May 2004

Shirley Wolfman travelled with Steve Raskin and Lisa Wolfman during their trip to adopt 3 year old Shauna. Benji, who was adopted 2 years earlier and is now 3½ years old was also on the trip. Shirley provided us with a grandmother’s view of the trip.

I am a grandmother who accompanied my daughter, son-in-law, and first adoptive child to china to receive their second child.

It was with great excitement and suspense that we left Vancouver, Sunday April 25, 2004 for Shanghai. Everything, however, began to fall in place when we were met at the airport by Yulin, the FOI Director, and all the other adoptive couples. We were all driven by bus to the hotel. It was raining quite hard that evening, unfortunately, but this did not deter Yulin, who quickly settled us into the hotel, saw that we were fed, and bustled us out to visit the downtown area and the harbour of Shanghai. We were greatly impressed with the building construction and large economic development that we saw.

The next morning, we were off by bus to Hefei, where the group would pick up their babies. The tension and anticipation could be felt throughout the bus. Finally, after four hours of driving, we arrived at the hotel.

We met in a hall of the hotel after checking in; and within minutes we saw the nannies in the doorway, each carrying a baby. As the names were called, each nanny came forward and presented the baby to its parents.

I have never before felt or witnessed such emotion, happiness, and relief all at the same time as the new parents accepted these beautiful children. Everyone was weeping, laughing, and talking all together. The babies were crying as they were being held and kissed by their new parents. The older children were screaming as they were parted from their familiar nannies.

We stayed in Hefei for three and a half days while adoption registration and passport information were filled out.

On the fourth day, we flew from Hefei to Beijing. There, we met Fay, a charming young lady, who was to be our guide and historian for the next week.

We were taken to the Beijing zoo, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the great wall, the Summer Palace, the Silk Factory, the jade factory, Silk Alley, and the many exciting department stores such as the pearl indoor market. Many of our group ventured out on their own in taxicabs and on the subway to see other parts of the city. Some went to the old Beijing and to the war museum. We were shocked and amazed at the car and taxi drivers proceeding with their own unspoken rules and ignoring any traffic signals, honking as they passed by. Last, but not least, we were taken to a beautiful China acrobat show performed by many young children.

It was wonderful to watch the closeness the group members formed with each other, and the progressive relaxation and bonding the babies were forming with their parents. Everyone was helping the other with necessary ointments, cough medicines, and good advice. It was a delight to meet fathers in the hallways, rushing out to the supermarket with lists of needs for the babies.

We could not have asked for better food. At each beautiful hotel that we stayed at, a large breakfast buffet was presented to us. Available were juices, hot and cold cereals, bacon, sausages, freshly made omelets, muffins, Danish pastries, and a variety of fruits.

We were taken to different restaurants every night under the guidance of Yulin and Fay, and treated as royalty with many different varieties of Chinese foods. On the last night, we had a great birthday party with dancing candles. The low cost of these meals was unbelievable.

I do want to commend Yulin and her staff for their superior organizational skills. Nothing was overlooked, from paperwork to medical check-ups, touring times, shopping trips, and restaurant dining. Everything was pre-arranged.

There was constant concern, interest, and help for every group member and child, as Yulin walked daily among us to check on our needs. We were bussed to the airport with redcaps available and waiting for us. All necessary forms were handed out.

Thank you so very much, Yulin and Bob, for making this such an easy process for the adoptive parents, and seeing that it was also an enjoyable and memorable trip to china.

Shirley Wolfman

Elise Damoiseaux, as she explains, missed an earlier trip to China. She travelled this time to accompany Rose Allen to Hangzhou with three other families all of whom were adopting special needs children. After 4 days in Hangzhou, the four families joined the Hefei group in Beijing. offered to write a report. About her experience with the Hangzhou children and the larger group.

After being in China when I was seven, I fell in love with the people and their culture. I was in Wuhan to pick up my new baby sister. Later, my parents decided to adopt again and left me behind to help look after my then three-year-old sister. I wasn't very happy about being left out of a trip half way around the world to bring home another part of my family, so I was given the chance to help a single lady that my family knows, to adopt her second child. I was ecstatic! There were many delays but it must have been meant to be. It turned out that going in the spring is great! The lady I was travelling with, Rose, and I left on April 24 from the Vancouver airport.

In Hangzhou, the first city we stayed in, we saw many traditional Chinese gardens, and visited a tea plantation. Both things that would be very dismal in winter. It was wonderful to see flowers blooming and the sun out and warm weather finally. (After this winter, the warmth was awesome!!)

We were all thrilled to meet Joshua and the other children that would soon be coming home with us. They were part of the Waiting Child program and were older than most of the other children adopted from China. Bonding took a little longer because of memories and love for their nannies, but they soon realized they now had a new home and true parents. We visited their orphanages and saw how they lived. I don't know how much I should say about the orphanage, but I can say we know they were well -cared- for and loved very much!! We saw that the children had friends and they were very excited to see the ones that still live there, when we went there for a visit. A boy and a girl were being adopted from that orphanage, Josh and his friend Emily. This must have made bonding a little easier because they still had each other so not everything was strange and different. It was heart- warming to see them playing together and comforting each other when one was upset. I often think if I had been born in China, I probably would have grown up in an orphanage because I'm female and because two of my toes on both feet are webbed, so I would not likely have been kept. 

Quite a few funny things happened to our group in Hangzhou. Something Summer, our guide, said was one of them! There was a lady in the group named Joanne Toner and Summer always was calling her name. She didn't use her first name, though. She called her Toner all the time and didn't realize that Toner was her last name! Another funny thing that happened was that a man standing in the lobby of our hotel was fascinated by the Canadian Flag pin I was wearing. I took it off and gave it to him. He was so excited and then found out he didn't know how to put it on. I had to put it on for him and show him how to take it off and put it on again. 

In Beijing, we met up with the other people in the group. They had been to Hefei. In Beijing, we saw the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. Silk Ally was a lot of fun. Bartering can be very interesting! I really didn't go to buy things but to barter for the fun of it.

In the Pearl Market, I met a man who pointed at my necklace. I was wearing a cross. He kept pointing and saying something in Chinese and pointing at himself. I didn't understand until he pulled out a Bible.

The trip has changed me for the better. I have seen something of the way the people there live and something of the culture. I have gained a new respect for the country and its people and their many talents and I would like to return some day. I feel that this trip has matured me and made me appreciate my life here.

Elise Damoiseaux

Homecoming, Newfoundland Style

Dominic Lambe & Jacquie Roff of Burin Bay Arm of Newfoundland travelled in May to Hefei to adopt their daughter Margaret (see the May trip report in this issue). They were met by a large contingent of friends and family at the airport in St John.

Maggie’s arrival was a major event in Burin Bay Arm, friends held a shower.