Pearl River

Tonight we did a cruise on the Pearl River. It is the 3rd longest river in china behind the Yangzi and the Yellow. The skyline of Guangzhou is beautiful. We were on the river for an hour and a half, so we covered quite a bit of ground. It was light when we started. We were able to see the sky change from dusk to full on darkness. As the light of day faded the lights of the city came alive. It was a wonderful excursion and highly recommended for all who come to Guangzhou.
Our morning started early as we had to leave the hotel at 7:40am for the American Consulate. The American consulate is in a Building in the business section of the new part of the city. High rises all around. There was a line in the front of the building with a couple hundred people in it. The line continued inside of the building. We went to the 4th floor and went through security that was run by the Chinese, It was much like going through the airport, but more lacks. The people we left behind the secure area were waiting for travel, student and emigrant visas. The hallways of the building were full of what appeared to be travel agencies. When we arrived in the American Consulate office a woman came to a glass window after about 10 minutes and told us what was going to happen. It was loud and disorganized. We the parents of the children who were to become citizens of America stood up raised our right hand and repeated after the woman a simple statement that basically said all the paperwork we had turned in was true. We then sat down and waited for our name to be called by one of the workers behind the glass windows. We signed a couple of pieces of paper and were told our visa for NaHui would be ready the next day. It was a rather anticlimactic event. I expected to see official looking people, maybe even a Marine. But no we saw the woman with the Midwestern mannerisms and the Chinese workers who we had outsourced the jobs to.
Yesterday we went to a wildlife park. It took most of the day and was a lot of fun. WE feed Giraffes and Elephants and tiny little horses. They had 10 Pandas. They are really cool.
When we came back from the park Dayna NaHui our new friend Tracy and her daughter and I went to Shamian Island. We went there the day before as well. We had taken some laundry over to be washed and it was time to pick it up. We did some shopping, got the laundry and came back to the hotel.
Things have been very busy since we came to Guangzhou. We have one more day before we leave for Hong Kong. Tomorrow we are going to a market that the public uses. It is a wholesale market. A couple of days ago we went to a wholesale market for pearls and jade. My skills at working a bargain are getting so well honed. It you are on your way to china and want some tips please send $20.00 and a self addressed envelope to me and I will mail the secrets to you. If you read that and said to yourself that’s crazy I’m not going to give him any money, you are half way there. Seriously if you want any tips or information we have gleaned from this trip, just contact us and we will help in any way we can.
Hopefully our shopping trip tomorrow will be profitable. We have been looking for some movies and educational things for NaHui. Our worker from Holt has not been the most helpful. The people from both Holt and Lotus travel are very controlling and not very helpful with getting you in contact with the local eateries or shopping centers. Our first night here we were told 7-11 was a good place to shop and McDonalds was a cheap alternative to the hotel restaurants. We have a great group we are traveling with and with their help and our adventurous spirits we have been able to find a couple of places to eat. The grocery store has yet to be found. We tried to get our Holt escort to tell us where to go shopping today and were told it was too far away or some other bs answer. She said she would go look for us tonight on her way home. In the afternoon we asked again with 2 other couples in our group. We were told some of these items could be purchased in America. We told her pull ups and crayons were needed for the others families for the trip home. We never were able to get her to tell us where to go only that it was far away or would cost too much. At one point she said she really wanted to take the day off. This was the last straw for me I told her we would find out where to go and take a cab. I am thankful our guide (not a Holt employee) in Hefei was so wonderful. If we had known the level of cooperation and lack of professionalism was going to be at this level we would have done more shopping in Hefei.
I could vent some more about the experience here and how it has taken away from the overall trip, but I am done I will save that for the Holt Board of Directors. Hope this doesn’t sound to bitter but we are trying to record the trip as best we can. So to wrap it up, if you will be travelling to China to adopt, buy the toys, and clothes you want for your child in province before you get to Guangzhou. In Guangzhou you will have the opportunity to purchase pearls, jade, and traditional clothing, shoes and etc. I wish I had purchased more toys and movies in Chinese while in province because I am not getting them in Guangzhou. While in Guangzhou on Shamian Island go to Michael’s Store and Master Wang’s (Jennifer’s Place, I think).

