Another Heberlig Musician in the Making?

Since we weren't able to blog last night, you get a double helping of Heberlig tonight!


Grandma will be happy to note that C is already beginning to express his musical gift (although it looks like he may want to become a drummer, rather than a trumpet player). C thought the "bom" (VN for ball) would be really fun to bat around. This picture shows him in action, after giving the bom a hearty beat. C also got a kick out of playing the gigantic ceremonial battle drum. (note that, yes, he does let Mama hold him....a lot!)

I really like this picture b/c you can see C starting to grin (rather than intense gazes he's provided in previous pictures)! Although you see me wearing a short sleeved shirt, note that like a good Mommy in VN, my child is wearing a long sleeved shirt, long pants, and a hat. Otherwise, women would be scolding me in the streets (other moms providing child-rearing advice for your kid is apparently universal).

Dr. Bill is going to have a field day w/ me when I come into the office for my 1st adjustment post-trip (egad...my students will have a field day that I'm not using proper body mechanics, as much as I've spoken to them about keeping their backs safe). I'm definitely not used to carrying the extra weight (especially weight that wants to shift from side to side). Moms w/ infants definitely have an advantage starting out w/ a newborn weighing < 10 lbs (get to build their way up to our little guy).

Unfortunately, our internet connection speed is quite slow, so I'll try to post the pictures to Snapfish & send a link for a slideshow presentation. Until then...off to bed we go to rest and prepare for another big day of sightseeing (and maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to listen to the tour guide this time...but I'm not holding my breath)...

Hen gap lie (See you later!)

Of Mice and Men

Some days are longer than others. Ours started at 12:30 a.m. when T found a mouse in her bed moussing her hair. (She notes her mother always called her hair a "rat's nest", but literalism here is not well received.) We had found that something had chewed on fruit the day before and shown the hotel staff, but the suspect clearly had not been apprehended. T turned on the light and saw the miscreant head into the bathroom. We called the hotel staff and they arrived immediately but were unable to find it. The night staff promised to move us to a room of similar size in the morning once one opened up, which they did. Kudos to the adoption agency staff for encouraging the hotel management to follow through on their commitment. We stayed up for a while repacking all of our stuff. CN slept through all of it, fortunately. I returned to bed with CN but T stayed up. Ironically, the Panthers/TN Titans football game was being broadcast live, but w/o the TV commercials. Yet the audio feed from the announcers stayed live and we could hear the announcers ripping the poor play of the Panthers QB during the breaks. The Panthers look as bad from the other side of the earth as they do up close. I finally was able to fall back asleep.

CN appears to be more comfortable with us as he woke up several times during the early morning hours, but just looked at me and went back to sleep, rather than sitting up in a bolt of panic and crying as he had done earlier nights.

We got him out of the hotel a couple of times today in car rides to various business meetings and shopping with yet another friend of the same friend. CN enjoys traveling (car, bus, plane) as he can watch all the action outside.

Our schedule for the next week is falling into place. Tomorrow we are traveling Hoa Lu, the 10th century capital of VN during the Dinh and Le dynasties. We'll also take a boat tour of three caves on the Hoang Long River. The typography in this area include the steep hills unique to SE Asia (think of Chinese art). Wed is our interview with the INS at the US consulate for CN's visa. Thurs, we'll spend half the day seeing the highlights of Hanoi and the other half traveling to the Bat Trang Ceramics village. Presumably, we see the natives make ceramic objects rather than see a village made of ceramics, though the later would be more unique. (There's a free idea for any entrepreneurs out there seeking to create the next tourist trap.) Come to think of it, the Chinese do have their ceramic army that has been dug up from the Mingh dynasty. (OK, I don't know if it was from the Mingh dynasty. I read more Steinbeck than Chinese history. Cool--a over-the-top, stretched link back to the title of the post and it happens to be true. If I could plan these things ahead of time, I might be a decent writer. Thus, I warn you not to reread the post looking for hidden symbolism. To paraphrase Freud, sometimes a mouse is really a mouse. I'm a teacher; I try to make everything completely obvious only to find that the obvious is less obvious than it appears. How's that for fortune cookie wisdom, speaking of China?) Nevertheless, the Chinese have a major tourist attraction in their ceramic army and a ceramic village would be even more lucrative, especially if placed in proximity to a casino. (Note that if I didn't go off on tangents about Steinbeck, I also might be a better writer. Oops, did it again.) Which reminds me, one of our VN guides today said that her favorite American pop star is Brittany Spears. Bad taste apparently knows no cultural limits. I should have told her to read more Steinbeck. Or, perhaps, since I'm clearly in stream of consciousness mode, I should have recommended Faulkner. But I never could understand him either... So good luck with this post!

