AIT and typhoon

Today was the AIT interview with its multitude of papers. It went without incident except for some health information that was different than any we'd seen before. We were told that the aforementioned machine didn't work (from a different post), meaning the visas would probably not be ready today; an additional wrinkle is that a typhoon is supposed to cross over Taiwan tomorrow which generally means government offices will be closed...leading to no visa and no going home on our flights. Call at 3:00 confirmed that visas would not be ready today. Another painful parting (for Mei-Yun) from Janet, our guide/helper who has assisted in many ways. We went to 228 Park for awhile where everyone got along swimmingly, then to Han-han's old house where we had lunch and played for the afternoon..an easier home base than the hotel room. Hui-li gave us an hour's respite, which was WELCOME and helped them take a "rest". She also helped with dinner, another painful parting, and we headed back to the hotel, where they took a bath. It had to be another first. They were completely insane. I know none of them have had bathtubs in their previous homes and finally Zhong-Lin had to get out because he was so hyped. We shaved three and 1/2 hours off our bedtime from last night...thank goodness!!

more alike than different

Getting to know the kids has been eye opening in many ways. In preparation to adopt, we did various trainings and read books designed to open our eyes to possible behaviors or challenges kids might have. But what I have found thus far is that these kids are KIDS…more like all kids than different from them (recognizing that there is still room in the future for plenty of “challenges”).

Our visit with Han-han this last time was the first with just Sam, me and him--no translator or caregiver (who, incidentally, gave me a pack of Mentos to bribe him to obey, haha). We went to the park where he loved more and bigger bubbles. He spent at least 40 minutes going down the slide with a little toy cat, saying each time “I’m ready!” in Chinese. GOTOVIDEO He found my chapstick and loved it in typical 3 year old fashion, reapplying every fifteen minutes or so. He absolutely refused to let me take a picture when I was ready…it was his say all the way…he had too much to do and places to go…completely normal (I had forgotten about that).

One of the best of all was walking to get dinner. We were in the heart of Taipei, holding hands, when we walked by a largish pharmacy type store. He immediately stopped and went off in a string of Chinese, none of which I understood. I figured I had communicated pretty well that we were going to eat, but I was really curious what he was so decisive about, so Sam and I followed his lead. He climbed two flights of stairs and walked DIRECTLY to a toy concrete mixer and obviously said, “I want that.” No chinese needed to get that message loud and clear.

I knew there was potential for BIG breakdown, so I scooped him up and hurried out with him saying “boo yaow” over and over (no, no, no). We got out of the store in short order and thankfully he stayed relatively calm. Finally, at the end of the evening, when we got back to Han-han's apartment, Sam was hot and sweaty so he ran his hair under the faucet to cool off. Han-han promptly did the same thing, styling his hair just like Sam. He sure seemed like just your average (of course, average CHARMING ADORABLE) 3 year old. In the video, you can hear Han-han calling Sam gugga (older brother in Chinese). GOTOVIDEO

A separate but fun highlight to the day was that Bentleys (who we stayed with in Hong Kong) came to Taiwan, and we got to spend a few hours at the park with them. They were camping their way down the east coast of Taiwan and at the beginning of their journey. We haven’t had any friends come visit us here in Taiwan (not that they came to see us), but it was a fun outing nonetheless, to see familiar faces.

our first city weekend

Over the weekend, John and Ching took us to Yang Ming hot springs, north of Taipei.  It was a WINDY drive on a narrow road with many switchbacks, men and women went their separate ways, Japanese style dress (birthday suit), mud baths and electric massage (pulses of electricity flowing into a small hot tub).  It was an Experience, with a capital E.  Our hosts have been so generous and accommodating.  They have a primary goal of exposing the kids they teach to the world and its citizenry…broaden horizons, and they walk the walk themselves.

This is my first time traveling in another country where I haven’t lived a cushy life with hotel amenities and familiar food etc…and it’s different!  Harder beds than usual, different cleanliness (and everyone who knows me, knows I don’t have very high standards), very different foods-obviously, and it’s just disorienting to not recognize anything with being surrounded by Chinese characters-more English in Taipei than Jhong Li. 

Sunday, I was ready for some familiarity, so we went to church (the first building we landed at in Jhong Li).   A former American missionary now married and going to school in Taiwan translated for us (thank you Malachi!).  It was a lovely testimony meeting and uplifting to sing in English along with everyone else in Chinese.

We spent the remainder of the day exploring Taipei…228 Memorial Park, Chiang Kai-shek statue, and the Botanical Gardens.

This is a rock garden where you try to walk along barefoot.

This is Longshan temple, a Buddhist temple in Taipei built in 1738.  

Adoption Update: We’re still working on being able to skype little number 3 who is in foster care as opposed to the older 2 children who are in an orphanage.  We cannot see them until the judge’s first ruling which will come… when it comes.  They are trying to find birth mom; it is unknown how many letters the judge will want sent out to find her.  We have our hopes that it can move along of course.  Meanwhile, we see so many little Taiwanese children and ask ourselves, “Is he 3", or "She looks 4” and we are amazed to think of what life will be like.  DIFFERENT but oh so fun!