mother-in-law visit

[nousername]

Hello All

 

Well, we managed to get my mother-in-law a tourist visa to visit us (FYI, it was our 3rd attempt. We are quite happy!). Anyway, we have a couple questions about her journey over here:

 

1) Is there an easy was for a non-English speaker to make calls from US airports? She will have 1 connection, in Newark. I'm just worried she will get lost and not know what to do, and if we can at least explain to her how to make a call from a pay phone that would be great?

 

Also, please provide any addition general advice on how to navigate US airports as a non-English speaker.

 

2) Any recommendations for companies that sell "catastrophe" type of med insurance for a temporary stay in the US?

 

thanks!

Ryan

[Randy W]

Hello All

 

Well, we managed to get my mother-in-law a tourist visa to visit us (FYI, it was our 3rd attempt. We are quite happy!). Anyway, we have a couple questions about her journey over here:

 

1) Is there an easy was for a non-English speaker to make calls from US airports? She will have 1 connection, in Newark. I'm just worried she will get lost and not know what to do, and if we can at least explain to her how to make a call from a pay phone that would be great?

 

Also, please provide any addition general advice on how to navigate US airports as a non-English speaker.

 

2) Any recommendations for companies that sell "catastrophe" type of med insurance for a temporary stay in the US?

 

thanks!

Ryan

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=364327

 

They should be able to get any help they need either from the airline, or the airport will have an international desk.

 

To call you, I would think they could buy a SIM card at the airport for their own cell phone (Chinese phones are generally not locked to a specific carrier)

 

You might get a map of the airport they will be arriving at. Then make some cards with questions that they might ask of strangers that can be answered by pointing (both English and Chinese on the same card)

 

Good job (and perseverance) on the visa. Congrats. Drop by more often

Edited December 23, 2008 by Randy W (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

1) I would spell out exactly what numbers are needed to dial in the phone to make the connection.

 

Or ask for help from an airport person. Have a note handy with the appropriate information like phone numbers handy, to make collect calls.

 

2) Recent post: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=28867&hl=

[nousername]

Hello All

 

Well, we managed to get my mother-in-law a tourist visa to visit us (FYI, it was our 3rd attempt. We are quite happy!). Anyway, we have a couple questions about her journey over here:

 

1) Is there an easy was for a non-English speaker to make calls from US airports? She will have 1 connection, in Newark. I'm just worried she will get lost and not know what to do, and if we can at least explain to her how to make a call from a pay phone that would be great?

 

Also, please provide any addition general advice on how to navigate US airports as a non-English speaker.

 

2) Any recommendations for companies that sell "catastrophe" type of med insurance for a temporary stay in the US?

 

thanks!

Ryan

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=364327

 

They should be able to get any help they need either from the airline, or the airport will have an international desk.

 

To call you, I would think they could buy a SIM card at the airport for their own cell phone (Chinese phones are generally not locked to a specific carrier)

 

You might get a map of the airport they will be arriving at. Then make some cards with questions that they might ask of strangers that can be answered by pointing (both English and Chinese on the same card)

 

Good job (and perseverance) on the visa. Congrats. Drop by more often

hey, thanks.

 

Actually, my wife has done most of the work already, and has made a summary of common questions/phrases in english/chinese. But with all the weather these days, we are more fearful of some airport mess and confusion, and we are worried we haven't done enough to prepare her. we just want to make sure she has a couple options for reaching us, such as calling collect, borrowing a cell phone, or some sort of airport traveler's assistance.

 

as for the visa, we had 2 senator's letters this time, and the visa officer looked at the letters, asked ZERO questions, and issued a 1yr multiple. it was quite nice and quite a relief.

 

i really probably should stop by more, but life's busyness has started to take off ... baby #2 is almost here!! in spite of my "lack of involvement", i am really grateful for all you who are still patient and helpful to us drive-by types. =) thanks!

[nousername]

1) I would spell out exactly what numbers are needed to dial in the phone to make the connection.

 

Or ask for help from an airport person. Have a note handy with the appropriate information like phone numbers handy, to make collect calls.

 

2) Recent post: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=28867&hl=

great, i just saw that thread after i posted. i'll check it out some more.

 

as for #1, i guess i wasn't that specific in my post, but i was really wondering if there are any good and easy way for a non-English speaker to use pay phones to call us. if she has coins or a credit card it would be easy, but she won't. i guess your option isn't bad though, we could tell her how to call collect as you suggest.

 

thanks!

[Randy W]

 

hey, thanks.

 

Actually, my wife has done most of the work already, and has made a summary of common questions/phrases in english/chinese. But with all the weather these days, we are more fearful of some airport mess and confusion, and we are worried we haven't done enough to prepare her. we just want to make sure she has a couple options for reaching us, such as calling collect, borrowing a cell phone, or some sort of airport traveler's assistance.

 

as for the visa, we had 2 senator's letters this time, and the visa officer looked at the letters, asked ZERO questions, and issued a 1yr multiple. it was quite nice and quite a relief.

 

i really probably should stop by more, but life's busyness has started to take off ... baby #2 is almost here!! in spite of my "lack of involvement", i am really grateful for all you who are still patient and helpful to us drive-by types. =) thanks!

 

I forget where you are, but why wife won't consider going through Chicago - her son was stuck there for 2 days while O'Hare was snowed in. Even so, he apparently didn't have any difficulty,

[nousername]

 

hey, thanks.

 

Actually, my wife has done most of the work already, and has made a summary of common questions/phrases in english/chinese. But with all the weather these days, we are more fearful of some airport mess and confusion, and we are worried we haven't done enough to prepare her. we just want to make sure she has a couple options for reaching us, such as calling collect, borrowing a cell phone, or some sort of airport traveler's assistance.

 

as for the visa, we had 2 senator's letters this time, and the visa officer looked at the letters, asked ZERO questions, and issued a 1yr multiple. it was quite nice and quite a relief.

 

i really probably should stop by more, but life's busyness has started to take off ... baby #2 is almost here!! in spite of my "lack of involvement", i am really grateful for all you who are still patient and helpful to us drive-by types. =) thanks!

 

I forget where you are, but why wife won't consider going through Chicago - her son was stuck there for 2 days while O'Hare was snowed in. Even so, he apparently didn't have any difficulty,

it's good to know he was fine. were you guys able to contact him during the ordeal?

 

we're in Minneapolis, and my mother in law has a connection through Newark, NJ ... perhaps worse than chicago. She arrives on Dec 28.

[Randy W]

 

it's good to know he was fine. were you guys able to contact him during the ordeal?

 

we're in Minneapolis, and my mother in law has a connection through Newark, NJ ... perhaps worse than chicago. She arrives on Dec 28.

 

Yes - no problems, but neither of them had seen freezing temperatures before coming here.