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Beijing, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou: 3 different cities, 3 distinct cultures/vibes. The architecture/buildings are a mix of old, ancient and new. In the North, things move slower and everyone speaks Madarin. In the South, the pace quickens and everyone speaks Cantonese.
Restaurant Service: Let's just say they needed Grandpa's old food service experience to coordinate the serving schedule. Everyone eventually got their food.
Chinese Transportation: In Beijing, it was not uncommon to see bikes riding along side cars on the freeway. There were also motorized bicycles along with scooters. In Zhengzhou, scooters, bikes and motorized bikes moved from the street onto the sidewalk. Watch out pedestrians! In Guangzhou, only the elderly and disabled are allowed to ride scooters. For everyone else it is bikes or cars. In every city there seemed to be a controlled chaos to the driving experience. Near misses are the norm.
The People of China: In Bejing, we met some very warm and happy people who were more than excited to approach us so that they could try out their English. We heard many familar phrases and greetings like "Nice to Meet You", "Ladies First" and "Hi, Where are you from?" Once Ahn was in our midst, we were stared at everywhere we went. Many folks, very happy and some women who actually wanted to touch him for good luck. Then there are those individuals who are not familiar with many of our western courtesies, such as the concept of a line. Also, no matter how many people on the elevator, there is always room for one more! Finally, Candy's friend Karen. A friendly face and a reminder of home.
Traveling Families / CCAI Reps: We had the pleasure of sharing this experience with some amazing families all with huge hearts. All the kids are unique in their own way and each child has come out of his/her shell. Each of the CCAI Representatives have been amazing. Anticipating our every need and insuring that everything runs smoothly. All three chaperones were incredible! They are not paid near enough, I am certain.
Friends and Family Back Home: We appreciate everyone's love, support, prayers and enthusiasm throughout our travels. We loved reading everyone's comments on the blog site. It was all so inspiring. It helped us stay connected with all of you and it allowed us to share our amazing experience first hand.
Ahn's First Experiences: The list is endless: Carpet, Crawling, Walking (with help), Sitting on Grass, Elevators, Rattles, Thai Food, Italian Food, High Chairs, Backpack rides, First Words (Ma Ma), Airplane Flight, Feeding Himself, Flirting, Manly Clothing, Boat Ride, Museum, Taxi Ride, Swimming, Cheerios (at $10 a box in China, this is not an option for many. For Ahn, it has become a favorite), A family.....
The Great Wall: What an amazing experience. I still can't believe we climbed the Great Wall of China. We were half way around the world experiencing something that we never imagined we would be able to do. THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA! I still have to pinch myself. On one hand, we were bummed that it was so overcast that day and we could not fully apreciate its magnitude but, on the other, we appreciated the clouds as is provided some relief from the heat.
Ahn crossing the "Magic" line: The moment when tears became smiles and belly laughs. So worth the wait!
Gotcha Day: A vivid memory of walking into the room to find Ahn in Dad's arms. He was ours and we were a family of 3. My heart still goes out for all those tears he shed the first two days and the greiving he and all the other kids were experiencing. It was a great day but yet a hard day / emotionally draining for all.
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