Shopping ... Beijing Style

Well, we seem to have moved a little backwards sleepwise, but have managed to find our way to the Silk Market. I found myself awake at 3 am this morning, waiting for dawn. Kohji slept a little better, but still not as well as our first night when we both slept the sleep of the dead for a good 7 hours.

It may have been the anticipation of heading out to the Silk Market - a 6 floor shopping plaza where the name of the game is bartering to the extreme. There are people calling out "hey pretty lady, you want ...?" over miles of aisles. Everything from luggage to pearls to designer clothes can be found in small stalls that line each row. Bartering is a sport here, and your best advantage is to be willing to walk away. If you can do that, you will invariably be chased down with the price dropping with every step. It's mostly women working the stalls, but don't think that means they are less aggressive. They can get a vise grip on your arm and draw you into a web of goods that you simply "must buy" according to them. The bartering is 90% game playing - and Kohji and I seem to be the only ones in our group who came away emtpy handed, although I did successfully negotiate the sale of a polo shirt and a wallet for others in our group.

A few others from our travel group have arrived over the last couple days, so I think we are about 6 or 7 families now. Our guide, Mary, arranged for those of us who were here to take in a Chinese acrobat show. We had to take a taxi to the theatre, and so we got a first hand view of traffic China-style. Crazy weaving in and out of traffic with what appear to be near misses as cars seem to squeeze into what appears to be un-open spaces. And of course, there is a certain level of gridlock. Our driver decided to take advantage of the downtime, and bought himself a paper from a street vendor wandering among the traffic while we were in the car, and proceeded to read it, and work on the crossword puzzle while he drove us to the theater!

The show itself was interesting, although the music did sound like it had been pulled from a Communist propoganda film. Contortionists and tumblers with jelly spines. Definitely the source of any Cirque de Soleil production. Well worth taking out lives into our hands via taxi cab.

Got our first real taste of heat today as temperatures were blistering in the mid-day sun. Thankfully, not really humid yet. It's supposed to be even hotter and more humid in Nanchang. Ah boy...

We haven't been too adventurous with food thus far, sticking mainly to the hotel restaurants. There is a real concern about traveller's sickness, so we're all trying to avoid contact with local water and bugs, and we are all armed with our little bottles of purel. No one wants to risk getting sick just before we get our daughters.

I'm actually falling asleep as I write this, so I'm off to bed now. Only two more sleeps ...

Day one in Beijing

Well, day one in Beijing has been pretty fascinating so far.

Managed to sleep in until 5 a.m, and Kohji until 6! Not bad considering that we went to bed at about 8 am Ottawa time. Woke to fog, grey skies and heavy rain.

The constrution site which is right out our window was one massive puddle. Interesting watching the goings on down there - few hard hats, no steel toe boots to be seen and much of the work seems to be done by hand. Amazing considering that it's a masive pit, the length of a city block at least. There also seem to be only a handful of men working on the site, so we're guessing progress is rather slow.

After an amazing Chinese and American breakfast here at the hotel buffet (we had our first taste of congee, the Chinese breakfast staple), we planned to check out the silk market with two of the other families who are traveling with us. It's about a 30 minute walk away. Luckily, the rain had stopped, but it was still overcast. This turned out to be a blessing because once the sun came out in the afternoon, we fully understood what the word "muggy" means.

En route to the market, we were side tracked by a young student, who is studying English and, according to him, transcultural relations and traditional painting. His English was excellent and he invited us to his teacher's studio which was just nearby so that he could write our daughters names for us in traditional calligraphy. Not exactly sure what we were getting ourselves into, we decided to follow him to the studio, figuring with 6 of us, it'd be ok, even though we did painfully look like your classic group of tourists.

The studio was located in a non-descript building off a main throroughfare. It was a small, and very warm, single room plastered with paintings floor to ceiling. Our student friend, who's name was Han Bing (although he said his English name was Jason), told us the meanings and stories behind some of the paintings. While we were there, Jason's teacher, Sang She, came it, and it was he who did the calligraphy of our girl's names, while Jason gave us a tour of the paintings. We were suitably charmed, and maybe to a certain extent suckered, as we all walked out of there with our calligraphy and other paintings. Kohji and I bought a lovely water colour of a rooster, as Kiyomi's birth year is the year of the rooster, and 4 landscapes showing 4 seasons. All of ours were painted by Jason (at right, is Sang She doing the calligraphy).

