Dec. 11th Leaving Hong Kong for the US...

     We spent the night in Hong Kong in preparation for our flight out the next day.   Being able to drink the water, shower without goggles and brush our teeth without boiling the water first was a treat.   Ron was able to connect with a dear friend from MBA School who has lived in Hong Kong for 20 years.  He took some great photos of downtown Hong Kong and promised to write a blog entry about his experience.  

     You may be surprised to hear that there were a lot of Christmas decorations up all over China.  Decorated trees, outdoor lights, piped in Christmas music and pictures of Santa Claus were plentiful. 

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On the one hand, it felt like a taste of home and on the other hand it felt empty without a single visible nativity.  While in the Hong Kong airport there were several wonderful displays.

  However,   when we arrived there was a beautiful rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus playing over the speakers and I was suddenly, utterly homesick.  

      John was amazing on the flight home.  He is a patient boy even though he is a bit stubborn.   He was a real hit as he and I walked up and down the aisle to stretch.  He doesn’t have any personal space issues and would walk right up to a person in order to grab their reading material.  Of course I tried to prevent these incidents but was not always successful. 

 

     A Chinese man who sat right behind us took an interest in John.  As we talked, he mentioned that he had traveled all over the Henan province where John is from.  He said that the farmers in that province are very poor.   He mentioned that John was clever and quick.  When I asked what caused him to say this, he mentioned that he had been watching John in the airport.  He saw how fascinated John was with the walking sidewalk, etc.   Hearing this from one of his countryman seemed like he was blessing John and it touched me. 

   

     In general the Chinese people were very taken by John.  They seemed to understand him instantly and to receive who he is and who they expect him to become all at once.   I am guessing they grieve a bit when they see their children adopted out of their country.  And it is sad.  Ron insightfully mentioned when we arrived in San Francisco and were enjoying being back in our U.S. culture that John was now the uncomfortable one.  He is used to seeing almost only Chinese faces, smelling garlic and fish cooking,  etc.  Now he is a U.S. citizen!   We trust that in time he will thrive in his new environment.   And we are committed to doing all we can to insure that this will happen.  

Welcome to your new home, John!  We’ve been waiting for you for so long!  Welcome home!!!