Off to see the wizard of GUZ

[Kyle]

Nope. Look at his profile. He hasn't posted anything since Nov 17th (last logged in on the 21st). I hope he's doing alright. I too am somewhat wondering what's going on. Hopefully he'll make his own post soon or at least let us know in the NOV thread. I've sent him a few PM's but never received a reply

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38626

Edited November 28, 2009 by Kyle (see edit history)

[Kyle]

Information about medical:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry527508

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=39637&hl=

 

Where to stay:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=39635&hl=

 

Mail or Pick-Up

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=39636&hl=

 

We want to thank everyone here at CFL for the help you've given us. We'd also like to thank the Yangs for their hospitality and helpfulness while were were in Guangzhou as well as Carol Armstrong, http://www.armstrongvisalaw.com for spending several hours on the phone with us, discussing/reviewing our case, giving us insider information about the consulate process, and answering any questions that we had. If anyone here wants to contact Carol, let her know that I referred you - she'll be great! You'll appreciate her high level of knowledge, her attention to detail, and her ability to make your working relationship seem like two friends just having a talk (personal nature).

 

Finally, I want to thank my wife for putting up with my obsessive-compulsive organizing/note-taking and the USCONGUZ for making our Thanksgiving quite thankful!

 

Other:

 

During my "Monday" post I gave you guys some pictures. Below the KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, etc is a huge shopping area. If you need stationary items (sissors, glue, paper, pens, etc) you can go there. There is also a nice grocery store as well. If you're walking past the consulate (consulate is on your left) you'll quickly arrive to the Citic building (where many pay their fees). If you look closely, there is a "Back Street" which will lead you to several nice shops, another grocery store, another stationary store, and a print shop.

 

In that same building (on the side is a McDonald's), if you enter beside the McD's and take the escalator up to the second floor, that is where I had my digital photographs developed cheaply in an hour. Mrs. Yang showed me where this photo shop is, so if you're staying there, just let them know what you'll need and I'm certain they'll be able to help you out.

 

This concludes our experiences (collectively day-by-day) in Guangzhou. Unless some unforeseen situation occurs with our EMS package currently in transit from Guangzhou to Wuhan, I doubt I'll write any more in this thread. However, if you have any questions about anything I've written, feel free to post them here and I'll do my best to answer them. It should be helpful for future folks to have all related information pertaining to our GUZ trip in one place.

Edited November 29, 2009 by Kyle (see edit history)

[Randy W]

http://i28.tinypic.com/2mruqv6.jpg

 

Co

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!!

 

http://i1.tinypic.com/3ygwmdz.gif

 

[mmpv]

Wednesday - Interview Day - Pink

 

Jingjing and I got up early this morning and headed down to line up in front of the consulate (6:30). This is what you need to know: it didn't matter if you were first in line, or last in line, they will call up applicants (by passport and appointment letter) into groups and you'll have to wade through the sea of people to enter the building. That being said, if you get to the front quickly when they call your group, you can get in line inside the building more quickly than the others thus allowing you to get an earlier number for fingerprint processing, etc. Jingjing entered at 7:30 AM - she was in the first group called. She said getting in line by 6:45 for a 7:15 appointment would have been sufficient.

 

 

 

I am trying to sort out the details of the day of the interview. Sounds like it's controlled chaos from what you are describing.

 

I heard there's a coffee shop inside the embassy somewhere that you can wait for your SO. Have you seen this place? Do you queue up with your wife in the outside of the building to get to this coffee shop? Or do you merely just walk in some other door?

 

I also heard that there were some non US embassy related vultures waiting around the area to prey on/"help" people sort out their paperwork? Were they obvious? Any tips on how to avoid these vultures or sort out the legit embassy employees demanding your paper work? I can see it's going to be a very confusing environment, and I don't need any unnecessary external ones added to it. Can you describe at what point and (if appropriate) what part of the building your wife actually presented her paperwork? Any more details about this would be appreciated.

 

Were you able to accompany your wife into the building from the outside line? I know at some point, she has to separate from you, just wondering how far inside you make?

 

On a slightly different topic. The ACH. Were you able to bring into the interview room any electronic gadgets, i.e., cell phones and laptops? Or were they detained (like your wife's) before entering the interview room, only to be retrieved before you leave the building? Rather than lugging pounds of paper to the ACH, I am thinking of maybe just lugging a laptop. Don't know if that's kosher.

[Sam and Fen]

 

 

I am trying to sort out the details of the day of the interview. Sounds like it's controlled chaos from what you are describing.

 

YES!

 

I heard there's a coffee shop inside the embassy somewhere that you can wait for your SO. Have you seen this place? Do you queue up with your wife in the outside of the building to get to this coffee shop? Or do you merely just walk in some other door?

