I've Had It!

[Carl]

Bob, hang in there. Ying and I have been apart for over a year. Now we are close enough I can almost taste it. Perseverance is always rewarded

[HanLi]

the hell will pass........ hang in there... once you are with your SO, life will be good and the nightmare will be over!!

[BobandNicole]

Bob, It took us over 120 days for the process and we LIVE in China and I filed direct with consulate CR-1, so be patient.

 

Have seen a couple of posters talking about quitting their jobs, cashing it in and moving over here.. here's some advice from a long timer.

 

I've lived here 8 years, seen a lot of changes. None for the better. Oh yes, our little burg of 2 million permanent resident's and 6 million transient factory workers now has Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonalds, soon toget a Hard Rock Cafe, Starbucks and Burger King, and next month will open the largest shopping mall in the WORLD...

 

But, the pollution has gotten terrible, the water and electricity is off for 20 percent of the time, and it has gotten too crowded, noisy and way too many cars, driven by drivers with little or no driving talent. This may sound like China bashing, but the local official Chinese language paper complains of the same thing. What they don't mention is the gasoline shortage.. Long lines at the pumps reminicent of US in the 70's.

 

Nicole's had it with here, and all of the expat's stress levels are way up. The walk to the grocery store 2 blocks away has gotten to be a challenge, what with bicycles, motorcycles and cars driving on the sidewalk. The only reason we're still here is the 6 figure salary, plus other lucrative benefits. Rent, groceries and general living expenses are not any cheaper then U.S., actually my home town in USA is cheaper to live in. And at least property values are going up there, unlike here. I'm trying to start some internet businesses, but the internet only works half the time a lot of the sites I need to access are "blocked"

 

A two week visit is fun, especialy when you are treated like a "royal visitor" but to quit a job and move here full time? Unless you've got a good job with a multi-national, think long and hard about that one. Plenty of teaching jobs here for native english speakers, if you like living in a Chinese dorm room and making 1000 U.S. a month, maybe, if you can get them to pay you.

 

Sorry for sounding jaded, but this is a developing nation, and a Communist country, with a culture very different than anything you are prepared for. Anyone who claims to be an expert in China culture is telling "B.S."

 

For more information, check out my website and the links on the site. The day to day challenges of Southern China.

Bob and Nicole

[Randy W]

Bob, It took us over 120 days for the process and we LIVE in China and I filed direct with consulate CR-1, so be patient.

 

Have seen a couple of posters talking about quitting their jobs, cashing it in and moving over here.. here's some advice from a long timer.

 

. . . . .

 

Bob and Nicole

144494[/snapback]

 

Thanks for sharing the personal experience with the rest of us!

[Mengxin]

Thought about doing the same at least 100 times. In the short term, it's a great idea. Long term, not such a great idea (unless it's for work and your job is secure when you return.)

 

If your selling your stock options that tells me you probably have a good job right now, and they are hard to come by now days. Hope your descision was made with thorough planning.

 

Good luck and best wishes,

Edited August 7, 2005 by Mengxin (see edit history)

[Yuanyang]

It would help if something was happening to break the inertia of the initial filing.

 

Yes, the air is just awful.

[tywy_99]

It could be many months before an I-130 gets approved by CIS and then it takes some time to get thru NVC and GZ.

I filed at VSC. It took every bit of 7 months to get approved by CIS. I'm glad I filed the I-129F for K3 during that time.

Wasn't it CSC that were approving the I-130 at record speed 3 or 4 months ago? It was unheard of at one time that an I-130 would be quickly approved. I don't know how quick Texas approves them.

 

-good luck

[david_dawei]

Bob,

 

I know that the waiting game is hard.. but the last thing you want to do is micro-manage every milestone.

 

Look at the overall... should take around 13-14 months. Back out 5 months in GUZ...

 

That means 8-9 in the states.. two months for transfer to GUZ.. two months for NVC...

 

That leaves 4-5 months at CSC.. Any sooner, and you can celebrate a little...

 

Get into the USCIS recliner... the GUZ one is very soft, I can verify that...

 

Thinking of you two waiting across the world for the NOA2 !!

[vibes1313]

Very accurate analysis from Bob and Nicole. 8 years....wow.

The only thing I might disagree with is the cost of living. My annual rent here is less than my monthly mortgage payment in Irving. I'm coming up on 1-1/2 years in China. If you're in a position to come and stay with your SO until she gets her visa, do it!!! I'm hoping it will make it easier for me to help her adjust to the States when we get home. At least she knows what it is like living with my sorry ass.

Learning first hand about the lifestyle, culture, and environment couldn't be learned from a hundred textbooks. I've dealt with hospitals, government agencies, neighborhood organizations, the police; fought with the banks, tv cable companies, newspapers, travel agents, hotels, grocery stores, pickpickets, street-hawkers; and partied with under-the-bridge people all night. Sounds like home, huh?