Leaving Hefei

Yesterday we left Hefei. When we arrived in Hefei our initial response was what a dirty place. When we left It was like leaving an old friend or having to say goodbye to that t-shirt with stains and tears, each one a memory. The dirt we first saw I came to love and appreciate. Her people kind and genuine, Hefei will always be in our hearts and memories one day I hope we can return.
In true Weiler form we came through with excitement, nothing simple with us. When we arrived at the airport we went to the check in counter and were told Na Hui’s passport did not match the information on her ticket. Because she did not have a passport until yesterday morning there was no way it could be listed on her ticket. This did not matter to the man behind the counter. Our guide Penny showed him the adoption papers’ (this has worked in the past), but not this time. While the man behind the counter escalated his behavior and the arguing and pleading went on, I was asked to come behind the counter to open 2 of our bags. Quade and I had bought a few lighters 10 or 11 for souvenirs. They are Chinese military and Chinese cigarette brand lighters. Pretty cool some were Zippo style and others were butane lighters with a pair of flashlights on them. I had looked at the web page the night before and it said nothing about lighters in checked baggage. Well they said I had 2 in 2 different bags and they were forbidden and would have to come out. Quade the day before said let’s put them in different bags in case they check and want to take them we may be able to keep a couple. Good idea Quade this Smuggler of the day moment goes to you. We had to take 4 out; I gave them to our guide who said she was going to mail them to us. I tried to argue and tell her to keep them, but she was better at arguing than me. 20 minutes latter we had NaHui’s ticket and most of our contraband.
Nahui was very excited about the flight. She fell asleep shortly after takeoff and woke up right before we landed. Mary and the boys were content across the aisle from us. The flight was like going from Juneau to Seattle, somewhere around 2- 2 and a half hours. We arrived at the Marriot hotel, checked in and then went out to dinner. This city is very modern and cosmopolitan. A member of our group said it reminded him of Manhattan. That must be why the prices at the restaurant were so high. We had a traditional style Chinese dinner, the kind you get in your town U.S.A., with the exception of the half baked chicken having half its head still attached. We spent $555.50 RNB Chinese dollars for dinner. We only spent slightly more on restaurant food the whole time we were in Hefei. Yes we had sticker shock. This location is not very user friendly or we at least have not been able to find anything affordable yet.
Today we went to the medical. They took her height, weight, blood pressure, had her try to read the eye chart (which of course she could not), and collected information from her referral to support her given special need. Then to end the morning NaHui had her TB test. She didn’t even flinch. She is so brave. When spent the rest of the day walking through the park with our friend Tracy and her daughter. Tomorrow is a free day so I think in the afternoon we will be going to the pearl and jade market with the rest of our group.
New things we know about NaHui.
1. She loves to laugh and play but doesn’t know when to stop (probably mostly a language issue)
2. She does think it is okay to get rained on, but we will fix that.
3. She can fall asleep sitting up and while she is eating.