After that little adventure, we set off once again for the Silk Market, only to be side tracked yet again, by a rather well known department store called the Friendship Store. Originally, the Friendship store was the place where foreigners shopped - no locals were aloud to make purchases from the store. It carries a variety of traditional Chinese arts and crafts and souvernirs, and also houses a rather large grocery store of primarily western products. The prices are considerably higher than anything in the markets, so we were mainly window shopping.

So, in the end, we didn't make it near to the Silk Market. One of the families with us has a 4 year old girl, who had been amazingly good and patient while we dragged her to the studio, but she was ready for nap, so we decided to save the Silk Market for another day.

Instead, we went with Linda and Octavio to Wanfuiing Dajie, a pedestrian shopping street about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. The main part of the strip is a mixture of western and modern looking stores, but there is an off-shoot which has food stalls and vendor after vendor selling all sorts of souvenirs.

Down this little alleyway, we came across this little delicacy that would seem to be right at home on Fear Factor (at right). Yup, those are scorpions and seahorses on a stick. Needless to say, no one was brave enough to try any (although we did try, what we think was, squirrel at lunch).

The souvenir vendors are aggressive and call out to you, but it wasn't quite as bad as we feared it would be. Alas, we didn't try our hand at haggling, but expect we'll get a chance in future.

We also stopped in at the English Language Bookstore, where I went looking for a copy of the Little Red Book for Dad. When I pressed someone there for any ideas as to where I could get a copy, she replied "nowhere" and walked away from me. Seems you can get purses with Chairman Mao's face on them, but you can't get your hands on the writings.

Well, we're about the meet Linda and Octavio for dinner, so I must sign out. Tomorrow, hopefully, the Silk Market and a performance of Chinese acrobats!

Made it to Beijing

Well, we've made it safe and sound.

We had an awfully early start, waking up at 5:00 this morning (or was it yesterday morning?), to finish packing up our giant suitcases, and then we were off to the airport.


The flight itself was thankfully uneventful - we watched a bunch of bad movies and ate all the food they kept feeding us!


It's hard to get the sense of the city just yet, as we're wandering in a bit of a jetlag daze, and it all seems a little intimidating at first. The land around Beijing is rather flat, and faintly reminiscent of the Manitoba prairies. However, once we got through the airport gates, we knew we weren't in Kansas anymore! Throngs of people waiting to greet in-coming passengers, dozens of them holding up signs.



Snaking through the crowd, scanning the horizon for any sign of our names or the Children's Bridge logo, was our first real introduction to Beijing.

The traffic is not really decipherable, although we've managed to figure our that typically, cars have the right of way. For no other reason that we can decipher, other than that they are bigger. There are bicycles everywhere, and I was even able to set off a bike alarm while wandering down the street.

The hotel is actually quite nice. It's right in the heart of Beijing, not too far from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.



It also has a Mcdonald's across the street!

We went for a brief walk around the city after we settled in a bit, with our new friends Linda and Octavio who is in our adoption group and was on our flight from Toronto. During our walk we saw Peking duck for the first time...


...and also a Chinese recycling truck:


Kohji, in typical fashion, has had an ice cream and found rice crackers, so is more or less content. I, however, am currently suffering from severe tiredness. It's almost 6 a.m. Ottawa time, and we've been awake since 5 a.m. yesterday! All I really want to do right now is sleep, but am trying hard to make it to a reasonable hour to get my body on Beijing time.

Not much more to go into right now, as my fatigue-addled brain in coming up dry. Will post more soon.

adventures in packing

First off, an update on the stump. You will all be happy to learn that the stump has been vanquished. We're not exactly sure how, but we're sure it involved some intricate sorcery from the netherworld. All we know, is that we came home last Tuesday, to discover it's absence, and obvious evidence of ancient rituals in the backyward. The canoe is parked over the hole that leads to the source of the stump's power, and will hopefully, protect us from any creature of the deep that the stump's removal unleashes.

Now, on to the more intricate packing details. The last day has proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kohji is a genius when it comes to spatial relations. I know you've all heard the expression before about packing everything and the kitchen sink. Well, rest assured, that little saying is a full blown reality in our little world right now (right down to the tupperware we're briging to act as a little sink for cleaning dishes and bottle nipples). But, back to the rare occassion where I heap praise onto my husband...

Kohji has somehow - I'm sure as a result of his many years training as an engineer - managed to fit this:




... into this...



I should point out that the middle size suitcase with the rainbow strap, is in fact empty, but for an extra duffle bag (we've been warned that you bring LOTS of stuff back!) To get a good idea of the enormity of the challenge involved, try putting a bag of 60 Pampers in a suitcase and see what it looks like.

