Visa

I finally got my 6-month, multiple entry visa to China today. Since the United States decided to use the PATRIOT Act to deny or delay visas to Chinese graduate students, China has retaliated by making it much more difficult for Americans to get visas to China. It is more expensive than it used to be and the coveted 6-month, multiple entry visa is harder to get. I tried to go through several travel agents, but they kept telling me that English teachers could not get multiple entry visas, only double-entry tourist visas. I waited at the visa office once for 2 hours, but when it became clear that my number would not be called before closing time, I left. I managed to find a time when I only had to wait for an hour last week, so today I was able to pick up my passport. Success is sweet and I plan to celebrate my triumph over bureaucracy by going to Shenzhen this weekend.