Thoughts on... Zhengzhou

As we walked toward our guide, Johnson, one of the first things he mentioned was that we may need a bigger car... we still had a ton of luggage with us as we were still trailing items for the orphanage along with gifts we had for the team at Hope Foster Home in Jiaozuo.

We hauled our bit outside where Mr. Wong, our driver, was waiting in his sleek, brand new black Buick. I'm not sure how they did it, but they crammed every last piece we had into that car... poor Johnson, had to practically sit with his knees in his chin, while Mike had to sit almost sideways for the entire hour or so to our hotel.

The view of the street below from our hotel.

During the ride, Johnson tried to talk to Sarah in Chinese, asking her questions to see if she understood. For the most part, she just sat there listening to him with a slightly puzzled look on her little face... I'm guessing that the sounds were very familiar to her, which made her somewhat curious, but for the most part, she didn't respond, although, when you tell her "hello" in Chinese, she will wave to you.

Once we arrived at the hotel (The Holiday Inn Express in Zhengzhou), we were able to unload the car, and freshen up a bit. After that, it was picture time! Sarah needed photos taken for the adoption certificate and paperwork, so Mr. Wong drove us down the street a bit to a local photography studio where they took some quick shots of her. It was neat to see the guy color-correct the photos (I've never seen Photoshop in Chinese before!) and about 1/2 hour later, we were out the door, in the car, and passing the first and only fender-bender we would see while we were in China (which is pretty amazing knowing how the Chinese drive!).

We beat it back to the hotel early to get some rest and decided we wouldn't be too adventurous and had dinner in the hotel cafe. Even at that, without Johnson, ordering food was difficult and we mainly pointed to what sounded good... hoping it wasn't anything we couldn't stomach. We had a good meal that night of beef and noodles and steamed buns and Sarah seemed to really enjoy it. She loves noodles and it was pretty obvious she felt right at home with the cooking.

We woke up the next morning, ready to eat some "westernized" food at the buffet in the hotel cafe, but upon cruising around the dishes, we noticed that chow mien noodles were as "western" as they were going to get! So we wound up eating dough sticks (like a donut without the glaze or sugar coating), pot stickers, chow mien, fried rice and watermelon. Sarah was content to stick with watery yogurt sprinkled with rice krispies and then we were off. Later that night, we decided going next door to the buffet at the adjoining 5-star hotel, the Sofitel, was a much better bet when it came to western food.

The Sofitel buffet, where we ate dinner for all but one or two days in Zhengzhou.

We thought the city of Zhengzhou was beautiful. We loved the weather (which felt about a cool 30-40 degrees the entire time we were there) and the people there were warm and friendly. Of all the cities we visited in China, Zhengzhou was the one we enjoyed the most - maybe it's because we were able to spend so much time there and Johnson and Mr. Wong were both wonderful and fun to be around.

We had an appointment with the local CCAA office, where we signed the paperwork for Sarah. We weren't sure how they would view us as we had been told, only a short time before, that they were unaware Sarah was already with us... so we weren't sure how they would receive us. Needless to say, our fears were completely unfounded as the meetings and visits with them were most heartfelt and although I told myself I wasn't going to cry, I wound up doing it anyway. It was a surreal moment, with Johnson interpreting - the words he translated were so deeply touching and the official who spoke them was so warm and sincere... what an experience.

We completed our paperwork there but were due back later in the day, so we went to the park across the street to kill some time. There we saw and heard the most wonderful sights and sounds. Down by the lake, were little pagodas where traditional musicians were playing their instruments. As we walked, I almost felt transported to the past as I listened to the notes. There was a deep sense of history in that place - you could feel it hanging in the air. Over the bridge, in a small tree covered plaza, two old women were moving slowly and gracefully, their Tai-Chi movements were smooth and patient, beautiful yet striking, as they wielded long swords, which expertly sliced through the air.

A park in Zhengzhou - very clean, beautiful!

As we walked, Sarah decided to sit on a dirty wall next to some older folks who immediately yelled something in alarm in Chinese. Turns out, they were all sitting on cushions - you don't sit directly on dirt in China - at least not when you have a cushion to use. And so, at their animated urging, Sarah sat on one of their cushions, seemingly unaffected by their loud vocalizations, swinging her little feet back and forth, tipping her head this way and that to the one lone instrument being played at the waterside not too far away.

