Comments for Clark Nielsen for the Win http://blog.clarknielsen.com web developer, former teacher in china, frequent gamer, always writer Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:18:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Passed the Guangzhou K-1 Visa Interview! by Clark http://blog.clarknielsen.com/passed-the-guangzhou-k-1-visa-interview/#comment-2712 Clark Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:18:12 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=3491#comment-2712 Thanks for sharing your story. How did your friend's case turn out? Did they have to reapply? Thanks for sharing your story. How did your friend’s case turn out? Did they have to reapply?

]]> Comment on Passed the Guangzhou K-1 Visa Interview! by oceanodunes http://blog.clarknielsen.com/passed-the-guangzhou-k-1-visa-interview/#comment-2710 oceanodunes Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:38:05 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=3491#comment-2710 I went thru the same process as you, with the same results. Less than five minutes interview. My wife at the time did not speak English. I did not speak Chinese. She did have her translator with her. But he spoke good Chinese. She had a suitcase full of Emails, Pictures, travel documents. I think he reviewed the case before she ever saw him. Saw that my income was very high. (income tax records, 1099s, SS) Saw that I had supported her and her son. That she was not a communist. He smiled and said you passed. However, My friend Mike went to his interview with his finacee' and she was denied because of his income. He roared back in and make the supervisor look again at his records. Being retired his income came from investments, social security, and other retirements. sufficient to meet income minimums. The officer did not know how to evaluate his evidence. The officer was also late for lunch. It was the old story of the hound and the hare. The hare got away. When asked the hound said, "I was running for a meal the hare was running for his life". Sometimes lunch is more important than your life together. The officers are human and have to have their breaks or lunch. My suggestion is to take cookies just like they are Santa Claus. Or take an apple like i did my teacher. I went thru the same process as you, with the same results. Less than five minutes interview.

My wife at the time did not speak English. I did not speak Chinese. She did have her translator with her. But he spoke good Chinese.

She had a suitcase full of Emails, Pictures, travel documents.

I think he reviewed the case before she ever saw him. Saw that my income was very high. (income tax records, 1099s, SS) Saw that I had supported her and her son.

That she was not a communist.

He smiled and said you passed.

However, My friend Mike went to his interview with his finacee’ and she was denied because of his income. He roared back in and make the supervisor look again at his records. Being retired his income came from investments, social security, and other retirements. sufficient to meet income minimums. The officer did not know how to evaluate his evidence. The officer was also late for lunch.

It was the old story of the hound and the hare. The hare got away. When asked the hound said, “I was running for a meal the hare was running for his life”.

Sometimes lunch is more important than your life together. The officers are human and have to have their breaks or lunch.

My suggestion is to take cookies just like they are Santa Claus. Or take an apple like i did my teacher.

]]> Comment on Criticizing TV From Another Country by Clark http://blog.clarknielsen.com/criticizing-tv-from-another-country/#comment-2709 Clark Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:14:57 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=4064#comment-2709 This counts as my second blog post for January! I've been trying to do at least two a month, but I'm having a hard time even meeting that goal. This counts as my second blog post for January! I’ve been trying to do at least two a month, but I’m having a hard time even meeting that goal.

]]> Comment on 30 Observations From a Chinese Immigrant by Johnny Sun http://blog.clarknielsen.com/30-observations-from-a-chinese-immigrant/#comment-2670 Johnny Sun Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:01:17 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=3965#comment-2670 Hey, Clark,The List is so good!The culture difference is so big ! Hey, Clark,The List is so good!The culture difference is so big !

]]> Comment on The China Books Postmortem by Clark http://blog.clarknielsen.com/the-china-books-postmortem/#comment-2664 Clark Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:50:40 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=4034#comment-2664 After you read it, I toned down the self-referencing and cut out a lot of teaching scenes, but I guess it still wasn't enough. I'm really surprised the teaching chapters haven't been that well received, but I can understand if serious readers don't like their books talking directly to them. After you read it, I toned down the self-referencing and cut out a lot of teaching scenes, but I guess it still wasn’t enough. I’m really surprised the teaching chapters haven’t been that well received, but I can understand if serious readers don’t like their books talking directly to them.

]]> Comment on The China Books Postmortem by Hopfrog http://blog.clarknielsen.com/the-china-books-postmortem/#comment-2661 Hopfrog Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:28:27 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=4034#comment-2661 I just read Callister's review and I think he really nailed it and was fair. He didn't really hammer too hard on things that he properly identified as not in line with his personal taste and really seemed to admire your candor and took a genuine interest in your observations on life in China. As I told you when I first read it, not everyone was going to dig all the teaching, but as someone who was interested in the topic, I loved it and I think a lot of people who pick it up will as well, mainly because I think most of those copies are being sold to people thinking about heading over to China to teach. The book could definitely have used a little less self-referential dialogue, because when it doesn't work, it can really rub some people the wrong way. But when it does work, it can be downright hilarious. There were certainly plenty of moments where it worked and I still say anyone thinking about going over to China to teach is going to be better served picking up your book (one from a guy who taught in a variety of environments, locations, and a long period of time) over some of the more popular ones from those who did a short stint in teaching. I just read Callister’s review and I think he really nailed it and was fair. He didn’t really hammer too hard on things that he properly identified as not in line with his personal taste and really seemed to admire your candor and took a genuine interest in your observations on life in China.

As I told you when I first read it, not everyone was going to dig all the teaching, but as someone who was interested in the topic, I loved it and I think a lot of people who pick it up will as well, mainly because I think most of those copies are being sold to people thinking about heading over to China to teach.

The book could definitely have used a little less self-referential dialogue, because when it doesn’t work, it can really rub some people the wrong way. But when it does work, it can be downright hilarious. There were certainly plenty of moments where it worked and I still say anyone thinking about going over to China to teach is going to be better served picking up your book (one from a guy who taught in a variety of environments, locations, and a long period of time) over some of the more popular ones from those who did a short stint in teaching.

]]> Comment on The China Books Postmortem by JR http://blog.clarknielsen.com/the-china-books-postmortem/#comment-2657 JR Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:30:46 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=4034#comment-2657 Maybe it's just because I was a teacher in China as well, but I thought the teaching portions were some of the more interesting and funny parts. Maybe it’s just because I was a teacher in China as well, but I thought the teaching portions were some of the more interesting and funny parts.

]]> Comment on Christmas vs. Spring Festival by Nathan http://blog.clarknielsen.com/christmas-vs-spring-festival/#comment-2637 Nathan Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:55:33 +0000 http://blog.clarknielsen.com/?p=4024#comment-2637 Christmas in Guatemala was a long night of fireworks, too, but New Year's even more so. Dodging calchiflines (imagine tiny, rocket-powered paper airplanes) in the streets while ametralladoras (literally, machine guns; strings of black cats, really) was just part of the experience. We Americans are so sedate by comparison. Christmas in Guatemala was a long night of fireworks, too, but New Year’s even more so. Dodging calchiflines (imagine tiny, rocket-powered paper airplanes) in the streets while ametralladoras (literally, machine guns; strings of black cats, really) was just part of the experience. We Americans are so sedate by comparison.

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