Hebei, Round 2

[Martin]

What a fantastic update!  I really enjoyed reading that.  Congratulations, and may you have a wonderful life together.

[daghoi]

A big congrats

[lfputman3]

my apologies for the absence, been busy, almost ready to pull my hair out at times. So the important bit, I'm back in Handan, for an extended stay, I'll teaching part time at a friend's private school. mostly teens, but I've come to realize, a classroom full of Chinese teens, whose parents are paying for them to be there, is far more appealing than a classroom full of American teens, whose parents paid and told them they had to go, but don't give a care anyway.

I've actually been back a couple days, her mama has been really hands off this trip so far. I'm a little shocked, she's all about going out with her friends and whatever her work/project is. I know she decided to not try reopening her clinic/seniors home, following the forced condemn. Ironically, the building is still standing. Haven't heard from laolao either, no shame there, the less she meddles, the happier my beautiful wife is. I'll upload a fresh pic later, right now, we are preparing to go out for the evening. We are actually hanging out with her friends now, one of them is begging me to introduce her to someone, "we"(the two of us) told her we would ask. This is that friend that she calls little sister, because they really are like good sisters, a lot alike. So yeah, I have sent messages to a couple guys, who might fit the bill and be able to do her friend right. I've told them all, I won't introduce her to a guy, just because he has money and good job, he has to be a good man. They seem to appreciate that.

until later,
Lloyd

[lfputman3]

ok, so here we sit, I've been busy running around to different schools. I learned today, our friend, who is now my boss/friend, used to translate for the agency and they screwed him on pay. I'm going to talk to him about the issue we just posted.

So, it's been busy, mostly good, until the last couple days... we haven't gone many places, but we are looking at a side trip to HK next month. Her mama reopened her shop, now it's a beauty spa (facials and such). She's working at mama's shop, I don't have a set schedule during the week, so we have a hard time getting to figure out when we are going anywhere.

The good news, we're together. I'll be damned if the agency is gonna pull some crap on us.

[lfputman3]

forgot to update everyone, my darling wife thought I was missing my dog, who is with my folks back in Michigan, which yes, I miss my dog, he's well behaved, likes almost every human being and dog, but hates cats, I always considered that a plus.

Anyway....  she started the pity party for herself, not having her dog anymore, had to give it up, can't wait to have a new dog (I'm thinking, great, better call the vet back home and start arranging for quarantine in Chicago/Detroit, depending on flight availability. DTW would be a considerably more convenient location...  long story short, yeah... she won the pity fest, you all knew she would
I have to resize the pics. new camera I bought before coming over is 16MP, so all the pictures are overkill quality. I just had to make dad jealous... his is 12.

So we have a fluffy white thing, his name is "Lucky" and like all puppies, he really needs to get the housebreaking thing down...

Aside from that, we're just living our lives, contentedly. Her friends are openly telling her they are jealous, she's got a husband, a puppy, and after all the trouble this weekend, we're happy Laolao won't be around once she gets Stateside. Even mama agreed, Laolao visiting us in America would never be worth the nightmare migraines she would give us. Besides she's too busy scamming people and aggravating her children.

For now, that's my big update. We have had her single friends start to ask if I have any available friends... oh well...

Lloyd

[lfputman3]

Ok, well, we've discussed the agency thing, that's a moot point and a dead issue and now we can move on with life.

Interesting thing, two days to QiXi and mama told my wife today, b/c she's a newlywed, she can't can't go out that day...   

Apparently, my wife is not to go out at all, can't see any mirrors, watch TV, movies, use the internet, not jack. She's to sit inside and do nothing.
So I'm sitting inside with her. She's also not to see any pregnant women, babies, or rabbits (animals and people).

I'll do the shopping tomorrow, so we don't need anything on the 23rd, I'm annoyed, I was planning dinner out. To give her a couple gifts.

Ironically, mama is a rabbit, she's apparently going out tomorrow night and not returning until the 24th...

...

Yeah, I don't know what else to say there. Other news, the kids are gone back to school, so I have no classes, as I'm just with one of the "private" schools, as my mom so lovingly puts it. So I have nothing to do until I return stateside on Sept 20th.

Well, I've something to do, but you can all bugger off, you know I don't give those kind of stories.

Lloyd

[lfputman3]

Well, I've been busy and in the final days in Handan this summer, have not come to an end. I'm still in Handan, which is not all bad from my perspective, but there are some slight problems that I could use a little help and advice on.

