Born In My Heart

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

October 4, 2010

Kai slept all night and was so happy when he woke up! We were up early enough to eat breakfast by 0700. He stuffed his mouth full like a chipmunk and would not swallow his last bite for at least 30 minutes after we got back to the room.

Ike came by and we went to the market I was trying to describe to him yesterday. I think that maybe he did not understand what I was talking about yesterday. For those who stay at the Holiday Inn in Guangzhou, they know the market! It’s like New York’s Time Square, but in Guangzhou. The prices are not wonderful, but we got a few things like a nightgown, 1 pair of sandals, some Chinese picture books, and a coloring book. I can’t believe I didn’t bring a coloring book.

We are here in Guangzhou until the 14^th of October, and we don’t know what to do. I want to go on the Xiangjiang Safari Park, but Ike thinks Kai it too young for that. In this park, you can hold a tiger cub. I really want to do it, but I guess he is probably right. I think that tomorrow we will go to a folk art museum; Roger didn’t look too thrilled about that. LOL.

We miss our family and friends. We think of you all every day. Monica, Roger’s granddaughter is counting down the days until we get home with her new playmate! I love seeing my family on Skype. It is a must for traveling internationally. I think we talk on Skype for at least 2 hours a day with family. Kai is picking up English well. He seems to understand simple things and answers with shaking or nodding his head. We know he understands Chinese. Our guides ask him things in Chinese and he either does it, or answers their questions with a shake or nod of the head. This child was an orphan since approximately one month old with “severe malnutrition and congenital heart defect” and he is so intelligent.

I have noticed a lot of the teens to late 20’s seem to have a different perspective on life. They accept the one child rule because they simply cannot afford more. They also seem to be abandoning the arcadian lifestyle to find a more modern life. We met an interesting young man that was from a very rural part of China. He said 2 years ago his parents had never even made a phone call. This young man moved away from his family to make more money in the city, and now teaches the Chinese people how to speak English. More and more of this is starting to happen. In the past, this boy would have stayed with his family to take care of his parents and grandparents. Life here is changing.

Apparently, according to my guide, 80-90% of orphans are special needs. Less and less healthy baby girls are being abandoned. Our guide told us that if you live in a rural part of China, and their first child is a girl, they can try to have a second child in hopes that it will be male. The Han Chinese, who are the ethnic group native to China, are the only group restricted by the one child rule, but they make up approximately 92% of China’s population. The minority groups may have more than one, but it is hard to financially care for more than one. It is so interesting to see the lives of these people who are half way around the globe. I love asking them questions and seeing their point of view.