Today the Honeymoon Ended

 I apologize in advance for the length of this post. Today was an emotional day and I think I am writing this more for myself than for you the reader.  So go to the bathroom now and get some popcorn (hopefully not from the bathroom), settle into your easy chair and hopefully you will enjoy today’s post. We left the hotel around 9 am to go to the Children’s Welfare Institute of Hefei to meet the foster parents and see NaHui’s class.  We arrived around 10 am and waited several minutes for the director of the orphanage to come great us.  The director was a prim woman in her late 40’s to early 50’s.  She carried herself in a way that made you know she was in charge and demanded a certain level of respect.  She promptly escorted us to a 3-4 story building that housed all of the foster families.  We were ushered into a cozy, simple and tidy home.  The foster mother and Nahui embraced, both sobbing.  I shook the foster fathers hand and we both had tears in our eyes. Nahui took us into the room she shared with 3 other siblings and proudly showed us her bed. We spent what could have been from 15 minutes to an hour with the family.  Time was a blur; the only thing that was not a blur was the fact that Nahui was loved and well cared for by her foster family and the other workers at the CWI.  We took pictures of NaHui with her foster mom and dad and then added Dayan and I to the mix. We had the opportunity to ask questions of the family, it was good that we had them written down in Dayna’s notebook of all things adoption related as I don’t believe we would have been able to think of them without it.  Dayna wrote as much of it as she could.  The rest or at least most of it is on tape as Zane recorded while we visited.  I had Penny our guide ask the foster mother if the number Nahui wrote down on the first night was their phone number as we had suspected and it was.  I really blew it here by asking.  I forgot we are in a country with a different culture than ours.  One that has strict rules for the good of all.  This was made evident by the sign out front “The 8 don’ts for citizens of Hefei”.  The 9th don’t should read,” Don’t ask questions that may possibly put someone in harm’s way while the director is in the room”.  After we left the foster family and NaHui’s class we waited in the lobby for 30 minutes or so while our guide was in the office of the director.  She was getting a stern talking to for the phone number and for us asking if we could send updates and asking for the contact info of the foster family.  Penny told us tonight when she came by the hotel with paper work for us that the foster family received a talking to as well.  Note to those coming to Hefei use stealth mode when at the CWI. After we left the foster family we went to her class and she was greeted with hugs by her classmates.  One of her foster brothers was in her class and he sat next to her with his arm around her for a long time.  The aides in the class all cried when they said goodbye to her and held her and cried some more.  Several of the children also cried. Nahui had tears almost the whole time we were at the orphanage.  Mary, Dayna the boys and I all had tears or choked them back many times throughout our stay.  I am a little misty eyed right now reflecting back on the events of the day.  The people who work at the orphanage are amazingly loving and caring of the children.  The children themselves are all very special and just begging for affection and love.  Your heart breaks to see them all, knowing that some will never have a family outside of the orphanage.  We went into a music room with the children and they sang several songs for us.  NaHui and her foster brother sang a song together through there tear laden eyes, for our family.   A blind boy of 6 or 7 years played piano with great skill while a developmentally delayed boy bounced from Dayna’s arms to mine.  All any of them wanted was to be loved.     I can’t stop thinking about how brave NaHui is and all the children like her who know they are leaving all they have ever known for the unknown.  The hope of something better, the chance for a family that will be theirs forever.  I know I will forever be changed from my visit to the orphanage.  Anyone who comes here cannot leave the same person. The ride back to the hotel room was fairly uneventful.  BUT ……………………….. when we made it back to the hotel, well NaHui was not the same girl she was on day one.  The knowledge that this is coming, that your child will melt, no matter how many books or blogs you read or how many people tell you first hand can prepare you for this day.  Our sweet little angle grew horns and figuratively spit split pea soup at us for the rest of the day.  She was mostly ignoring me and being well plain ol ornery to me, but she did manage to give Dayna some guff as well.  Most notably while Dayna was in the girl’s locker room after we went to the pool.  Dayna was half naked running after Nahui as she opened the locker room door to the lobby. Luckily there was a curtain.  I was standing outside the locker room waiting for them when all this was going on.  On the elevator back to the room I told Dayna we were the people we had been reading about who had the children melt and run uncontrollably through hotels and stores and restaurants.  The people getting the strange looks from the staff and patrons of hotels and stores, yes we were those people.  We had a good laugh that was much needed.  With the emotions of the day, the heat (upper 90’s) a squirrely child and our own at times grumpy way of processing the day, it felt great.  The rest of the night Nahui was a pill, but Dayna and I were on the same page and in a head space to deal with this new transition. When Nahui decided she was not going to listen and wanted to eat her noodle bowl in her brother’s bed ( for the 3rd or 10th time), we decided it was time to put her to bed for the night. We laid her in her bed and turned the lights off.  She began to cry.  This is the first night this has happened.  Since she was being the orneriest to me, I lay next to her and tried to comfort her.  This only mad her more angry.  As a last ditch effort I picked her up and sat her in my lap and just held her in the desk chair. (That made for a decent rocking chair in a pinch)  She squirmed and fussed.  I stared to sing the only song I could remember at the time a Grateful Dead song, I don’t remember the name, but it’s the one with the line “I couldn’t get to sleep that night till the morning came around”.  This helped some.  Dayna and I then sang a lullaby with nonsensical words we used to sing to the boys.  We only know 1 verse, but managed to sing it 20-30 times.  Nahui was starting to fade.  I dug deep into my song bank and sang bits of songs from Humble Pie and John Cougar.    When she finally gave in, whether from my singing or from exhaustion I laid her back down. As I watch her now (with Pink monkey pajama bottoms and a Packers shirt 2 sizes to big), resting in a peaceful and well deserved slumber, I trust she heals quickly.  Our little girl our brave little girl. Side note:  We were able to snap some photos while at Hefei CWI and will post them sometime tomorrow before hopping on the jet to Guangzhou.