Now that I've completed my tour of American literary references, tomorrow, I'll make references to 11 American movies without invoking Platoon, Apocolypse Now, Full Metal Jack, Born on the 4th of July, or Forrest Gump. Yea, there's something to look forward to!

The Hanoi Story - Part 2

Hope everyone enjoyed their extra hour of sleep in the US (they don't have Daylight Savings Time/time changes here). Of course, as I said in an earlier post (if E can cite, so can I...hehe), sleep is apparently overrated.

Ba just laid down to sleep (yes, before 9:30 pm, mind you - he's on baby patrol tonight).

I've discovered the wonders of hot ginger tea for an upset tummy/digestive system (although skipping dinner tonight and maintaining hydration probably also contributed to helping my fortitude). So, onward to the scoreboard...

Ba 1, Mama 1 (today is a virtual tie - CN is happy to go w/ whichever one of us is willing to carry him around). I think there will be a permanent groove in the hallway floor by the time we leave the hotel.

As E told you earlier, other guests have enjoyed coming up to him & asking about our little guy. VN people look at us any ask if he is VN. We're learning more and more about him everyday (and everyday somethings seem to get a little bit easier). He does NOT like his diaper changed, that's for sure. He likes his clothing, especially the new things we have bought for him here in VN. Last night when we came back from the mall, CN did not want to take off his new coat and hat (I have to get pictures of him in the gear...too adorable).

We're better understanding some of the words he's saying (VN for car/scooter/taxi/basically any moving vehicle, ball, and most importantly Go! - complete w/ finger pointing in the direction he wants to move). The one time he will sit still are the few minutes we turn on Disney Asia (preschool version). He's fascinated by TV (apparently already Americanizing him) - loves Mickey (yep, see a trip to Disney a few years down the road), Noddy, Little Einsteins (Grandma and Grandpa will like the fact that he has been listening to classical music), and (bleh) Barney.

I have been using a comb & water to brush his hair. So, today, CN wanted to try it himself...complete w/ him sticking the comb under the running faucet, then brushing his hair (or at least making an effort...using the wrong side of the comb). Still haven't accomplished brushing his teeth. Tonight, he held the toothbrush and started trying to brush Mama's teeth.

Bath time is more than interesting. At least tonight's entertainment was only a sobbing cry (rather than the screams of bloody murder we had the first time we tried to bathe him). When bath time was done, CN raised his arms (well, he did this the entire time during the bath but after finishing the bath was the only time I responded) and I picked him up. Immediately, crying cessation. I sat with the towel wrapped around him and told him what a good boy he was and that he did a good job w/ his bath. He was okay w/ putting the baby lotion on his skin and definately was ready for his jammies.

After jammies were on, he made is clear that Ba was to make the sleep time walk. But tonight, for the first time, he held his teddy bear when Ba was walking him (bad mama, no camera at the ready). He fell asleep w/o too much difficulty. We decided to use the pillow from EVA for him, rather than the regular adult sized ones on the bed (that little travel pillow is the perfect size for a toddler).

Oh, guess I should talk about what we actually did today, eh?

CN was a good napper, slept for about 2 hours this afternoon. After he woke up, we headed to the market. Walking in this section of Hanoi w/ a clingy baby is quite interesting - strollers down these small streets are not a good idea. The streets are named based on what items are being sold (and, like Charlotte, change names at a moments' notice for no rhyme or reason). We had lunch at a restaurant located by the lake (yay, western foods were on the menu...one of the reasons I wanted to eat there). We sat inside b/c the winds were blowing & we didn't want CN to have to eat w/ his jacket on (found out he likes tuna salad - as long as he doesn't see the green stuff).

After our late lunch, we went to the market. Not quite the Wal-Mart that we've seen in the other provinces but interesting nonetheless. The 1st floor contained groceries and the top floor, everything else (from electronics to baby products). Yes, like a good mama, I brought a grocery list. We purchased our products and headed back to hotel.

Along the way, we stopped by the lake for a camcorder opportunity for Ba (and a much needed arm rest for Mama). Found out that CN LOVES M&M's (picked up a pack for Mama when her tummy feels better & have sacrificed them to the center of our universe). CN was fascinated by being outside. When he's really excited, he makes a type of cooing/ooh noise. He made that noise numerous times today.

Returned to the hotel around 5pm. Spent the rest of the evening indoors (a lot of pollution in the city - I understand now why, when we see pictures of outdoor news footage in Asian cities, many of the people are wearing masks). We took a field trip down to visit another family who adopted 3-year-old twin girls from another provinces.

Tomorrow is another big day for us. E will be going to submit the I-600 document (this is the US form to petition to adopt an orphan). So, CN and I will be finding lots of interesting things to do in the am while Ba is away...

Oh, and the most important word I learned: How to say "kiss" in Vietnamese. Now, our little guy gives Ba and Mama kisses!

