Nanchang - Day 6 - Leping County

After the rice from the paddy fields is harvested, the husks are laid out to dry – where ever there is space, they lay it out.  We saw rice all over the highway!  Just means one less lane for cars.  Rice in the middle of the streets, all over front verandas etc.  Must always remember to wash my rice before cooking now that I’ve seen where it starts.

We saw so many crops today – rice, corn, sugar cane, cotton, duck and crab farms (the crabs were then in tanks on the side of the road in the late afternoon ready to be sold (still alive).

Nanchang - Day 6 - Leping County

This man was only about 4 feet tall with this big load.

Nanchang - Day 6 - Izzy's Foster Mum

Today has been the hardest day of our trip so far.

It was the day we were going to Leping - Izzy’s home town. We knew we would be able to see the outside of the SWI (social work institute = orphanage), but wouldn’t find out until we got there whether we could go inside.

As it turned out, we were allowed inside and met the directors and carers. We weren’t allowed to go into the room with the babies, although they said that most babies from Leping SWI end up in foster care (unless they have significant disabilities). We then had lunch at a restaurant in Leping with some of the orphanage carers, then were told we would be taken to meet Izzy’s foster mother. This was incredible to be able to do this, it just doesn’t happen normally. The photo attached is outside the SWI. We weren’t allowed to take any photos inside.

We had already been in the car for the 3 hour trip from Nanchang to Leping, then had another 40 mins to Izzy’s foster mother’s village. We had to stop just before her home as the bridge on the road was being repaired and cars couldn’t cross. So she walked in the hot sun for 15 mins to come and meet us. She is nearly 60.

Izzy was distraught when she saw her again, as we expected would she would be, but it was such an important thing for us to do for Izzy, to be able to tell her about her foster mother when she is older. Her foster mother wanted us to come back to her home but our guide said we couldn’t because we had a 3.5 hour car ride back to Nanchang. I would have loved to have gone to her home.

Meeting the foster mother was one of the main things I wanted to do, so I could ask questions but when the time came I was too emotional to think of what to ask apart from has she always been healthy and why doesn’t she like baths.

The trip to Leping was an incredible experience – we travelled through the countryside and saw what I call “real China”. The car didn’t stop which was unfortunate because there were so many wonderful things I wanted to take photos of. We saw heaps of duck farms then realised they were for Peking Duck (food). Saw heaps of rice paddies which had people working in them – such hard, hard manual work. I compare what we saw in the car trip to Leping like what you would see in a documentary about China. It was so incredible.

Comments on blog

I know a lot of you have tried to leave comments on the blog – I couldn’t make it work.  I’m online on email instead.  K

 

What we're learning about Izzy

She absolutely hates baths, will not get in it.  Shower was slightly better.

She absolutely hates having her nappy changed.  In China babies don’t wear nappies and I presume this is why she hates it.

She loves food and we have been giving her so many different things already – and are paying for it as it goes through her.  Think we might start to slow down there.

The note we got back with Izzy was from her foster mother.  It is her address so I will keep her updated with photos of Izzy.

We visit Leping County tomorrow.  Our guide has said she will ask the orphanage director if we can meet Izzy’s foster mother, normally it is not allowed but she knows I want to and said today she will try.

Nanchang - Day 5

She has just started talking to us (baby babble).

Nanchang - Day 5

Izzy’s second day with us.

Ben feeding the Koi fish in the People’s Park.

Nanchang - Day 5

All the old people in their pavilion in the People’s Park playing mah-jong .

Nanchang - Day 5

 

Izzy

Today we visited the People’s Park in the middle of Nanchang.  It’s a really beautiful park, away from the crazy streets.  Beautiful gardens, fabulous Koi fish and so much to watch going on.

Izzy

 

Nanchang - Day 5

On our first day in Hong Kong last week, Peter said I shouldn’t be taking Ben to McDonalds and should be trying local food.  We are now into day 8 of our trip and when we saw the golden arches last night, we made a mental note of where it was and went there today.  Eight days of Asian food is good, but a cheeseburger was great.

We’ve had some amazing food – I have no idea what some of it has been and actually probably don’t want to know.

Izzy’s diet has consisted of formula and congee (rice porridge) and it is amazing to see her trying so many new tastes.  She eats anything we give her (except watermelon). She is having moments of being very sad although at the moment the biggest kid in our family (Peter) is keeping her well amused.  Bashing dad on the head with a stacking cup is very funny as far as Izzy is concerned.  Good thing he has a hard head.  We’ve even had her giggling this afternoon which is lovely.

