{"id":2505,"date":"2013-07-28T02:03:11","date_gmt":"2013-07-28T09:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/?p=2505"},"modified":"2013-07-28T06:53:49","modified_gmt":"2013-07-28T13:53:49","slug":"feels-like-coming-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/?p=2505","title":{"rendered":"Feels like coming home"},"content":{"rendered":"

We’ve been in Beijing for a couple days and our internet has been sketchy at best. \u00a0I’ve been fairly wiped out, as well, and I needed some extra sleep the past couple of days.<\/p>\n

Our final day in Hunan was spent sifting and sorting luggage. \u00a0We had picked up a fair bit during the past two weeks and needed to get rid of a bit too. \u00a0We had lunch in the second floor Cantonese restaurant before getting in the van and heading to the airport. \u00a0My Mom teased the driver and told Vicky, our guide, to let him know we were heading to the forest in the Western region – a four hour drive one way. \u00a0His face spoke of his shock! \u00a0We got him good. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

We had a really great group of tour staff for those two weeks in Hunan. \u00a0Stacy was helpful and could roll with our questions. \u00a0Matthew had such an understanding way about him and really understood our sarcastic Canadian wit from his two years in Canada. \u00a0Vicky was wonderful to see again and was helpful with our new baby. \u00a0And as illustrated above, even though we couldn’t exchange conversation with our driver, we did a fair bit of bantering and conversing anyway! \u00a0He was very kind with Samuel and a big help to each of us over our time there.<\/p>\n

During our last trip to Hunan, it was one of many, many stops and it felt like a blur. \u00a0Returning there and driving back roads and seeing so much more of the region has given Stephen and I an equal appreciation for Hunan along with Ningxia and Guangdong. \u00a0We are so thankful to have had the opportunity and were left with a list of things we’d like to attempt to experience the next time we visit. \u00a0Honestly, the very best part of China is the people. \u00a0The longer we spend here the more we love the fact that people are people wherever they live. Having the chance to truly appreciate the areas that our kids are from and learn to love them, speaks to them that we love not only where they are from, but who they are. \u00a0They will always be Chinese and Canadian. \u00a0Being here and then pouring over the pictures and reliving it all at home with them long after the memories have faded into their childhoods, helps them plant roots. \u00a0Sounds pretty big for a couple weeks time, but we have seen the benefit to our kids again and again.<\/p>\n

We arrived at the airport and began the check in process. \u00a0Unfortunately, we were told that although Air Canada had booked us all the appropriate tickets, Air China had booked us into lap tickets?! \u00a0Crazy! \u00a0A visit to the supervisor cleared that up and our bags were checked in. \u00a0However, when it came to the paper voucher for Isaiah’s lap ticket, we were told that it was invalid and so off Stephen went to another desk and then back to the supervisor. \u00a0In the end, a new one was issued for a fee and we had about 20 minutes to not only get through security, but get to the other end of the airport for our gate. \u00a0And let me tell you, while we have had \u00a0nothing but courtesy at each of the airports we’ve travelled in Canada, the USA and China, it takes a bit of extra time for them to scan Samuel’s prosthetics and crutches! \u00a0Add in the stroller, baby carrier and infant, and all of our electronics, well, it was a mad rush to the gate!<\/p>\n

We galloped up to the gate (the last one – 50 of 50!) and found that the airplane had been fully boarded, save us, but they called the plane and they held it. \u00a0Then because of the gate checked stroller, they called for another bus and escorted us with two pilot cars and a handful of staff to the plane. \u00a0We made it and got our bags stowed just in time for Isaiah to decide that maybe skipping his nap was a bad idea. \u00a0LOL! \u00a0Ah well, he settled after awhile and as we were getting ready to de-plane, the people around us were kind. \u00a0The whole thing makes for a good story. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

And this is where it feels like coming home. \u00a0We got our luggage and around the corner we say one of our familiar Beijing guides, Faye (who is married now, for anyone reading this from our other trips) and the familiar “Panada” flag. \u00a0She had a van waiting for us and we headed to the hotel. \u00a0Yulin (our agency director) was there waiting for us and as usual, she had everything more than sorted out for us. \u00a0We headed out for a quick meal and when we returned she had us booked into bigger rooms. \u00a0We are totally spoiled here. \u00a0No, really.<\/p>\n