The Hanoi Story--Part 1

Only parents of constipated children will understand our relief that CN finally pooped this morning. Even the non-medically informed writer of this post knew that 3+ days w/o pooping is worrisome. (Not that I'm asking for a poll or anyone to submit their own poop-related anecdotes).

Now that the important news of the day is, shall we say, disposed of, on to our activities in Hanoi. First, the weather reports were wrong. It is not sunny and in the low 80s. It is cool (though not unreasonable--from the perspective of a Pennsylvanian--for Nov.) and windy. Reminds me of Columbus in winter. HCMC, BT, and VL were sultry even with clouds and mild temps. So with help from more friends of the friend (see VL post--see I can do citations even while blogging), we went shopping last night to get CN a winter coat and hat. Hopefully we'll now be able to spend more time outdoors as he loves to watch all the action on the street.

We're staying in the "old town" district--a maze of narrow streets filled with shops. Until recently cars and scooters were not allowed--only rickshaws and pedestrians. They should have kept the old rules. European "old town" districts have boulevards compared to these streets. We thought the traffic in HCMC was choatic; here its the same amount of traffic but it's funneled through a straw. The noise also is considerable at night with everyone honking, music blaring, people eating their meals on the sidewalks--but we're new parents--we can sleep through anything except a crying child. Actually CN has been a great sleeper. He wakes up a couple of times a night and cries because he doesn't know where he is, but falls back to sleep within minutes after we comfort him.

The view is great from the balcony of our room. And a famous lake at the center of the city is only a few blocks away. We plan to walk down there this afternoon. We'll skip the ice cream once we arrive, I think...

We arrived in Hanoi on Friday afternoon. We were supposed to have arrived in the AM, but our flight was delayed twice in HCMC. No matter, we didn't have to catch a connecting flight. And we had business class tickets, which not only provided better seats and better service, but a posh waiting area in the airport. I wish business class tickets in the US cost $160 two days before the flight! The Hanoi airport is quite a distance from the city. (This seems the perfect place for a sarcastic observation, but I've got nothing at the moment. I'm losing it already!)

Once we arrived, E went to submit the passport application for CN. I expected the passport office to have long lines and much order and discipline. The lines weren't long, in part because there weren't lines. You just push your way to the front and try desparately to get an official to take your papers, make eye contact with you, and commit to doing something with the papers, while fending off others who are trying to nudge ahead of you. The stereotypical New Yorkers and Philadelphians are class acts compared to this this. Fortunately, our guide from the agency did the elbowing with petitioners and jawboning of officials for us, as I would have been way too cautious and polite for that environment.

Reflections on CN: I'm really impressed with how well he's doing. Fortunately, we were well prepared by other couples who have adopted toddlers regarding what to expect. He needs constant attention; he particularly likes to be carried constantly. We make lots of laps of the hallway outside our room. He seems a bit more willing to walk on his own yesterday and today. Let's hope that trend continues. I'm hoping that his desire to keep moving and seeing things means that he'll be a good hiker; but I'm clearly getting ahead of myself as that would actually require walking. He is good at helping us get him dressed. Getting him to sleep in his own room when we return to NC will be difficult. He's eating very well. He likes beef noodles, yogurt, rice, orange and mango juice, chom-choms, bananas, cantalopes, eggs, toast, and various kiddie snacks. Just about everything we've given him to try, in fact. But not formula, which, as T has indicated, was the staple of his diet in the care center. He demands any spills or pieces of stray food or random objects on the floor be cleaned up immediately before he continues with the task. (Argh, that sounds like a lot of housekeeping work!) I'm sure this comes from the nannies who cleaned up immediately because babies who don't wear diapers are creating lots of messes on the floor where others are playing. He only allows one type food on his plate at a time and does not alternate eating and drinking--the rule appears to be that he deals with one item at a time (perhaps casseroles are out the the question; I would starve! Perhaps this is an extreme version of T's unwillingness to eat any veggie other than peas.) He gets lots of attention in the lobby of the hotel, as many people--both Westerners and natives--ask about him. He doesn't seem to mind the attention, but prefers moving along to standing and gabbing (good boy!). Oh, and did I mention, he now poops!

