Author Topic: End of the road  (Read 205986 times)

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Offline Neil

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #315 on: March 31, 2012, 08:37:07 pm »
Not unlike the Hollywood sign.  I think it's pretty hard to build a fake park.  They probably just cement over the sides of cliffs to stop rocks from falling and killing tourists - it's bad business.  They try to make it look authentic is all.
...as irresistible as chocolate

Offline JamesM.Roberts

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #316 on: April 13, 2012, 04:38:29 am »


The reason I mention this is that if you look close at some of the mountains in my photos (you must enlarge them) you will see in a couple of instances a faint logo printed on the side of the mountain. It made me laugh to think about a fake mountain the size of the empire state building.  I figured it out and included it here. anyone else figured it out?

OMG!! I can not believe my eyes-I see it Gerry ...does it really say "Made in the U.S.A.?"   ;D
Anyone can pick up an apple off the ground, but the sweeter ones take a little work to get to!!

Offline Pineau

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #317 on: April 14, 2012, 03:49:43 pm »
I am up at 3:45 Am this morning and cant sleep. So I went to the USCIS website just for a quick check on her status.
GUESS WHAT I FOUND

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
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Offline Robertt S

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #318 on: April 14, 2012, 04:58:31 pm »
Congrats Pineau,
    Now you can take the helm and speed things up! ;)

Offline RobertBfrom aust

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #319 on: April 14, 2012, 08:12:32 pm »
Congrats Gerry , it has been a long road , regards Sujuan and Robert .
Now it is early to bed and late to rise .
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Offline john1964

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #320 on: April 14, 2012, 08:22:44 pm »
congratulations to you both, i can imagine how you felt when you first looked at the email , john

Offline kiwisteve

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #321 on: April 14, 2012, 11:55:27 pm »
great news Gerry. I am new here but have followed your story with much interest. I really empathise with what you have been through, and I sure hope it is going to be easier for me, dealing with NZ immigration when I get to that stage.

Offline JamesM.Roberts

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #322 on: April 15, 2012, 12:13:34 am »
Very happy for you both Gerry-bet you had to look twice before it set in ??? ;D sometimes not being able to sleep is a good thing
Anyone can pick up an apple off the ground, but the sweeter ones take a little work to get to!!

Offline Pineau

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #323 on: April 15, 2012, 01:39:24 am »
Yes I read it twice just to be sure of what I thought it said. Then I read it again out loud and gave her the thumbs up.  She threw her arm around me so tight she nearly chocked me. I know the neighbors heard her squealing and laughing and crying.  Lord know what they were thinking.
Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
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Offline shaun

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #324 on: April 15, 2012, 07:50:51 am »
Congratulations Gerry.  One step closer.

Offline JohnB

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #325 on: April 15, 2012, 12:09:02 pm »
re: James & Gerry & ALL!
My wife was successful Dec22. Coincidentally, my birthday.
Guangzhou is a madhouse of activity culminating with all the efforts & planning, good & bad. Anyway, I liked the activity.
It was much the same as cackling chickens at feed time with the hundreds of women gathered on the consulate steps as
they waited their fateful moment.
I will tell you what my personal observation is. One of the guys I/ we all got to know, is 82 years old. Successful. His wife is in
her mid- 40's. Our immediate groups consensus was no way, no how. We were wrong...all of us.
My wife was asked 2 or 3 questions. After all the frustration of the preparation, it boiled down to just a few simple questions. I was
thinking the interviewer, a male, must have seen my passport birthday. Good present. In retrospect, we all got to talking about the
interviews. Maybe it was Christmas a few days early. All the women were prompted just a few easy questions. The only hickup was
one woman from Shanghai, a University professor a few years prior. Her's was the 'blue' slip. But, the interviewer was nice enough
to tell her that there were no problems. It was just her prior status as a physics professor they only wanted a few questions answered.
I think the immigration issue is one of accuracy. Just follow the bouncing ball, satisfy all documentation, no omissions, add all extra information
if you have, but first & foremost, be accurate!
The immigration process is easy as presented. There are the documents that must be presented. We realize that necessity, for her as well as for you.
But the thing is the Guangzhou interview is as easy as 1, 2, 3. There is no tripping up the unwary applicant, unless something is terribly wrong.
I just want to add my 2- cents worth of thought. I hope all the new immigration efforts to be as easy as I have just written.

Offline Willy The Londoner

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #326 on: April 16, 2012, 12:16:58 am »
Good News Gerry. But thats another long termer leaving China now.

Willy
Willy The Lpndoner

Now in my 12th year living here,

Offline Pineau

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #327 on: April 21, 2012, 10:16:32 am »
Its about time.
Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
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Offline Pineau

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #328 on: April 26, 2012, 09:31:20 am »
In England, the tabloid press has coined a phrase, which they sometimes use in their headlines - "Have a go hero". It refers to someone who intervenes when something threatens them, their property or the life of someone else, sometimes a stranger. The people get into the papers for one of two reasons: 1. they were able to appehend the perpetrator, make a citizens arrest and bring him to justice or 2. they got fatally stabbed by the criminal and got sent home in a body bag.
This is not the Wild West, let alone the Wild East, but this kind of incident makes me think twice in England, where I have the benefit of understanding the language and culture, so shouldn't it make me think at least twice when I am in a different culture? Different culture, different customs.
In a Hollywood movie, the crowd of Chinese people might burst into spontaneous applause as the brave foreigner squares up to the rude Chinese person, pushing his way onto the train. "Thank you sir", they would say. "Even though I was in this busy crowd, I saw everything you did, and I completely understand the English words you were shouting at that man. You and your wife were obviously the aggrieved party. You put into words everything that we, with our ingrained inability to stand up to bad manners were unable to say".
When I listen to my wife, she has some sage advice about what it is sensible to do in Chinese cities. It varies from city to city. Shenzhen is different from Guangzhou, from Changsha, from Zhongshan, from her home town. I follow her advice. Sometimes I make a point of putting rubbish in a rubbish bin. Sometimes I make a point of giving my wife a seat on a bus, even though she doesn't want it. In both cases, I am making a point to her, not to anyone else. I'm no hero.

Sorry to bring this up again but I just had to. On our recent trip to Zhangjiajie we were taking a bus down a twisted unpaved dirt road along the mountains. The road was just wide enough for one vehicle and the young driver was driving like a maniac. We were passing when there was no room to pass and no clear view of oncoming traffic.  It was a hair raising experience.  I was on the edge of my seat and white knuckles holding onto the seat in front of me. Everyone was quiet and very tense. Finally I had enough and from the back of the bus I stood up whistled (the one the you can hear for about a mile) then shouted at the top of my voice. " slow this fucking bus down"  The bus slowed and we proceeded safely to the little town where we would spend our first night.  I dont know if anyone there understood "slow this fucking bus down" but as my wife and I got off the bus I got several pats on the shoulder a few thumbs up and a couple of applause.  I don't know, was I rude?
Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
https://chinaandfriends.shutterfly.com/pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/gerrypineau/videos
http://youtu.be/zG4eoONlutE

Offline john1964

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Re: End of the road
« Reply #329 on: April 26, 2012, 10:01:28 am »
No Gerry, I do not think you was rude, Just concerned for the safety of your wife and yourself, From what you said about the pats on the back, I think others were concerned too, Good for you, John.