No Autographs, Please

It's almost 10 pm (past my bedtime) Friday night and I'm falling over tired, so please excuse any mistakes in my typing. Today was a busy day, and I've just finished cramming our belongings back into the suitcases. What took me weeks to pack at home had to be re-packed tonight and somewhat organized so that the next unpack isn't so painful. It's not pretty, but it is done!

Our last piece of business in Nanchang was completed today. Katie has her Chinese passport, so we can travel to Guangzhou tomorrow! We are all thrilled, particularly mom. I have forbidden her from shopping in Nanchange for 2 reasons 1) EVERYONE says EVERYTHING is cheaper there (and it seems cheap here...) 2) We are buying 1-2 new suitcases in Guangzhou to get the shopping home, so we have no where to put new things yet. I did have a baptism outfit made at Tiffanie's here in Nanchang (across from hotel) because they had a beautiful white silk with dragons on it. Katie's Chinese name, Long, means dragon, so I couldn't pass that up. It will be a keepsake.

We are all going a bit stir-crazy being here, particularly since the rain kept us captive in the hotel for days. It is also a bit like being in a Hilton in the middle of Caprini Green (sp?), the famous Chicago housing project which I have driven through before. It isn't quite that unsafe, but that is what the surroundings look like. Also, our ISS guides prefer we not stray too far away if we're not all together.

After we got the passports rather quickly, we took a trip to Elephant Lake. A beautiful park with a temple out a bit from the inner city of Nanchang. It was beautiful there and there were many very nice, European-style (quite popular here) apartment complexes that gave us some hope for the future of China. We walked to the temple via a 15 min. path while mom & Deanna took a shortcut by bus to limit their walking. Deanna was interviewed by a TV station, which makes her our resident celebrity. Speaking of celebrities, we all know how the celebrities feel after our experience at the park. It was packed with locals because it was some special day and the park was free (instead of the customary $8 US per person entry fee, which is not inexpensive in China). Literally mobs of people swarmed us as we were a walking, taking, baby-carrying attraction. We each had our moments of the spotlight, and I was even rattled a bit by the experience (and I consider myself a fairly savvy world traveler...). If we even slowed our pace a bit, many people would surround us (probably the most at any one time was 50) , chatter away at us in Chinese in either a friendly OR scolding tone, poke at our babies, etc. I had Katie in a hip carrier (thanks, Sue!) and ended up zipping her up partially inside my coat to protect her a bit more. Her hands were not covered (it wasn't that cold), but every Chinese person in a 5 mile radius had to feel them to make sure I was a fit mother. I realize that they do not see foreigners often and we were something to gawk at, but it really was a bit much. Mandy and Mary said we got it way worse than prior groups. I think JD Rainey was about ready to fly right home, as Deanna was away with mom and his daughter Shelby's pants wouldn't stay covering her ankles. He really got it bad. Unfortunately, our 'celebrity' made visiting the temple not a very enjoyable experience for the group. It was impossible to stop and enjoy the view because you'd instantly be surrounded. Word to the wise: if you are coming to China, bring a 1-piece outfit that covers head to fingers to toes for such outings. You will need it!

After recovering from the trip, we spent the afternoon playing with the babies, with a group gathering in our room as happens on occasion. We continue to really enjoy the friendships that have formed between the families in our travel group.

Katie's passport. The picture was talked on Monday morning, when she still didn't like me, so she looks mad.

Mommy, Katie and the passport at the civil affairs bureau office in Nanchang.

A view across Elephant Lake. We have yet to actually see the sun, though we hear it is still in the sky. Can anyone back in the US verify this for us??

Katie, Mommy and the curious Chinese people poking at us and trying to communicate something that I have no idea about. I really wanted to do something crazy, like hop in a circle and do a rain dance. The ever present military officers keeps me behaving myself.


Deanna, Lori, Katie and 2 Chinese people. I tried to cover this girls hands with her coat as my own little way of 'getting back at them' for all the poking we endured. I'm not sure that they 'got it.'

JD was starting to lose his sense of humor when the mob was relentless...

Our comic relief for the day was watching this toddler potty train on the sidewalk, which is what happens here. He had split pants on, so his bootie was wide open to the world via the open crotch of the pants. The pink things on his legs are plastic covers, basically our version of plastic training pants. They protect his clothing when he squats and pees/poops. Right in this courtyard of the temple, he squatted and peed. It is right in front of him in the photo, though you can't see it. There are some hygiene differences between our cultures!