Monday, January 24, 2011

Today we took the 45 minute ride to the US Consulate. The lady from the consulate made a speech at the beginning, telling how she was transferring to Helsinki, Finland soon and how many adoptions they processed last year and this year. She also said the consulate is also moving into it's own building in March 2012. The room was packed and I could imagine some mother with a restless baby muttering, "Who cares lady if you're transferring to Helsinki, just get on with it." Ha.

Haifeng sat there nicely and when we went to the window to sign the DS 230 for her visa, instead of us signing as we did for Zoe, she signed with the chinese characters. It was a neat sight! The consulate officer complemented her on her neatness. While we were on the way there, Zoe yells to the guide in the front of the van that she knows everything. Helen (the guide) asked Zoe, "OK Zoe, how do we get to the Consulate?" Zoe replied, " Well, I know everything except how to get to the Consulate."

We went to Lucy's tonight and when we came back through the lobby of the Victory, they were hanging up the Chinese New Year decorations for the Year of the Rabbit. It makes it feel like it's still Christmas. Tomorrow, we go to the Guangzhou Zoo.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Today we went to the Chen Ancestral Hall in Guangzhou built during the Qing Dynasty (1888-1894).  I remember thinking it was another Buddhist temple like the one in Changsha when Michelle, our previous guide, brought us to it in 2007, but although it is an ancient structure, it is for the worship of ancestors, the form of religion most common among the chinese people.  Since it was only us and our guide Helen, we spent more time there and learned more about it.  

After that, we walked through some side streets where some very poor people lived.  It was such a contrast to the main thoroughfares with the high rises.  

When we got back to the Victory, Zoe wanted some McDonald's chicken nuggets.  Luckily, I knew where I could find one off the island near the Holiday Inn.  She was a 'happy camper'.  

Tomorrow is our trip to the US Consulate.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday Update

Thursday, January 20, 2011

 

Today we went to the clinic on Shamian Island for Haifeng's physical.  We saw the "Keep Quiet" sign and remembered sitting there 3 1/2 years ago with Zoe and our friends.  With the new Hague agreement requiring vaccinations and the exemption applying only to kids under 11 yrs, we were apprehensive about how many shots Haifeng would have to get.  She got only four and we got her first smile when she was measured for her height and weight.  We got some more to go food from Lucy's because Haifeng is not big on public appearances, which was not a surprise as we knew she was an introvert.  Ha.

 

Friday, January 21, 2011

 

Today, after getting permission, we traveled with the guide down to Zhuhai to see the orphanage at Haifeng's request, so she could see her friends one more time and bring them some gifts.  This is one way a trip for an older child is different.  You just embrace it and go with the flow and you get rewarded too.  The director, staff and her teacher were all glad to see her again and we got some pictures which we will get posted at least by the time we get back. 

 

Saturday, January 22, 2011

 

Halfway through our time in China.  Today we went back to the clinic to pick up Haifeng's sealed physical which the guide will turn in to the US Consulate for our appointment on Monday, January 24th.  The guide then took us shopping off the island.  We took the bridge over the city street in front of the Victory, winding through some narrow streets mostly selling herbs in small shops.  It looked like it might have looked for many years, even centuries, because selling herbs is something the chinese have always done.  We then walked through an open area under the Holiday Inn into a nice pedestrian street of shops.  We were on a mission to "arm" the new american Haifeng with her choice of clothes, shoes, watch, suitcase, etc.  Thankfully, the shops were open to bargaining and had some good deals becaus you can't leave out the Zoe Zoe either.  We got her some good things, got the internet fixed and our instant teen is a happy camper.  We finished up by hitting McDonalds, a favorite of Zoe and we discovered, also a favorite with Haifeng.  Sunday, the guide is taking us on a tour. 

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Today we went downtown to the government office that processes passports and put in the expedited order for Haifeng's passport.

On the way back to Shamian Island, we stopped at Carrefour, a large French grocery store that had a little of everything like Super Walmart. Haifeng stocked up on her favorite food like chicken feet, hard candy, chips, music CD's, skittles, chicken jerky sticks, two hard boiled eggs for tea, Nemo orange drink, jello fruit cups and chips. We got a quick and informative education on what she really likes and that's good, because she wasn't eating much to this point.