Perspectives on Parenthood

Starting our 2nd full day as being parents, here are some small observations and insights I've gained:

1. Sorry Peace Corps but Parenthood is the toughest job you'll ever love.
2. Sleeping & Eating are apparently overrated
3. After spending a few hours by myself as E went to apply for CN's passport, I can say I've gained a new found appreciation for parents (and especially single parents who do that 24/7)
4. Remember that scheduled the care center nannies gave us? Throw it out the window. CN is recreating the wheel.
5. Bottles are really overrated - CN apparently drank a 250 mL bottle of formula (the nannies called it suoc - or milk) each night at the care center. He wants absolutely nothing to do w/ the suoc. It's a big boy cup w/ straw for him!
6. Note to future adoptive parents - Write down your questions (I thought I'd be fine w/o doing so - the emotions of the meetings left me unable to remember what I wanted to ask - especially developmental milestones).
7. CN, like all 2-year-old, is strongly opinionated. Despite the language barrier, he in no short terms tells you what he likes (AND especially what he doesn't like).
8. We have a clingy baby! If holding a toddler were an Olympic sport, we'd undoubtedly win the Gold Medal.
9. Day #2 (day 1 in Hanoi) scoreboard - Ba 0, Mama 1
10. Marla - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the bubbles suggestion.
11. Bath time is most definitely not fun yet!
12. The first full day of caring for a toddler is not the most opportune time to acquire a GI bug...
13. Our little guy may be destined to be a ladies man - he most certainly likes the pretty girls (the first thing he ooed and awed about w/ our picture book was the picture of his cousin Ashley).
14. Temper tantrums are universal (like any toddler, doesn't like to be told not to do something but is more than happy to tell you NO - or khong in VN, complete with head shaking side to side and lips puckering up).
15. It is in the realm of human capacity to complete a diaper change w/ a toddler standing up.
16. Although the food in VN is really good, we'll be more than ready for good ole' American cuisine before coming home...so, when the CMers stork us, no Asian food please =D)
17. Going to bed was a bit easier last night.
18. EGAD - our child likes Barney! We are so going to have to get expanded cable w/ preschool Disney when we come home.

And, most importantly, despite the craziness we've experienced since Thursday, we wouldn't trade it for the world!

The Vinh Long Experience

We arrived in VL on Tuesday evening after spending most of the day in Ben Tre. The drive from BT to VL was the most rural of the drives we had. This trip was closer to what I expected the whole trip to be like. Most of the roads are surrounded by development--mostly small shops and surprisingly few farms, rice paddies, etc. Lots of people in BT/VL grow ornamental shrubs in their yards for sale, presumably at the markets or to wholesalers. T provided the entertainment during the ride by teaching the Vietnamese agency staff American kids songs, and later, Spanish.

We arrived in VL by ferry boat in the darkness of the evening. The town was larger than I expected, but similar to many respects to the other towns through which we traveled--lots of small shops, lots of people and scooters out and about. Our hotel was in the downtown business district, next to a modern "Wal-Mart" type establishment.

We had looked forward to Wed morning for a long time. It was our first visit to the care center to see CN. We were meeting with the head social worker of the care center when CN appeared on the stairs outside the room. We went out to greet him and he started to scream! Ideally, one hopes for hugs and kisses, but that's not terribly realistic in this situation. T brought along bubbles which, with coaxing from the nannies, helped to calm him down. T got out the camera to take "first pictures" and he wanted nothing to do with that. It took kicking and rolling a ball before he really started to warm up to us. Once we went outside to play on the sliding board and throw the ball high in the air, he started to laugh and giggle and hold onto us.

We also had a tour of the rest of the facility--a school for blind, deaf, and mute children. We had "treats" to distribute and thus were well received. One of the classes performed a song for us. T, always ready to perform, was ready to sing along but they made it difficult by singing an Asian tune in Vietnamese.

In the afternoon, T got details of CN's schedule from the nannies, while CN and E blew bubbles for hours. (There's a metaphor for something in that final clause...) When it was time to return to the hotel, CN held our hands as we walked to the bus. Apparently the nannies had told him that he would be leaving with us on a bus (but didn't mean Wed). So he was confused and started blawing when E tried to hand him back to a nanny. That was really rough.

Wed evening, we had dinner with a friend of a friend (who is a colleage roommate of the wife of one of E's colleagues) who lives in VL. Small world effect/Kevin Bacon effect or something along those lines. We rode from the hotel to his home on the backs of scooters--it isn't the death defying experience it appears to be when you're watching them do it from a van. (But I also think these drivers were driving especially gently, given the international norms that it is impolite to make one's guests crap their pants before dinner.) It was a very relaxing evening. Only our host spoke English, but he translated for his kids, wife, and parents in law. We had mini-bananas and chom-choms as appetizers. The father in law grew these on his farm and they were excellent--much better than the same fruits we had eaten from the local markets. The meal consistent of three courses: pork and veggie egg rolls (E forgot that if you clean your plate, the host refills it. And it took doing this three times before he finally wised up--slow learner!), beef and noodles, and fish (snake fish) wraps. A VN red wine from the central mountains also was served; T had sweetened, fresh squeezed OJ. Everything was excellent. We ate with the men in the front room, the women and youngest son stayed in the kitchen.

