Goodbye China, Hello Hong Kong and our trek home to the USA

On Thursday, November 12th, Yami and I went with our guide, Wenci, to pick up Silin's visa. Without a visa, Silin could not travel to the U.S. Silin fell asleep on the ride which was good b/c it was raining and I had to sit with the driver for over an hour in the van while Yami and Wenci were in the American consulate.

The visa process went smoothly and afterwards the driver brought us to the train station. Wenci helped us check 3 big suitcases with the porter and gave us our tickets. She took us upstairs to wait for the train. The train to Hong Kong only took about 2 hours and it was pretty interesting to see some towns, factories, and rural farms along the way. What I see is that there are many Chinese people who are living relatively comfortably, a middle class Chinese lifestyle (not to be compared to our American ideals of families with a house and two cars) but there are also plenty of people who are living in poverty and many Chinese are paying the price of rapid development in the form of birth defects as a result of pollution and a lower quality of life living in all that smog.

Hong Kong, on the otherhand is the most modern city I've ever seen. The buildings are new and impressive. It is truly an international city with people from all over the world. People speak English and Cantonese and all the young people speak Mandarin as well (school is taught in Mandarin). In our airport hotel, there were many Europeans, a few Americans, Chinese from mainland China, Turks, and Arabs. Hong Kong is a place that I would love to go back to and explore again someday.

After two bumpy flights, one from Hong Kong to San Franciso and one from San Fran to Boston, we made it. Grandpa Tree was there to greet Silin and I and so was Lillian, the director of our agency (China Adoption With Love). I cannot thank Grandpa, Nancy and Flo, and Shoba enought for all their help and support while we were gone. I also can't thank Lillian and Meg from CAWLI enough.....they are amazing. Lillian called us several times to check in on how Silin was doing while we were in China.....we are so blessed to have found this agency....

Now the boys are home and they are pushing Silin around on a little push fire engine....they all seem incredibly happy.....while this bliss lasts, I'm going to enjoy it!

Picture to follow soon.......