Progress and the Chinese experience so far...
I spoke with Deanne last night and she wanted my to post the progress that Bria is making. We are still counting down the hours before we are back together. We figure we better make a switch with the kids when we are all together to even out the bonding process.
Bria got attached to a chair and sat there most of the first day. Deanne could only coax her out if she really, really wanted something else. She even woke up in the middle of the night, got out of bed and went to the chair. Deanne pushed two chairs together and put a pillow down for her and she finished the night out there. Yesterday she was able to get her to stay out of the chair most of the day and she fell asleep while Deanne was holding her in the bed. During bath time, Deanne was stroking her with a warm wash cloth - when she stopped, Bria grabbed her hand and told her to keep doing it. Another sign of progress happened at a restaurant. One of the waitresses took her from Deanne just to hold her. The day before when Bria saw a Chinese person, she reached for them, so Deanne was nervous about her being held by this other lady. But she was releived when Bria actually reached back for her! Wahoo!
The Chinese people have all been incredible - nice, polite, courteous, generous. They all seem to love the idea of Americans adopting their orphans. (that was a concern of ours)
Example #1. I was changing money today at the Bank of China and one man gave me his seat when he saw that I had a child with me. Another man didn't want to wait so he gave me his number he pulled earlier than mine - I was number 3031 and he had 3018. That saved me about 45 minutes and I was hoping no one else figured out how this American guy got to go to the window before them. (This example excludes the fact that the guy behind the window on Monday changed the exchange rate on me 1 minute after quoting me the rate, but before counting out the money. He apologized so I guess rules are rules and he was still very polite about it....it just cost me .47 cents.)
Example #2. I had my do not disturb light on outside the hotel room door all day on Monday. I had just slept there a few hours and was not going to have bedding or towels laundered and I can make my own bed, so what was the point. After returning from picking up Hyrum later that day I found a note under the door apologizing for not cleanding the room. They didn't say becuase some knucklehead left the light on all day. I then received a phone call from the front desk asking if they wanted me to clean the room. I told them there was no need. About 2 hours later I received a knock at the door and there were 3 representatives from the hotel making sure that everything was OK since the light was on all day.
Example #3. I had mentioned to our guide her in Guangzhou that Deanne was a little lonely in Changsha and her guide didn't seem to be as attentive as she was. Mysteriously a hotel employee, maybe a consierge, showed up at her door and explained that the purpose of her visit was to make sure everything was going well for the guests and that they are not "lonely". The tip off.
Example #4. Every hotel employee, has been amazing. Every store clerk or restaurant hostess and servers have been fantastic. Granted, everyone we are exposed to is benefitting financially from us being here, but it all seems very sincere and from the heart.
The experience on the roads would tend to make you believe they are not so courteous in real life, but I think that is just how they drive.
PS - Did you know the safes in a hotel room can lock you out if you try the incorrect code too many times? Hyrum discovered that for me. The electronic gizmo the hotel staff has to reset the safe didn't work, so now I am waiting for the safe company to come out.
Bria got attached to a chair and sat there most of the first day. Deanne could only coax her out if she really, really wanted something else. She even woke up in the middle of the night, got out of bed and went to the chair. Deanne pushed two chairs together and put a pillow down for her and she finished the night out there. Yesterday she was able to get her to stay out of the chair most of the day and she fell asleep while Deanne was holding her in the bed. During bath time, Deanne was stroking her with a warm wash cloth - when she stopped, Bria grabbed her hand and told her to keep doing it. Another sign of progress happened at a restaurant. One of the waitresses took her from Deanne just to hold her. The day before when Bria saw a Chinese person, she reached for them, so Deanne was nervous about her being held by this other lady. But she was releived when Bria actually reached back for her! Wahoo!
The Chinese people have all been incredible - nice, polite, courteous, generous. They all seem to love the idea of Americans adopting their orphans. (that was a concern of ours)
Example #1. I was changing money today at the Bank of China and one man gave me his seat when he saw that I had a child with me. Another man didn't want to wait so he gave me his number he pulled earlier than mine - I was number 3031 and he had 3018. That saved me about 45 minutes and I was hoping no one else figured out how this American guy got to go to the window before them. (This example excludes the fact that the guy behind the window on Monday changed the exchange rate on me 1 minute after quoting me the rate, but before counting out the money. He apologized so I guess rules are rules and he was still very polite about it....it just cost me .47 cents.)
Example #2. I had my do not disturb light on outside the hotel room door all day on Monday. I had just slept there a few hours and was not going to have bedding or towels laundered and I can make my own bed, so what was the point. After returning from picking up Hyrum later that day I found a note under the door apologizing for not cleanding the room. They didn't say becuase some knucklehead left the light on all day. I then received a phone call from the front desk asking if they wanted me to clean the room. I told them there was no need. About 2 hours later I received a knock at the door and there were 3 representatives from the hotel making sure that everything was OK since the light was on all day.
Example #3. I had mentioned to our guide her in Guangzhou that Deanne was a little lonely in Changsha and her guide didn't seem to be as attentive as she was. Mysteriously a hotel employee, maybe a consierge, showed up at her door and explained that the purpose of her visit was to make sure everything was going well for the guests and that they are not "lonely". The tip off.
Example #4. Every hotel employee, has been amazing. Every store clerk or restaurant hostess and servers have been fantastic. Granted, everyone we are exposed to is benefitting financially from us being here, but it all seems very sincere and from the heart.
The experience on the roads would tend to make you believe they are not so courteous in real life, but I think that is just how they drive.
PS - Did you know the safes in a hotel room can lock you out if you try the incorrect code too many times? Hyrum discovered that for me. The electronic gizmo the hotel staff has to reset the safe didn't work, so now I am waiting for the safe company to come out.
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