Yesterday she wouldn’t let us put her down but this morning she sat on the floor.  I don’t think she has ever crawled (probably too dirty where she was living).  She tries to stand up by herself but can’t actually stand unassisted.  She tries to walk if you hold her under her arms but I’d say we are many months off walking.

A movie!

I’m not sure if this will work, this attachment is a mini movie of Izzy – didn’t try one of these on the blog before I left.

* Izzy's first night *

Izzy has just had a good sleep, screamed when we tried to bath her, and has now eaten.

She just had her first laugh – at Ben doing forward rolls.  I think we’re in for a long night.

more

 

More...

 

School assembly

These are the kids lining up for school just next door to our hotel.

Izzy Qin Qin

 

Sleeping

 

Isobel Andrews

This is the moment Izzy arrived (we have videoed from when the lift doors opened).  This is not her foster mother, it is one of the carers from the orphanage.  We won’t meet the foster mother  when we go to Leping on Wednesday (it isn’t allowed).  However there is a note written in Mandarin which was with the disposable camera I had sent.  I’m hoping our guide will have time to translate it for me tonight before dinner.  Hopefully it is from her foster mother.

Izzy is now in pretty girl clothes!

Brother and sister meeting

Clearly impressed when she set eyes on me!

 

And now we are four

At 10.50am this morning we arrived at the Jiangxi Provincial Adoption Centre.  The four babies in our group are from two separate orphanages, two babies were already there – not Izzy.  So 11am came and went, our guide rang the orphanage – stuck in traffic!  Izzy arrived at approximately 11.20am.

She was extremely distressed when she was handed to me and took quite some time to settle.  For the last few hours we have had constant crying with moments of calmness, then crying again.  She let me give her a bottle but didn’t want food until about an hour ago when she discovered biscuits were quite good. 

This afternoon we went back to the Adoption Centre to finalise paperwork – two interviews, taking a red foot print of Izzy for her adoption paperwork, red thumb prints of Peter and I.  We then went the Notary Public and had another interview and have just come back to the hotel.  Izzy is now officially ours.  She fell asleep in the bus on the way back and I’ve just put her in the cot.  She will most probably be distraught again when she wakes up and realises it isn’t all a bad dream!

Her foster mother has been calling her Qin Qin (chin chin) so we will call her Izzy Chin Chin.

Will load up lots of photos now.

izzy

 

we've got her!

More later – going for paperwork now

Last time we're a family of 3

One hour to go.  Next time you hear from me we will be a family of four.

 

More Teng Wang Pavilion

 

Teng Wang Pavilion

This is the Golden Pig – very special in China.  If you were born in the year of the Golden Pig it is very good luck.

 

4 hrs 20mins to go

It’s 6.40am here now on Monday morning.  We have to meet in the lobby at 10.40am to go across the road to collect Izzy.

12 hours to go!

Apparently it takes about 10 minutes per family for handover. 

We start at 11am tomorrow morning, don’t know what order the families are done.  Alphabetically would suit me fine.  In 12 hours I’ll be holding Izzy.

Peter saw the tooth fairy fly past our hotel window – Ben was very pleased about that as he is expecting a visit from her tonight.

 

Nanchang Photos

 

Nanchang - Day 3

Today our whole group visited Teng Wang Pavilion (we have four families in our group). It’s about 1,000 years old. The gardens inside were spectacular – every tree had been bonsai’d. Really beautiful. Experienced a squat toilet – mental note to self – don’t drink too much water before going out. Don’t want to use one of them in China again. I used them years ago when I was in Europe, but very different here in China.

Second stop today was at Walmart to stock up on nappies and formula for Izzy. Some local boys followed us around the whole time, fascinated by Ben. Not sure if it was his red hair or the fact that they all had orange t-shirts on. Notice the KFC sign in the background – apparently KFC is considered one the best eating places here! They are everywhere.

Rest time this afternoon – probably the last quite afternoon I’ll get for the next few years.

The countdown begins...

19 hours until we meet Izzy!

