Saved by IKEA

Following the train adventure, we decided we were adventured out. Instead of exploring Guangzhou we decided to venture only to the closest things to our former American life that we could find. That would be Subway sandwiches, KFC, and IKEA.

swedish crayfish

Our business in Guangzhou was to obtain the visa for Little Guy. I feel a little weird that we didn't take in more of Guangzhou, but my students stories of Guangzhou are better than what I probably would have experienced.
If adoption is suppose to be like giving birth (which I would say it is not), really it would be quite crazy for somebody to have a baby and rush out and take the baby to all the tourist spots, just so later you could say you went there when we first had you. I understand the families that come to China to adopt and need to see the culture and lifestyles to better understand their child. But we live in China.
So, the consulate was next to IKEA. After our first visit to the consulate, we went over to IKEA and just crashed on their couches (their beds, chairs, anything that was soft). Little Guy was just entranced by the Swedish videos of the factories and furniture testing. Who knows what was he was thinking--look at those blond people and the kids get to jump on everything, hmmm, I'm with blond people, will I get to do that? Then we went to the cafeteria, oh, so yummy and clean, and reasonable. We sampled half the menu the first day and decided that before we went to the consulate the next day, we'd eat the other half of the menu.
We were in walking distance of the consulate and we actually got Little Guy to walk with only 1 throw down tantrum with just a small audience. So we planned to eat our big IKEA meal and then go back to the hotel and get our baggage and then take a taxi to the consulate and go directly to the airport.
Well we pig out (salmon and cheesecake) and walk out of IKEA to a big tropical downpour. It takes 15minutes to get a cab, actually the day before it took 1/2 our in the blazin' sunshine. So time is cutting close. But while we were waiting we struck up a conversation with the freight delivery guys. They could take us to the Airport!!!
Our biggest fear had been that the oath was at 4 and our plane left at 6:30 and if we had trouble catching a cab then we were stuck.
So we arrive at the consulate appointment drenched and carrying our bags. We are struggling to get in and the big adoption van arrives. These families get out and their clothes are all clean and they are so fresh. I justed wanted to cry. I want the big bus where someone else handles all the mishaps. So we get there to the security officer first. The guy asks what we are doing and we say taking the adoption oath. He said, "where's your guide." I looked him in the eye and said "I'm an American, I don't need a Chinese guide to see my government." He looked at the guide for the bus standing behind us and let her by without asking for any id and then said passport please.
The rest of the process was a piece of cake. The head of the adoption visa unit did a speech and it was mind boggling. Since USA started the program they have issued 70,000 orphan visas. Last year over 4000. We used to volunteer at an orphanage in Shenyang and it just makes me so sad that there are so many orphans. But I was happy for everyone in that room because they have big hearts and all the kids have new families. Because we were pressed for time, we didn't get to talk to anyone, but it was really nice to hear their American voices when they were answering questions and stuff.
We grabbed our bags and headed out to clear skies and noticed the void of taxis and were so happy to have the arrangement with the IKEA guys. Our driver was pleasant and he seemed happy to give us a ride rather than haul some furniture.

Driver of the Ikea Mian Bao Che- chinese for bread van

We made it thru the airport and early enough to watch them change the tire on our plane. We were quite amazed that they hand tightened the lugs. Shenzhen Air was great. They had the safety video with a sign interpreter and then at the end of the speal all the stewardesses (on the video) do in sign that its a pleasure to fly with you and we wish you safe travels. Little Guy had never seen the sign language on tv and the interpreter was so quick, he was just in awe. Then later in the flight they had a making of the safety talk documentary that had the auditions of the signing stewardesses. Little Guy was definitely thinking he was on cloud 9!

signing airplane

The girls were happy to see us.
Today we went over to the University's clinic. They (for FREE) extracted the object from the ear. They used the combination method of tweezers with dental vacuum.Little Guy is tough cause he didn't even cry. It broke my heart because

Big smile- got that thing outta my ear

it was indeed, an air gun pellet. What kind of world is this that somebody shoots a deaf 4 year old in the ear with an air gun?

Guangzhou, China