Changsha

We’re Back! We’ve been on an internet blackout since Sunday. Our visit to Changsha is now complete and we are in Beijing for orientation with our agency for adoption of Isabella. We wrote up our Changsha highlights in Word format in our Changsha hotel and can now post our memorable visit to our blog!

Sophia being greeted at the new SWI 2 by her Chinese name

Sophia inside of her orphanage room at the old SWI 2

2nd floor hallway outside Sophia's orphanage room

Mural still on the walls of the old orphanage building at old SWI 2

Sophia pointing to her orphanage room-2nd floor left

Sophia's nanny picking her up upon seeing her for the first time since 2003

Sophia outside of the 1500 year old Taoist Temple in Langli Town

Posing for picture with the 3rd grade class and their teacher and principal

Sophia and parents taking a picture with the 3rd grade class in Langli Town

Changsha Day 1

We arrived in Changsha, China on Sunday evening at around 5:00 p.m. to begin Sophia’s heritage tour. Changsha has always had a special place in our hearts as this is the city where we first held Sophia in our arms at the Huatian Hotel on November 2, 2003 (“Gotcha Day”). On Monday morning, we were met at our hotel by our guide, Chris and a woman who had one of the biggest smiles on her face that we had seen in a long time. Her name was Ping Huang, the supervisor at the new Changsha Social Welfare Institute (SWI) 2 who was one of the workers at Sophia’s orphanage in the Langli Town where Sophia spent the first 10 months of her life. The joy on her face in seeing Sophia (who she still refers to by her Chinese name of Gui (pronounced “Gway”) Dong Ling) was so genuine that it touched us all. As we drove to the location of the new SWI 2 located outside of Changsha, Supervisor Huang held Sophia’s hand throughout the drive and spoke non-stop through our interpreter about Sophia’s life in the orphanage. She brought copies of Sophia’s file and a precious photograph of Sophia in the arms of her nanny at the old orphanage in Langli Town that we had never seen before. We learned a lot about Sophia’s first months of life that we had not learned before and were so grateful that we had this opportunity to fill the pages of Sophia’s life book. When we arrived at the new SWI 2, Sophia was treated like a movie star. A big welcome sign greeted her in the front lobby and the director greeted the three of us with a large bouquet of flowers. In the conference room, two of the ladies who handed Sophia over to us in 2003 came in to visit with Sophia along with the director and Supervisor Huang. We were so glad that we brought pictures of Gotcha Day in 2003 with us, as the ladies really enjoyed seeing pictures of themselves from this special day 9 years ago. We were then allowed to photograph Sophia’s orphanage file and were given a tour of the new SWI 2 which now serves special needs kids and the elderly in nice new buildings funded by China’s new lottery (a far cry from the old dilapidated building that the orphanage was located in 2003). Throughout the day, workers who worked at the old SWI 2 came by for a visit and expressed their joy that “Gui Dong Ling” had come back for a visit. Visits by adoptees who were cared for in the old SWI 2 are rare and the staff are overjoyed any time someone comes back for a visit. We were then given a tour of the grounds and Sophia met two girls who were with her on the second floor of the orphanage at old SWI 2 who were not adopted due to their disabilities—very, very heartbreaking but touching to see them hold Sophia’s hand and interact with her. A day of highlights ended when one of Sophia’s two main nannies heard that we were on the grounds and came running towards us to give Sophia a hug. On the way back to our hotel, we stopped by the Huatian Hotel and ate dinner and went down memory lane from the special time we spent there with Sophia, Calvin and the rest of the Hunan 10 (group of parents in our adoption group in 2003 who travelled together-many of us who have formed life long bonds), And to Stephen Gaulke-the Tsingtao Beer at the convenience store next to the Huatian is still ice cold and goes for under 50 cents a 600 ml bottle!

Changsha Day 2

We met our guide and Supervisor Huang at 8:00 and headed for Langli Town for a visit to the grounds of Sophia’s orphanage at old SWI 2.The Chinese government did not authorize visits to Changsha SWI 2 when we were here in 2003 and we were really looking forward to our visit to the site of SWI 2 and Sophia’s finding spot. When we arrived, we immediately recognized the front gate from our earlier pictures of what we were told was Sophia’s finding spot (but were not told it was the front gate of her orphanage) and were led to the second floor of the building which used to house the orphanage where Sophia spent the first 10 months of her life. While the building now houses the elderly, old murals of Mickey Mouse and other cartoon characters still grace the walls of the four floors of the old orphanage building containing 6 small rooms per floor. We were allowed to take several photographs of the grounds where Sophia and her friend Rachel Gaulke lived. Sophia enjoyed hearing stories from the supervisor about her life at the orphanage and you could see the sparkle in the supervisor’s eyes as she went down memory lane and told us about the play room, walks on the grounds, how the rooms were set up etc. The visit to the grounds was a special opportunity we will never forget! We then were shown Sophia’s exact finding spot just inside the front gate of the orphanage. After our visit to old SWI 2, we went to an area primary school where Sophia was once again treated like a movie star by the children and staff at the school. We spent part of the day in a 3rd grade classroom and the kids put on a special program for us and asked us questions about life in the United States. The kids in the school were so sweet and our time at the school, while totaling 2 ½ hours, ended much sooner than any of us wanted. We could have definitely spent a whole day there and the smiles would have never left our faces. After lunch with staff, we then visited a 1,500 year old Taoist temple located next to the old SWI 2 and capped the day off by visiting the Langli Police Station where all children are required to be processed when found. The Chief of Police and his assistants were very nice and welcomed us to their office, gave us fruit and tea and took plenty of pictures of us, since our guide explained that the police feel good about their role in helping babies to the orphanage and are overjoyed on the rare occasions that adoptees return for a visit and they see how well they are doing in the US. Day 2 was such a wonderful, joyful and rewarding day! Definitely a day we will never forget!!!