Our China Itenerary

Amy posted this itenerary on her blog, and kindly let me copy and paste and save myself a little typing.

All times are the local time. China is 12 hours ahead of the US Eastern Time Zone:


8/12: Leave US for Hong Kong

8/13: Arrive in Hong Kong late that night.

8/14: Free day in Hong Kong

8/15: Leave Hong Kong for Chongqing around 6:30 that night (by airplane). Arrive around 8:30pm.

8/16: Free time in the morning. Go get Sophie that afternoon.

8/17: Free time in the morning. Go complete the adoption registration and notarization in early afternoon.

8/18: Morning: optional half day tour of Chongqing Zoo. Afternoon: free time.

8/19: Morning: optional tour of CiQiKou (old town Chongqing). Afternoon: free time.

8/20: Receive Sophie’s finalized paperwork in the morning. Leave Chongqing by plane for Guangzhou at 6:45pm. Arrive in Guangzhou at about 8:30pm.

8/21: Get Sophie’s medical exam and visa photo taken in the morning. Prepare paperwork in the afternoon for the American consulate.

8/22: Free day.

8/23: Consulate appointment.

8/24: Go back to the Consulate to take the oath.

8/25: Go back to the Consulate again to receive Sophie’s visa packet in the morning. Leave Guangzhou by plane to go to Hong Kong at 8:05pm.

8/26: Leave Hong Kong early in the morning and make the excruciatingly long flight back to the US.



This still seems surreal to me.  Going to China?  Can't be real, can't be me!

However, this afternoon I started getting clothes and toiletries organized to pack and it hit home.  I'm not too nervous a flyer, but just the whole process is a little scary - getting to and from the right places at the right time, finding our way around when we don't speak the language, etc. And, the most important part - praying that what is a happy, wonderful time for Amy isn't too hard an experience on little Sophie.  She is coming to a loving home and will have a great life but all she will know at the moment is that we look different, sound different, probably smell different than anybody she has ever known. It will be natural for her to grieve, but we just hope she is able to work through it without it being too hard on her (and us!).