Indoor Playground, Mall and Walking in Hefei

Today seemed clearer in the morning.  Dayna, Fred and Na Hui had been up since the early morning, but Mary and the boys slept in until after 6 am. We had breakfast in the Hotel as usual.  Na Hui is quite a little eater and likes Yogurt drinks, fruit and just about anything she is offered.  She was content sitting at a table with Dayna and the boys while Mary and Fred were at the adjoining table. The big activity for today was shopping at Walmart for some clothes and a few other odds and ends. Then off to the indoor playground. Both of these are located in a very large 3 story mall with many upscale stores. This is downtown Hefei and it is part of the modernization efforts. We are starting to feel like rock stars because it seems like many folks here rarely see westerners.  We get lots of smiles and some hellos.  We have been receptive and say Hi and try to have conversations. We have a climber on our hands, maybe a gymnast as well.  It became very clear that she likes building with blocks and the purchase of some large foam block pieces that can store flat was the right move.  Zane and Quade were good big brothers, keeping an eye on her and playing with her.  The set up is a large foam padded playground with various “toys” to ride, climb and jump on, a ball pit, blocks and large balloons.  Adults can sit at a counter around the outside when not in with a child.  Aunt Mary was able to have some nice conversations with Penny our guide and John ReMi’s BaBa(father).  He deserved a spell, after having carried her from the Hotel.  It was only about 5 or 6 blocks, but it is hot and humid.  We spent a long time at the play ground and lunch came quite late.  More than one of us, was a bit grumpy by that time. We went for “western” food today pizza and pasta.  Pizza didn’t have tomato sauce on it and the tomato pasta sauce seemed to be out of a jar.  The ultimate treat was the Dairy Queen for dessert.  It was two for one day and we got 2 single ball cones(even though it is soft serve) that is the term for small, for 79 cents US  and 2 large Blizzards for less than $4 US. It tasted like real Dairy Queen even though we don’t have one in Juneau.  There were a few other purchases not for Na Hui and we managed getting back to the Hotel fine on our own.  We walked through the park and came across some “street” performers singing and playing instruments in traditional dress.  They were very excited to see us and we gave them tips so they would sing, we created a stir in the crowd.  A Grandma on the way into the park “told” Dayna she should have a hat on. There were baths and showers to cool off upon our return to the room.   It was playtime and wind down time for most everyone else. Noodles or crackers and peanut butter etc. for dinner.  We get plenty to eat at breakfast and lunch, that it isn’t necessary to go out again for dinner.  However, Fred and Quade decided another trip to the Mall was in order and they headed out again while Dayna, Na Hui, Zane and Mary are getting ready for bed.

Our First Day with NaHui

The first afternoon and night went very well.  We went to the mall and bought NaHui a new pair of shoes and then came back and played for most of the evening.  We went out a second time for some cup of noodles for dinner.  When we returned from the store NaHui helped everyone make theirs, she obviously has had them before. We all went to bed about 9 pm and slept until 6 am. NaHui slept in the bed with Fred and I. She woke up and smiled at Daddy. Today (Tuesday) we went back to the Civil Affairs Office and made everything final. NaHui is officially our daughter. After the Civil Affairs office we had lunch in the Noodle Restaurant on the second floor of our hotel and then went to the Walking Street Mall. NaHui got several new PINK items: headbands, hair bands, barrettes, a bag to carry her hair items in, sunglasses, and an umbrella. It seems like she is use to having big brothers around. She can stand her ground. It definitely seems as though her foster family prepared her well. Yesterday she wrote down a long number several times when she was coloring. When we asked her if it was a phone number she flipped through the photo album that she brought of what we thought was her foster family and pointed to a woman in the picture. We discussed the number with Penny, our guide and she thought it was a phone number too. We are going to get to meet the foster family on Thursday so we will get to ask them and hopefully get their email address so we can send them pictures. NaHui’s foster mother gave her a beautiful Buddha necklace.   Things we know about NaHui: 1. She will eat anything except lamb. She doesn’t like food to get stuck between her teeth. 2. She is a parrot. She will repeat everything you say. Sometimes we think she even does it on purpose to tease you.   3. She pronounces words very well, both Chinese and English. No accent when speaking English. 4. She likes pink. 5. Her hair is always in her face, no matter what we do. 6. So far she is a very good shopper. 7. She likes to dress up with hats. 8. She loves to do hair. 9. She likes to play hide and seek. 10. She likes bath time and knows how to wash her hair.  11. She like to take pictures 12. Did we mention she really likes pink. 13. She is very loving and affectionate. 14. She has a sense of humor.

