Home!

After many flights, Vickie & Val are home safely with their families again. It was a productive trip--full of hard work, fun times, and many wonderful memories. Best of all, we have a better idea of how the SWI would like to proceed. Since meeting the special needs children, this is an area in which we hope we can assist them. The PT team was invaluable in this respect, and we believe their influence will open new doors for ZKO.

As I sign off on this trip, I want to give families who plan a visit to ZJ a few tips for their must-see/do list:

1.) Walk the streets around the hotel. It's a great way to see the city and meet people!

2.) Visit your child's finding place with an interpreter. You will likely find new friends who just may have been there when your child was found. This happened to Val this trip. With the help of an interpreter, an employee of the place in which her daughter was found was able to communicate that she was there at the time of the abandonment, and may have been the one to find her. She also was able to answer a few more questions, and fill in some information that helps get a better idea of the circumstances and site of the abandonment. These are things that simply cannot be understood by a finding ad alone. I highly encourage talking to locals. They are warm and compassionate, and you may find that they are very willing to talk. Val was asked to take a photo with them, and was asked to email it to the employee. Of course, she is willing and eager to do so! These connections may become so valuable to our children.

3.) Visit hole-in-the-wall type restaurants!!! We had a spectacular dinner in an Inner Mongolian restaurant, found by going down side streets and alleys. Amazing, amazing food. There were all of five tables inside, but it is considered a hot spot. You can always eat KFC at home. :o)

4.) Visit the harbor area near the hotel. It's just a short taxi ride from the Silver Seas/Crowne Plaza--perhaps 6 yuan to take a taxi. You'll get all kinds of great shots of the boats: huge ocean liners and tiny fishing skiffs.

5.) Make sure to do shopping at the antique and Jade market. You can find something for almost everyone on your list. It's not a place like some markets in Guangzhou & Beijing that cater to tourists. You can find jewelry, jade, cloisonné, carvings, and best of all: antiques! There are plenty of things that can be bought on a budget. Plan to bargain hard there. Our interpreter told us, "If they say 100Y, you MUST offer them 20Y, but go no higher than 40-50Y." It's expected, so loosen your inhibitions. :o) Take along bubble wrap if you have room. Or else, have them wrap your breakables well and take them in your carry-on. You can find antique plates, teapots, earthenware, pottery figurines, old Chinese coins, etc.

6.) Go to the Seaside Park, near the huge ship restaurant (a moored, converted ship). On weekends, families fly kites there. There you'll find The Kite Lady, whose relatives make the kites in Shanxi province. They are inexpensive: 20Y for the small butterfly kites, 70Y for the huge ones that fold easily into suitcases. Reels can be purchased for 2Y, or large ones with ball bearings for 20Y. It was a great place to find gifts for little boys on your list.

Thank you for following our trip, and for your kind thoughts, prayers, emails, and comments. They were very encouraging and appreciated! I leave you with a fun photo from the kite place.

"Lucky"
;o)