Author Topic: Kaiping News  (Read 12440 times)

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Arnold

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #15 on: December 05, 2009, 11:45:46 pm »
Quote from: 'David5o' pid='24666' dateline='1260038498'

Arnold,
You should know by now Arnold, in China, outside of family matters, making Money is there main and overwhelming concern, it's how most Chinese families survive. So any money they can make on the side, outside of there salaries is always sort after....
So your sentiments just wouldn't hold any water in China, because they just don't see it the same way that you do..
David....


I know very well David . I said if it was me , he would get what " I " feel is right and I don't care what HE thinks or would want . Wanting and getting are still TWO different things in ANY Country , even China .

Offline Willy The Londoner

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #16 on: December 06, 2009, 02:13:24 am »
Hmm! Matchmaking - that sounds like an ideal profession for me if I get bored out here.

I have maybe 150 members of this forum who may not be completely suited yet for a start - so at 8000rmb  each that works out at hmm! hmm! Well whatever it is its a lots of money.

Willy
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Now in my 12th year living here,

Offline Peter

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #17 on: December 06, 2009, 04:47:11 am »
Great news and good luck to you and Sunny..
Like me you will have a small Chinese wedding :icon_biggrin:

Peter
Better to be married to a wife from Changsha then have 7000 women in Chnlove

David5o

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2009, 12:56:27 pm »
Arnold,

To a point i agree with you, but you still have to remember this is how some make extra money for there families. This particular guy is just taking the pee asking for 30000 rmb, but the going rate is around 10 to 15k. As i said before, if your going to go this route, always agree the price before hand. Oh, and note they collect from both parties, not just the man...... Going from what Chong has written above, he has actually received the going rate 2K from Chong and 8K from Sunny's family. What this guy was after, was that sort of figure from both parties, ....but got bummed out!!  lol!!!

This isn't anything that is going to affect any of our western members here, and probably not the majority of our overseas Chinese members. This method of finding a marriage partner is generally in the domain of the domestic Chinese population...


David....

shaun

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #19 on: December 06, 2009, 07:01:57 pm »
Quote from: 'sameldrum1' pid='24813' dateline='1260142595'

I am very glad this is a Chinese custom, and not an American one...because the woman I am seeing in less than 3 weeks was introduced to me on this forum, from a brother (mpo...).  I'm sure glad he isn't expecting any monetary fees from me....   :blush:

Thanks so much Mike!!!   :angel:
Scott

P.S.  Some treasures do get paid in heaven...for believers.


Scott,

Mike told me he was expecting you to pay for his next trip to China in 3 months. :icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

ya babe  it is often I can get two bird with one stone. :angel:

Shaun

Vince G

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #20 on: December 06, 2009, 08:37:54 pm »
Ah! Scott I was sent to collect... it is the Forum custom to collect for any introductions through this forum. Since it's split between the mods and admin. I take EMF credits but some of the others take dumplings as payment. :icon_cheesygrin:
« Last Edit: December 06, 2009, 08:40:33 pm by Vince G »

Offline Chong

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #21 on: December 06, 2009, 09:49:35 pm »
Thanks for all the above well wishes guys !!! :icon_biggrin:

Our Wedding Day & Night

Sunday morning, my sister and I played Chinese poker from 9 am till 12 noon. Sunny was getting her make-up done and all the activity was happening at her Mom's house. I was just waiting for her uncle to pick me up. At Sunny's photography studio alone, there was forty-two ( 42 ) brides doing their make-ups. This weekend was popular days for weddings. When we drove through the city, you saw bridal cars on every major streets. Sunny called to say that I have to prepare a Red Envelope Door Entry Fee of 199 RMB in loose change. Apparently, her girlfriends want her to do the tradition of me paying to see her. Uncle and a few other men came to our apartment to hang good luck banners.

We then drove to Sunny's Mom's place. The verbal bantering at the door with her girlfriends was easy as I can speak the local Taishanese. Sunny looked very beautiful; my sister started crying. Having picked up my bride, we returned to our apartment to bless the heavens. One of the Aunts ( and Sunny has many ) carried two bamboo 'Good Luck' rattan baskets and two live chickens. At our apartment, there were many guests who arrived already from the convoy of six cars. Each car got a RE of 100 RMB. After the blessings, I was told to give out two Red Envelopes to each guest containing a five and a ten RMB bill. The Aunt gave me 1,000 RMB in brand new 5s & 10s bills change from the bank and I gave her back 1,000 RMB ... another last minute money surprise. Handing out the REs, I made it through the living room but when I got to the kitchen, people surrounded me asking for REs for their kids and spouses who weren't there. Out of the 1,000 RMB, I only used 440 RMB.

