Yesterday I was at the US Consulate General in Vancouver again, for the working Visa interview. I was amazed how efficient and responsive the US Consulate was. I do think they are one of the best governmental teams in the world.
After I got my Visitor for Pleasure Visa, I was told that I had to apply for my working Visa for my job in California and that my joining date would be Feb. 14 2009. However, the earliest Visa interview appointment date I could obtain on the On-line Visa Interview Appointment Reservation System was Feb. 17 2009, three days after my joining date.
I had experienced many, many, slow, bureaucratic and even corrupt embassies, consulates and governmental organizations in the world, and I did not expect that the US Consulate would consider my case seriously, having seen how many cases they had to deal with everyday.
But I thought I could as hell try, so I sent them an email on Jan. 23, explaining how urgent my case was and I needed to reschedule my appointment to an much earlier date.
Within 2-3 seconds I got their automatic email, telling me they would respond within 2 business days. Then within an hour, I got another personal email from them, asking me to give them an exact date. So I wrote back saying I would prefer any date before Feb 2.
Then, sadly, the weekend came, and based on my vast experience in Canada, nobody in the government would work on Saturday or Sunday.
Monday morning, ie Jan. 26, when I woke up, I checked my email and didn't find any email from them. Then I checked my On-line Visa Interview Appointment Reservation System, and found that my appointment date had been rescheduled to Jan. 26, which I had already missed.
I sent them another email, telling them that since I didn't check the On-line Reservation System on Saturday or Sunday, I missed the appointment. I also asked them to reschedule it again, to Jan. 27. Then within only one hour, they replied to my request by email, telling me that they appreciated the opportunity to serve me and that my new appointment date would be Jan. 27! There was no extra charge for my expedited appointment.
Yesterday, after a brief interview, the interviewer asked me to pick up my Visa in 2 days. While waiting to be interviewed, I saw that an interviewer rejected to issue a Russian woman a Visa. The interviewer told her that she failed to show any ties to Canada and so she couldn't issue her the Visa. It made sense to me, as the Russian woman was here in Canada on a temporary working Visa and now she wanted to go to the US. She looked so desperate and nervous.
Not all interviews were brief or relaxed. I saw that an East Indian guy was almost begging the interviewer to issue him a Visa and he went crazy when he was told to pick up the Visa in 2 days. I also saw that a family from South America spent much time explaining how much money they had in the bank (he said CAD$30,000) and what kind of bicycle store they were running here.
On the side of the interview counter was a notice--if you lie to the Consular, you may be kept out of the US forever.
On the way back home I saw the Russian woman again, in the lobby. She looked very depressed.
US Consulate Encounter
It was quite an experience at the US Consulate General in Vancouver. The security check took me 2 hours while the actual interview took me only one minute!
My appointment was supposed to be at 8:30AM, but when I got there shortly after 8AM, there were already three long lines waiting outside of the door, with two security guards, one Chinese-looking and one East Indian looking, calling one by one to get into the small entrance for security check. The security guards were of course not friendly, especially the Indian guy, who was even a bit nasty to some people who appeared to be slow or had difficulty understanding his English. But I wouldn't mind, as you should never expect any security guard to treat you like a high end client.
So they searched each and everyone of us inside out. Everyone had to take off their coats, jackets, belts, watches and every piece of paper and envelope we carried with us, and every card or bill in our wallets, and every pocket in our clothes and pants had to be checked. Needless to say no one should bring a cell phone, an MP3 player, or food and beverage to the Consulate.
Then everyone must go through a door frame like in an airport, and if there was a beep, you should get back to the security guards and have yourself checked again.
After the first level of security check, we came up to the second floor and lined up again. All the officers there were Asian or white females, very friendly and patient. A pretty Chinese woman guided everyone what documents to hand in and where to line up. We waited in a long line for quite a while just to turn in our interview confirmation letter with the bar code on it, and our application fee receipt from the Scotia Bank, and of course our passport. Then we got a number, waiting to be called to do the finger print.
Again we waited in our seats for quite a while, with black, white and Chinese kids crawling and screaming here and there on the floor. It was quite a scene.
Finally it was my turn to get to counter one to do my finger print, from left hand to right hand and then two thumbs, which had been a mandatory routine to get into the US since 911. Meanwhile I also got my passport back and had to go to the 20th floor for the interview.
