ON TO HUNAN
This was a travel day. We were up early and headed to the airport. Jena had a headache, Evan wasn’t feeling well, Mom had a bad night but was doing better. Andie was about the same.
We were met at the airport in Changsha by our two guides, Oscar and Jacky. We saw them because they had an OCDF sign (the tour company we are using) and another sign . It said “Welcome back Hunan girls” My eyes welled. I remembered how I had teared up leaving Hunan with Claire more than 5 years ago. Now she was back. And what would the visit be like? Thus far, touching.
We headed into town and dropped Mom and Jena off at the luxurious Dolton hotel. They would have Oscar as their guide and he would take them to the embroidery institute and the provincial museum the next day.
The rest of us and Jacky then headed for Shaoyang; where Claire, Chloe and Jaden spent the first year of their lives.
It was a four hour drive with loads of entertainment by the children (Honestly, I am starting to sing Crazy Car in my sleep and before now I did not even know it!) We saw farmers working in the rice fields. There were tents set up in some fields where Jacky said the farmers slept to protect their watermelon crop against thieves. And then we came to Shaoyang city.
It’s quite a weird feeling for me to drive through this city where my daughter lived for 12 months before she knew us. I wonder what was going through her mind? There were plenty of large building and high rises but also street vendors and poverty. We turned down one street and suddenly came upon the hotel. It was quite wonderful looking. More than I expected. We got checked in then quickly met Jacky downstairs in the lobby to go for a quick walk down the street. It was 7 p.m. and I was disappointed it was so late as I would love to wander more. I will come back some day with Claire and explore more.
We found a sidewalk barbecue. The barbecue itself was fueled by charcoal, about 6 inches wide and several feet long, and on the sidewalk next to it was a bowl of shrimp, alive and ready to be put on the Barbie. We walked to a convenience store where we bought some wine as a gift for the director and candies for the children at the orphanage. We headed back to the hotel and Jacky suggested a place across the street from the hotel for dinner. I went back to the hotel and stayed with the sleeping Andie and Evan and Mark, Rogan and Claire joined the others. This was the first time Claire used her Chinese, talking to a little girl about her age. Rogan struck up a conversation with a boy who told them they were the first Westerners he had ever seen in town. Mark brought me back some delicious dumplings and some pork and rice so I got to enjoy dinner too. Tomorrow, the orphanage visit.
This was a travel day. We were up early and headed to the airport. Jena had a headache, Evan wasn’t feeling well, Mom had a bad night but was doing better. Andie was about the same.
We were met at the airport in Changsha by our two guides, Oscar and Jacky. We saw them because they had an OCDF sign (the tour company we are using) and another sign . It said “Welcome back Hunan girls” My eyes welled. I remembered how I had teared up leaving Hunan with Claire more than 5 years ago. Now she was back. And what would the visit be like? Thus far, touching.
We headed into town and dropped Mom and Jena off at the luxurious Dolton hotel. They would have Oscar as their guide and he would take them to the embroidery institute and the provincial museum the next day.
The rest of us and Jacky then headed for Shaoyang; where Claire, Chloe and Jaden spent the first year of their lives.
It was a four hour drive with loads of entertainment by the children (Honestly, I am starting to sing Crazy Car in my sleep and before now I did not even know it!) We saw farmers working in the rice fields. There were tents set up in some fields where Jacky said the farmers slept to protect their watermelon crop against thieves. And then we came to Shaoyang city.
It’s quite a weird feeling for me to drive through this city where my daughter lived for 12 months before she knew us. I wonder what was going through her mind? There were plenty of large building and high rises but also street vendors and poverty. We turned down one street and suddenly came upon the hotel. It was quite wonderful looking. More than I expected. We got checked in then quickly met Jacky downstairs in the lobby to go for a quick walk down the street. It was 7 p.m. and I was disappointed it was so late as I would love to wander more. I will come back some day with Claire and explore more.
We found a sidewalk barbecue. The barbecue itself was fueled by charcoal, about 6 inches wide and several feet long, and on the sidewalk next to it was a bowl of shrimp, alive and ready to be put on the Barbie. We walked to a convenience store where we bought some wine as a gift for the director and candies for the children at the orphanage. We headed back to the hotel and Jacky suggested a place across the street from the hotel for dinner. I went back to the hotel and stayed with the sleeping Andie and Evan and Mark, Rogan and Claire joined the others. This was the first time Claire used her Chinese, talking to a little girl about her age. Rogan struck up a conversation with a boy who told them they were the first Westerners he had ever seen in town. Mark brought me back some delicious dumplings and some pork and rice so I got to enjoy dinner too. Tomorrow, the orphanage visit.
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