It was truly amazing to watch her - I do believe she understood what they were telling her and unlike her reactions to strangers in California, her reaction to these people was one of familiarity; she didn't look at them oddly, nor did she look to me or Mike to comfort her, but instead just took the cushion and summarily sat on it. After several minutes of conversation, Johnson told us he had explained who we were and what we were doing with Sarah and their "ahhhhs!" and "oooohhhhs!" which was accompanied by a bunch of head-nodding seemed to peak the moment. They watched and marveled at her for quite as while as she was very content to sit on her cushion and smile at them.

This moment was the first of several in China where I felt so acutely aware of my ethinicity around Sarah, as if I were an outsider to her. She was in the country of her birth, a native of this mysterious place who shared in its history, its people and its customs; we were just visitors from another land far away, who were markedly out-of-place.

After our final meeting and official adoption of Sarah, Johnson asked if we'd like to use to facilities, and although I went in, I decided very quickly, that I wasn't brave enough to try. You see, in China, the facilities are quite different than in the States, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to use them without taking half of my clothes completely off! It was rather funny as I stood in the stall, looking down at what looked like a men's urinal embedded into the floor, trying to surmise exactly how one goes about this function without wetting one's self! Needless to say, although the Chinese invented toilet paper and modern day upright toilets, both were in short supply outside the hotels.

Typical toilet - if you plan to visit China - it's a good idea to practice before you travel!

We stayed several days in Zhengzhou. It took us only 3 days to finalize all of Sarah's paperwork and Johnson mentioned that was the quickest he'd ever seen it done. God blessed us with a quick and extremely smooth finish to our adoption process.

We were also able to find out that Sarah was abandoned near the gate of the orphanage when she was only a day or so old. They told us that whoever had left her there had wanted her adopted or they wouldn't have left her in that particular location. It made me sad to think of her biological mom - somewhere out there, wondering what had happened to her little baby.

We were also able to visit the Jiaozou facility of Hope Foster Home, where Sarah actually had stayed for most of her life (but I will leave this for another post) and that visit was something I will never forget as long as I live. More on this later.

We did notice right away that we were somewhat of a visual oddity to the people of Zhengzhou. I don't remember seeing any non-Chinese expect for one man at our hotel who was speaking a European language that I couldn't make out. We were treated like celebrities inside the hotel and once we ventured outside, people would stare in curiosity. I can remember asking Johnson if anyone else used strollers in Zhengzhou and he laughed and shook his head... everyone carried their children.

Johnson and Mr. Wong took us sightseeing for the rest of our time there - we had four days just to kick around and explore and they took us to the Imperial Palace and Millennium City Park in Kaifeng, Longmen Grottos in Luoyang, the Shaolin Temple and Pagoda Forest on Song Shan Mountain, a hovercraft ride on the Yellow River, and finally to the Henan Provincial Museum in Zhengzhou. Johnson also took us to a couple of local restaurants and a couple shopping malls, which was interesting.

The Imperial Palace and Millennium City Park were amazing. Only in movies have I seen such grand and gilded places. It was like taking a step back into time. As we moved throughout our visits, Johnson would never be too far away, telling us the importance of what we were looking at. Why the lake on the right side of the palace is considered good - a place to swim, a place to fish and a place to relax, while the lake on the left side of the palace is considered unlucky - so unlucky, they even prevent the fish from swimming into to by partitioning it off with nets.

Our trip to the Imperial Palace with Johnson who took care of Sarah a lot of the time.

My favorite photo of Sarah and Mike in China, at the Imperial Palace.

At Millennium City Park, we were able to see what an ancient "polo" match looked like - where men and women on small horses zoomed around an arena. We watched an ancient wedding ceremony, walked over a rainbow bridge, and purchased a few items for Sarah to give to her when she is older.

Stepping back into time at Millennium City Park

We were also able to visit the Longmen Grottos where centuries of limestone carvings are now on display as a national treasure. (Side note - I was so proud of myself - I actually got up the gumption to use the facilities there!) Johnson stayed with Sarah as mom and dad trekked to the top of the long (and sometimes very steep and scary) staircases which took you up for a closer look into caves and grottos filled with thousands upon thousands of carvings.

Longmen Grottos - note all the other niches in the hillside

We also visited the Shaolin Monastery where we were able to see the Shaolin disciples perform incredible feats of strength, agility, speed, and surprising gracefulness. To see these people break past the normal limitations of what the human body can do was mind-boggling, yet, although they performed with all kinds of weapons on-stage, they are a peaceful people, and we were told that the monks had only utilized their fighting prowess to protect the monastery on select occassions through the centuries.