On the 20th floor, the inside out security check repeated all over again. This time it was a butch young white woman in uniform and the Indian guy. She even tested my key chain with her fingers from top to bottom to see if could turn out to be a weapon. After that we were let in the interview room, with some 6 counters separated by dividers. The interviewers were all sitting inside while the interviewees stood outside.
The screens on the ceiling and walls showed the number of the next interviewee and which counter to go to. Before too long I saw my number on it and the number of the counter I should go to.
My interviewer was a very friendly Chinese man who smiled the whole time. He was very casual, and even had some sense of humor. He was particularly interested in my film studies and asked me if I was working on any project and whom I was going to work with. It just seemed to be a casual chat that had nothing to do with my visa application. Then after a minute, he told me to come back to pick up my passport and visa in three days.
A friend here who also went to the visa interview told me that the visa officer for the interview asked her cautiously why she went to Russia before and what she did in Russia. Another friend told me that the visa officer questioned him a lot about his previous trip to Iran.
Unfortunately, after my B2 (visitor for pleasure) visa interview, I was told by my employer in California that I had to apply for my working visa in the US, so the same procedure will have to repeat all over again.
My appointment was supposed to be at 8:30AM, but when I got there shortly after 8AM, there were already three long lines waiting outside of the door, with two security guards, one Chinese-looking and one East Indian looking, calling one by one to get into the small entrance for security check. The security guards were of course not friendly, especially the Indian guy, who was even a bit nasty to some people who appeared to be slow or had difficulty understanding his English. But I wouldn't mind, as you should never expect any security guard to treat you like a high end client.
So they searched each and everyone of us inside out. Everyone had to take off their coats, jackets, belts, watches and every piece of paper and envelope we carried with us, and every card or bill in our wallets, and every pocket in our clothes and pants had to be checked. Needless to say no one should bring a cell phone, an MP3 player, or food and beverage to the Consulate.
Then everyone must go through a door frame like in an airport, and if there was a beep, you should get back to the security guards and have yourself checked again.
After the first level of security check, we came up to the second floor and lined up again. All the officers there were Asian or white females, very friendly and patient. A pretty Chinese woman guided everyone what documents to hand in and where to line up. We waited in a long line for quite a while just to turn in our interview confirmation letter with the bar code on it, and our application fee receipt from the Scotia Bank, and of course our passport. Then we got a number, waiting to be called to do the finger print.
Again we waited in our seats for quite a while, with black, white and Chinese kids crawling and screaming here and there on the floor. It was quite a scene.
Finally it was my turn to get to counter one to do my finger print, from left hand to right hand and then two thumbs, which had been a mandatory routine to get into the US since 911. Meanwhile I also got my passport back and had to go to the 20th floor for the interview.
On the 20th floor, the inside out security check repeated all over again. This time it was a butch young white woman in uniform and the Indian guy. She even tested my key chain with her fingers from top to bottom to see if could turn out to be a weapon. After that we were let in the interview room, with some 6 counters separated by dividers. The interviewers were all sitting inside while the interviewees stood outside.
The screens on the ceiling and walls showed the number of the next interviewee and which counter to go to. Before too long I saw my number on it and the number of the counter I should go to.
My interviewer was a very friendly Chinese man who smiled the whole time. He was very casual, and even had some sense of humor. He was particularly interested in my film studies and asked me if I was working on any project and whom I was going to work with. It just seemed to be a casual chat that had nothing to do with my visa application. Then after a minute, he told me to come back to pick up my passport and visa in three days.
A friend here who also went to the visa interview told me that the visa officer for the interview asked her cautiously why she went to Russia before and what she did in Russia. Another friend told me that the visa officer questioned him a lot about his previous trip to Iran.
Unfortunately, after my B2 (visitor for pleasure) visa interview, I was told by my employer in California that I had to apply for my working visa in the US, so the same procedure will have to repeat all over again.
Lifestyles and Health
I recently passed a highly demanding physical examination for my new job in the US. And I've found out that I'm totally fit except that my LDL cholesterol is a bit high due to my eating habit here in Canada. I have a sweet tooth and love eating cheese, butter, chocolate, ice cream, cookies, muffins, brownies..., which are all unhealthy and may be the cause of my LDL cholesterol level.
I have done a research on the Internet about food and health concerns, only to find that people in North America eat a lot of unhealthy food and have more bad habits in eating and drinking compared to Chinese and Japanese.
According to a research by American scientists, tea is healthy, especially Chinese green tea, but drinking tea with sugar is not healthy. And Chinese people do not drink tea with sugar or milk. In fact most Chinese love strong tea.
