Wednesday December 8, 2004……Day 6….. 

We all got up early and departed on Air China from Beijing to Nanning.  The flight was packed and really hot.  There were a lot of uncomfortable people, not to mention, a few sick ones too.   We arrived at the hotel around noon and we tried to relax and get some rest until our 1600 appointment at the Civil Affairs office.  The Civil Affairs office is actually on the third floor of a hotel.  It’s basically a large room with chairs around the walls, and a podium up front.  Finally the Civil Affairs Director came in and asked us all to stand and she made a speech that we only understood a small part of.  Of course most of us were trying not to faint or vomit so we weren’t really listening.  The babies were brought in being held by nannies, and lined in a row.  The Orphanage Director and someone else were standing there to check our documents, and we all waited for our names to be called.  We walked up and they checked our documents and we were handed our baby.  The nanny handed her to Tony and there was about 10 seconds of uncertainty and then chaos.  Most people will ask if the babies get upset over the looks of the parents.  Like beards, baldness, long hair, short hair, blond or red hair.  Yes, Yes and more yes.  They will get upset no matter what you look like, unless you look like the care giver or foster mother.  We had twelve families in that room and it was just pure chaos.  Tony’s long blond hair scared Raelin so I took her for a little while and she fell asleep.  Later we left to go back to our hotel but we noticed that one of the families was missing from the bus.  By the time the bus got turned around it was at least 20 minutes later.  Actually they didn’t realize we had left because they had been stuck in the elevator for all that time and had only just gotten out when we pulled back up.  On way back to our hotel, our guide David asked the driver to stop at a market so we could get some things for the baby.  Raelin woke up at this time when the bus was stopped and just started hollering for her Auntie.  She would sit up and look around the bus in a panic and of course didn’t see anyone who even remotely looked like her Auntie and just wailed even worse.  It was horrible, for the first few days when she would wake up from a nap she would do this.  She was very disoriented and still looked for Auntie.  At this time there were a lot of us who just thought it would be easier to give them back to the Aunties so they would not have to go through this grieving process, but of course none of us did.  She would get better as the days progressed.  She really latched on to Tony and would not let him out of her sight, and no one could hold her except him.  The first night she slept from 2200 until 0700 the next morning. 

Thursday December 9, 2004……Day 7…….

We woke up at 0700 to get ready to go back to the Civil Affairs Office.  We had just passed our “Harmonious Period”, where our babies aren’t legally ours, we’re just like baby sitters and then we go back the next day to legalize it. We were called in one family at a time and the Orphanage Director and another woman was sitting there along with an interpreter.  They basically asked if we had a good night, if we were happy with our baby and did we still want her.  Also would we love her and never abandon her and give her an education.  It was “Yes” to all.  Money was given on this day also.  When we were all finished there, it was over to the Notaries Office.  We went in to the woman’s office and she asked us basically the same exact questions as earlier which we responded “Yes” to again.  She said we were done and we were basically dismissed to wait for the other families. 

Friday December 10, 2004....Day 8.....

Today we all went to the Mengzhidoa Department Store for some shopping.  It was really nice and clean and the people were very friendly.  As you shop around you don't pick up the items you want and carry them around.  The sales girls will write up a ticket for you and after you finish all your shopping you take all your tickets to be paid for and then go back to the individual departments to pick up your stuff.  The prices were very good and most of us bought a lot of shoes.  We were pricing shoes months before we left for China and it's unbelievable how expensive they are in the US.  In China, the shoes are anywhere from a dollar to maybe 8 US at the most.  And they're leather.    

Saturday December 11, 2004....Day 9.....

Today we went to Green Hill Park which was very beautiful.  There was a festival in the park that day; they were raising money for A Mother's Love Orphanage.  There was singing and dancing and lots of children.  At one point this group of little girls around 12 years old came to speak to us.  I think they were practicing their English, which apart from sound like little drill sergeants, was very good.  After the park we all went to the Buddha's Temple.  It was nine stories high and at the top you can make a wish.  Even with the sky so murky, it was a beautiful view.  

After the site seeing we went to a local Chinese restaurant and had lunch.  They had a wonderful cultural show that protrayed the local wedding custom.  It was very sweet.  The young men and women would stand in a row across from each other.  The young women would ask questions of the boy of their choice.  If the young man answers all of her questions correctly and she wants him as her husband, she would toss a colorful wedding ball at him.  If he catches it then they are betrothed, but if he decides that he does not want to marry her and misses the ball on purpose, then he is bound to her family for three years of labor.  

Sunday December 12, 2004....Day 10.....

Most of the entire group left out early for Yiling, which is a typical Zhuang village.  Actually most of the babies in our group are of Zhuang descent.  The orphanage automatically puts their heritage as Han, but you can tell by their features that most of them are Zhuang; they have high wide foreheads, a short nose bridge and puffy lips.  The village was very cool and just what you would expect a village to look like.  The first floor of the local home is where the eldest of the family lives, on the second floor would be the son's living space and if there is a third floor, it would be for the grandson and his family.  In every small space there was a garden.  There were numerous pigs and the cows looked like they were just for milk.  There were also geese, chickens, ducks and other foul for eating.  At one end of the village ws a small pond where the laundry was done.  The people were very nice and some were trying out their English on us.  Some of the villagers were amused because most of us didn't have on winter coats.  It was about 65 degrees and we were very comfortable, but most of the locals were wearing coats.  It was a wonderful experience and if you have the chance to go to a local village, do not miss it.           

Monday December 13, 2004....Day 11....

We received the babies' passports today.  We took a cab to the Wal-Mart for a little last minute shopping before we left for Guangzhou the next day.  Wal-Mart does not have a big baby section so if you want a better selection then go to the mall which is just blocks away.  If your child is small the selection is even less because most of the smaller outfits have split-pants.  The clothes at the mall are more western and similar to what we have here at home, although if your looking for more colorful Chinese traditional dress then Wal-Mart has a few selections as does the basement of the mall.  We had no problems finding basic needs forthe baby, like diapers (Pampers), powder, wipes, ect.  As we were packing to leave for China, a lot of the baby items we had were taken out because our bags were to heavy, but we didn't need to bring anything other than medications like Dimetapp and Oragel.  I've made a list of items that we would have been lost without, if your traveling soon, it may be of interest.