Thursday was the big day. We met the children at the care center; they and the nannies rode with us to the Ministry of Justice for the Giving and Receiving ceremony. We were quickly moved to another room so a wedding could be officiated. The wait was long and hot. The G&R ceremony itself was straightforward. We checked the paperwork for errors, thanked our hosts for allowing us the opportunity to adopt, accepted the charge from the officials to bring up our son to be a good citizen, to familiarize him with his VN heritage and to bring him back someday. Then, as befits this entire process, the VN adoption process ended with signing more paperwork! The nannies kept the children entertained at the table in the room as the ceremony progressed.

We then had to wait for a while as the legal documents were notarized and translated. By now, it was quite hot and uncomfortable and the children's patience (which really had been remarkable) was spent. The nannies continued to step in to help to calm them down but disappared just before it was time for us to board the bus. The most touching goodbyes occurred as we were waiting during the delay for the ceremony to begin.

We stopped for lunch before leaving VL. The restraunt had a play area and CN also was entertained by the fish, birds, bats and various exotic animals in cages or tanks who were waiting their turn to provide someone's dinner. CN slept most of the drive back to HCMC, but was fascinated by all the scooters, traffic, noise, etc.

All in all, it was an amazing experience and went as well as one could reasonably expect.

E's Travelogue (Vinh Long)

E is a pooped papa. He'll update you about our special day in VL tomorrow! (and we'll give you an update on our trip to Hanoi as well)

Filling in the gaps - part two

Observations on our final day in Ben Tre
1. Again awoken to the bells
2. Who knew there was a "Coconut Monk?"
3. VN people use the entire coconut (from candy to husk and tree)
4. Apparently, there is such a thing as coconut liqour (and I was brave enough to try it - but I warn you - don't drink and paddle =D - we went from the factory to a boat ride...see the Coconut Monk note...to a paddleboat ride down a very small river)
5. Honey tea made from fresh honey is YUMMY (but beware the python in the cage - I give kudos to P, M, J, & T for actually holding a 30 kg python - who is apparently a "pet" of the honeybee farmers - I shall name him Monty =D)
6. It's difficult, but manageable, to navigate VN cuisine w/ a shellfish allergy
7. VN meals are communal and are comprised of way too many courses to count (and I actually thought I might lose weight on this trip...)
8. I finally fulfilled the gift box quest!

Filling in the gaps

In the spirit of my husband, the professor formally known as E, I'm going to fill in the gaps that our blog wasn't able to capture (thanks to my forgetting to plug in the laptop in Ben Tre...=P):

T's Observations:
1. When in VN, don't forget a calculator (and be ready to become comfortable converting US dollars to VN dong)
2. Plastic flowers are tacky, no matter where you are in the world
3. Outlets are not universal in the different provinces in VN
4. VN Omelettes = fried eggs (be ready for over easy or over medium delivered to the same table)
5. VN has it's own version of Bob Barker - complete w/ the "Beauties" and the cheesy sets (but don't know if VN Bob told the crowd to have their pets spayed or neutered)
6. Be prepared to see you dinner (alive) at the restaurants before eating them - or other exotic animals such as pythons, bats, eels, and monkeys in cages at the local eateries in the southern provinces (E says they have their own personal zoos)
7. E voluntarily drank coconut juice & ate the meat
8. Apparently, there is more than one type of coconut (who knew?)

Quick summary of our stay in Ben Tre
Monday, 10/29

Saw interesting hedges shaped liked dragons, roosters, and other animals at a local museum. In honor of E's dad, I took pictures of the local flora (in focus =D). Took a river tour & our tour guide was able to arrange for us to meet a local family on one of the islands. Yummy treats of local fruits & hot tea (yes, we drank hot tea on a very warm & humid day). Our host said we (the couples) were "well matched" and asked Y to be a match maker for her 4 daughters (she also has a son). Our group earned nicknames from our tour guide (we traveled w/ another couple adopting from VL). J (husband) earned the nickname "Buddha" and his wife T was "Lady Deluxe." I am "The Queen" (no comments from the peanut gallery - I'm already "La Reigna de las empenadas" according to my friend D's mom). Our guide wasn't able to think of a name for E, so he again remains an enigma (not to be confused w/ an enema =D).

Observation - I could never make a 3-point turn in a boat (have enough trouble doing it w/ a car).

Observation - although there may not be flying pigs, there sure are sailing pigs (think they were on the way to slaughter, so I don't think they were happy campers).

A Welcomed Addition

We have a son!!!!

Just a brief post to reassure everyone that everything went according to plan today. We picked up the kids at the care center 1st thing this morning. The nannies who primarily cared for the kids came with us as welcomed comforters.

We had the G&R ceremony a little bit later than anticipated d/t a wedding ceremony. A short delay but all went smoothly. The officials gave a short speech about the importance of raising the children to be good citizens, to appreciate their VN heritage, and to bring the children back to VN at some point in the future. We were also asked to give a brief speech (E provided our words - very touching & heartfelt).

It was quite an emotional experience. After the ceremony, the nannies did not come on the van w/ us. We could tell the day was just as emotional for them as it was for us.