Healthy food listed on the Internet that may help lower LDL cholesterol level includes tofu, soy milk, apples, seaweeds, carrots and corn.
Most Japanese food is even healthier than Chinese food, except that Japanese eat more raw fish. They eat lots of sea food, not so oily, not salty either. No wonder the Japanese all live a long time and so few of them are obese.
Chinese people buy fresh vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, which is healthy, while Westerners eat more frozen food and all fill their refrigerators with food for several days, which is unhealthy.
Chinese people drink herbal tea without sugar or milk, which is healthy, while Westerners drink tea with tea bags and much sugar, which is unhealthy.
I just have to warn myself that I should eat less dessert. Many people here in Vancouver simply run to work and eat a muffin for breakfast, along with a cup of fresh coffee. Sometimes I have just dessert as a meal, too, which is dangerous.
In the long history of Chinese cuisine, the Chinese have always combined food with health improvement. Up to today, most Chinese people have a general knowledge about food and nutrition. Below is the translation (proof-read by my American soul-sister Cheryl) I made for an upscale restaurant in Beijing who once served the Fortune Forum guests including Bill Gates. Simply have a glimpse of the Chinese food and nutrition culture even though animal lovers and vegetarians like me may be against eating them--
Bird's Nest
Bird’s nest is a delicacy that has been favored by emperors and beauties for thousands of years.
Living in the grottoes of Southeast Asia, this magical bird creates it’s tender nest, readying it for the eggs which she lays in April. Since the nest is made from the salivary glands of the birds, these glands are highly developed and specialized.
Bird’s nest contains protein, calcium, amino acid and carbohydrate, which are indispensable to human beings. More significantly, bird’s nest also contains two types of collagen, which may accelerate cell division and contribute to the growth of epidermis. In short, bird’s nest is rich in beauty genes so as to activate the aging skin cells.
The bird’s nest used by South China Restaurant is top class bird’s nest all from Indonesia. Remade by our chefs, it creates a tender and refreshing feel in your mouth.
Shark Fin
Sharks live in the depths of the ocean, and not in the polluted shallows, so their flesh is very pure.
Shark fins are dorsal fin, caudle fin, pectoral fins, pelvic fin and anal fin removed from a shark and dried in the sun.
With high protein and low fat, shark fins are rich in as organic colloid, protein, and trace elements like phosphorus and iron. The collagen that shark fins contain is widely known as a kind of animal protein good for the skin. Eating shark fins regularly may help one stay young, strong and healthy.
Imported from the seas of Norway, the shark fins used by South China Restaurant are prepared in the classic Chinese manner by our master chefs. The texture is thick yet tender, and creates an incredibly delicious shark fin soup.
Sea Cucumber
Sea cucumber, an ancient species living in the depths of the mysterious ocean, is the only animal food found, thus far, that does not contain cholesterol. It is rich in chemical components that enhance the human immune system.
Sea cucumber, an invertebrate in the sea, usually lives under the reef where the wave is calm, sea weeds are luxuriant, and no fresh water comes in, or under hard sand.
A rare nutritional supplement with high protein, low fat, no sugar and no cholesterol, sea cucumber may help keep human organs and skin from aging, strengthen the flexibility of blood vessels, and contribute to the improvement of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and cancer.
The preparation method for sea cucumber, at South China Restaurant, is meticulous and exacting, as our master chefs take care to preserve the freshness and vitamins in each dish.
Abalone
Abalone, the ultimate perfect protein from the sea, is not a scavenger shellfish, but lives on pure seawater and seaweeds.
Abalone usually inhabits reefs with a high salt level, with abundant seaweeds, where the flow of wind and tide keep the waters pure.
Abalone contains very high protein, vitamins, and nutritional elements including calcium, iron, zinc and phosphorus, and has very low fat and almost no cholesterol. It also contains three elements -- specific to the species -- which destroy the metabolite needed by cancer cells, and thus enhances human immune response.
The abalone prepared at South China Restaurant is kept tender, pure and tasty by the classical clay pot method of cooking. We use clean charcoal and ventilation stoves with new and improved technology to produce the best-tasting dish with a rich, thick sauce.
I have done a research on the Internet about food and health concerns, only to find that people in North America eat a lot of unhealthy food and have more bad habits in eating and drinking compared to Chinese and Japanese.
According to a research by American scientists, tea is healthy, especially Chinese green tea, but drinking tea with sugar is not healthy. And Chinese people do not drink tea with sugar or milk. In fact most Chinese love strong tea.
