|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ON SUNDAY 3 SEP 06 SEVEN FAMLIES IN OUR GROUP FLEW FROM BEIJING TO NANCHANG (PRONOUNCED "NANCHUNG"). THIS CITY, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN THE HAN ERA, IS THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF JIANGXI PROVINCE. THE CITY IS FAMOUS IN CHINA BECAUSE OF THE 1 AUGUST 1927 UPRISING BY THE COMMUNISTS UNDER ZHOU ENLAI. WHILE THE UPRISING WAS AT THE TIME A FAILURE, IT IS CELEBRATED NOW AS THE INCIDENT THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CURRENT PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA. IT WOULD SEEM THAT HALF OF THE BRIDGES, STREETS, PARKS, AND BUILDINGS IN THE CITY ARE CALLED THE 1 AUGUST SOMETHING. THE RED ARMY WAS ALSO FOUNDED IN THIS CITY. ON THE MAP ABOVE YOU CAN SEE OUR PROGRESS IN CHINA (THE RED LINE FROM BEIJING TO NANCHANG). IT WAS A TWO HOUR FLIGHT ON A REGIONAL CHINESE CARRIER, WHICH USED A 737. THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT THE FLIGHT WAS THE WAY THE ALL CHINESE PASSENGERS FLOODED TO THE DOOR OF THE PLANE UPON ARRIVAL. NOBODY IN CHINA WAITS FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO EXIT A PLANE. |
|
 |
 |
| WE STAYED AT THE HOTEL GLORIA, WHICH IS THE PINK BUILDING TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER IN THIS PICTURE. BESIDE THE HOTEL WAS A MUCH LARGER STRUCTURE, WHICH WAS A BANKRUPT, UNFINISHED HOTEL THAT IS WASTING AWAY. STRANGE TO HAVE THIS CRUMBLING BUILDING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO A FOUR STAR HOTEL, BUT THAT IS CHINA. | NANCHANG IS ON THE BANKS OF THE GAN JIANG RIVER. IN THE DISTANCE OF THIS PICTURE IS THE MAIN BRIDGE CROSSING THE GAN JIANG. YES, YOU GUESSED IT; IT IS THE 1ST OF AUGUST BRIDGE. |
 |
 |
|
ON MONDAY 4 SEP 06 AT 10:15 AM, TWO OFFICIALS FROM THE TAIHE COUNTY SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTE CAME UP TO OUR FLOOR (WE WERE ON THE 13TH FLOOR - IN CHINA THEY HAVE NO 7TH FLOOR). THEY HAD DONG FANG YU JING, OUR ANNA. WE HAD TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH PASSPORTS AND SHOW OUR CHINA REFERRAL DOCUMENTATION. ANNA WAS WEARING THIS IDENTIFICATION BADGE. THINK THIS BADGE WOULD ALSO GIVE HER ACCESS TO NWDC, BUT I AM NOT SURE. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO OF FIRST MEETING. |
ANNA WALKS WITH JUDITH ON OUR HOTEL FLOOR SHORTLY AFTER WE "GOT" HER ON "GOTYAH" DAY. ANNA WAS NOT HAPPY TO LEAVE HER ESCORTS FROM THE ORPHANAGE IN TAIHE COUNTY, JIANGXI PROVINCE, WHICH IS A PORCELAIN PRODUCING AREA ABOUT THREE HOURS SOUTHWEST OF NANCHANG. |
 |
 |
|
A SOMBER ANNA WAITS OUTSIDE THE JIANGXI PROVINCIAL OFFICE THAT COORDINATES ADOPTIONS AND PASSPORTS. WE HAD TO HAVE A PICTURE TAKEN AS A FAMILY FOR THE ADOPTION. ANNA CRIED FOR THE PICTURE. WE HAD TO BE INTERVIEWED BY A CHINESE OFFICIAL ON WHY WE WANTED TO ADOPT, AND WE EXCHANGED GIFTS WITH THE OFFICIAL. WE GOT A CERAMIC PEN HOLDER; THEY GOT FIVE IOWA HAWKEYE HATS. WE ALSO GAVE CLOTHING TO THE TAIHE REPRESENTATIVE WHO WAS AT OFFICES TO COMPLETE THE ADOPTION. |
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF OUR GROUP WORKING ON ADOPTION PAPERWORK AT THE JIANGXI PROVINCIAL OFFICE WHILE AWAITING INTERVIEWS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS AND FAMILY PICTURES. |
 |
 |
|
ALL OF THE ADOPTION AND CHINA PASSPORT INFORMATION FOR ANNA HAD TO BE NOTARIZED. THIS IS THE SIGN ON THE OFFICE WHERE WE HAD OUR BRIEF MEETING WITH A NOTARY FOR THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. |