Nanchang - Day 2

Have done a fair bit of exploring today and getting to know the area around our hotel.  Have been to the Chinese supermarket – absolutely huge and over 50 checkouts and they were all operating.  Peter found a shop he loves – see photo.  Also some photos of the main road outside the hotel and the traffic.  The locals love to come up to us and say “hello” because it is the only English they know.  We’ve met other families who are staying in our hotel from various countries who have already received their children. 

Also met a couple from the US today who have lived here for 5 years and teach English.  They said Leping, the county where Izzy is from, is very poor and we will probably be quite shocked when we visit.

 

Withdrawal...

For those of you who know me well... there’s no Diet Coke in China.  Only Pepsi.   L

 

When will Izzy arrive??

Our group’s girls are due to arrive at 11am on Monday (China time, so 2pm Sydney time).  We have to go across the road to the Civil Affairs Office to collect them.  Izzy has probably already left her foster family and will be back at the orphanage by now.  She will already be distressed, having left her foster family.

We will only have a short time to ask the orphanage carers questions about Izzy.

We will then come back to our hotel for about 30 mins, then have to meet our guide again around 12 noon to start the paperwork to finalise the adoption. 

We will then go back across the road with Izzy to the Civil Affairs Office and start a 3 hour process which is registering the adoption and having the paperwork notarised.  Our guide has told us it may take longer than usual as there is also a group of 9 Spanish families as well as a group from the US who will also be there at the same time.

Once all that is done and we are back in our hotel room, I’ll post photos to the blog.

 

Movie Stars & Nanchang

On our flight from HK to Nanchang, “the biggest movie star in Hong Kong” was on our plane.  When we got off, the crowds waiting at the airport were out of control.  The airport staff were out of control with excitement.  I asked locals was he like Brad Pitt – yes.  We could well be in the papers here in China tomorrow as we came through the gate in front of him and the photographers were everywhere.  Our guide who met us at the airport said the same movie star is staying at our hotel, so the whole place is decorated with fresh tiger lilies

 

Nanchang Life

Who would have thought a bald man would need to wear a swimming cap!

 

This is the street outside our hotel.

 

Our Hotel - Galactic Peace

I should have taken photos of our room before we emptied the contents of our bags.  They are too messy for photos now – but here is mum’s bathroom from her room.

 

Nanchang - Day 1

I can’t access the blog page now, so can’t see my messages appearing.  Presumably the photos will come through okay.

 

Hong Kong was great and would love to come back and stay longer.  Ben loved Disneyland – especially Buzz Lightyear.

 

We have just arrived at Nanchang.  This is an amazing experience.  The traffic is CRAZY – it seems pointless having lines painted on the road or road rules, cars, scooters, push bikes and people all walk all over the road both directions, as well as crossing in front of each other.  Our guide says they don’t have many accidents but did tell us not to try and cross a road by ourselves.  We must walk behind a local.

 

Our hotel is absolutely gorgeous, our room has a cot with pink linen ready for Izzy.  The rooms are huge, the bathroom even bigger, we are quite shocked at the quality of the hotel.  We had been told to expect a 5 star in China to be equivalent to say a 3 start in Australia, but this is fabulous.

 

Ben and Peter have gone for a swim now, mum and I are heading out to explore!

Hello from Hong Kong!

We are now on our third day in Hong Kong and having a great time. It is really humid and hot, but everywhere is air conditioned. Ben constantly asks why there are so many Chinese people!

It feels like we are only just starting to get to know our way around, and we leave tomorrow morning for Nanchang.

We're ready for you Izzy

Nearly ready to go

Bags have now been packed and unpacked so many times. Shuffling things around to make sure they all have the correct weight. Trying to make space for Hong Kong purchases!

Flights have been confirmed and Izzy's room is ready.

Where is Leping County?

Izzy was born in Leping County, Jiangxi. If you click on this map to enlarge it, just to the right of Nanchang (which is the main city in Jiangxi Province), you will see Leping. I guess it’s like comparing Jiangxi to NSW, then Nanchang to Sydney, then Leping is a country town.

What will we be doing each day?

