Saturday, September 1, 2007

We emerge from internet blackout

Finally this afternoon we have internet access!
We arrived 2 days ago in the evening. The apartment is a little dingy and damp, but we are getting used to it and starting to unpack a bit. Every waking minute has been consumed with solving problems, it seems. The most pressing one is finding out where our next meal is coming from. Today is the first day since we left home that we have not eaten in a restaurant. Although I love restaurants I am tired of them, especially with Sophia. Xiamen is beautiful -- full of palm trees, garden and views of mountains and ocean. We went downtown today and my ATM card worked!! So I celebrated by buying a DVD player for about $30 and a few items. I will post pictures of the apartment when we settle in a bit.
We did register Thomas for school, much to his dismay, and he starts on Monday morning. The bus stop is a 7 minute walk through campus so I or Deborah (the other Fulbrighter here -- her daughter is Kate, who will also go to the Xiamen International School) will walk them.
I love hanging the laundry on the porch and the view out our windows, and the AC -- its very hot here!
More later

3 comments:

Clare Stafford said...

Hi Ann--

I am the mom from Yongzhou yahoogroup that you sent a message to after we joined the group. We have decided to adopt She Wei, a three-year-old boy from Lengshuitan Fenghuangyuan CWI in Hunan. I think you mentioned that was Helen's orphanage as well. We are going to submit our Letter of Intent to a Adopt (LOI) in the next week and hope to be approved later this year and travel sometime between January and April '08!

I've been enjoying your family's journey so far!

Best wishes!
Clare
dh George
dd Helena b. 8/12/04, a. 6/20/05 (Chenzhou CWI, Hunan)
ds She Wei, b. 8/12/04, (Lengshuitan Fenghuangyuan CWI, Hunan) working on LOI!

Mikenjane said...

Dear Mike, Ann, Helen, Thomas, and Sophia,

We have tried to comment several times with no success! We hope that these comments reach you, breaching the Great Fire Wall.

It sounds that all is going very well and that China is being gracious to you. We loved seeing photos of Frank and his son and the pregnant Chinese warrior. Okay, I was a wee bit jealous of the Great Wall photos, consoling myself that we will be there as a family soon.

Good luck as your whole family begin s a new school year in China! Special hugs to Huan Huan and Sophia from Ani and Elia!

Best,
Jane and Mike

weissman said...

Hi

My wifes family is from Xaimen and lives about a mile or so from Xiamen University (I have even run on the track there loads of times when we visit her family). I have been in Xaimen 4 times, so if you have any questions-weissman98@yahoo.com). I believe there is a Trust Mart (Big supermarket) in Chung Son Lui, the shopping area near the Ferry out to the Island.

DH Bob
DW Wenxiu (born Xiamen PRC-confirmed expedited)
LID for Rachel 14 March 2007