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AZLD4Candidate

(5,680 posts)
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 08:09 AM Sep 2022

Update on my wife and our separation due to COVID and her Green Card part 3 (Thx BtA)

Well, it's been quite a few days.

Tuesday, I left Hong Kong, got my 10th COVID test in seven days (overkill much?) and bored my Cathay Pacific plane from HKG to Nanjing.

I was terrified because of the fractured relationship between the US and China, I would be denied entry into China the same way my wife was denied in Seattle. I didn't sleep for two days except for an occasional short nap that I was jerked awake in cold sweats.

I get the immigration counter. They take my passport and start asking questions, like why I have a Q (family) visa instead of a Z (work), X (student), or L (tourist) visa. Thank God I can speak fluent Mandarin.

I told them I went home because of family and health issues. My wife was denied her American Green Card three times and about what happened at SEATAC. I told them I just wanted to return to the wife I hadn't seen in 26 months.

They were shocked at what I said, told me my Chinese was amazing, asked me if I would be staying with me wife, and if I understood the quarantine policy. I answered yes to all their questions.

Then the entry stamp came in and they stamped me in. I exhales relief. They handed me back my passport, smiled, and told me to enjoy my time with my wife in a week.

I walked in, got my bag, walked into the bathroom and sat in a stall. I pulled out my passport, looked at the entry stamped and openly sobbed for almost five minutes. I was back. . .and it was only a short time before we were back together.

I am now 40 miles from her in quarantine. They put me in an apartment and, respecting my Kosher and diabetic concerns, have gotten me my three squares a day. It is currently day three of seven. The meals are Chinese and are more than I can eat at one time. Today I had Lan Zhou La Mian, which is all beef, lamb, or chicken and Halal.

Four more days and I am done with this. I go back to my wife and prepare for our move to Beijing where I will be a social studies teacher at one of the most posh and prestigious high schools in the country, run and sponsored by the #1 university in China, Tsinghua University. This school is a place Americans are told by the embassy to send their children when they are in China and is 50-50 Chinese/Foreign mix, with students from 26 countries. They will give me a two bedroom condo on campus, a base pay of $75K a year gross, and almost $15K in benefits, including gifts for my marriage and childbirth, performance, longevity, retirement plans, health insurance for my entire family, travel, relocation, and shipping allowances, and opportunities to publish my novels as there is a publishing company through Tsinghua.

It's all over. Thank you, BtA, for updating DU. My next post about this will be reuniting with my wife and pictures of our reuniting.

DU has helped me more than I can say. You've helped me get back her and get back my sanity. Words cannot express my undying gratefulness for all of you.

40 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Update on my wife and our separation due to COVID and her Green Card part 3 (Thx BtA) (Original Post) AZLD4Candidate Sep 2022 OP
Congrats, sanity at last for you... You won't regret teaching outside the US! JCMach1 Sep 2022 #1
Hooray! Your long journey is just about over. peacefreak2.0 Sep 2022 #2
Sending warm wishes to you and your wife YDogg Sep 2022 #3
Cupid will soon be with you.... magicarpet Sep 2022 #4
Thank goodness it's finally happening for you. judesedit Sep 2022 #5
Mazel Tov!!! Ford_Prefect Sep 2022 #6
This message was self-deleted by its author Ford_Prefect Sep 2022 #7
We are all so happy for you and your wife! colorado_ufo Sep 2022 #8
We are so very happy for you and your wife. So looking foward to your niyad Sep 2022 #9
It's almost over! Finally! liberalla Sep 2022 #10
What a story! Thank you for updating us, and keep them coming. I'm glad for you. NBachers Sep 2022 #11
That's such good news wendyb-NC Sep 2022 #12
Congratulations! bobnicewander Sep 2022 #13
Wonderful news! karin_sj Sep 2022 #14
I'm very happy that you and wife and family will finally be reunited FakeNoose Sep 2022 #15
Perhaps "shame" about the U.S. should be withheld. Hortensis Sep 2022 #32
littlemissmartypants Sep 2022 #16
Thanks for the update. momta Sep 2022 #17
Such a long saga - and this heartwarming segment. Wish the USofA could be as hospitable! erronis Sep 2022 #18
We do a lot, and immigrant aid groups more, but I can't imagine all this here either. Hortensis Sep 2022 #33
Yay! (understatement) moonscape Sep 2022 #19
I'm so happy for you, especially at this time of Teshuvah, of returning catrose Sep 2022 #20
Great news! Grumpy Old Guy Sep 2022 #21
Man, you've been through hell. BigmanPigman Sep 2022 #22
Good to hear! calimary Sep 2022 #23
May you live happily ever after. shrike3 Sep 2022 #24
Fantastic news and congratulations. virgdem Sep 2022 #25
I am elated for the two of you. onecaliberal Sep 2022 #26
Such good, good news people Sep 2022 #27
Great news! Thanks for the update. Pacifist Patriot Sep 2022 #28
Glad to hear it's almost over Tree Lady Sep 2022 #29
I am so happy for you! crickets Sep 2022 #30
Wow... this really was an epic journey renate Sep 2022 #31
Yay! Meowmee Sep 2022 #34
Wonderful news and thank for sharing it with us. ChazII Sep 2022 #35
WONDERFUL!!! elleng Sep 2022 #36
You'd have been a fabulous congressman... our loss! I know you'll both happy!! Karadeniz Sep 2022 #37
You're welcome! Behind the Aegis Sep 2022 #38
I'm glad to hear you will finally be back together again. DFW Sep 2022 #39
What an Ordeal Roy Rolling Sep 2022 #40