Tonight, we picked up some pizza and fries for Zoe from Lucy's. I don't see how you could ever get tired of that place. It has so much character (Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, License plates and all the other stuff that covers the walls). Cutting across the island with the Lucy's to go order, I passed a couple of chinese dressed up like the three muskateers. There is always something to see coming across the island. Someone is being photographed.

Tomorrow is Haifeng's physical and whatever shots she has to get. Congress passed a new law exempting adoptees from most of the immigration shots, but only for kids under 11 years old.

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

In the morning we returned to Guandong Civil Affairs and completed the interview, got our picture taken and paid the remaining fees to the province.

We made some more strides as the guide Helen took us to a Chinese restaurant on Shamian that only cost us about $21 US and she discovered some food that Hai Feng would eat. Helen has been a great asset in gradually getting through to her because she is a shy person.

Hai Feng is very good on the computer. We are reacquainting ourselves with the location of the shops on the island. Many of the ones we remember are still there. Wednesday we will pay the fee to expedite Hai Feng's chinese passport and go to a large grocery store.

Today we met Hai Feng

Monday, January 17, 2011

Today we met Hai Feng at the Civil Affairs office. She was very nervous and somewhat stressed because of all the change in one day and no doubt she is missing her friends. The woman from the orphanage and Helen our guide were great at trying to help her relax. She got on the computer as soon as we got back to the room and talked to her friends. She has handled it as well as we can expect, especially since our communication is limited. I think it will help that we will be in the same hotel for several days so some familiarity and routine can take hold.

We meet Helen again at 9am to go back to Civil Affairs and go through the forms and pay the rest of the fees. God is our foundation. We miss our Zhuzhou friends so we could make the rounds of Shamian Island. We found the 7-11 again and Lucy's and got some good food to go from the restaurant here in the Victory Hotel tonight. The Victory is about 100 years old and used to be the Victoria Hotel under the British, but it is a nice hotel. We have a Japanese style suite and it sure looks Japanese. We will try to add some pictures in a few days when we get into a flow.

Thanks to everyone for all your support! I'm still a little sore from those steep grades in the half marathon Sunday. We will see you all tomorrow. Hi Mom!

We are in China!!!

It's Sunday night, 16th.  We're exhausted and finally in the Victory Hotel on Shamian Island.  We'll try to get pictures rolling as soon as possible. 

 

Thursday, we began the trip in Jacksonville with a 2 hour flight delay, which stranded us in Detroit Thursday night until we could get out Friday afternoon.  Delta did cover our hotel in Detroit.  Zoe also took advantage by playing in the snow that morning.  Taking off at 3:25pm,we flew north over Canada, west across Alaska, then south down the Russian coast.  I saw our flight path would cross the northern edge of North Korea, so that really perked my interest, but when we passed over Beijing, we made an abrupt turn to the west to avoid NK airspace.  

We landed in Hong Kong on schedule Saturday night.  Sunday, I woke up at 4 am involuntarily and at 6:30, off we were off by speeding taxi to the far side of Hong Kong for the China Coast Half Marathon.  After picking up my number and prior to the race, I asked the race director, Stuart Leonard, a very warm and friendly old Englishman, where I could pick up my race t-shirt.  In America, you always pick it up before the race if not a couple days before.  Not so in Hong Kong.  Stuart smiled and quipped in his best King's english, "Lad, you can't get your shirt until after the race.  You have to earn it."   I replied, "Stuart, I think you have the better method."  As a lifetime runner, I reveled in every minute of the 13.1 miles, despite the fact the mountain roads around High Island Reservoir were very steep and I run in flat Florida.  Also, it was very windy and cold.  I still loved it because it was obviously a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  

On the long way back to the hotel to check out and nervous to get to Hong Kong airport in plenty of time for our flight to Guangzhou, we had to take a green taxi halfway.  He let us out in front of a transportation hub because green taxis were not allowed to enter red taxi territory.  So after we paid the driver of the green taxi, we started to look for a red taxi to come by.  In less than two minutes, a red taxi started speeding past us.   Zoe, knowing we wanted a red taxi and before we could react, began waving excitedly at the red taxi to get his attention.   He circled out of sight but came back by soon after.  What an amazing five year old this kid is! We expected her main contribution to be bonding with Hai Feng, but that prior to meeting her sister, she would be a typical five year old on an obviously arduous journey.  Not so!  She is truly an asset, not just beautiful "window dressing". We are so blessed.