Healthy food listed on the Internet that may help lower LDL cholesterol level includes tofu, soy milk, apples, seaweeds, carrots and corn.
Most Japanese food is even healthier than Chinese food, except that Japanese eat more raw fish. They eat lots of sea food, not so oily, not salty either. No wonder the Japanese all live a long time and so few of them are obese.
Chinese people buy fresh vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, which is healthy, while Westerners eat more frozen food and all fill their refrigerators with food for several days, which is unhealthy.
Chinese people drink herbal tea without sugar or milk, which is healthy, while Westerners drink tea with tea bags and much sugar, which is unhealthy.
I just have to warn myself that I should eat less dessert. Many people here in Vancouver simply run to work and eat a muffin for breakfast, along with a cup of fresh coffee. Sometimes I have just dessert as a meal, too, which is dangerous.
In the long history of Chinese cuisine, the Chinese have always combined food with health improvement. Up to today, most Chinese people have a general knowledge about food and nutrition. Below is the translation (proof-read by my American soul-sister Cheryl) I made for an upscale restaurant in Beijing who once served the Fortune Forum guests including Bill Gates. Simply have a glimpse of the Chinese food and nutrition culture even though animal lovers and vegetarians like me may be against eating them--
Bird's Nest
Bird’s nest is a delicacy that has been favored by emperors and beauties for thousands of years.
Living in the grottoes of Southeast Asia, this magical bird creates it’s tender nest, readying it for the eggs which she lays in April. Since the nest is made from the salivary glands of the birds, these glands are highly developed and specialized.
Bird’s nest contains protein, calcium, amino acid and carbohydrate, which are indispensable to human beings. More significantly, bird’s nest also contains two types of collagen, which may accelerate cell division and contribute to the growth of epidermis. In short, bird’s nest is rich in beauty genes so as to activate the aging skin cells.
The bird’s nest used by South China Restaurant is top class bird’s nest all from Indonesia. Remade by our chefs, it creates a tender and refreshing feel in your mouth.
Shark Fin
Sharks live in the depths of the ocean, and not in the polluted shallows, so their flesh is very pure.
Shark fins are dorsal fin, caudle fin, pectoral fins, pelvic fin and anal fin removed from a shark and dried in the sun.
With high protein and low fat, shark fins are rich in as organic colloid, protein, and trace elements like phosphorus and iron. The collagen that shark fins contain is widely known as a kind of animal protein good for the skin. Eating shark fins regularly may help one stay young, strong and healthy.
Imported from the seas of Norway, the shark fins used by South China Restaurant are prepared in the classic Chinese manner by our master chefs. The texture is thick yet tender, and creates an incredibly delicious shark fin soup.
Sea Cucumber
Sea cucumber, an ancient species living in the depths of the mysterious ocean, is the only animal food found, thus far, that does not contain cholesterol. It is rich in chemical components that enhance the human immune system.
Sea cucumber, an invertebrate in the sea, usually lives under the reef where the wave is calm, sea weeds are luxuriant, and no fresh water comes in, or under hard sand.
A rare nutritional supplement with high protein, low fat, no sugar and no cholesterol, sea cucumber may help keep human organs and skin from aging, strengthen the flexibility of blood vessels, and contribute to the improvement of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and cancer.
The preparation method for sea cucumber, at South China Restaurant, is meticulous and exacting, as our master chefs take care to preserve the freshness and vitamins in each dish.
Abalone
Abalone, the ultimate perfect protein from the sea, is not a scavenger shellfish, but lives on pure seawater and seaweeds.
Abalone usually inhabits reefs with a high salt level, with abundant seaweeds, where the flow of wind and tide keep the waters pure.
Abalone contains very high protein, vitamins, and nutritional elements including calcium, iron, zinc and phosphorus, and has very low fat and almost no cholesterol. It also contains three elements -- specific to the species -- which destroy the metabolite needed by cancer cells, and thus enhances human immune response.
The abalone prepared at South China Restaurant is kept tender, pure and tasty by the classical clay pot method of cooking. We use clean charcoal and ventilation stoves with new and improved technology to produce the best-tasting dish with a rich, thick sauce.