With Kohji's packing prowess in full evidence, it would seem that we are more or less ready to go... and a day and a half ahead of time at that. Some wonders never really do cease. Either that, or all those years of leaving on vacations within an hour of finising work have trained us well.

Friday was my last day of work for a full year. My colleagues had a little farewell gathering, with cake and pressies, which was greatly appreciated, and a little unexpected as my work mates had taken me out to lunch earlier in the week. But then again, we always were a crew willing to accept any excuse for cake!

The house is starting to come together as well, with Kiyomi's room actually looking like a baby's room. Furnished, of course, completely by the generosity of family and friends. Even the overflowing toy box was the result of gifts and hand downs of well loved favourites. We're also planning on getting a couple things in China to decorate the walls, so she'll also have some familiar looking things around her.

Despite the addition of new furnishings, in many ways, it feels as if we are just off on yet another vacation. Only this time, we have sippy cups and a snugli, in lieu of a camp stove and trekking poles. But of course, as one friend put it to us on Friday night: "I don't remember you coming back from Alaska with a daughter!" Ah well, as they say, plus ca change, plus c'est pareil.

All and all, we seem to be as ready as you can be for such a momentous change. Even KT the cat is learning to adapt. She's been a little suspicious of all the comings and goings, and the additions to the furnishing, but she's making her peace with things in a way that only an 18 year old cat can...


... we'll just have to wait and she which one of them is the bigger Dora fan!

Stump tales and a right of passage (not necessarily related)

So, while frantic baby preparations are on-going, we also have been trying to get our derriers in gear with respect to some rudimentary landscaping. One would think that this would be a relatively easy task... think again. We are in a battle to the death with a stump and it's not at all clear to me that we have the upper hand. Let me start by introducing you to the stump





He's a stubborn old bugger who sits in the corner of our yard, coincidently in the exact spot where a fence would go. As evidenced by the old rusted gate that the stump seems to be in the process of devouring, this guy is not prepared to go gently into that good night. In fact, thus far, stump (as he is not so affectionately come to be named) has resisted all attempts at removal. Oh sure, you might say that it's because the guy who was supposed to removed the stump didn't show up, or that the company that said they would do it, when confronted with the actual act of removing the stump, decided that they don't actually have the machinery to do it! But, I am convinced that the stump has some special power to foil the slings and arrows (or chainsaws) of mere mortal men. In fact, I think that stump's going to outlive us!

Ah well, enough about the great stump (who I have now decided is a distant relation to the Great Pumpkin of Peanuts fame) and on to better, if not bigger, things like Kiyomi preparations.

This last week has marked a number of milestones towards parenthood. Kiyomi's room is coming together and actually looks kinda like a little girl's room, rather than a storage closet. Half of the back seat in the car is consumed by a baby seat and we now clamber over a baby gate at the top of our stairs (both courtesy of our friend Catherine). Yesterday, there was a baby shower hosted by Kohji's lovely and gracious sister-in-law, Aya (who would have made Kenji proud with her picture taking prowess this afternoon). Sushi and a wonderful chocolate cake with strawberry filling were promptly devoured by all. And while that was underway, Kohji and Kenji headed to Future Shop to pick out a video camera, the amazing gift from Kohji's family and, as we have been told repeatedly, a must have for any parent-type. Top that off with a bbq in the evening, where a cake (thanks to Gaby, a baking goddess) is brought in celebration of Kiyomi and a gift is snuck in for her as well (all Renee's doing)! It was indeed a day of milestones.
Now, each of these would be considered a right of passage in their own right. However, there was an even bigger and more profound right of passage that truely marks the beginning of our new lives:


Yes, you guessed it, this house now contains a Dora the Explorer chair (thanks to Kathleen and the ever jubiliant Ella). Now, we're truely ready for parenthood - as soon as someone tells who the heck Dora is and why she hangs around with that little monkey all the time?!

Slaves to the list and much much more

Ok, it has definitely been awhile since we've updated, but it seems that all our predecessors on this journey were absolutely right. Once that referral comes, you get hit with a whirlwind. All of a sudden you have 8 short weeks to prepare for the arrival of a baby and for international travel.

As for us, we've been consumed. It started even before we got the referral. Building in our heads. Consuming our thoughts.

