Homecoming Trip: Day One

There is so much to write....and I will try to catch up from Zhanjiang. It's been very frustrating to not have access to blogger. I had it for the first two days before the tour started, then nothing. :o( I have a connection now, albeit slow, but I hope to give you all a small taste of the wonderful time we're having. Please give me a bit to catch up. :D

Our first day together started the evening before at orientation, when we met our wonderful guides and were introduced as families to one another. It's so amazing to meet all these wonderful children with a common heritage. All families were given "Happy Bags" containing small gifts for the children, BLAS tshirts, nametags, etc.

After a breakfast at o'dark-thirty, we headed for a special welcoming ceremony (more about that below!) by BLAS then on to the Great Wall and Summer Palace in two buses: red and blue. The older children have been grouped together, and the younger ones, likewise. I'm hearing reports that the children are enjoying each other and I can attest to that from watching on our bus. Lots of Rock/Paper/Scissors being played as we are schlepped.

We had a lovely day for touring Beijing. The weather was not too cold (that's relative, I know...but it was certainly more tolerable than my visit to the GW in '04) and the sun was shining. Some of the children, especially the younger ones, began fading fast as the afternoon wore on, so instead of taking in the Summer Palace in the evening, and then a later dinner, some families chose to take taxis back to the hotel. We're finding the stamina is varied, and we really need to watch how much we push the little ones. All in all though, they are doing amazingly well, and seem to roll with the punches, catching naps where ever they can.


We were met with great fanfare by BLAS and the CCAA. CCTV was even there to record our reception. Along with Zhanjiang, there is another Homecoming Group (Hongzhou, IIRC) also being welcomed. CCAA Director Liu was there along with his Vice-Directors. It was pretty amazing. All the children were given commemorative crystal paperweights of the GW, stuffed pandas, and a special welcoming letter from Dir. Liu. Our own wonderful Vickie Bennett also addressed the gathering and did an amazing job, which we all knew she would. She works tirelessly.

CCTV posted our trip on the news twice that day, and several parents were recognized in the airport from having given interviews with CCAA. If that was not enough, a story about our tour was featured in the China Daily, one of China's most read newspapers. This was all so unexpected, and a little overwhelming. I will post links as soon as I can get them.

I'm having a difficult time uploading photos, so I will post this update, and attempt more photos later when we may have an easier time doing so. Today we're off to meet the kids....CAN'T WAIT! :o) Thanks for following us, Val for ZKO

UPDATE: here's the link to the CCTV piece (not in English)
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=0RL2WCG3

Director Liu of the CCAA (!!!!)
Debbie and Elizabeth at Badaling section of the Great Wall

Val, Sophie & Ava