Fwd: Finally in Guangzhou!

We have left Wuhan, Hubei and are now in Guangzhou! Guangzhou is the last leg of the trip for adoptions. Here we have physical exams, visa applications, and a trip to the U.S. Consulate. A lot of official U.S. paperwork before the girl gets to go home with us.

Mara is incredibly easy going. As soon as we saw her, she came right to us and made no fuss. She's a good traveler and had no problem with the nauseating van rides or her first flight. Despite her deafness, she has a TON of personality. She makes faces and giggles and has a good time. Now that she's more comfortable with us, we're starting to see more typical two-year-old fits, but she gets over them pretty easily. We're teaching her some simple sign language, and she is VERY smart and catches on quickly. I can't wait to see her at home with her brothers and sister. Should be interesting.

My sister and I are personally quite glad to be rid of Wuhan. It's the capital of Hubei province and boasts a population of 8 million people, yet it felt very restricting and small. There are very few tourists and even fewer adoptions in Wuhan. Our guide said she only had four last year. Because of this, it did not feel very welcoming. There were only two Western friendly restaurants, one of which was McDonald's. Very few people speak English there, so ordering even chicken nuggets was a challenge. There was, however, a Starbucks, and it produced one of the best white chocolate mochas to ever exist. Yum.

-Sidenote: I saw something completely disgusting in Wuhan. Everywhere in China people hock loogies like it's no big deal. Normally, they spit outside on the ground. Yea, it's gross, but whatever. The other day, I saw a man hock a loogie and spit it out in the lobby of our FIVE STAR hotel. Right on the shiny tile. GROSS.-

Guangzhou is a much more tourist friendly city. Already in the hotel I have heard people speaking Chinese, English, French, and Spanish. This is a HUGE and VERY fancy hotel. There is a mall on the ground floor of the hotel with tons of shops, including a mini mart for grocery convenience. There's also a Starbucks, multiple restaurants, and a bar. (Hopefully less spit on the tile as well.) There's a McDonald's across the street, and the leather market is very nearby as well. We are looking forward to visiting the pearl market and the leather market. You know I need some knock-off designer sunglasses!

More importantly, I am looking forward to returning home. We are about halfway through the trip as far as time goes. I cannot wait to be back in my own bed. I dreamed I was sleeping in my apartment last night and was sorely disappointed to wake up to my sister's snoring. Ha! So far it has been the experience of a lifetime. I'm going to concentrate on getting the most out of these last few days and think less about my comfy bed at home. 

The internet is much better in Guangzhou than it was in Wuhan, so I'm going to attach some pictures for your viewing pleasure. I have uploaded a ton to my Pinterest account if you'd like to see more: http://pinterest.com/katangerine/china-trip-2012/