Next Sunny, myself and Auntie with the 'Good Luck' baskets and two live chickens headed back to Mom & Dad's place where we had to do a tea ceremony. Mom & Dad got a RE of 600 RMB each. I received back a RE of $ 200 Cdn to buy a suit, belt and wallet. Then we sat down for an afternoon early dinner. Then Sunny and I headed back to our apartment. The chickens didn't come back; this is the end of the road for them. Back at the apartment, GrandMom got a RE of 300 RMB. They put Sunny's nephew on our bed as a 'Good Luck' charm so our first born can be a 'son'. So he got a RE of 100 RMB. On our bed was four 'Good Luck' red pillows symbolizing '100', 'years', 'good' and 'togetherness'.

At 6 pm, we headed to the hotel restaurant. Mr. Huo, his wife and Mr. Wu came. They were very joyful at the reception line. Mr. Huo gave us a RE of 50 RMB. Apparently, Mr. Huo and Mr. Wu only got 3,000 RMB each as an introduction fee. Later, Sunny's Mom gave each of them a RE of 1,000 RMB. After all is said and done, this was a peacekeeping gesture. So overall including my 2,000 RMB, they got 5,000 RMB each. After Sunny and I entered the dining room, I gave a speech in Taishanese thanking our families. I also gave recognition to Mr. Huo. My sister started clapping and everybody in the room followed suit. Giving him face was very important to me and to Mr. Huo. Later he apologized to me for the way things evolved. It's water under the bridge but as a last gesture, I'm expected to treat him and his wife to dinner when we go back to Taishan to pay respect to my Mom's village home. We had 12 main courses. Dinner for eight tables cost 5,609 RMB. We brought our own booze which cost 396 RMB. So each table cost me 750 RMB or about $ 115 Cdn for 10 people. Dinner lasted for only one hour. Guests brought their own plastic bags to hoard leftovers. They even took home the remains of the turtle soup because it's an expensive delicacy. Sunny received gold jewelleries from her family. Many guests didn't give REs. If there's a 'concern' in the family, tradition is ... you don't accept REs. From the ones that we collected, the total came out to 1,860 RMB. 800 RMB alone came from Sunny's two best friends. So in reality, we collected only 1,000 from over 80 guests. Needless to say, everybody came for a free meal. When Mr. Huo left, he mouthed off at Sunny saying that she didn't appreciate what he did for her in findng me. Oh well. There was a mad traffiic jam heading out from the hotel as many bridal dinners finished at the same time. When we arrived back home, Martin called ... what good timing. He and Sunny had a brief conversation.

So the total wedding cost came out to ...

Red Book 100, Dinner 5,609, Booze 396, Car RE 600, Door Entry  199, In-law RE 1,200, Apartment Guest RE 440, Apartment Snacks 30, Nephew RE 100, GrandMom RE 300, Wedding Dress 399, hotel room cost for out-of-town guests 800 = 10,173 RMB + wedding pictures 3399 [ which we haven't taken yet ] = 13,572 minus RE received of 1,860 = 11,712 RMB or approx. $ 1,815 Cdn.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2009, 10:41:14 pm by Chong »

Offline mustfocus

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #22 on: December 06, 2009, 10:16:09 pm »
Congrats Chong!

Really happy to hear it's working out over there (well, except for the Mr. Huo part).  Ignoring him, it sounds like you're having a blast.  One recommendation though.  Forget about Mr. Huo...  I'm sure he'll get what's coming to him eventually.

Now enjoy the rest of your stay there and hopefully you'll be back soon enough with your wife.
梦醒时分 - Meng Xing Shi Fen

Offline Neil

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #23 on: December 07, 2009, 12:19:38 am »
Quote
Red Book 100, Dinner 5,609, Booze 396, Car RE 600, Door Entry 199, In-law RE 1,200, Apartment Guest RE 440, Apartment Snacks 30, Nephew RE 100, GrandMom RE 300, Wedding Dress 399, hotel room cost for out-of-town guests 800 = 10,173 RMB + wedding pictures 3399 [ which we haven't taken yet ] = 13,572 minus RE received of 1,860 = 11,712 RMB or approx. $ 1,815 Cdn.

+ a lifetime of happiness: priceless

There's some things money can't buy.  For everything else there's Mastercard.
...as irresistible as chocolate

Offline maxx

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2009, 12:37:19 am »
Congradulations Chong and Sunny may you have a long and happy future together.

I was going to write something funny here.But I ddin't think it was appropriate.So you get this one for free.again bro really happy for you and Sunny.May all your sunrises together be real Sunny.

Offline Danny

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #25 on: December 07, 2009, 06:09:02 am »
Congratulations ?? . . . Chong and Sunny. May you have a long and happy life together.