Eating and Living
It is widely known that Chinese cuisine has the longest history in the world, and food lovers all would love to go to China. Beijing has a collection of world famous cuisines with uncountable luxury restaurants, which impress tourists with their size, large scale and packedness everyday and every night.Eating is more of an issue in China than in many other countries. In North America, many people say that the food here is just to fill the stomach, and people are not so critical about its color, smell and flavor. In my experience, that's one of the reasons why Chinese immigrants here are all nostalgic and are likely to return to China after getting their citizenship.
While Chinese have a big food culture, Westerners are more critical about the comfort, convenience, tidiness and style of living. If you visit someone's home here, you will always marvel at how artistic and stylish their lobby, hallway, living room, bedroom, bathroom can be, even though they are not necessarily luxurious.
Having visited the Forbidden City in Beijing and the Chateau de Versailles in Paris, many people realize that Chinese emperors didn't care about enjoying life as much as Western emperors did. Simmons, sofa, eiderdown quilts and pillows, toilet bowl and bathtub were all invented by Westerners. When Louis XV of France was sleeping in his king-sized sofa bed, Kangxi the Great of the Qing Dynasty in China had to take a bath in a wood bucket without tap water. And when Kangxi the Great was sleeping on his hardwood bed, Louis XV might be smoking a cigar in his bubble bath.But the Chinese emperor always had over 100 dishes served during a meal, and for European royalty, it was no more than a soup, a salad, steak, and then a dessert, along with wine. This is the cultural difference.
The pictures above are of some of the restaurants I've been to in Beijing and some residential buildings in Vancouver, Canada, which are very typical.
The above picture is of the bedroom of the wife of Louise XIV at Palace Versailles. The picture below is of the bedroom of the Empress Cixin at the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Observations in Canada
Having lived in China and Canada and having traveled to many countries including Russia, Korea, Britain, Thailand, Egypt, Qatar, I do think Canada is one of the best managed countries in the world, and compared to Canada, the Chinese concept is so wrong on many levels--In China, from east to west, from north to south, you might have seen millions of small sticker ads on walls, floors, staircases and poles, about creating fake diplomas and certificates for people who need to showcase their qualifications. There is a market for those things simply because employers don't check their employees' reference and background.
Here in Vancouver, I have been going through reference check and criminal record check for my new job. Sometimes HR managers will call my previous employers to check my performance at my previous work.
In China, so many schools in major cities have marble floors in their school buildings to show their wealth, and yet have no central heating and so students all freeze to death in their luxurious classrooms. Facilities are up-to-date but not open to students at all times unless VIP guests come to inspect.
Here in Vancouver, schools are not luxurious at all, where walls are just painted and floors covered by cheap carpet or simply plastic or rubber leatherette which is not used in China anymore due to the cheap look. But the schools all supply photocopiers, printers and paper to students and open their equipment rooms, gym rooms and library to students as much as possible.
In Beijing I have been to this newly opened amusement park, very modern and very high tech, with one of the largest roller coasters in the world. Apparently the investment was huge. But all the public washrooms are not heated, so in winter it is -10 outside and -8 in the washrooms. People have to shit or pee in the freezing cold and wash their hands with cold water. I always wonder why they don't want to make the washrooms more comfortable like in Canada?
I've been to a fishing village in Canton/Guangdong, China, where every family has millions of RMB in their bank account as the villagers all go fishing and export fish to the U.S. market. No matter how wealthy they are, they all live in filthy 2-3 story houses, ugly and dark, with bare light bulbs, tacky fake flowers, crappy, worn out furniture that they have never thought about abandoning for something new. It's not that they cannot afford it. They are all wealthier than any of us probably. They just don't care about their living environment. Interestingly, right next to their ugly "modern" houses I see the remaining ancient style Chinese residential architecture where the villagers' ancestors lived. They are beautiful and delicate, elegantly structured, with painted beams and ceilings and wood carvings on the symetrical window frames. They tell me that all the old buildings were ruined during the Cultural Revolution for they all belonged to the "four olds" that should be totally destroyed according to Chairman Mao.
The above pictures are of the apartment of my neighbor, Kenny, in West End of Vancouver. He doesn't have money, and barely finished high school, but his home looks prettier, tidier and more comfortable even than a university professor's home in China. Of course his house can by no means compare to mine in Beijing, since I'm highly educated and better-to-do. But I would say no high school graduates in China may make their home as clean or tidy as Kenny's.
Simply check these lovely pictures closely. Kenny just loves to clean and decorate the apartment and loves to collect knick knacks. His kitchen is spotless and his bathroom is neat like hell.
Let me know if what it is like in your country. Is it the same as Canada?
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