Thursday, June 26, 2008
Clear Skies (Not) Ahead
Maybe I should take an oxygen tank with me? Check this video...sounds like the smog problem isn't getting any better!
Human Rights Watch
Not related to what I'm going to be doing, but a colleague forwareded me a link to the Human Rights Watch's Beijing Olympics related site.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Another Visa Attempt and Fun with Language
So the 10 days have passed since I sent my materials to the Beijing Olympic Media Center to get the letter I need to apply for a visa and nothing, nada, zilch. Took it to the company's Olympics coordinator and she got back to me with yet another email contact to send it to, a Mister Shi. Oh joy...now I'm sending it to a single person. Hope he's not sick or on vacation! Another form to fill out for him (basically the same as all the rest...heck I attached all the other stuff I've previously sent in to his form as well) and according to the information I was provided, I'll get an email telling me when I'm supposed to go over to the Consulate and (get this) they're supposed to have something there telling them it's OK to take my Visa application. Am I wrong to be skeptical?
Also, the company has scheduled "one last" meeting to make sure everything's in order. Ummmm...other than a cultural training seminar that I participated in via streaming video, this will be my "first" meeting with the rest of the folks supporting our company there. Questions...I have questions! Going to see if I can get one of my colleagues to forward me anything he got before I came onboard.
Our Olympics intranet site has some nifty language pronunciation YouTube videos on it. Oh.My.God...I'm convinced that I'm never going to learn even the most basic words or phrases! I sure do hope lots of folks speak English. If you're curious, check them out here, here and here.
Also, the company has scheduled "one last" meeting to make sure everything's in order. Ummmm...other than a cultural training seminar that I participated in via streaming video, this will be my "first" meeting with the rest of the folks supporting our company there. Questions...I have questions! Going to see if I can get one of my colleagues to forward me anything he got before I came onboard.
Our Olympics intranet site has some nifty language pronunciation YouTube videos on it. Oh.My.God...I'm convinced that I'm never going to learn even the most basic words or phrases! I sure do hope lots of folks speak English. If you're curious, check them out here, here and here.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Big Red's Gonna Be Watching Us
Interesting article about anticipated electonic espionage expected to be performed by the Chinese.
Fun!
Fun!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Latest Advance-Planning Drama
So since my last post, here's the latest on things:
***Brian T won't be coming at the end of the Olympics for a few days of sight-seeing as we'd hoped. It was going to be incredibly expensive to bring him over for such a short period of time, plus China's never been high on either of our lists of destinations so it didn't make sense to spend all that money when we could save it and put it toward a destination that we both really wanted to see. Sent a cookie gift box to the travel agent to say a combination "thanks" and "sorry" for having gotten her to spend time researching hotel, flight and sight-seeing guide arrangements for us.
***In light of the above, I was able to convince United to change my flight back to its original return date (and at no cost, woo hoo!). I even managed to get aisle seats on all the flights, but my return flight from Beijing to Washington Dulles looks to be the last row in front of the rear galley, and if memory serves me correctly, those seats might not recline (d'oh!).
***The hassle over getting my Visa continues. Since the Chicago Chinese Consulate turned me away with my intial application, (vaguely) suggesting I needed a letter from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG), I was given two methods to request a letter/document: an email address with a list of things to include and an online form to complete. Try as I might, that online form will not process, so I've scanned and emailed everything to the email address of the Beijing 2008 International Media Centre. I'm told it takes up to 10 days to hear back, so hopefully something will come through there.
***Brian T won't be coming at the end of the Olympics for a few days of sight-seeing as we'd hoped. It was going to be incredibly expensive to bring him over for such a short period of time, plus China's never been high on either of our lists of destinations so it didn't make sense to spend all that money when we could save it and put it toward a destination that we both really wanted to see. Sent a cookie gift box to the travel agent to say a combination "thanks" and "sorry" for having gotten her to spend time researching hotel, flight and sight-seeing guide arrangements for us.
***In light of the above, I was able to convince United to change my flight back to its original return date (and at no cost, woo hoo!). I even managed to get aisle seats on all the flights, but my return flight from Beijing to Washington Dulles looks to be the last row in front of the rear galley, and if memory serves me correctly, those seats might not recline (d'oh!).
***The hassle over getting my Visa continues. Since the Chicago Chinese Consulate turned me away with my intial application, (vaguely) suggesting I needed a letter from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG), I was given two methods to request a letter/document: an email address with a list of things to include and an online form to complete. Try as I might, that online form will not process, so I've scanned and emailed everything to the email address of the Beijing 2008 International Media Centre. I'm told it takes up to 10 days to hear back, so hopefully something will come through there.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
So it appears I need a visa from China since my Olympic credentials may not be ready in time. I downloaded the application and completed it. Had a spare passport photo at home from the visa application for Brazil 2 years ago so I used it instead of having another one taken. I got a letter from my company explaining the nature of my visit to act as "support" to my application and went to the Chinese consulate's visa application office.
Imagine an emergency room waiting room on steroids. There must've been 50 or 60 people there. Take a number and wait...and wait...and wait. Watched many people go up to the window when their number was called and go away not exactly happy with the result. Glad I had my ducks in a row!
Two hours later, and literally minutes before they were going to break for lunch, my number came up. I needn't have waited so long. The ice princess behind the window took one look at my application, pushed it back at me and said "you need a letter". I quickly pointed her to the letter from my employer and she pushed a paper at me with a highlighted portion that said for business visas, a letter from the employer in China was required. "But I'm working for my company at the Olympics," I told her...and here's my letter. "Read the paper" she said. "Yes, but that doesn't apply in this situation, does it," I asked...this is the Olympics. They're not a business that's going to write me a letter.
Apparently, that's what they want to see. So I contact my company's Olympics coordinator. She's been a total rock star so far in getting everything together. "They want what?" she asks. Yeah, kinda like that. Later in the day, she gives me the email address of someone with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG). I emailed her and am waiting to hear back from her.
Imagine an emergency room waiting room on steroids. There must've been 50 or 60 people there. Take a number and wait...and wait...and wait. Watched many people go up to the window when their number was called and go away not exactly happy with the result. Glad I had my ducks in a row!
Two hours later, and literally minutes before they were going to break for lunch, my number came up. I needn't have waited so long. The ice princess behind the window took one look at my application, pushed it back at me and said "you need a letter". I quickly pointed her to the letter from my employer and she pushed a paper at me with a highlighted portion that said for business visas, a letter from the employer in China was required. "But I'm working for my company at the Olympics," I told her...and here's my letter. "Read the paper" she said. "Yes, but that doesn't apply in this situation, does it," I asked...this is the Olympics. They're not a business that's going to write me a letter.
Apparently, that's what they want to see. So I contact my company's Olympics coordinator. She's been a total rock star so far in getting everything together. "They want what?" she asks. Yeah, kinda like that. Later in the day, she gives me the email address of someone with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG). I emailed her and am waiting to hear back from her.
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