What a difference a day (City) makes ………

First and foremost, Christe and I have made it to Changsha safely and without incident. Second, the internet connection here in the hotel is free and I know why. It is slow and buggy at best. Loading photos is very difficult but we are both committed to being patient to allow all of you follow along.

I’m writitng this in the few hours before we leave to go get our daughter. We have been spoken to countless time along the way about the ‘babies’. Peggy, our coordinator is very experienced. She has explained that these are Chinese baby. These baby not like American babies. These baby like the hot. These baby not like the room temperature like you like room temperature. Ok? You hear me, Ok? If you think room is too hot, then baby like your room, Ok? When you get baby, baby is crying. It’s ok. No crying baby, something wrong. When you get baby, baby is very uncomfortable with you, it’s ok. Baby don’t like you smell different, you look different. Baby is no going to poop, ok? So when baby poohs first time it is orphanage pooh, ok? When baby poo-poo second time is your pooh, ok? So you tell me when you get second pooh, ok? So not when you get first pooh, it’s second pooh you tell me, Ok?

So clearly you can see that we are fully prepared for the upcoming event. What’s there to worry about? I woke up today, had some coffee, take a bus ride, get a crying no pooping infant and everybody happy, Ok? Sorry, I’m beginning to talk like Peggy, yeah ok. It’s much like listening to a very odd version of sling blade, yeah, ok.

For the details…..

We left Beijing hotel around 9am to go to the airport. It was very different from when we came in. There were a lot of people. China Fact: Most people cut in line here. This is probably to biggest cultural difference for me. I truly believe that it’s because were foreigners. I don’t think they’re being mean, they just believe, “Hey I get to go first!” and I have yet to learn how to say, “Hey buddy, back a da line” in Chinese.

Security through the airport was nothing like the states. Computers, cameras, and every other metal object go through a metal screen with little to no attention being paid to the screen. Your water bottles however must be opened by you and handed to young gentlemen who waves his hand over the opening, put’s it close to his nose, --obviously checking to see if it’s a good vintage and has the right amount of body—and gives it back to you.

We landed in Changsha. It’s a much less crowded airport. The flight was packed and I must tell you, I’m not a big guy and those seats were small. There was no moving. At one point the lady in front of me reclined and I had to split my knees out just to accept the width of her seat somewhere close the family making parts.

The hotel is very nice. It’s a vast difference to shanty like conditions we saw on the ½ hour drive from the airport. This city feels much more ‘real’. What I mean by that is that it seems that you see more “classes” to the people. There are guys driving what has to be million Yuan cars while trying not run over the guys riding there “flat-bed-truck-bikes”.

As I was saying, the hotel is very nice. Some things differ, you have to ask for an ironing board (no presser board thingy like the last hotel) and iron. They give you things like slippers and seven different types of tea and 1 other thing I will only describe with a picture. Christe and are still fighting over who gets to where it!

After a couple of hours one parent was supposed to go to 22 to do some paperwork. I was chosen and when I got there, I realized I was one of two men. The guy in the corner couldn’t follow the rules, he came with his wife.

I’m also including a picture from our hotel room window, we’re on the twenty-eighth floor.

Also I’m including some pictures of the “ironing board” they brought us. The photo is not an illusion. The thing is short, rickety and just plain small.

Well, I’m going to get ready now, off to go be a new daddy…………………
I almost forgot, someone tell my sister happy birthday.