From some of my previous posts it's probably obvious to tell that I'm past ready to come home.......9/13 Baby! But if I had to do it over I wouldn't change a thing. Air pollution, traffic, crowds....it's all bad, but If you can hang out for the visa wait, come get your feet wet.

Just try not to think about why they are wet...

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

It would help if something was happening to break the inertia of the initial filing.

 

Yes, the air is just awful.

144705[/snapback]

I just returned from Shenzhen and had the very same feeling. The people in China are mostly wonderful and welcoming of Americans. But, when it's not raining you cannot breathe, your eyes burn, the acid rain is a mess, traffic is insane, and there are frequent power and telephone outages. As much as I want to go back and be there with her now, I'm also aware that my adjusting to China life will be more difficult than us both waiting for our appoval. Yes, that will be months from now, but we both know that it is the best thing we can do. Later, we can decide where we want to live and will have the option of staying or leaving.

[olemanoman1950]

My stock options are due and I'm debt free.  It's been over 100 FFFF-ing days since the I130/CR1/CR2 and not a GD word or response.

I'm asking the wife to find work for a non-Chinese speaking American and I'm leaving this popsicle stand!

144171[/snapback]

It took us just over 13 months to complete the CR1 process.. it took about 130 days after the CR1 was send to the Consulate in GUZ before we got the interview scheduled. I know it's frustrating but there is an eventual end too this process.. Just don't let your SO feel your frustrations, it does get hard to keep reassuring her that it will be soon.

My SO and I were going to call it quits a couple of times but we hung in there and she made it here.......

[HanLi]

Bob, It took us over 120 days for the process and we LIVE in China and I filed direct with consulate CR-1, so be patient.

 

Have seen a couple of posters talking about quitting their jobs, cashing it in and moving over here.. here's some advice from a long timer.

 

I've lived  here 8 years, seen a lot of changes.  None for the better.  Oh yes, our little burg of 2 million permanent resident's and 6 million transient factory workers now has Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonalds, soon toget a Hard Rock Cafe, Starbucks and Burger King, and next month will open the largest shopping mall in the WORLD...

 

But, the pollution has gotten terrible, the water and electricity is off for 20 percent of the time,  and it has gotten too crowded, noisy and way too many cars, driven by drivers with little or no driving talent.  This may sound like China bashing, but the local official Chinese language paper complains of the same thing.  What they don't mention is the gasoline shortage.. Long lines at the pumps reminicent of US in the 70's.

 

Nicole's had it with here,  and all of the expat's stress levels are way up.  The walk to the grocery store 2 blocks away has gotten to be a challenge, what with bicycles, motorcycles and cars driving on the sidewalk.  The only reason we're still here is the 6 figure salary, plus other lucrative benefits.  Rent, groceries and general living expenses are not any cheaper then U.S.,  actually my home town in USA is cheaper to live in. And at least property values are going up there, unlike here. I'm trying to start some internet businesses, but the internet only works half the time a lot of the sites I need to access are "blocked" 

 

A two week visit is fun, especialy when you are treated like a "royal visitor" but to quit a job and move here full time?  Unless you've got a good job with a multi-national, think long and hard about that one.  Plenty of teaching jobs here for native english speakers, if you like living in a Chinese dorm room and making 1000 U.S. a month, maybe, if you can get them to pay you.

 

Sorry for sounding jaded, but this is a developing nation, and a Communist country, with a culture very different than anything you are prepared for. Anyone who claims to be an expert in China culture is telling "B.S."

 

For more information, check out my website and the links on the site.  The day to day challenges of Southern China. 

Bob and Nicole

144494[/snapback]

Bob,

great post and very informative... and eye-opener for many I am sure!!!

[Yuanyang]

Very accurate analysis from Bob and Nicole. 8 years....wow.

The only thing I might disagree with is the cost of living. My annual rent here is less than my monthly mortgage payment in Irving. I'm coming up on 1-1/2 years in China. If you're in a position to come and stay with your SO until she gets her visa, do it!!! I'm hoping it will make it easier for me to help her adjust to the States when we get home. At least she knows what it is like living with my sorry ass.

Learning first hand about the lifestyle, culture, and environment couldn't be learned from a hundred textbooks. I've dealt with hospitals, government agencies, neighborhood organizations, the police; fought with the banks, tv cable companies, newspapers, travel agents, hotels, grocery stores, pickpickets, street-hawkers; and partied with under-the-bridge people all night. Sounds like home, huh? 

From some of my previous posts it's probably obvious to tell that I'm past ready to come home.......9/13 Baby! But if I had to do it over I wouldn't change a thing. Air pollution, traffic, crowds....it's all bad, but If you can hang out for the visa wait, come get your feet wet.

Just try not to think about why they are wet...

144740[/snapback]

Larry,

 

Send a PM to me before you return. Let's get real F&(*$'d up and talk about it.

 

Bob