 

You can queue up with your SO outside the building. They check the appointment letter and passport here and give you a number. You can walk in with your SO and go up the escalator where a security guard will check again and let your SO in. You are now on your own. The coffe shop is right next to where you and your SO part. Plan on getting a sticker shock when you order something there (tip: the second drink is much much cheaper, its just the first one thats pricey)

 

I also heard that there were some non US embassy related vultures waiting around the area to prey on/"help" people sort out their paperwork? Were they obvious? Any tips on how to avoid these vultures or sort out the legit embassy employees demanding your paper work? I can see it's going to be a very confusing environment, and I don't need any unnecessary external ones added to it. Can you describe at what point and (if appropriate) what part of the building your wife actually presented her paperwork? Any more details about this would be appreciated.

 

Vultures every where. You can see them from the coffe shop. Wait here for your SO to come down so the vultures do not get to her.

Were you able to accompany your wife into the building from the outside line? I know at some point, she has to separate from you, just wondering how far inside you make?

 

On a slightly different topic. The ACH. Were you able to bring into the interview room any electronic gadgets, i.e., cell phones and laptops? Or were they detained (like your wife's) before entering the interview room, only to be retrieved before you leave the building? Rather than lugging pounds of paper to the ACH, I am thinking of maybe just lugging a laptop. Don't know if that's kosher.

 

ACH: no electronics allowed .

Edited November 29, 2009 by Sam and Fen (see edit history)

[mmpv]

 

You can queue up with your SO outside the building. They check the appointment letter and passport here and give you a number. You can walk in with your SO and go up the escalator where a security guard will check again and let your SO in. You are now on your own. The coffe shop is right next to where you and your SO part. Plan on getting a sticker shock when you order something there (tip: the second drink is much much cheaper, its just the first one thats pricey)

 

 

Hey, that's not how it works in the US, the first one's always free! ;-)

Thanks for the tips.

[Kyle]

Wednesday - Interview Day - Pink

 

Jingjing and I got up early this morning and headed down to line up in front of the consulate (6:30). This is what you need to know: it didn't matter if you were first in line, or last in line, they will call up applicants (by passport and appointment letter) into groups and you'll have to wade through the sea of people to enter the building. That being said, if you get to the front quickly when they call your group, you can get in line inside the building more quickly than the others thus allowing you to get an earlier number for fingerprint processing, etc. Jingjing entered at 7:30 AM - she was in the first group called. She said getting in line by 6:45 for a 7:15 appointment would have been sufficient.

 

 

 

I am trying to sort out the details of the day of the interview. Sounds like it's controlled chaos from what you are describing.

 

I heard there's a coffee shop inside the embassy somewhere that you can wait for your SO. Have you seen this place? Do you queue up with your wife in the outside of the building to get to this coffee shop? Or do you merely just walk in some other door?

 

I waited outside with Jingjing. I could of gone in with her, up to the forth floor, but decided not to. Yes there is a coffee shop in the building, but why go there? They have a starbucks across the street. It's cheaper, better coffee, and has wifi access. Plus, I didn't want to wait with a bunch of other nervous folks because I wasn't all that nervous. Didn't want that to change.

 

I also heard that there were some non US embassy related vultures waiting around the area to prey on/"help" people sort out their paperwork? Were they obvious? Any tips on how to avoid these vultures or sort out the legit embassy employees demanding your paper work? I can see it's going to be a very confusing environment, and I don't need any unnecessary external ones added to it. Can you describe at what point and (if appropriate) what part of the building your wife actually presented her paperwork? Any more details about this would be appreciated.

There were no "vultures" outside the building. They were all on the forth floor before you go up the escalator to the fifth floor, where the consulate is. Best thing to do is to ignore them. Don't even say hello in either english or Chinese. I didn't say A SINGLE WORD, and neither did my wife. Finally, they'll leave you alone because they'll think either you can't speak chinese or, you can't speak English. One person out of despair even tried speaking French to me. Finally they just gave up.

 

Were you able to accompany your wife into the building from the outside line? I know at some point, she has to separate from you, just wondering how far inside you make?

Read above.

 

On a slightly different topic. The ACH. Were you able to bring into the interview room any electronic gadgets, i.e., cell phones and laptops? Or were they detained (like your wife's) before entering the interview room, only to be retrieved before you leave the building? Rather than lugging pounds of paper to the ACH, I am thinking of maybe just lugging a laptop. Don't know if that's kosher.

 

Nope, you check all of that stuff at a security check point (think airport). Get it when you leave. They wouldn't look at any of my case specific papers anyway. Read my account of ACH again.

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...39544&st=15

Edited November 30, 2009 by Kyle (see edit history)

[Kyle]

Jingjing and I received her EMS package (via the Yangs in GUZ) today! Everything looks in order. We're planning a special night, tomorrow evening full of hotpot and an appointment with a massage service (legit massage service) afterward!! The good Lord knows I need it after taking that overnight train from WUH to GUZ. Thanks again, CFL, for your help.

 

Note: For obvious reasons, important information was redacted from the above picture.

