UPS Sucks!

[Sunshine87]

I feel your frustration. My husband used UPS to send a Valentines gift and his part of the application to me and although he paid for the express rate, it didn't arrive at my doorstep for 5 business days.

I work for UPS and I can personally tell you that UPS could care less about the "measly" individual who sends a package through their system, no matter which rate you pay. Contracts with big organizations who send high volumes of packages is how UPS makes their money, and those companies are the priority, no matter what.

Keep calm and carry on. Lesson learned. Avoid UPS at all cost =)

 

[Fencesitter]

Don't get me wrong about China. I have lived here for close to a decade, all of that time in Guangzhou. It has been an enriching experience, for sure, but it can also be very difficult at times. Being away from family is the hardest part. The feeling of isolation is difficult, even though I have my wife and son with me.

In general, though, living here is okay, but it can also be a nightmare. What bothers me the most is the dirtiness, pollution, overpopulation, banking system, lack of customer service, etc. Most of the foreigners I have known have only stayed a year or two simply because they can't stand daily life...it can be enjoyable, but I find that most days are only just bearable...the joy has long gone.

This isn't to deride the Chinese people. I have met many nice people here...but I need a change...I need to live in a developed country. There are so many small annoyances...little things that build over time...

Oh, and dirty cities are NOT restricted to smaller ones...I know that this is true in any country, but not the same kind of dirtiness. Seeing a guy on a motorbike with ducks stuffed in cages makes me really angry. Yes, there is no respect for animals...they do some really horrible things here...

Another problem is the quality of food. You have to be really careful. The same goes with "knock-off" goods...they are everywhere...so that also irritates me...not so much that people are buying counterfeit goods, but the fact that the government allows the blatant disregard for international law...but then the government expects other nations to respect China...there are so many stories like this...even my wife, who is from China, says that she feels a lot of shame for some of the things that go on here...and a lot of these things are only true here in China...we wouldn't see this sort of thing in Canada!!!

Driving...oh...driving...send a squad of trafffic cops from Canada and they'd have a field day...the selfishness of the drivers here is staggering...but selfishness is something that is common here...but I guess that has a lot to do with history...

Anyways, I just know that I need a change and I want to raise our son in a first world country...

FS

 

[canadiangirl78]

Wow that was interesting. I cannot believe you have lived there for so long! No wonder you are anxious. I would honestly let you step in line in front of me so you can get to Canada right away!

 

[Fencesitter]

Package is in Concord, ON. About 5 minutes away!

I'm on the phone with UPS asking for a refund or some kind of credit. This happened once before, and I was given some kind of credit...I can't remember exactly what it was...

People! Never use UPS! They suck! Horrible! All they do is move stuff around and give dates for when they guarantee your stuff will arrive...they can't even do that!!! It's so simple...especially documents...they suck...horrible...horrible...never ever use UPS for anything important!!!

FS

 

[canadiangirl78]

FS, you are going to have a nervous breakdown before you make it back to Canada.

 

[Fencesitter]

I know! I love it! Good for my heart!

FS

 

[raptorsfan]

Package is in Concord, ON. About 5 minutes away!

I'm on the phone with UPS asking for a refund or some kind of credit. This happened once before, and I was given some kind of credit...I can't remember exactly what it was...

People! Never use UPS! They suck! Horrible! All they do is move stuff around and give dates for when they guarantee your stuff will arrive...they can't even do that!!! It's so simple...especially documents...they suck...horrible...horrible...never ever use UPS for anything important!!!

FS

DHL is the best. I have experience with FedEx and DHL b/c I often send things to Pakistan. FedEx stops in various places for sorting including a stop in Dubai. DHL on the other hand stops in US, London and then direct to Pakistan.

I know about UPS, they are good for businesses. This is why I have never ever used UPS service even once.

And don't worry, the package will arrive by tomorrow for sure.

 

[Fencesitter]

Delivered!

It says the package was left in the mail room and signed by Kim...is that where it should be???

 

[canadiangirl78]

That's where they all go.

 

[Marty11]

Delivered!

It says the package was left in the mail room and signed by Kim...is that where it should be???

Yes, same happened to my package last year.

FS, take it easy man. Now, that the package is delivered, you have to wait almost three months until you get approved as sponsor (Stage 1). Then it takes approx. 1 month to reach HK VO, when you wife will receive e-mail from them that the file is in HK, so for the next 4 months is just wait, then it starts the HK processing, where you should be going with flying colors, but even in HK, easy and straightforward cases like yours can take 4-6 months, so prepare for at least 7-8 months form now on.
Although your frustartion is underastandable, you have to find some other ways of venting off.....or contain yourself.....
And I agree with all your comments about living there, although I stayed only a few weeks altogether, there are so many annoying things that we take them here for granted. Then we realize in what a wanderful country we live. And don't worry, you will have your part of frustration once you come back to Canada, but totally different ones.
Meanwhile, just try to see the full half of the glass, try and be optimistic, although there are frustrations there, there are beautiful things as well. You know this much better than me !
So, cheer up !

 

[GOGOGO]

And possibly they can raise some money by reselling the USB sticks after the application is done?