JCMach1

(27,556 posts)
1. Congrats, sanity at last for you... You won't regret teaching outside the US!
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 08:13 AM
Sep 2022

Good luck in the rest of your journey...

peacefreak2.0

(1,023 posts)
2. Hooray! Your long journey is just about over.
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 08:14 AM
Sep 2022

Wishing you and your wife much happiness in the future. ?️💐?️

YDogg

(6,682 posts)
3. Sending warm wishes to you and your wife
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 08:15 AM
Sep 2022

I have followed your saga here and wish both nothing but the best. Enjoy every moment. 😀

judesedit

(4,437 posts)
5. Thank goodness it's finally happening for you.
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 09:04 AM
Sep 2022

Love is a very strong motivator and your determination and tenacity have paid off. Blessings for you both. Keep us posted 💖

Response to AZLD4Candidate (Original post)

niyad

(113,257 posts)
9. We are so very happy for you and your wife. So looking foward to your
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 09:17 AM
Sep 2022

next texts and pics. Here's to a wonderful new chapter in your lives.

wendyb-NC

(3,321 posts)
12. That's such good news
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 09:23 AM
Sep 2022

Look forward to your next update and pictures of you and your wife at long last together. Peace and Blessings to both of you.

FakeNoose

(32,628 posts)
15. I'm very happy that you and wife and family will finally be reunited
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 10:02 AM
Sep 2022

Also I'm ashamed for the way your wife was treated by our government. Possibly Covid fears were the reason for her treatment, and maybe that means she'll get better treatment in a few years. I hope so!

Stay well my friend.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
32. Perhaps "shame" about the U.S. should be withheld.
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 06:45 PM
Sep 2022

Remember, our fellow DUer has claimed 3 serious mental illness diagnoses in one thread, including schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder, and a second, overlapping set in another.

Sincere sympathy and best wishes for both him and his wife do not require assuming we know everything or believing everything. Or running the risk of doing possibly grave injustice to the people who've processed their various applications. And, back to why I'm posting, possibly causing yourself inappropriate angst.

We can also be glad that he's able to be a DUer from China and remains safe. That may not always be the case.

It's probably okay to respond with expressions of shame about the U.S., but always remember that China still maintains prisons around the country where people who express the wrong attitudes are sometimes sent. From what I've read, conditions have been very harsh in the past, and the government is reportedly tightening up again after some years of loosening. We don't know what could cause trouble -- or not -- but for that very reason we should always be careful to stay away from delicate subjects while he posts in a community where people are in the habit of saying whatever they want in perfect safety.

erronis

(15,237 posts)
18. Such a long saga - and this heartwarming segment. Wish the USofA could be as hospitable!
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 10:07 AM
Sep 2022

Just imagine being given that reception when/if you and your wife come back to the US. No, I can't imagine it either.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
33. We do a lot, and immigrant aid groups more, but I can't imagine all this here either.
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 06:58 PM
Sep 2022

Freedom to pursue our happiness is not the same as central state planning.

We can just be glad they'll be together and wish them well.

catrose

(5,065 posts)
20. I'm so happy for you, especially at this time of Teshuvah, of returning
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 10:34 AM
Sep 2022

But I'm so sorry for what we've lost from the horrible way your family was treated.

BigmanPigman

(51,584 posts)
22. Man, you've been through hell.
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 10:39 AM
Sep 2022

No wonder the emotional relief hit you hard. Congrats!!!! You deserve an A+ for effort alone.

Tree Lady

(11,449 posts)
29. Glad to hear it's almost over
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 12:10 PM
Sep 2022

And you will be reunited. Our immigration laws need to be worked on. My husband told me he was friends years ago with a guy who for some reason couldn't bring his wife over from Vietnam so he ended up staying there. That was back during the war.

renate

(13,776 posts)
31. Wow... this really was an epic journey
Thu Sep 29, 2022, 01:44 PM
Sep 2022

With a fairy-tale ending!! We’re so happy for you and your beloved!!

Behind the Aegis

(53,949 posts)
38. You're welcome!
Fri Sep 30, 2022, 12:26 AM
Sep 2022

I am glad things are going "well", or as well as can be expected. Can't wait to hear your update when you and your wife finally reunite.

Mazel Tov!

DFW

(54,341 posts)
39. I'm glad to hear you will finally be back together again.
Fri Sep 30, 2022, 01:35 AM
Sep 2022

I'm sure fluency in Mandarin helped smooth your way back in. I can't tell you how often fluency in local languages has facilitated my work and travel. As one who respected a spouse's wishes to live in her country, I know there are adjustments to make, but determination and understanding will eventually solve most or all of that. Welcome home.

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