My dear YaYa sends her love and best wishes. She was very upset by the way Mr Huo treated you. She wrote:

I am so surprised the quality of chinese people's story from "Chong", I read it for over three times. That's the real thing I trust, I really think they are too greedy to a foreigner, and it make too much disappointment to a foreigner, this story make me remind a fairy tale, the greedy old women at last from the top-queen, to the bottom-poor, like a dream return to her prototypes of the characters. In fact, the foreigner did so good to the them, Courtesy requires a return of visits received. While the chinese's way of doing thigns entirely had broken the heart of the foreigner.

But I told her that you were full of happiness for the good fortune you had, marrying such a beautiful and wonderful woman, so not to waste her sorrow on you!

Thank you for sharing your happy day with us. I have read everything you have written, like YaYa, three times, and I feel privileged to have shared with you in your happy days.

Best wishes and enjoy the moment. It does not get much better than this!

brett

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #26 on: December 07, 2009, 10:04:00 am »
Wow, congratulations and I love your photos.

It's good to know about the wedding banquet. I love the idea of the guests taking all the uneaten food home! This is definately an ingrained cultural thing, as Miss Wu took the uneaten McDonalds fries home in a doggie bag :icon_cheesygrin:.

P.S. Sorry about the chickens :fi_lone_ranger::fi_lone_ranger:.

Offline Chong

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #27 on: December 23, 2009, 08:18:47 am »
Getting The Police Certificate

Getting Sunny's Police Certificate clearance for Immigration Canada is a multi-step process. First we visited the Notary Office to get two stamps of approval. Sunny has a high school friend there so we'll bypass the official paper route that'll take a month. She'll be able to get Sunny's certificate within a week and we won't have to pay the admin fee. But before giving her the application, we had to visit the local Public Security Bureau to get Sunny's residential approval stamp. Funny ... to extend my visa, I have to go to the 'PSB' in Jiangmen [ one hour away ] which oversees Kaiping municipality. Then Sunny and I had to go to the Kaiping District office to get her birthplace stamp. At that place, she recognized the two front desk ladies. Sunny met them before at her previous workplace. Front desk staff people are usually rude and robotic. Once they recognized Sunny, they became friendly. However, they wanted to complete the application process to 'save us 200 RMB'. Not necessary since we have our connection. Then we had to go to The Dihai Paichusuo ... the local police station for her district to get their 'stamp'. In Canada, wouldn't we just go to this place alone ??? So we got our 'stamps of approval'.


[attachment=1213]
No Notary Connection Afterall

So it turns out that Sunny's connection at the Notary Building can only help us with expediting the application time and not with the fee. Sunny and I brought our 2 page application with all the approval stamps to the Notary today. We went to booth # 3. The lady filled out a form and we had to go to booth # 2 to get photocopies of Sunny's residential book ... cost : 84 RMB for another 6 page application. Then we had to go to the bank across the street to pay the notary fee ... cost 1,345 RMB. We wonder how those two ladies could have saved us money if this is the standard app fee. They would have added a service charge hoping that we wouldn't know the grand total of the process ... and thinking that we saved money going through them. Coming back, we were directed to booth # 4 where a lady confirmed the payment.

[attachment=1212]

Then we had to take the 'textbook' application to booth # 5 for a final check. First of all, there's no Chinese translation of my passport's name. Sunny wrote it down on a paper and they photocopied it. I was directed back to booth # 2 to pay 30 RMB for this. The guy back at booth # 5 then informed Sunny that she needed her Mom & Dad's marriage certificate [ which also shows/proves the number of kids in their family ]. Well, we have to come back with this tomorrow. Estimated wait time is one week for the 'Police Certificate' & 'Proof Of Residence'. I wasn't aware that I needed the latter for Canada's immigration application. Sunny's friend called to say that we could have it in a few days instead of waiting a week. Total cost : 1,459 RMB + English Translation Cost ( TBA )
« Last Edit: December 24, 2009, 04:16:13 am by Chong »

Offline Chong

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #28 on: December 28, 2009, 01:39:53 am »
We got Sunny's documents today. At the notary, they also did the translation [ cost 240 RMB ]. The total process cost 1,699 RMB or $ 262 Cdn. We have her 'Notarial Certificate Of No Criminal Record', our 'Marriage Certificate', her 'Birth Certificate' and her 'Household Register' ... all notaried by the Kaiping Notary Public Office, Guangdong Province and The People's Republic of China. Next is a trip to Guangzhou for her medical examination and then I can send the application to Immigration Canada.

[attachment=1216]
« Last Edit: December 28, 2009, 01:41:11 am by Chong »

Vince G

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RE: Kaiping News
« Reply #29 on: December 28, 2009, 08:57:19 am »
Chong, Things are moving along. Best of luck with all of it.