First, Why am I still in Handan? My school was supposed to take a trip to HK back in August, we didn't, they canceled at the last minute, and I forgot about something. The 90 day something...  Needless to say, I was not allowed to check in at the airport and had to retreat to Handan, b/c people in Beijing were being rather rude about the situation. Especially with none of the airlines being able to reschedule my departure prior to mid October. So the Customs/Immigration guys were giving me the stink eye.

I should have posted here sooner, but I was seeking some local help and the locals did what they could. Along the way I've made a new friend or two, who have stated that I am not allowed to tell anyone I know them, or that they gave me any advice or direction on what to do.

In December, I will be going to HK, per the guidance given me, by the people I do not know and who never knew anything about any foreigners stranded and technically in Handan as illegal aliens. (Does this mean I'm a wetback now? Oh wait, I didn't swim here.) The area I might now need some assistance, I'm having difficulty locating what I need to locate online. That being fees and forms for applying for a new visa in HK. The website I found for the Foreign Ministry in HK says non-HK residents are to apply in their home country. Yet they have a schedule fee for Bulgarians???

So, any guidance would be greatly appreciated. As we've already changed our plans so that I can remain here until March. Hey, why not? I'm already here. I know, either way, I have to pay a fine when I leave China. I was directed towards HK, b/c it's where they send foreign teachers, whether they need a tourist/work visa b/c of an oops and reportedly they are not into the stink eye bit like up the road in Beijing.

Thanks for you help in advance.
Lloyd

[Willy The Londoner]

Your confusing me a bit Lloyd!  How are you going to get through immigration to get to Hong Kong without paying the fines etc?

There is a visa office within the airport at Hong Kong.  I passed detail of it to another who used it.  I have put below part of a PM he sent me after using it.


'When I arrived in HK, I found the visa service easily enough.  People there speak English.

One important point of information:  The rush service does not return the visa until after 19:00.  So schedule flights accordingly.  Since I arrived after the 11:00 cut off time you mentioned I just expected to wait until the following day to pick up my new visa.

But since there were no late afternoon (20:00+ departures to Guilin) I made arrangements to stay two nights in a hotel and leave on Friday.

 Also a heads up:  Six month rush visa = $3300 HK ($425 USD).

So, in the future, all I must do is fly to HK, go through HK immigration, get back on a plane fly back to mainland china and I am legal for another 90 days. '

I have had my own problems with the PSB so I always ensure that I go to renew my visa at the PSB office in Zhongshan at least two weeks before it expires.

Willy

[lfputman3]

Ok, so first thing, is to get back with the people who told me I wouldn't be blacklisted and verify that I can/won't get blacklisted. As I was told that if I go to HK, I won't be blacklisted. I did expect to pay the fine of 5000RMB (roughly $800USD), I figured there's no way around that. It just pissed me off in Beijing, b/c I've never been able to pull more than 2500 out of an ATM anywhere in China.

As for getting back to the local sources here, as stated, I was told that after speaking with them, I cannot say they told me so. They said to not go to the local PSB b/c I went over, the soonest we were able to arrange for travel to HK, was December. This is beyond 60 days overstay.

I kind of put myself in a pickle, being that I only bring two cards with me to China. One is an emergency account, and the other is restricted. I leave the rest of my finances at home, and actually have it set up so I can only access them from my home in the US. At the time, and still for the most part, I consider this a necessary security factor, b/c I'm in China and I can't risk losing that money. Sadly, I used to be able to pull money from one of those accounts on paypal and send it to the other two accounts that I have cards for. however, after paypal opened up in China, they locked down my account, claiming that I was not me and that I was trying to steal from myself. I had to send a couple nasty emails, to release the funds that were there. I no longer have access to paypal and until I return the US, I can't fix my paypal account.

The twisted side of my family, I was told, I dug the hole, I fell in the hole. They love me, but I know the rules. Falling into holes is one's own responsibility.

They will however send me care packages with toothpaste, dental floss and the soap and shampoo that I use. Dad is also sending me coffee, out of pity, b/c the coffee around here is all instant. I guess that's one nice thing.

[lfputman3]

oh, forget to mention, we are going to HK, via train. again, advice of those I have spoken with locally. If I fly, I will have to go through Beijing, or Shanghai to get to HK. I was guaranteed to be blacklisted by going through either of those airports. That's why I was told to take the train and do the new visa in HK.

Lloyd