So, now the important stuff. Our son is w/ us 24-7! According to VN, he is our son & soon, he will be according to the US government.

We drove back to HCMC via van & our little guy was sacked out for most of the trip. He mostly is a daddy's boy (E is now officially called "Ba") but comes to me as well (I'm "Mama" - we thought about using "Me" but that is what the kids at the care center call the nannies - don't want to confuse the little guy).

We'll get great workouts lifting & carrying 30 lbs of weight (I might actually develop biceps after all...). CN (using his VN name for now - or at least hoping the way we say it is something he understands) LOVES bubbles (grandpa will have fun w/ that!). But his favorite activity is being carried around by Ba and Mama. That little guy doesn't want to walk.

CN adjusted much better than expected (or at least as well as we can expect). The only difficulty tonight was getting him to fall asleep, as he was in a strange place, with strange people, and totally out of his routine. Ba stood and rocked CN to sleep (guess Ba's name should be Nhan as well, as patient as he is!). I got to hear "Lullaby and Sleep Tight" hummed for about 40 minutes straight and joined in for some harmony.

So, CN finally fell asleep & here we are, Ba & Mama. (and yes, lots of pictures taken today - we'll try to post later!!!)

Oh, a big debt of gratitude to Melinda for giving us the ball (that came from the adoption shower at work). CN absolutely smiled and giggled when Ba threw the ball very high in the air (we learned the VN word for up but don't know how to spell it). Yes, and Marla, thanks for the bubbles idea - the bubbles keep him giggling & entertained for many, many minutes.

We're leaving tomorrow for Hanoi (his 1st plane ride) - wish us luck! We'll fill you in about our adventures and travel in Ben Tre & Vinh Long as we have more time (well, as much as can be expected anyway).

Ba & Mama!

Greetings from Ben Tre

Sunday, October 28th (as written on Monday evening)

So, apparently we have internet connection in Ben Tre (I only find this out the night before we leave for Vinh Long...=D ). And, from the sounds of it, my husband is the comic relief.

For those of you planning to travel to VN, I have two observations:
1. Bring a calculator (to make sure you're receiving the right amount of dong for the dollar)
2. Apparently, each province has it's own type of electrical plug ins (HCMC had two prong & BT
has 3 prong outlets). Combine this w/ our electrical appliances having 2 or 3 prongs and it
spells "Tracy didn't bring all the different converters she needed)

After checking out at the hotel (see note #1 - we were almost charged for 3 nights stay, instead of two...quick thinking by my Math Wizard hubby saved the day), Mr. H, N, and L picked the three families (J & T arrived safely the night before) in two vans & drove us to the agency office. There, we had our orientation (and I saw Mr Colin's picture up on the display - one of the ones Heather R provided to me during her trip last Nov).

After orientation, we settled into our vans (J, T, & us w/ Y & N in the 1st van; P, M, Mr. H, & L in the 2nd) for our drive to Ben Tre (about 3 hours but conversations w/ Y made the trip go that much faster). We stopped in My Tho for a quick break & Y bought tasty VN treats for us to share).

To get to Ben Tre, we took the Rach Mieu ferry across the Tien Giang (giang = VN word for river). Since the vans didn't make it on the ferry w/ us, we stopped & looked around the area. There were lots of vendors selling interesting things. Y bought fermented quail eggs (for which I politely turned down an offer to try one). Ben Tre is famous for its different types of coconuts (yes, there are more than one). They use all parts of the coconut (and I do mean all - juice & creating milk for drinking, husks, shells to make really neat hand crafts).

After getting slightly lost (well, apparently our driver wasn't lost but the driver in the other van was...he thought he knew where he was going), we checked into the Hung Vuong Guest House. Not quite the amenities of the Lan Lan 2 but we have air conditioning (and for that, I'm happy). Within a few minutes of arriving to our room (view of the karoake bar from our window), a hotel employee I dubbed the "Dorm Matron" came in, closed the blinds (apparently my red hair is catching too much attention from the locals) & proceeded to tell us what items were "freedom" or "not freedom" (and well, the Coca Cola, beer, cigarettes, gum and brand name water are "not freedom" you have to pay for then).

We lost power for about 5 minutes within the first 10 minutes of being in the room. So far, knock on wood, no futher losses. If I have to identify the theme of our room, I'd describe it as "early 1950s institutional or dormitory, complete w/ Lucy & Ricky Ricardo twin beds). No top sheet, only a fitted sheet & thin blanket for covering.