The next morning we ran into a few families from our group and Yulin and Faye (and Mr. Lee) had Isaiah’s Visa photo taken and his citizenship part 2 paperwork filled out for the Canadian Embassy. \u00a0Everything is streamlined here. \u00a0We also had our adoption group photo taken on the stairs (fourth time for us, so it’ll be fun to have one for Isaiah too). \u00a0The families seem nice. \u00a0Everyone seems to have little ones this trip (born 2011 and 2012) so it’s quite a different group. \u00a0I guess we do too this time. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

We have completed the official process now and we just wait in Beijing for his Chinese passport with the Canadian entrance visa in it to be returned to us this week. \u00a0Once home, we send off for his Care card (he’s already got access to BC medical officially now as he is our son), Citizenship card (he’s already a citizen once the part 2 paperwork is finished, but we are trying to expedite the printing of the official card so he’ll be able to leave the country with us for Samuel’s surgery in October), his passport, and his SIN card (so he can get a job, of course). \u00a0 \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Later that day we braved the Hong Qiao Pearl Market. \u00a0I really “needed” a new purse and have been hanging on until I could get here. \u00a0Mom seemed to “need” one too. \u00a0The men and boys headed to the Toy Market. \u00a0And that’s all I’ll say about that. \u00a0Oh, except, as usual, we one of the vendors not only trioed to rip off Mom’s thumb, break my wrist and then proceeded to tell us she hates us. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0All in a day’s trip to the pearl market. \u00a0LOL<\/p>\n

Last night we walked across the street and had supper in the food court and the shopping centre and bought a couple more electric fans. \u00a0We left our apple fans in Changsha. \u00a0It had rained the night we arrived and the pollution was caught up in all that evaporation. \u00a0Blech…cough…cough \u00a0Today was gloriously clear and HOT! \u00a0But it lacked the humidity, making it a lot more like home.<\/p>\n

This morning we went to the Panjianyuan Market aka the Dirt Market. \u00a0At its best early Sunday morning, it was busy. \u00a0Can’t say a lot about this either (somebody might be reading – haha). \u00a0It was a successful hunt though.<\/p>\n

And I think that pretty much covers the past couple days! \u00a0\"DSC_8965\"<\/a> \"DSC_8969\"<\/a> \"DSC_8970\"<\/a> \"DSC_8978\"<\/a> \"DSC_8982\"<\/a> \"DSC_8984\"<\/a> \"DSC_8987\"<\/a> \"DSC_8988\"<\/a> \"DSC_8990\"<\/a> \"DSC_8996\"<\/a> \"DSC_9003\"<\/a> \"DSC_9007\"<\/a> \"DSC_9011\"<\/a> \"DSC_9013\"<\/a> \"DSC_9014\"<\/a> \"DSC_9021\"<\/a> \"DSC_9030\"<\/a> \"DSC_9033\"<\/a> \"DSC_9037\"<\/a> \"DSC_9041\"<\/a> \"DSC_9043\"<\/a> \"DSC_9048\"<\/a> \"DSC_9053\"<\/a> \"DSC_9056\"<\/a> \"DSC_9057\"<\/a> \"IMG_1113\"<\/a> \"IMG_1115\"<\/a> \"IMG_1117\"<\/a> \"IMG_1119\"<\/a> \"IMG_1123\"<\/a> \"IMG_1124\"<\/a> \"IMG_1746\"<\/a> \"IMG_2742\"<\/a> \"IMG_2747\"<\/a> \"IMG_2751\"<\/a> \"IMG_2753\"<\/a> \"IMG_2757\"<\/a> \"IMG_2759\"<\/a> \"IMG_2760\"<\/a> \"IMG_2766\"<\/a> \"IMG_2767\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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We’ve been in Beijing for a couple days and our internet has been sketchy at best. \u00a0I’ve been fairly wiped out, as well, and I needed some extra sleep the past couple of days. Our final day in Hunan was spent sifting and sorting luggage. \u00a0We had picked up a fair bit during the past […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,49,48,20,34,29,13,14,23,1],"tags":[63,62,8,72,68,66,59,61],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2505"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2505"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2511,"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2505\/revisions\/2511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learningtogetherathome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}