One of the most visually stunning places I have ever seen - the Shaolin Monastery.

It was during our visit to the monastery that Mike decided to purchase a sword, so Johnson took him to the sword smith, whose store was off the beaten path. We took a quick 3-minute walk to the shop, which was situated on the outer edge of a small courtyard, surrounded by the disciples barracks. As I looked around, I could see socks, shoes and pants hanging on thin lines between bunk beds, the paint of years gone by, worn and scrapped off the door posts, the musty smell of sweat and dirt swirling in our nostrils as boys, only 8-10 years old were being drilled into carrying a several hundred pound carpet above their heads only several feet away.

Sarah just laughed and giggled - she looked like a little pink marshmallow in her winter jacket, throwing her hands up in the air and stepping clumsily on the cobblestones under her feet. We hadn't been standing there long, when a young man came out of one of the barracks. He must have been in his early twenties, his head completely shaved, a thin layer of simple clothing... a Shaolin disciple. He took an intense interest in us and as he looked at me (obviously American) and then at Sarah (obviously Chinese), he proceeded to speak slowly and softly, with a warm smile. Of course, I hadn't a clue to what he was saying, but his eyes were so kind and his manner so mild and gentle that I didn't really care.

He stayed with us for 10 to 15 minutes or so, asking questions in Chinese, both of us trying to figure out what the other way saying and after a while, he picked up Sarah. He held her for a long time, as if he knew she had been an orphan and talked to her like a big brother would talk to a little sister. After a while, he kissed her on the cheek, then very meekly, put his prayer beads around her little wrist and smiled at me, hoping we would accept his gift. From the looks of our surroundings, I could tell these men, some only little boys, were submersed in a lifestyle that was far from lavish, and as he gave those beads to Sarah, I thought to myself, I wonder if that is all he owns in the world besides the clothing on his back. I felt a deep sense of sadness as I wondered about who he was and how he came to be at the monastery... it seemed such a lonely existence; he seemed so desperate to be around us, wanting to communicate with us so badly. He left us a little while later, reluctant to leave, glancing back at us as he walked away.

We then visitied the Pagoda Forest which was a short walk away from the monastery. In these tall monuments, the ashes of important men were encased, some having survived hundreds of years of natural deterioration, defacing and warfare. It truly looked like a forest as most were scores of feet tall (the taller the more important the man).

After touring the rest of the Monastery and Pagoda Forest, Johnson took us to a place where they served all vegetarian feasts, as the monks believe in karma and meat is forbidden. The food was absolutely delicious and here we learned yet another piece of Chinese culture - when you are eating such a meal, the soup is served last, and a gracious guest will drink the soup to show thankfulness and honor to the host.

The next and last day in Zhengzhou, we toured the Henan Provincial Museum, where Johnson related the importance of many of the historical artifacts there on display. We were able to view one of the Terracotta Warriors (on loan to the museum) as well as numerous other national treasures.

Here we also learned that Sarah had become somewhat of an overnight star as when we passed by, we could hear people whispering her name. When we questioned Johnson about this, he mentioned our interview with the local Jiaozou newspaper had been picked up and published in one of the countries largest newspapers, with a circulation in the millions. How our God works... using a little orphan to tell the story of His love for us!

The Henan Provincial Museum

Afterwards, Johnson treated us out to a beautiful restaurant and ordered Hot Pots for us all - talk about a feast! There were several different kinds of mushrooms alone, along with pork, chicken, beef, a variety of vegetables you don't see in the states, along with some of the best sesame dipping sauce and noodles I've ever had! I'm drooling just thinking about it... thank you Johnson!

Last that night, after we said goodbye to Johnson and Mr. Wong, we took a trip down to the local mall to do some shopping and as we entered the grocery store, noticed the staff there was whispering and pointing... one of the girls approached us and pointed to Sarah, asking, "Chen Chen?" We nodded and they all gathered around. None of them spoke English and we only knew a few words of Chinese, but we had a good time. The same thing happened as we went upstairs to the "mall" portion of the building, and we were offered discounts and special help by the staff as we used sign-language to communicate with them. The people of Zhengzhou were very gracious and warm and we will never forget their hosptiality.

The next day, we flew out of Zhengzhou, leaving behind our new friends and a part of Sarah's past. She was no longer an orphan... she was our daughter and together, we looked forward to the next leg of our trip - the journey to Guangzhou.

Sarah and Johnson pose for one last picture together in Zhengzhou International.