Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Sisters


Sisters
Originally uploaded by juststeve.
Hi all. I know I just finished posting the first day and most of you haven’t had a chance to read it but just to let you know. I’m not able to get onto blogger right now. Here I’m on dial-in and it’s just too slow and in GZ it’s blocked. I can get around it sometimes but it doesn’t always work. So if you’ve got questions just email me I might not see the comments till I get back. However, I warn you that I’m also not getting a lot of email time. When M does nap I’m trying to give R attention and then when they’re asleep…I’m tired! Plus being on dial in just eats time for every link. We’ll be in GZ on Sat night and then I’ll be more linked. Plus I think…We’re less busy.

Today we not busy but I had a tired baby and a big kid who needed some play time. So we spent a bunch time playing with some of the big kids on the trip. In the AM we all went on a trip to see this giant and famous pagoda and then in the afternoon the kids played and did laps around our round hotel.

I did get a couple of questions from y aunt in Culebra and I thought I could answer for all.


Are you going through an adoption agency that sets this trip and all up?

You actually use 2 agencies. One, which facilitates the homestudy and coaches you thru the American paperwork and then a 2nd, which is the intermediary for the China portion. You apparently can do it on your own but I can tell you know I’m sure glad there’s someone making this all happen. It’s hard enough to pay your check here I’d hate to have to negotiate all this paperwork on my own. Plus it’s nice having a bunch of families to all helping to pitch into together. Sharing bibs, advice, medicine and just table conversation.

Do you get birth certificates, visas, citizenship for Marina over there or U.S.?

We adopt marina here in China then she travels with a Chinese passport. If both parents travel to pick up the child then she is technically an American citizen as soon as she lands in the US. However, you’re best off re-adopting in the US then they will issue an American birth certificate much easier to get when you need a copy plus I think there are some other future benefits as well. For us it’s not an option because suz is not here.

On the technical/official end. We went to the Civil affairs office yesterday there we all waited then took turns having our picture taken both as a family and for a baby mug shot. Then we had interviews – Why do you want to adopt a Chinese baby? What do you do for work? Do you promise not to abandon this child? What are your future plans for this baby? - That sort of thing. It only took about 10 mins. Then you’re issued a Red book with your picture and lots of Chinese writing and stamps that shows your official. After that we went to the Notary to have it authenticated or something. There we had another version of the first. After that it’s official Marina is adopted! On Friday we go to the passport office. Then Saturday we go back to GZ and Next week is the American immigration stuff.


Is everything done over there done as a big group of adoptive parents?

We are traveling with a large group. There are about 30 all together but only 12 families are here in Nanchang. There were two other groups of folks going to different places. We’ll meet up with them again on Saturday in GZ for the American part of the adoption. For the china part you have to travel to the provincial capital for the American part we go to GZ which is where the consulate is.

What did the note on the red paper say?

It just had here supposed birthdate. The note was supposed to have been left when she was abandoned. It was neat to see and think about but I don’t believe it’s a real note. It wasn’t’ crinkled at all and they had a whole pile of notes and they all looked like they were torn from the same red paper. Now perhaps the red paper is the traditional child abandonment note paper but it just didn’t seem likely.

How many days are planned for China?

About 2 weeks. We left on the 7th and we’ll be leaving on the 21st.

We’ll it’s 10pm now and I’m really tired. So I’m off to bed. I’m hoping that M will sleep better tonight. Tomorrow, some of the group, myself included, are going to visit an orphanage. Not the one that placed M in the foster home we’re going to be seeing a different one. Fengcheng is under-construction. However, I spoke with the “china girls” as I call them and we’re organizing a small group to go to Fengcheng the town on Friday. There were 5 families who adopted from there and some of us are curious to go see the town that our girls grew up in. Since M and all the others we’re not in the orphanage. I’m not too upset that we won’t get to go there. They “the girls” said that they called the civil affairs office and they said we could only visit on orphanage. I don’t believe that I just think it’s a face saving excuse but I’m most interested in going to the town glad they are accommodating that. Plus, somehow when we’re there I imagine we’ll stop by and see the orphanage if not go in it.

I’m hoping that we can see M’s abandonment spot when we go. Now that I know her it’s a strange thought. Of course all the Chinese babies are abandoned you know that going into the adoption but it’s strange to think of that mother just leaving M there at the gate of the hospital.

Good night…we’ll it’s good morning to you almost.

steve

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