It was given life once the referral came and Kohji sat at the computer. Somewhere between a stream of counsciousness and ramblings, it took it's first breath. Now, we are slaves to it, unable to leave the house without consulting it or carrying it with us. We strike at sections of it, but like some sort of self-healing mutant organism, when you cut off a limb, it grows others. We're now convinced that it has passed the final hurdle to ultimate survival - it is self-replicating, growing on its own. It is... THE LIST ... The list of stores we need to go to, things we need to buy, things we need to organize, people we need to consult, things we need to pack, people we need to pick up things from... It's exhaustive and it has started to rule all our free time. In fact, it's even crept it's way to work, carried out at lunch to run a couple more of its devious errands. The list might expand and shrink, but it never goes away (and frankly probably won't for the next 18 years or so).

We have managed to fight off the list long enough for a couple of more interesting outings and activities - like visiting our friends Heather and Steve, and their beautiful daughters AJ and Charlotte (http://ying-er2006.blogspot.com/). Charlotte is from Guangdong province, and Heather, Steve and AJ were gracious enough to pass along helpful hints for our upcoming trip, as well as a bag of supplies and the biggest suitcase I've ever seen (I think Kohji can actually fit in it) . Very much appreciated.

We also had the opportunity to get together with a few people from our travel group -those of us here in Ottawa. It was nice to meet the people behind the email addresses and share some collective anxieties, questions and giggles. They're a lovely bunch of people, and there is something reassuring knowing that we've embarking on this journey together (especially for we first time parents who are still trying to figure out the difference between a soother and a teething ring!)

We also now have some pretty exciting stuff in hand - like the itinerary. We finally received the in-country itinerary yesterday, and it looks like we pick Kiyomi up on Sunday, July 2nd. A day earlier than we had initally thought. Here's how our time will be spent

Jun.28: Suzuki Family (that's us!) arrive in Beijing, guide will meet them at airport and transfer to International Hotel.

Jun.29 - July 1st - amuse ourselves in Beijing and get over jet-lag. Meet others in our travel group as they arrive.

Jul.02: Beijing to Nanchang (13:40-15:45), transfer to Gloria Plaza Hotel. Go to the Civil Affairs in the afternoon to meet the babies and sign the adoption agreement.

Jul.03: Go to Civil Affairs again for registration, notarization and applying passport.

Jul.04: Guide will bring the families to the local department store to buy some daily necessities for their children.

Jul.05: Visit the Temple of Teng Wang Ge.

Jul.06: Visit the resort for Ba Da ShanRen.

Jul.07: Pick up passport. Nanchang to Beijing on Flight(17:50-19:55), transfer to International Hotel.

Jul.08: Medical exam and take photo for babies.

Jul.09: Sightsee the Great Wall with lunch.

Jul.10: Go to Canadian Embassy for visa appointment.

Jul.11: Visit Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City.

Jul.12: Rest.

Jul.13: Hutong Tour. Pick up visa. Beijing Duck Dinner in the evening.

Jul.14: Fly home a family of 3!

Children's Bridge is also trying to - somewhere in that packed agenda - a day trip to the city of Wanzai, where the orphanage is actually located. It's an 8 hour round trip from Nanchang, so it's not likely that we'll take Kiyomi on the trip, but if it's at all possible, one of us will go to take pictures of the city and get a feel for the town where she spent the first year of her life. Unfortunately, it's not likely we'll be able to visit the orphanage itself. However, a trip to the city is better than nothing.

Kohji and Papa also spent some time this past weekend researching Kiyomi's name, including figuring out what the characters of her name mean in Mandarin. They even found a cool website that gives you a recording of the sound. We've still working on Jin - it's a tough one.

KIYOMI
清美

Japanese:
清 – Kiyoi – clear, pure
美 – Mi – beautiful

Mandarin:
qing mei (“chiung mei”)
清 – qing – same meaning - http://www.chinalanguage.com/CCDICT/Sounds/Mandarin/qing1.wav
美 – mei – same meaning
http://www.chinalanguage.com/CCDICT/Sounds/Mandarin/mei3.wav

JIN DIAN
錦淀

Mandarin:
錦 - Jin (exquisite tapestry, or brilliant and beautiful)
http://www.chinalanguage.com/CCDICT/Sounds/Mandarin/jin3.wav
淀 - Dian (“Dien”small pool of still water in a stream)
http://www.chinalanguage.com/CCDICT/Sounds/Mandarin/dian4.wav

Alas, there is no Chinese or Japanese version of Miller - go figure. Guess we'll just have to go with the literal meaning - person who operates a mill! Not very romantic or poetic I'm afraid.

Well, that's all the news I can think to bring you up to date on. I'll try to post a little more in the next couple of weeks. Two weeks today and we're on that plane (knock on wood)!