AT THE END OF OUR FIRST DAY WITH ANNA, JUDITH AND I WERE EXHAUSTED. AS YOU CAN SEE, JUDITH FELL ASLEEP BEFORE ANNA, WHO KEPT AN EYE ON THE AMERICAN IN THE BED BESIDE HER. ANNA BROUGHT THE HELLO KITTY DOLL FROM THE ORPHANAGE. |
 |
 |
|
FROM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WE WAITED IN NANCHANG TO GET OUR ADOPTION PAPERWORK AND ANNA'S CHINESE PASSPORT, WHICH THE AMERICAN CONSULATE WOULD NEED TO EXECUTE HER VISA FOR TRAVEL TO THE US. SO WE DID A LITTLE SIGHTSEEING. |
THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN STREETS IN NANCHANG. IT IS ALSO WHERE I RAN IN THE MORNING. THERE IS A NARROW PARK ALONG THE RIVER THAT GOES FOR MILES. BELIEVE ME, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE PARK BEFORE 6 AM EVERY MORNING TO EXERCISE AS INDIVIDUALS AND IN GROUPS. IT IS AN AMAZING SIGHT. BUT I FOUND THAT IS WAS MUCH STRANGER TO SEE AN OLD, BLOND AMERICAN RUNNING. I GOT A MILLION STARES. IT WAS QUITE DISTURBING AT FIRST, BUT I GOT USE TO IT. I ALSO GOT USE TO LOOKING FOR MOTOR SCOOTERS AND CARS DRIVING BEFORE SUNRISE WITH NO LIGHTS ON. ALSO, LIKE IN ITALY, A RED LIGHT SEEMS ONLY TO BE A "SUGGESTION". RUNNING IN CHINA IS A RISKY BUSINESS AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY, BUT CERTAINLY DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. |
 |
 |
|
HERE JUDITH STANDS NEAR THE "CENTURY BELL" WHICH IS IN A PARK NEAR THE TENG WANG PAVILION. A PAVILION IS LIKE A PAGODA, BUT THIS BUILDING IS NOT USED FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES, SO IT IS CALLED A PAVILION. YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW IN CHINA EVERY DAY! |
THE TENG WANG PAVILION. GOT IT..... |
 |
 |
| WE TOURED A 2000 YEAR OLD CHINESE VILLAGE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE. IT WAS REALLY NEAT, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF WE WERE NOT LOOKED AT BY THE RESIDENTS AS MUCH AS WE LOOKED AT THE VILLAGE. | A TYPICAL STREET IN THE VILLAGE. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THERE IS A SEWER RIGHT UNDER THE PAVING STONES IN THE PICTURE. THIS SEWER SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN THE VILLAGE SINCE ITS INCEPTION. IT STILL WORKS. |
 |
 |
| THE MAKINGS OF A LUNCH IN THE VILLAGE. | OUR GANG INSPECTS ONE OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE VILLAGE. |
 |
 |
| THESE POSTERS WERE IN ONE OF THE MAIN HALLS IN THE VILLAGE. | JUDITH AND ANNA SHARE A MOMENT IN THE VILLAGE. |
 |
 |
| ONE OF THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS TALKS TO US ABOUT THE VILLAGE AND THE BUILDING THAT WE ARE IN. | ORION STANDS IN FRONT OF A 2000 YEAR OLD CAMPHOR TREE. ACCORDING TO THE VILLAGERS, THIS TREE WAS PLANTED WHEN THE VILLAGE WAS ESTABLISHED. CAMPHOR TREES PROVIDE THE ESSENCE FOR MOTHBALLS AND PRODUCE MEDICINES. IT WAS AN AMAZING TREE. |
 |
 |
| AN EXTRACT SCAN OF OUR CHINESE ADOPTION PAPERS FOR ANNA. PLEASE NOTE THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN A LITTLE OVER FOUR HOURS AFTER WE FIRST MET ANNA. NOTE SHE IS STILL CRYING. | AN EXTRACT SCAN FROM ANNA'S CHINESE PASSPORT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS PASSPORT IS NOT MADE TO BE SCANNED, BUT I WANTED TO SHOW HER MOOD AGAIN. THIS IMAGE WAS TAKEN AT THE SAME TIME AS THE ADOPTION PHOTO. SHE WILL GET TO KEEP THIS DOCUMENT FOR A LIFETIME. |
|
|
|