 

EDIT: Broken picture links removed

Edited June 1, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[xiaofeizhu]

 

Jingjing and I received her EMS package (via the Yangs in GUZ) today! Everything looks in order. We're planning a special night, tomorrow evening full of hotpot and an appointment with a massage service (legit massage service) afterward!! Thanks again, CFL, for your help.

 

Congratulations!!! I remember seeing that visa in my hubby's passport...what a great feeling!

 

Ugh. I am so jealous of you. Other than my family, the two things I miss the most are xiao fei yang (we went there almost once a week while in Neimenggu...) and massages (the legit kind, we went there almost once a week too)! Ahhh, what a good year that was.

 

Enjoy it now, you will never get those things once you get back to the US!!

Edited June 1, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[bigslugandlittleslug]

Congratulations, Kyle & Jingjing!

 

I am having my interview on the 21 next month. My big slug won't be with me but hopefully I will have the visa in hand when he comes to Wuhan.

[Kyle]

 

Jingjing and I received her EMS package (via the Yangs in GUZ) today! Everything looks in order. We're planning a special night, tomorrow evening full of hotpot and an appointment with a massage service (legit massage service) afterward!! Thanks again, CFL, for your help.

 

Congratulations!!! I remember seeing that visa in my hubby's passport...what a great feeling!

 

Ugh. I am so jealous of you. Other than my family, the two things I miss the most are xiao fei yang (we went there almost once a week while in Neimenggu...) and massages (the legit kind, we went there almost once a week too)! Ahhh, what a good year that was.

 

Enjoy it now, you will never get those things once you get back to the US!!

 

Perhaps we will miss these things once we're Stateside, however, we'll be making frequent trips back to visit. It is a good feeling to have everything said-and-done. Jingjing's parents have already started hinting about care packages, etc and we're already talking about them getting a couple of B-2's for a visit. Both of our families are quite close, so it's always hard to leave, but it's better it be that way, than the alternative.

Edited June 1, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[xiaofeizhu]

Jingjing and I received her EMS package (via the Yangs in GUZ) today! Everything looks in order. We're planning a special night, tomorrow evening full of hotpot and an appointment with a massage service (legit massage service) afterward!! Thanks again, CFL, for your help.

 

Congratulations!!! I remember seeing that visa in my hubby's passport...what a great feeling!

 

Ugh. I am so jealous of you. Other than my family, the two things I miss the most are xiao fei yang (we went there almost once a week while in Neimenggu...) and massages (the legit kind, we went there almost once a week too)! Ahhh, what a good year that was.

 

Enjoy it now, you will never get those things once you get back to the US!!

 

Perhaps we will miss these things once we're Stateside, however, we'll be making frequent trips back to visit. It is a good feeling to have everything said-and-done. Jingjing's parents have already started hinting about care packages, etc and we're already talking about them getting a couple of B-2's for a visit. Both of our families are quite close, so it's always hard to leave, but it's better it be that way, than the alternative.

 

Care packages are the best! We get them quite often and sometimes they do have the hot pot base in them We even bought one of those xiaofeiyang pots in China, with the two different sides. We are trying to line up a few B2s as well, but my father in law wants to wait for 2 more years until he retires. Let me know how those B2s go...the only time we applied for one was right after hubby and I got married in Japan and he was denied haha.

 

I cried my eyes out on the day when I had to leave my in laws. But you're right, there will always be other chances. But still, enjoy it now!

Edited June 1, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[mmpv]

 

 

Ugh. I am so jealous of you. Other than my family, the two things I miss the most are xiao fei yang (we went there almost once a week while in Neimenggu...) and massages (the legit kind, we went there almost once a week too)! Ahhh, what a good year that was.

 

Enjoy it now, you will never get those things once you get back to the US!!

 

Be careful what you wish for.

 

Well, you expect Mickey D's to be everywhere (except Iceland maybe). Now be prepared for a bit of a reverse culture shock.

http://www.littlesheephotpot.com/finder.asp

 

BTW, there are a couple of locations that it doesn't list here. There's a lot more franchises around than meets the eye.

[mmpv]

 

Jingjing and I received her EMS package (via the Yangs in GUZ) today! Everything looks in order. We're planning a special night, tomorrow evening full of hotpot and an appointment with a massage service (legit massage service) afterward!! The good Lord knows I need it after taking that overnight train from WUH to GUZ. Thanks again, CFL, for your help.

 

Note: For obvious reasons, important information was redacted from the above picture.

 

EDIT: My wife is UNHAPPY with her visa picture, so she's forcing me by chopstick-point to post an alternative picture. My apologies, Jingjing.

 

 

 

Congrats!

 

Tell your wife to beware of the DMV/RMV when she gets here. She only gets one shot (maybe 2) to get it right. ;-)

Edited June 1, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[Kyle]

This has already been causing me cold sweats at night I'll pass this info along. I may have to blame you though, or I may be on the receiving end of a wet mop. She may hunt you down too. Lock your doors.