Journey to Huizhou

Today we made our way to Huizhou City which is approximately 80 miles from Guangzhou. Our guide came by for us with a driver and we all piled into the mini bus. There are several of these small shuttles in the city and they are designed to carry several people at one time. I passed the time looking at the cars going by as well as taking in the exterior surroundings. (The only American car I saw was Buick, all others were Asian or European.)

The Chinese countryside is breathtaking. Gaungzhou is in a wooded mountainous region filled with farms and villages. As we made our way along the freeway I could see various fruits and vegetable crops. Rice and bananas are major exports. Jaina thankfully slept through most of the 2 and a half hour ride. (I hope she turns out to be one of those babies that enjoys napping on the go.) We finally arrived in Huizhou and our tour guide tells us that it is a smaller town than Guangzhou--no tourism, only factories. I am learning that all the numerous high rise apartments are housing for factory workers. Again, Huizhou is a city in various states of upkeep. The main boulevard is beautiful, lined with colorful bushes along the sides and palm trees down the middle. But behind that is the actual city--large, run down, densely populated and polluted. Ed and I both noted how hazy the skies were even during a sunny midafternoon day. It was the kind of day you expected to see blue skies, but can only see factory exhaust. 

  We arrived at Jaina's orphanage on an especially sweltering day. The sun was merciless and I saw many people using their umbrellas as parasols. We were admitted into the directors office and given small cups of hot water to cool us down. The girls wouldn't touch them but I drank mine down, not wanting to appear rude. Briana took a shine to the cups because they had Hello Kitty on them and brought them home as a souvenir. The little girl that had come to give us Jaina in Guangzhou was there and I was able to learn a little more about her. She was 14 years old and in the process of being adopted by a Chinese couple. It seems normal that the older orphans help in the care of the younger ones. One of the older girls who was especially fond of Jaina, and often looked after her, gave us a gift for her. I took a photo of them together and told her that I would place it in Jaina's scrapbook so that she would always know that she had good friends that loved her. I could sense that she was sad to see Jaina go and I promised that I would keep in touch with her and the orphanage of her progress.

There was unfortunately not much to see at the orphange as we were not allowed to enter the buildings nor photograph anywhere except in the director's office. We were allowed to take photographs of the exterior of the complex and we did that for Jaina. I didn't hear any babies and I only saw a few older children with special needs. Some of her caregivers did wave to us but did not come out and speak to us. Jaina seemed to recognize them all but was not interested in being held by them for very long. Already she had grown attached to us and made a fuss if she was out of mine or Ed's arms. I can't deny that it made me feel good. The biggest disappointment was not being able to visit the site where she was found. The town where she actually comes from was another hour away from her orphanage and, due to the upcoming Olympics and security being tightened, foreigners are not allowed to travel to certain places. To comes this far and not be able to see that was a major let down. I suppose I could have pressed our tour guide a little, but I could tell that it might have caused a problem. It is just not easy to go anywhere you desire or ask the questions you wish you could in a communist country. It is a shame though because I am doing it for Jaina. But, I know I can only do my best. Jaina is a little under the weather, but she is content and I am glad. She eats and sleeps well and once we kick her cold, she'll be in better spirits.

Good news, Jaina!  I learned that the big sister in the photo holding you also got adopted!  She is living in Indiana with her adoptive parents!  Here is the link of a newspaper article in case you want to read it.

https://timesuniononline.com/Content/Default/News/Article/Warsaw-Couple-Adopt-Teen-From-China/-3/224/44715