Welcome to Guangzhou

Hey,

Yesterday we packed up from Changchun and flew to Guangzhou - about 1900 mi south.  Things have changed. 

In Changchun we were in the Shangri La hotel - an over the top hotel but in a crowded/dense downtown /urban area.  The climate and environment are much like the northern USA, warm but not hot - not very humid.  But there wasn't much going outside just because of the poor air quality as soon as you did - not much breeze and a lot of diesel cars.  Changchun was a study in contrasts - there were horse drawn carts, tall apartment buildings and nuclear power plants right next to each other.  There were a lot of people (7.5 m), but no cross-town freeways - only surface streets, so getting around was very slow.  Except for the hotel itself (where service was over the top, but quite expensive), and the Holt staff (who were very well organized), it didn't feel very welcoming or relaxed.  Changchun was generous with us though, in that they shared one of their best with our family. 

Guangzhou itself is a major Chinese city - on the scale of Shanghai or Beijing - about 20 million people.  As such it is scaled up - there are cross town freeways and a huge airport.  The climate is hot and very humid - and the plants have gone from northern to more tropical - lots of palm trees, etc.     

In Guangzhou, we are on Shamian Island.  It's not so much an island, more a part of the city about 10 blocks wide and 3 blocks deep - where someone dug a moat around it about 150 years ago.  It was a British and French property for 100 years or so - returned to the Chinese I think in 1949.  Therefore much of the architecture is 1900s European.  It's like being in a big park.  We are kind of isolated from the rest of China here - a bit of a shelter.   

The setting is quite beautiful - the Chinese use it for photography.  One bride and groom looked good enough to be models, but if so, then why the "just married" car nearby - I think they were the real deal.  Regardless, there are people around getting photographed professionally with the island as a backdrop. 

We are in the White Swan hotel, where most of the families who have adopted Chinese children have stayed over the past 17 years that the process has been available - we are all here to go to our own embassies to get visas back to our countries.  So breakfast is not just the 7 Holt families reunited - it's like fifty or a hundred families for all countries and agencies in this part of the process this week.  Everybody's got a new child.  If you go out on the street everyone is pushing a stroller or carrying a newly adopted child.  All the businesses and locals know what we're doing here and why.  No explanations needed - no long stares.  After being fully immersed, it is kind of a nice break.  We still get to experience China - but it's a little less intense. 

So the entire island is pretty much dedicated to adopting families.  The business sell services such as laundry or souvenirs or clothing - and will lend you strollers for free. 

We haven't blogged because our flight got in late last night and we had an appointment early this AM - so did not take the time to do anything but sleep.

The flight here was challenging.  MeiLi did not want to come to Guangzhou (not that she knew anything about Guangzhou), she just wanted to go home to America - and she knew she wasn't going there.  She's not home and in a routine - so she doesn't know what is coming next - that throws her off some - as it does all of us.  She also didn't like the flight - crowded with people and forced to wear a seatbelt.  A few rough moments.  Nana and Beka weren't doing so hot either. 

The flight itself had an out-of-the-box moment.  It was on Shenzhen airlines (Shenzhen is a city in China).  It was about 4 hours.  As we neared Guangzhou, the flight attendants got up and lead us all in calesthenics in our seats - to get the blood flowing.  You had to be there.

Today began with a trip to the doc to get a medical exam and TB test - required for exit.  We get the test read on Monday - so pray for good results on that one.  We went out to lunch and did some shopping afterward.  Carolyn is at a paperwork meeting this afternoon.  Tomorrow we have off as most offices are closed.  Visa meetingws start up again Monday.

So that's the news for now.  Allie and Jenna as Manderin translators continue to save our butts as well as other families around us.  Our new daughter seems to be growing more comfortable and trusting of us each day - so each day we make some progress.