Futher observations...
3. Karoake is bad in any language
4. Only in VN would you ever find me getting ready for bed at 8pm (=D)

E's travelogue

"E's" observations:
1) For those of you who have followed my travelogues over the years (that is, letters to grandma in the BB--before blogs--era), you know that most my content revolves around hiking. Therefore I have nothing to report...
2) I hadn't even finished point 1 before Tracy kicked me off her post because my comments were making the post "too long." Ahem.
3) Who is "E"? It sounds like a James Bond villain. I prefer "the professor formally known as E."
4) In my travelogues, when I wasn't discussing hiking, I would make sarcastic sociological observations about the natives or my traveling companions. Since my parents aren't with me and my wife is peering over my shoulder, I'll have to confine my observations to the natives.
5) I would not drive in Saigon. My Dad, despite his love of driving, would not drive in Saigon. He once lost a battle with a hedge in Ireland. He would have a nervous breakdown trying to drive here. (See, I found a way to rag on my parents in a travelogue even when they're not here. Shows my lack of creativity!) If you've ever watched a school of tropical fish (Ok, or watched Finding Nemo for those of you who don't get out much), you get the idea of driving around here. Thousands of fish/scooters (and bikes and cars and busses) all driving within inches of one another and somehow they move together without running into one another. I'd expect more people to be missing limbs...
6) Our hotel is half a block from the Vietnamese gov building where US helicopters plucked people from the roofs as Saigon fell. We didn't find this out until last evening. The Vietnamese clearly need to work on their marketing. If the Irish can get people to pay $, wait in line for hours, climb 4 flights of stairs built for leprachuans to hang upside down and kiss stone on a battlement wall of a collapsing castle, the Vietnamese ought to let people know where the major media event of the end of the US/Vietnam war occurred.
7) Who knew there were 47 kinds of baby formula? Ok, many of you are now snickering at me because if there are 47 kinds in Vietnam, there must 689.3 in the US.
8) Off to Ben Tre and Vinh Long. Next post will be from Colin Nhan. Obviously, he'll need a separate space so that he doesn't take too much space on Mom's post.

Day 2 in HCMC

Okay, so we're starting to make adjustments to the time change & most of the jet lag is finally dissipating. Those of you who know me will get a chuckle out of the fact that I was awake (on my own, mind you) before 5 am. Now, that doesn't mean I was out of bed by 5 am, just that I was awake.

E. & I lounged in the room until around 6:30 am. Oh, forgot to tell you yesterday that the room is very nice. We are in one of the "deluxe" rooms, so we have more space. Nice, firm King-sized bed, shower/tub w/ good water pressure, TV, and air conditioning (very important for those nice, warm, humid days...reminds me of summer in NC - frizz factor set to +10). The TV has HBO, Showtime, and Stars (in English w/ VN subtitles).

We've decided that b/c of the humid days, we shower at night (because the minute you step out into the outdoors, you feel like you need a shower again). So, after getting out of bed, we walk a few floors down to the restaurant/internet cafe. Breakfast was very nice. There were a nice variety of VN and Western foods. We both drank some very delicious mango juice (very yummy, enough that we probably had 3 small glasses worth). I wish I knew the names of the things we ate...they were tasty. E. had some type of hot soup for breakfast (always the adventurer in the dining area, he is...).

So, after breakfast, we left the hotel to walk a few block to the local market. One thing we have learned about walking as an American in VN, you have to ignore the locals trying to sell you something. For us, it's customary to say "no, thank you" and that's it. Not here. Saying "no thank you" encourages them to try to sell you something (our experience was a man wanting to take us on a tour of the area...).

Walking to the market was quite an interesting sight. There were a lot of street vendors on the sidewalks even before we reached the market. In the market, even that early in the morning, the areas was busy with the hustle and bustle of the daiily events. The market is divided into sections, depending upon what the vendors are selling. You could buy anything from clothing to fresh seafood.

Well, we didn't buy anything and kept walking. We came to an incredibly busy roundabout on the other side of the market (remember my posting yesterday about traffic in Saigon?). Not quite ready to tackle crossing the road, we decided to walk back to the hotel. Jet lag kicked my tush yesterday morning, so I slept for a few hours. E. sat down and read one of his Poli Sci book (and didn't fall asleep...=D ).

After a refreshing nap, we were up & met w/ the agency staff (Mr. H. & L.). They took another couple (P. & M. - adopting a cute little girl from Ben Tre) and us to the Maximart via taxi. So, another roller coaster thrill ride ensued!

Now, the Maximart is certainly interesting. It's (I suppose) the VN version on Wal-Mart on a smaller scale. You know, I got a taste of what it's like for non-English speaking immigrants arriving to our country & having to naviagate in a world so different from their own. I was so happy to have Mr. H & L there to serve as interpreters to buy things we needed for our kids. It was funny to see the difference in the sizes of things P & M bought for their 7-month old compared to buying for our 2-year-old C. We bought Pampers, formula, bottles (two, apparently one for the water & one for the formula), bottle washer, and a thermos for holding hot water. E. had the experience of using the Visa card for the 1st time.

