#44 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China (Beijing Police and Visa Problem)

Wednesday evening arrived very quickly, and two small suitcases were packed, one for Beijing and the other for Tibet. The college van dropped us off at the Taizhou Railway-Station, and a blue sign pointed to the "Soft Seat Lounge" of this impressive new building.

In the West, we call it First and Second Class and even Business Class. Here, a train ticket is purchased as a Soft Seat or a Hard Seat, and for overnight trains it is Soft Bed or Hard Bed. The more private Soft Bed Cabins have 2 comfortable bunk-beds for four passengers, while the Hard Bed Cabins offer stacked beds for 6 passengers, and offer little privacy.

The one train per day from Taizhou to Beijing was filled, as is all transportation in China. Two elderly Chinese gentlemen shared the train compartment, and we left on time at 6 p.m. I love train-travel.

A few hours of day light remained. Sitting by the window to watch the passing country-side of Jiangsu Province permitted a little time to absorb the scenery. The green fields made it obvious, why this province is one of the bread-baskets of China. Many farmers and peasants were working and tending their fields as dusk approached, and few dim electric-lights pointed to their humble dwellings.

The train made a few stops to pick up additional passengers at various cities, permitting a glance at some smaller stations. The time permitted us to lay back, relax, and be rocked to sleep by a 10 hr. jouney to Beijing, with adventurous expectations for the coming days on their way.

At 7:30 the next morning, a knock on the cabin's doors let us know, that we were about to arrive at the Beijing-West Trainstation. The station was a mass of people, far beyond what I have been experiencing in Taizhou. There was no doubt we were in a great city. and the platforms were bee-hives of activity.

The Taxi line was the first indication of a city waking-up. The people squeezed and pushed their way to the front, each 'knowing' they were the first in line. Eventually our cab found its way through traffic, that can only be imagined, and the hotel and a morning shower were ever closer. We were to be at an International College Fair and had the first appointment at 10:00 a.m.

The Exhibition Halls were within walking distance to the hotel, and we still had sufficient time to make ourselves presentable.

Most Hotels around the world require the guest's passport/visa, and this hotel was no exception. And then it happened:

A note in my passport had reminded me, that upon arrival in China it is required to register with the Local Security Office, and within a few days of arrival it is what we did. My passport-note was removed by the Taizhou Authorities, and I assumed, I now had legal status in the country.

Not so, according to the Hotel-receptionist!! The Z Visa had not been registered according to the laws of China, and the hotel needed to notify the local Beijing police, who promptly arrived with translator. Arthur's demeanor made me recognize, that my first morning in Beijing had suddenly become a little more serious.

The police translator made it clear, that in fact I had overstayed my visit to China by 3 weeks and some serious consequences were about to emerge. As an illegal alien, I was whisked to the main police station in the back of a patrol car, Arthur sitting next to me pondering our future.

After the first 30 days, a fine of 500 Yuan is levied for every day a resident is not properly registered, though living in China. I had already been here 20 days beyond the time demanded by law, and was keen to listen to the options as Arthur translated them.

He had been negotiating with the police about the demands and the potential consequences: I was looking at a 5,000 Yuan fine, and possible deportation back to the US, where I might re-apply for a new visa without guarantee.

For the first time I realized the moment of helplessness, that must be felt by any illegal immigrant, who has just been found out, and cannot even return to gather his belongings. Whether it is the US, Germany, Switzerland, or in my case China, the country's concern is immediate, especially since illegal immigration is a hot topic around the world.

The Chrome Detention Center in Miami-Dade-County is filled with similar cases, economically disadvantaged people seemingly slipping into the country, only to be detained for incomplete documentation.

Eventually Arthur's diplomacy suggested another way out of the predicament: The return of my passport by the Beijing Police, the pick-up of our luggage from the hotel, and a return to Taizhou the same evening via Air China to re-register with the local Authorities. It was the best we could hope for and accepted.

At all times, we were dealt with in a very professional and even understanding manner by China's authorities. The Beijing police must have realized, I was not flaunting or disregarding their laws. So I have learned another lesson in life's journey, and gathered greater insight into China's legal system, afforded few American tourists.

Having navigated Beijing for only 10 hrs., we flew to the city of Nanjing, where a College bus waited to take us back to the city of Taizhou. On Monday, it will be in the hands of local authorities to clear up another of my "International Incidents".

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