July 2006

SUCH A BLAST!!!

China!  Me!! Going there this summer?!  When I first heard that My Uncle and Aunty invited me to come along with them, I was speechless…..which is extremely unusual for me!  I was shocked!!  I was not expecting the invitation at all!

No doubt, it was an adventure!  My Uncle, Aunt and I were full of excitement that the moment had finally come to pick up their baby! THE TIME HAD COME!  At the orphanage, I saw a line of ladies each holding a baby. I wondered which one was Jayni Lin (My Uncle and Aunt’s new daughter)!?? My Aunty and Uncle were called to the spot where Jayni would be handed into their hands for the rest of their lives. It was time to flick on the video camera and do my job. I handled the camera while they received their daughter, Jayni. The moment was captured. How could people abandon such cute children? Poor girl. It is so sad. But now she is going to a good home!

Certainly there are a lot of people in China!  While we walked along the street, I got these looks from people because I am blonde and white. At the Summer Palace and the amazing Great Wall, the amount of people there was incredible!!!  On the right side of the wall, there were SO many people but yet it wasn’t so steep.  On the left side there were fewer people, yet it was steeper. My Aunt, Uncle, Jayni and I chose the left side with less people. Merchants were along the wall attempting and sometimes succeeding to sell us things as we went. My Uncle, Aunty, Jayni and I felt like celebrities when in China. While we were on the wall, people would ask for their picture to be taken with us.  Mostly, it was fun, cool and encouraging when this happened!! It was different; I’m not used to that. One time, a guy came up to me and asked for his picture with just him and me. I said “yes” although this time it was rather embarrassing. 

Shopping!!!  Shopping!!!  Shopping!!!  I had saved money to bring along to shop and my parents had given me some also. Honestly, I have never in my life had that much money to spend in 2½ weeks!!!  Boy, oh boy did I ever shop! I got to barter for the first time in my life!! I enjoyed it!!  One time I bartered this lady down to a cheap price then I decided I didn’t want the wallet any more. After I tried to walk away a couple times, the lady had my arm locked around with hers and was begging me to buy it. “Good price, very cheap, very cheap, please lady,” she insisted. It was very funny. I couldn’t help  but  laugh a couple times!   I also bought a violin while we were there. It was made possible with the help of Yulin’s translating. Thank-you! I am now enjoying playing it.

It was an extraordinarily exiting trip! In my life, I never thought I would ever go to CHINA! I was the first relative to see the new baby! The site seeing and being “celebrities” was amazing. I had so much fun shopping and bartering. I am SOOO SOOOO THANKFUL to my Uncle and Aunty for inviting me, taking me along, helping me with everything, and so much more!!!!!!! I Had A REAL BLAST!!!!!!!!

Janine Graber (13)