End of the road

[shaun]

I've tried to balance everything when it comes to where she is at and where I am at.   I've tried not to feel like or project that I have saved her from where she was at.  I feel that way sometimes but I try to ground myself in a little reality.

Peggy saved me from a life of the same old thing day in and day out.  It would have been easy after the divorce to fall back into my original lifestyle.  But having been married to an American woman for 27 years and it not working didn't see it as a path that I wanted to take again.  I am a firm believer that doing the same thing over again and expecting different results is insanity.

I met several women but when I found Peggy I knew she was the one and still think that way today.  We've had a mountain of issues but we both still love each other.   Yes I might be lucky enough to save her from a life of loneliness and poverty but she is saving me from a lonely, boring, meaningless, loveless life.  She bring me as much joy today as she did 3 years ago.

Gerry I like what you said and Willy I do concur with you but for me I think we both have changed each other destiny.

We spoke to each other about this last night.  It was a great time and discussion.  I also think it drew us closer together just hearing what we mean to each other.

[fivetrout]

Shaun, I feel as though I wrote what you stated myself. Life IS new and different now...all for the better. I feel things that I thought was no longer possible anymore. There's a damn good reason to get off the couch and to think of someone else. Someone deserving and wonderful!

[Arnold]

"We spoke to each other about this last night.  It was a great time and discussion.  I also think it drew us closer together just hearing what we mean to each other".

Real Love is not about who saves who, it is really something that can not be bought with money or sorrow. If Love is not equal from the start, it will never be! This is what gives us westerners the edge so to speak in these wonderful/kind Women (most of them), that we must NOT/NEVER take for granted or advantage of. Hearing Gerry's words, warms my Heart.. because I know exactly how it feels myself inside and that ones again makes me love my LaoPo even more so.

[Pineau]

Just found out from the school that Katie needs another vaccine.

In China they gave her a shot called TD  (tetanus and diphtheria.) 
In the USA they give a vaccine called TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis ) Make sure your child gets the pertussis vaccine along with the TD vaccine while still in China. 

Katie will now have to get another vaccine for pertussis but it will also contain the TD vaccine that she already got.

[Pineau]

Still waiting for Katie's green card.  Since Oct 18th. Anyone (Robert)

know a place online to check the status of her green card?
What are the normal processing times?

I am considering returning to China. There is a company in Beijing that wants to speak to me about a leadership position.  If I could get expat status it would go a long way toward recovering from my divorce losses and pay off this house.

Anyone (Robert).  Know the rules for how long a green card holder can be out of the USA and how often should they return to keep their immigrant/permanent residence status.

[Arnold]

http://www.immihelp.com/greencard/retain-greencard.html

I think this should help you Gerry.

[Robertt S]

Still waiting for Katie's green card.  Since Oct 18th. Anyone (Robert)

know a place online to check the status of her green card?
What are the normal processing times?

I am considering returning to China. There is a company in Beijing that wants to speak to me about a leadership position.  If I could get expat status it would go a long way toward recovering from my divorce losses and pay off this house.

Anyone (Robert).  Know the rules for how long a green card holder can be out of the USA and how often should they return to keep their immigrant/permanent residence status.

Gerry, it takes about 45-60 days for the green-card now. They have to make certain you have paid the $165.00 immigrant fee that was implemented in Feb of this year before the card is issued. If you have not paid that fee yet, it will have to be paid before her green-card is issued. You might be able to take the last receipt number you have for her case and enter it in the USCIS system using this link and see if it shows you anything. I know that when you remove conditions the system will show when the card was mailed and the USPS tracking number.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard/CaseStatus.do



Here is the information concerning international travel for LPRs.  http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/international-travel-permanent-resident

Regards, Robert

[Pineau]

Ok. Robert, Thanks.

That was the problem. The new immigration fee was not paid.
 
The instructions for paying this fee were supposed to be in her interview packet but Fiona claims they were not.
So big hassle . Dont think you are finished when you walk out of the embassy with a thumbs up...

 Open another account at the USCIS and pay the fee online.  You need the Alian ID number, which is A0--followed by her visa number. So you must have the returned passport with the VISA attached.

And you will need her GZO----number and a credit card.

Start here and click  log in.
 http://www.uscis.gov/uscis-elis

So along with the original fees paid in the begining... you will pay another $88. for the AOS processing,  then $230 for the immigration application fee and another $165 for the  new improved  green card.  $$$$$$ a total of $483 additional fees.

[Pineau]

First Christmas together in the USA.
It almost time for Santa

[Pineau]

http://www.jibjab.com/view/TkKhTsUhRbiAO9MZl0b11Q

http://v.qq.com/boke/page/s/2/t/s10732hew2t.html
 
THE GREAT SLED RACE

And look who Fiona caught in  the front yard last night.

[Pineau]

I need to accelerate Katie's English skills or they threaten to bus her to another school that has an ESL program.  I Smell a law suit coming but I would like to avoid it if I can.

I once saw a website for Chinese girls to hang out and talk in English. Anyone else remember it?

I got some good books at the library today.  1100 words yo must know. and how to speak American.

[Robertt S]

Here is something that might help. This what my wife uses to study with!       http://www.usalearns.org/class/

Here is one for kids specifically.    http://www.youtube.com/user/KidsOnlineEnglish

[Martin]

1100 words yo must know. and how to speak American.

Learning to speak English might be a better proposal for her to learn.

[Neil]

I've often thought about how much fun it would be to teach colloquialisms and slang.  People would be shocked to learn what artists like Eminem are actually singing, or what those t shirts really mean.

[Willy The Londoner]

I've often thought about how much fun it would be to teach colloquialisms and slang.  People would be shocked to learn what artists like Eminem are actually singing, or what those t shirts really mean.

Talking about T Shirts - There was someone on TV here with a Sex Pistols T shirt. The guy made appearances for two weeks running and on each occasion the TV studio staff had stuck thick black tape over the word SEX.

Colloquial  English would be best. My teacher tells me if I am using phrases that are very out dated.  But I tell her that I AM well past my sell by date.

Willy