• Tues 13 Oct - Flying Sydney to Hong Kong. Taking Ben to Disneyland and staying in HK for 3 nights.
• Fri 16 Oct - Meet up with two other families from our batch at HK airport and all travel together to Nanchang.
• Sun 18 Oct - Our guide will take us around the local area to visit shops to stock up on baby needs.
• Mon 19 Oct - Izzy arrives
• Tues 20 Oct - Formalising the adoption
• Wed 21 Oct - We will be going to Leping County which is where Izzy was born, and visiting the orphanage she was first taken to
• Fri 23 Oct - We get Izzy's Chinese passport
• Sat 24 Oct- We fly from Nanchang into Shanghai
• Mon 26 Oct - Medical examinations for Izzy by the Australian Consulate in Shanghai
• Thurs 28 Oct - Obtain Izzy's Australian Visa
• Fri 29 Oct - Fly out of Shanghai to Sydney
• Sat 30 Oct - arrive home Saturday morning

There is also a fair bit of sight seeing that our guide will take us on, showing us various cultural places in both Nanchang and Shanghai.

We have our Notice to Travel

Yesterday we received a call from DoCS advising they had finally received our Notice to Travel. This is the final piece of paperwork we need before collecting Isobel - we basically exchange this certificate for Izzy. So that is now safely in our folder of paperwork to take with us.

Thought we were done with vaccinations, but we are now having a Swine Flu vaccination, so one more needle.

No progress on packing - suitcases have been sorted out but as for what has to go in them, well that's all too hard.

Three weeks to go

We’re now getting very organised.

We still don’t have our “Notice to Travel” from China. If we don’t have the letter, we don’t get Izzy. We are hoping it is already in the mail as China will be starting a week of public holidays mid next week.

Bags are out and packed one day, unpacked the next – deciding just what we need to take for three weeks and one small girl is quite challenging. No doubt the bags will be packed and unpacked numerous times until we leave. If the weather was consistently either hot or cold it would be easier, but it is very much like Sydney at the moment, 18 degrees one day, 28 the next.

Accommodation in Hong Kong was booked and confirmed this week.

Prams came down from the rafters in the shed on the weekend, were washed and are now back in their old spot – in the boot of the car.

So the next two weeks will basically be getting Izzy’s room organised at home, and finding places for all the junk that has lived in her room and is currently in our hall.

Four weeks to go and counting...

A few more things have been achieved this week.

We now have our Chinese visas in our passports. Accommodation in Nanchang and Shanghai, as well as most of the official bits and pieces to be done in China, were booked and paid for. This was a long and painful process - it is all booked though the Chinese adoption agency's travel service, so every question had to be emailed to DoCS, who then emailed China, wait for China to reply to DoCS, and then DoCS reply to us. So this has taken about two weeks to finalise.

Travel vaccinations have now been completed.

Lots of stressing this week - just because.

We now need to wait for our most important piece of paper from China, our Notice to Travel (NTT) - this is the official letter from China advising us to come to China to collect Izzy. Without this piece of paper, they won't hand Izzy over. We expect it to arrive next week.

Next job ... sorting out suitcases!

Five weeks to go until we meet Izzy

More progress this week. We have confirmation that handover will definitely be on Monday 19 October in Nanchang.

Flights were confirmed and paid for this week, and accommodation has been confirmed by the Chinese agency who arrange that side of things.

We had confirmation also that our immigration documents arrived in China, as did all the paperwork DoCS were sending to the Chinese adoption agency.

We arranged for a soft baby photo album with photos of Peter, Ben and I to be sent to Izzy at her foster family's home - hopefully this will make it to her and she will be able to see what we look like. It will still be extremely distressing for her when she meets us for the first time, however hopefully if she has seen the photos she won't be as scared.

We will be applying for our Chinese visas on Monday and having the last of our travel vaccinations this week.

We fly out of Australia on Tuesday 13 October, have a two day stop over in Hong Kong so we can take Ben to Disneyland there, then straight into Nanchang which is where we will collect Izzy on the Monday.

A date for "handover"

Very exciting, we received confirmation from China via DoCS this afternoon that "handover" will definitely be on Monday 19 October.

Tentative flights have been booked and we will be flying out on Wed 14 October - only 5 more weeks!

One week closer...

On Monday we met with our social worker and were given our first photos of our gorgeous girl.

We have named her Isobel Pingqin Andrews.

The amount of paperwork we had to organise this week was overwhelming, but finally was done.

On Friday our immigration documents were sent by express courier to the Australian Consulate in Shanghai. Other documents were returned to DoCS who advised on Friday afternoon they were also sent over to China.

We have a proposed "handover" date of 19 October, however it will take about 4 weeks for China to confirm that date (or give us a different date).

Next step - visas and travel arrangements.