Visas Denied, Headed Back to MN

     Last week while Leah had a break from school, we traveled to Vientiane, Laos.  We stopped in Hong Kong on our way back, where Leah and I applied for new visas to re-enter China.  Our applications were rejected.  The official reason was because of the overstay on our previous visas during February.  We had attached 10 pages of documentation to our application to help explain that our overstay was a simple misunderstanding during the process of getting a temporary residence permit;  that we had followed all the required procedures regarding the overstay at the Public Security Bureau (where the police had said that getting a new visa should not be a problem);   and that we'd paid the maximum fine.  But that didn't matter.  Terry showed the agent his own residence permit, proving that he--the member of the household employed in China--has already been thoroughly checked out.  That didn't matter, either.  The agent wouldn't even look at it.  Leah and I were told that we have to return to the U.S. and that we can re-apply for visas in 90 days.  Needless to say, we weren't expecting this.
     We have booked a flight back to Minneapolis on Friday.  While Leah and I are hunkered down here in Hong Kong, Terry has gone back to our apartment in Shenzhen, where he is packing up Leah's and my things.  (Curiously, he said there were new security procedures in place at our apartment complex since we left 10 days ago:  the front gate was locked and he had to present ID in order to get in.)  Later today Terry has a meeting at Leah's school to discuss how she can complete her coursework and graduate.  She may have to give up her International Baccalaureate Diploma, which would be a disappointment now that she's within 6 weeks of completing all the requirements she's been working to fulfill for the last 2 years.
     Several of Leah's friends from school have made plans to take the ferry here to Hong Kong this afternoon and meet up with Leah so that they can say good-bye.  After the initial shock passed, Leah has summoned a positive outlook.  "Things always work out," she says.
     Even though we're very frustrated and sad about this turn of events, the situation could certainly be worse.  We have a home to return to in Minneapolis, and Terry will be able to continue his work.