I started to feel more comfortable as we approached Guangzhou and we could see the city from above. Maybe it is because we live in a big city, although Nanchang is a big city by US standards. I didn't realize it until we left, but there was something about it that made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Not unsafe or anything, just uncomfortable. Maybe it was because we were separated from our group from Beijing, or that our hotel in Nanchang was off the beaten path, or something, but no matter, I was pleased to get to GZ. Big city feel, another step closer to home, back with people we had bonded with. Definitely upbeat!
The hotel in GZ (The China Hotel) is very nice, and the overall mood is so positive! In Nanchang, we were keenly aware of feeling out of place, round eyes with Chinese baby, lots of comments from locals, not speaking the language. The hotel there (The Crowne Plaza) was clearly interested in catering to large groups, which makes sense for a huge place in a non tourist city, but I felt like we were an afterthought. There were probably seven adoptive families in Nanchang.
GZ, and especially the hotel, is full of adoptive families who have united with their children over the past week, sharing stories, comparing notes, sharing experiences, and getting closer to home.
Today, we had the requisite medical exam for Jenny Mei. The families from our agency were driven to Shaiman island where the children had visa pictures taken at a small store (The store sold these very cute Chinese wine bottle covers, the same ones we get in Chinatown in NYC. They look like little Chinese outfits and make a great gift when bringing a bottle of wine to a friend's house. When we asked about the price, they told us "not too much, less than $5." We get them for 99 cents back home.) then we headed over to the clinic. The clinic was jammed full of adoptive parents and their new children, all lined up for this examination process in this sanitary smelling, cold and impersonal place. And yet it is an incredibly hopeful place, filled with these resilient children, incredible parents, a number of whom were on their second third, and fourth or more adoptions. Healthy kids, kids with special needs, younger parents, older parents, no matter. All Chinese children adopted by foreigners, and at least one adoptive parent, make their way through this place.
Jenny Mei has been dripping snot since we got her and we finally got her in front of a doctor. We were told to "give her medicine". After some clarification we understood that she should be on antibiotics. We are now working on proper measuring and hope to get her started in the AM.
Following that we got to walk around the island a bit before heading to Lucy's for lunch. Lucy's sells itself as a western restaurant, but we were not buying that. We all ordered Asian food.
Jenny Mei in the shade.
Dan and Jenny Mei in the Friendship Garden
Shaiman Island
In front of Lucy's.
Street sign.
Spiderman and Harry Potter posters inside Lucy's.
Feeding Jenny Mei.
The three of us.
JMX on a swing.
After lunch we did some shopping in the area, souvenir stuff, before heading back to the hotel to spend some time bonding as well as hanging out with other families.
All in all, a really good day. JMX gets closer to us every day and we cannot believe how lucky we are to have her. She is incredibly happy and resilient, and is never unhappy for long. She is unfazed at most everything, and interacts well with everyone. And we are SO IN LOVE WITH HER!!!! And she seems to like us, too!
More people have told us that she looks like me, and Kay and I both feel that her personality is a great fit for us. We cannot wait to get her home!!
The three of us at the waterfall at the hotel.
Location:Renmin North Rd,Guangzhou,China
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