I tell him to quit looking at Jet. But he's kind of thick, says that he didn't say anything. So I take Jet up to the checkout where there is a favorate checker that she likes, and tell her to wait there.... Then I go back to the deli dept., but apparently, several staff saw the first exchange, and see trouble, so they start following me..... He's sampling one of the freebies when I come back, and knows immediately I'm coming for him. Drops the freebie on the floor, and puts his cart in front of him. I jerk the cart away, and tell him: "If you were a younger man, I'd drag you outside and clean your clock" He is just sputtering.... "he's going to call the police..." tell him: "go right ahead.." I leave him and go back to Jet. But still, feeling bad, don't know if anything was really accomplished. Had this super strong urge to punch him in the face, but am really glad now that I didn't....... Dan, sorry, guess I haven't been spending enough time here lately, I enjoy your insights, but didn't realize you were a minority. Just curious: are you ABC?

lele, I am very sorry to hear what your wife experienced (and in Cambridge of all places....) If it gives you any comfort, it does seem that this (while obviously racially motivated) was an incident involving only one possibly mentally ill individual.... But even assuming the very worst: that instead, she was an intellectual giant in the African Studies department at Harvard ---- she was still just one individual... We all know there are racists in the US ---- and there are plenty in China too........ Don't know if this helps, but I really am sorry to hear about this, and feel for you both....

Yeah, sounds good, Trigg! Let us know, and I'm hoping others here in Oregon will try to accomodate our get together around your trip... ...... And since Trigg is the first out o' Oregoner, my feelling: he should get to pick the date! (BIG enticement for all you other CFL members world wide! BH or BS! )

MESSAGE FOR TRIGG!!!! SO TRIGG, ARE YOU COMING OUT?? YOUR PRESENCE IN PORTLAND IS AS GOOD AN EXCUSE AS I CAN THINK OF FOR A GET-TOGETHER ----- HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO DATES??

Yeah Roger, If you like a property --- and are going to use it and enjoy it, sure, why not invest? Can't be worse than time shares, and lets face it, even if the market tumbles, RMB losses for Americans ain't going to be the same as for Chinese (ie. life savings in some cases..) I was speaking simply from an investment standpoint...

Well, As I posted here a while back, probably late Dec. After our Sanya trip... would definately not recommend investment in Sanya, or any second residence resort market in China... I view Sanya as particularly at risk, because for most of the year, the vacancy rate is extremely high. Huge number of investors from the north are, in my opinion, blowing up the bubble, but they aren't using (or renting) the property.... just view it as the Golden Goose.... Classic set up for the Big Fall....

Trigg, I EXPECT you to be at the next get together!!!! And as I pointed out recently, just happens that its in Oregon, but Candle members WORLDWIDE are welcome to attend!!! (BTW, Don, I think Jim and Juxin may still be in Hawaii) so Jim has an excuse for slackin' off on his assignment ..... ( Can't imagine what they are doin' that they kant even come up for air enough long enought to check out the Candle... (must be mighty good snorkling...)

Yeah, Dan, The "One Child" law has many exceptions... If you make your living in agriculture, you can have one, or more extra children... Also, because of that law, perhaps one of the biggest recent changes is the government offering finincial incentives to couples having girl infants..... to counter the long held belief that boys are more important, and leading to a shortage of girls in China.

This was many of the areas of discussion with my Father in law last summer in Hunan.. He is diabetic, and drinks green tea almost constantly... Naturally, so did I when I was there (and he handles his condition very well, with very little insulin --- mostly just diet) So he talks up green tea... Personally, years before my interest in China, I began drinking "workin' man's" Oolong... The stuff that is stringy and black ... very aromatic, and smokey .... and dirt cheap... On a trip to Beijing, I discovered REAL Oolong, which is held in high esteem in Northern China, wonderfully complex, but still more potent than the lighter greens... In the tea houses of Beijing, (at least the ones I attended) ---- the tea house service was entirely different from the south of China.... NO porcelain tea post of any kind... Clear glasses for the green teas, and small earthen pots for the darker teas, which were always more expensive... and the attendant always was heating water, and close at hand to pour the boiling water into the earthen tea pot to re-use the Oolong tea leaves, which were remarkably resilient .... coming back with nearly full body every time..