Mia's Adoption... revisited!

This is a repost of a blog that I create for Mia.  It is our journey that we did to get Mia in China.  I have prepared it backwards so that you can read it normally... sort of.  I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we had living it.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Take Off

Things are going a little crazy seven hours before departure. I have decided not to sleep tonight. I have been watching my dad do this routine for the last 20 years so it's almost like a right of passage not to sleep before the big trip to China. We will be taking off tomorrow at around 6:00am to go to the airport. The flight leaves at 8:45am and we should be arriving to Chicago at around noon. And off we go to Beijing by 1:00pm. The 14 hour flight is probably going to be tough. We are super excited so I don't think I could even sleep if I tried. I have got to go get some more cash so I will write more before we take off...

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

First Day in China

All I can say for the first day here in China is ....WOW!!! Since I was a little kid my father has always talked to me about China. Seeing him here was the coolest thing ever. Sandra, you would be so proud of dad. It's really like he says it is!!! When we got to the airport, I was freaking out. All these Chinese people and they all looked the same to me... I was thinking that we would never find dad in this mess. But Noemi soon found him and the Cuban in dad came out. He threw his hands in the air and gave us a loud welcome. That felt good. The whole money exchange thing is messing me up but I am getting the hang of it. I paid $4 bucks for an expresso and only $70 for a 10 course meal for 6 of us. Go figure!!! My father hooked us up with a friend of his over here and we have a personal tour guide. Our dinner was incredible. We went to Teinamein Square (sp?) at night and that was just too cool. Sandra, you should see dad here. It would make you laugh!!! He is like a pig in doo doo. The hotel is really nice and in the middle of the city. Traffic though is rough. Even at 10pm it's packed out there. From all the people on the street you can tell that there really is a billlion of us out there. By the way, I finally know what it feels like being the majority. For the first time, I know what it is like to look over a crowd. Noemi is really tired. Jet lag is beginning to set in on her so she's up in the room relaxing. Tomorrow we are going the the Great Wall. I brought some spray paint so... just kidding. There is so much to tell. Our guide almost got into a fight over a taxi, which by the way took us about 45 min. to get, and from the looks of it... he's got a little ghetto in him. We are getting along just great! My boy was about to throw down Bruce Lee style! So much to tell... We miss you all. Sandra, I read the letter and we are going to do this again.... I promise!!!

T - 3 Days

I got up at 5:30am ready to go. I guess it's the time difference because the only time I do that is when I am going fishing!!! Believe it or not, I worked out this morning. Getting ready for the extra 20 pounds I will be carrying come Monday morning. Here is what I learned today...

1. They are my people but boy are they rude!!! I guess not really rude, but just emotionless! But when they get to know you, they are really nice.
2. The Great Wall was NOT meant for walking!!! Next time I will just look at the pictures...
3. Hold your breath in the bathrooms.
4. Don't speed. They have got camera's instead of cops. Thank God I didn't drive. But I was impressed on how much they all drive like me. (minus the speed)
5. Lord of the Rings should have been filmed here. What scenery...
6. If you are going to order food and you don't like spicy food... go to McDonalds. Telling them to just put a little spice is NOT a good idea. Their idea of a "little" spice is the American's idea of "Freakin' Volcano Spewing Hot!!!!"
7. Being taller is not necessary good here. I kept getting hit in the head with umbrellas. This little old lady almost poked my eye out. After her "little" accident down the Great Wall steps, she won't be doing that anymore!!!! ;)
8. Knowing someone here is a awesome. I don't think it would have been the same experience.
9. Did I mention to hold your breath in the bathrooms?
10. There is about 1 server per person in a restaurant. They won't even let you get napkin off the table. As you dirty your plate, they replace it right away.
11. Don't ever pay full price. Go for the throat and get ready to battle.

I could write about 10 more things but I don't want to bore anyone... too late you say? We had a great day today. We went to the Great Wall, Ming's Tombs, had incredible food, and a really cheap massage ($10 for 50 mins.) Boy can those little women pack a punch. This woman massaged my back so hard it made my eyes squint. Wait a minute, could that be the reason why... I can't believe that we have only 3 day's until we get Mia. I keep wishing you were all here with me to enjoy this new experience.

Queen Noemi

Sorry about this but I had to let you all know this story. I can't believe that I forgot... 

Noemi is walking around with the video camera. And if you all know her, she likes to get up close and personal with whatever she is taping. So she sees these people parading around this young girl in this ancient costume and carrying her in this carriage. Well, as they are putting the girl down, they attack Noemi. They grab her and start putting all this crap on her for the costume that they want her to wear. Noemi is freaking out. Before she could say anything, they are picking her up in this wooden box and they start parading her around. My dad is freaking out telling them that she is pregnant. This was way too funny. The best part, we have got it all on video.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

The Louks at the Great Wall

Friday, August 12, 2005

A Day in Beijing

Hi everyone, Noemi here. Today we started out the day with a downpour of rain. We went to a nearby restaurant to have dim sum (Chinese breakfast). I must say that the cusine in Beijing is excellent. We had just sat at our table when all of a sudden this waiter started to yell at the top of his lungs across the room!!! I literally jumped out of my seat. That's the way they order the food from the kitchen. I was in shock!!!!!! Everyone in the restaurant would go to a common table and metal cart to pick food over each others shoulders in combination with the waiters yelling as loud as their lung capacity would allow (one of the male waiters was only 3 feet tall but yelled the loudest) It was quite an experience. Another peculiar sighting was toddlers and young children walking around by their mothers hand completely naked. Some wore clothes that covered their front torsos but with only a string around their butt cheeks. In America they would have gone to jail for child pornography . LOL. I don't know what older folks do for a living in this country. 

Today we were supposed to go to the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace but the rain made it impossible. If you know me this was the perfect excuse for a day of shopping. We headed out to the famous Pearl market. To start all I can say is OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!! can you believe that my husband, yes WAYNE, OUT SHOPPED ME!!!!!!!!!!!Now that will go down in the history books. That man was in rare form. He impressively bargained his way into tremendous deals and for the first time in our 10 years of marriage this man actually wants to go back tomorrow for more!!!!!!!!!!!! At the end of the day he had more shopping bags than my mother in law and myself combined. I thought New York was the heaven of shopping. Well for all you shoppers, I was wrong. There is nothing like China. I believe that Mia and I will be visiting very often, for heritage teaching of course!!! And on our free time we can always do a little shopping (Wayne will never know) ha, ha, ha. Mami and Ani I thought o lot about you guys. I wish you both could have shared this experience with me. I see a trip for us in the near future. Papi, I saw a motorcycle with a sidecar that reminded me of Ani's and I wonderful childhood. It got me a little sentimental so I just want to thank the both of you for the wonderful life that the two of you have given us. Ani you are the best sister. 

We finished our day with a 10 dollar body massage. OHHHH YEAHHHHH!!!!!!!