Day Eleven - Monday, September 24, 2007 - This morning we made a trip to Shamian Island for Madison's medical exam. Basically, they told us she was very healthy. The only somewhat negative comment we got was that she had ear wax. When we checked with the other families in our group, it became apparent that everyone was told that.
The medical exam itself was three different stations. At the first station we went to, they checked her hearing - they used a squeaky toy and a toy piano to see if she would turn her head when she heard different noises. They also looked in her ears here ans this is where we were told about her ear wax problem. Here they also checked her mouth and throat. She was not very fond of the tongue depressor. At the second station, they weighed and measured her and sort of gave her a once over visually. At the last station, they took her head measurement, asked us some questions about whether or not she was talking/walking, etc. Then they gave her a very quick internal exam, just feeling and pressing around on her belly. That was it and we were done before she had too much of a chance to get very cranky.
After Madison's medical exam, we had about an hour and a half to walk around and shop on Shamiam Island. Unlike the Liwan Plaza, Shamian Island is much more of a tourist trap. This is where the White Swan hotel is located and that is where adoptive families have traditionally stayed over the years. It is a very nice hotel and used to be close to the U.S. Embassy. However, because the embassy has moved and because the White Swan is going to be closing very soon for a complete renovation, our agency placed us in the Garden Hotel, which is in downtown Guangzhou. Back to shopping on Shamian Island - because to the White Swan and the large number of adoptive families staying on Shamian Island, several vendors have set up shop and cater to the needs and wants of those families adopting from China ans waiting to make their trip home. Prices vary widely from vendor to vendor and negotiating prices is absolutely expected and necessary to get a good deal. If you are not used to this, it can bee a little intimidating and when you have to try and remember the currency conversion, it can be even more difficult. For our entire trip, so far, the currency exchange has hovered right around 7.5 yuan (Chinese dollars) to 1 U.S. dollar. So when you see a price of 150 yuan on something, it's about 20 U.S. dollars, and if you are a good negotiator, you may be able to talk them down to 75 or 80 yuan (or $10). The vendors here can be fairly aggressive too. Their eyes light up when they see Caucasian parents with a Chinese child! I think it was P.T. Barnum who said there is a sucker born every minute.
After walking Shamian Island and shopping, we enjoyed another traditional Chinese meal. This time since we are in the Guangdong province, our meal was Cantonese dim sum. Although, their are similarities, the meal was definitely different than the more northern Chinese cuisine. Although we could have ordered it separately, our guides made sure not to order any chicken feet for our tables. And let me just say, the guides our agency has provided for us have been absolutely amazing and we would be lost without them. Our coordinator "Dennis" met us in Beijing and has been with us our whole trip. In Hefei, our local guide was Jane, who was extremely knowledgeable of the local region and with most of the orphanages in Anhui province. And again, in Guangzhou, our local guide Rebbecca, has been absolutely incredible! She was the one to take us out privately they other evening so we could order shirts. All of them have also been extremely good a choosing Chinese cuisine that gives us the real flavor of each region without getting too "authentic" - like we said, no chicken feet for lunch today! Actually, Cantonese are known for eating very "weird" things and even Chinese people from other regions are surprised by some of the Cantonese cuisine.
Tomorrow is the Moon Festival and it is a real treat for us to be here is China with Madison on this day. This is a very big family holiday in China. It is one of two or three holidays that Chinese families all get together. Think Thanksgiving or Christmas, only in China. Once again, our amazing guides have come through with a great dinner for us. We will be night cruising the Pearl River, enjoying a buffet, moon cakes and the lights of the city at night. It is the one Chinese holiday that we will get to celebrate in true Chinese style (in China) with Madison. We are so very happy to be here with her for this exciting celebration.
God Bless,
Angie and Mike