They would get a USB stick full of data and maybe a second one as backup if the first one does not work.

 

[Lemondrop78]

Lemondrop, there are some places like that. We have such places here to in Canada. in heavy industrial areas and I have seen dead lakes down in US where you could see the once beautiful tourist attractions and beaches deserted, infested with dead fish and a smell I never smelled before. The lake was so big it took us 3 hours to drive around it. I was in Beijing, Taiyuan, Guangzhou and Zhuhai. All larger cities with poor areas and modern subdivisions. What strikes me on China is the new infrastructure like trains, airports and special development zones like Zhuhai. like any other country you can find good and bad. I think it does not matter where you live as long as you work and live a normal life. What makes Canada unique is its health care system, wonderful nature and its predictability.

Eventhough the health system in Canada is free, there is a long wait for MRI's, CT scans, etc. I hear about it from my parents and it's so frustrating to me. Long waits to see specialists. People's problems become even bigger before they even get a chance to be seen. My dad had his kidney removed half year ago in Canada and the process took so long just to find out results from scans, etc. before and after the procedure. When my sister had her babies in Canada, she had to share the room w/2 or 3 others. I had my own room here in the US when I had my babies plus own bathroom as well...like a little hotel room. Although I don't like the health system here in the US cause it's so expensive, even if you have insurance, the wait time is alot shorter. You're right, there is good and bads of every country. Besides the smell, I didn't like the dirtiness of alot of the places in China...especially the restrooms.

 

[Mrslwsn]

Eventhough the health system in Canada is free, there is a long wait for MRI's, CT scans, etc. I hear about it from my parents and it's so frustrating to me. Long waits to see specialists. People's problems become even bigger before they even get a chance to be seen. My dad had his kidney removed half year ago in Canada and the process took so long just to find out results from scans, etc. before and after the procedure. When my sister had her babies in Canada, she had to share the room w/2 or 3 others. I had my own room here in the US when I had my babies plus own bathroom as well...like a little hotel room. Although I don't like the health system here in the US cause it's so expensive, even if you have insurance, the wait time is alot shorter. You're right, there is good and bads of every country. Besides the smell, I didn't like the dirtiness of alot of the places in China...especially the restrooms.

I had all my babies (4) in Canada and only shared a room with 1 person, and that was after I delivered which doesnt bother me because I am in and out in 24 hours. I like to go home to my own things. The room where I delivered looked exactly like a hotel room, private bathroom with brass fixtures etc, and I dont have private insurance. It really depends on where u go...and you can pay for a private rm, if you wanted to, which in the grand scheme would be less than what u.s ppl pay in insurance premiums, considering it is a one time expense per child. On the flip side, if you dont have provincial health insurance, or are a visitor, illegal immigrant etc, you have to pay crazy amounts of money to be seen by a dr, or hospital here in Canada, but when I am in Jamaica, the hospitals have seen and treated my Canadian children 100% FREE. They even have a hospital Pharmacy that will fill prescriptions for FREE. No questions asked, even though they are just visitors. That coming from a small 3rd world island says A LOT. Good and bad everywhere for real!

 

[parker24]

Being a Canadian woman with a whole whack of issues (blood clots, broken foot, depression, hearing loss etc) I can attest to the poor health care system! Sure it's free, but they take forever in hospitals. I was in the hospital for a week with a blood clot, but first I was in the ER for 6 hours! The clot was in my lungs, I couldn't even get a CT scan that day, I had to wait the next day. My husband who was with me was not too impressed. The fact it is a small city hospital with lack of doctors, it's horrible. When I had my gallbladder taken out because of gallstones, went to the same hospital, waited there for 6 hours, FINALLY got in, get another ultrasound and then be told Well you need to go to Kingston (Ontario, bigger city)... I was only 17 at the time so naturally I was scared out of my mind. My mom rushed me to the other hospital, ANOTHER 6 hour wait in ER... And then a painful, no eating week in pediatrics. Ugh.

Okay I'm getting off my soapbox here haha. There are some great docs out there, don't get me wrong, but there are also some idiots too. (Like any profession!)

 

[canadiangirl78]

Being a Canadian woman with a whole whack of issues (blood clots, broken foot, depression, hearing loss etc) I can attest to the poor health care system! Sure it's free, but they take forever in hospitals. I was in the hospital for a week with a blood clot, but first I was in the ER for 6 hours! The clot was in my lungs, I couldn't even get a CT scan that day, I had to wait the next day. My husband who was with me was not too impressed. The fact it is a small city hospital with lack of doctors, it's horrible. When I had my gallbladder taken out because of gallstones, went to the same hospital, waited there for 6 hours, FINALLY got in, get another ultrasound and then be told Well you need to go to Kingston (Ontario, bigger city)... I was only 17 at the time so naturally I was scared out of my mind. My mom rushed me to the other hospital, ANOTHER 6 hour wait in ER... And then a painful, no eating week in pediatrics. Ugh.

Okay I'm getting off my soapbox here haha. There are some great docs out there, don't get me wrong, but there are also some idiots too. (Like any profession!)

I prefer people waiting awhile to having them suffer and even die like they do in the US because they don't have insurance.