Link to Pictures!

More Pictures posted from gotcha day!

Gotcha Day

Aunt Mary reporting in today.  I had the privilege of being a keen observer as well as part of this once in a lifetime experience. It is Monday in China June 11th.  Dayna and Fred were up by 4am again.  I can only imagine their mix of excitement, anxiety and what other jumble of emotions they were feeling.  The boys and I were able to get a few more hours of sleep before showers and heIading to breakfast. (I am grateful that I adjusted to the time here pretty effortlessly) Very similar breakfast choices to the hotel in Beijing, and Fred keeps being an adventurous eater.  I am sticking to what I know.  I am a traditionalist when it comes to breakfast.  Haze and fog again this morning, but clearing somewhat as we finished breakfast on the 29th floor in the rotating restaurant. It gave us a chance to see more of Hefei.  I was particularly interested in the workers who it appeared were preparing trees from a demolition site to be moved somewhere else.  They were putting burlap around the large rootballs.  Actually probably huge seeing I was 29 floors up.   We met Penny promptly in the lobby at 9am and headed on the bus to the Civil Affairs Office.  It is a pretty nondescript office building, fourth floor.  It does have some air conditioning which was welcome, but we all seem to be handling the heat and humidity pretty well.  There is a special room for adoption registration and there is a large Chinese flag on the wall as well as a world map.  There was a Dutch couple who we had seen on the elevator this morning, small world, who had already been introduced to their new son.  Then John and Jean the other Holt family in our party in Hefei were introduced to ReMi. Penny started to get nervous and called the orphanage director a couple of times. Everyone has cell phones here. They were stuck in traffic.  We all took the delay in stride, with pacing and fidgeting.  When Na Hui arrived with a caretaker we all recognized her immediately.  Penny was out of the room dealing with paperwork.  Dayna and Fred approached her and she seemed a little cautious and shy.  That lasted a short time, but once candy and toys were brought out she started to warm up to Dayna, Fred and the boys.  I was snapping pictures; Quade had the video camera and Zane another camera.  I think it was great that I could stand back a bit and record the event.  That way the pictures were taken and Fred and Dayna could focus on Na Hui. The caretaker was a little confused about who Aunt Mary was and she was visibly sad to be leaving her.  We took that as a sign that Na Hui was well taken care of.  She has to bring things very close to her face to see, so that appears to be the major issue that will need to be taken care of.  I see glasses in her future.  She and Quade can have some bonding moments over picking out frames. She had snacks and played with everyone as more and more paperwork was completed.  I probably shed the most tears and still am getting  teary eyed as a write about it.  I has been such a long process, it is amazing that it finally has happened.  Na Hui seemed to enjoy the boys and being silly.  Stickers were put on Quade’s cast and everyone’s faces and arms.  I think you will get some sense of the moment when you are able to see some of the pictures.  Dayna of course was in charge or the long paperwork section and Fred and the boys were able to play some more with Na Hui.  I think she likes her big brothers and her big brothers are having a lot of fun with her.  Look out Juneau, they are going to be quite the pack of jokesters. She seemed to have a lot of fun with the camera, so there should be some interesting shots. It was a short ride back to the Hotel and then it was just mostly exploring the surroundings of our “Weiler Camp” which included hide and seek and jumping on the bed. Lunch was at the Noodle Place in the hotel.  Fred and Quade had checked it out last night.  It was good food and everyone had plenty to eat.  All attempts for a nap have failed thus far.  Fred is going to try a bath.  She is talkative and no one really knows what she is saying, but she parrots back what is said to her and see seems really smart.  She was writing numbers in her coloring book and we think she was giving us the telephone number of her foster family.  I am hopeful that I may get a nap in this afternoon for me and maybe check out the pool.  There has been no melt down yet, but we all expect this honeymoon to end at some point.  For now we all are enjoying this precious new little girl and the addition to the Weiler family.