Mr. H & L also gave us an itinerary for next week. We'll be leaving w/ P & M, as well as the other VL family (who didn't arrive until later Saturday evening...) Sunday afternoon to travel to Ben Tre.

So, we met w/ P & M and had a really nice dinner at a restaurant across the street from the hotel. For those of you traveling to HCMC & staying at the Lan Lan 2, definitely go to the restaurant. Very good food & reasonably priced. E. & I had a great dinner for the equivalent of about $10 dollars (US).

After dinner, the four of us walked around HCMC. We were going to try and see one of the water puppet shows but couldn't find the location. It was interesting from a sociologic perspective to see the number of young adults & couples at the park, sitting on their Scooters. Kind of like our teens & college kids hanging out together. The scooters were sort of their own "personal space" in a very crowded city.

After our walk, E. tuckered out & went back to the room. P, M, & I walked around for a little while longer and came across an ice cream shop. We went in (air conditioned, yay!), sat, and had some very yummy ice cream (me, scoop of chocolate & scoop of vanilla...). After that, we we back to the hotel & I crashed.

So, here we are, Sunday morning in VN after a really nice day in the city. We'll be picked up around noon by the agency & meet w/ the staff for orientation. Around 2pm, we'll depart for Ben Tre. We'll spend Sunday evening, Monday, and most of the day Tuesday in Ben Tre. Tuesday afternoon, we'll depart Ben Tre for Vinh Long.

On Wednesday, we'll finally get to meet our little boy. Our G&R will be on Thursday and C. will officially be our son & we'll have the joys of 1st time parenting.

We most likely will not have Internet access until we return to HCMC next Thursday evening. So, stay tuned!

The End of a Very Long Day

We have arrived to HCMC. And, yes, as you can tell by the title, we've had a REALLY long day. We left Charlotte on Wednesday. US Air was delayed and we took off about 1 1/2 hr delay. **Note to travelers, make sure you read your itinerary more carefully than we did about whether food is provided or if it's for purchase (our LAX flight was a for purchase).** The in-flight movie was "License to Wed" (cute, especially if you like Robin Williams or are a fan of the TV show, "The Office").

Fortunately, we had a long layover in LAX, so our stress levels didn't significantly increase (with the exception of the counter agent who said they couldn't "guarantee" the bags would arrive w/ us in HCMC...another leap of faith, eh?). Wendy was right, the international terminal at LAX is like a little city that never sleeps. We arrived to very long lines (but, I will say one thing...they were very effective because after our 10-15 minute walk...good to stretch the legs and walk after a cross country flight), it only took us about 30 minutes total to get through check-in and security (CLT should take a few pointers on that one =D ).

We arrived to the terminal at LAX and found ourselves having about a 3-hour wait (we thought). Thanks to Quantus, whose flight left later than expected, we had another delay in departure (this time, stress meter rose slightly but not terribly bad b/c we only had a 1-hour layover in Taipei). So, off we departed about an hour late.

I really like EVA Airlines. The attendants were very friendly and courteous and ensured the needs of their passengers were met. Each seat (even in economy) had an individual TV screen for viewing (headphones were included for each passenger). The food was very good & they had lots of choices for movies, TV shows, and music.

While on board, we met a really nice gentleman from Santa Barbara who was originally from Germany. He and his wife were experienced travelers and he shared fun stories. I also made a new friend in the seat behind me - a 5-years-old boy name Benjamin. As I returned from one of my stretches, Benjamin chatted with me (high energy little guy - lots of fun :) ). He was cute too - had lost his two front teeth and was grinning ear to ear.

I will say one thing, 14 hours is a long time to fly. I know I watched at least 3 or 4 movies (and I know Eric watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - twice).

So, we arrived about 1/2 hour late in Taipei and fortunately EVA delayed departure for the flight going to HCMC (well, there were quite a few of us on the plane transferring to that flight). We didn't have to run (but we walked really fast) to get to the terminal.

The flight from Taipei to HCMC was about 3 hours (more time to take in another film). In the spirit of The Lord of the Rings, we had "second breakfast" (Merry and Pip would be proud). We arrived to HCMC around 1015 am VN time (about 1115 pm on Thursday for those of you on the East Coast). **Note to those traveling to VN - bring a black or green pen to fill out your customs card** It took about 1/2 hour to process through customs, then another 1/2 hour to wait on luggage (**Another note, have something easy to see on your luggage tag - our tags are fluourescent colors**).

Our agency's rep picked us up at 1130 and off we were to the hotel. You know, words cannot do justice to describe riding in a vehicle through the streets of HCMC (the ride is definitely NOT for the feign of heart). There were quite a number of scooters, bicycles, and auto zipping around from all directions. Lanes were optional. Man, honestly, the ride was more thrill-seeking than any I've experienced at Carowinds - our local amusement park).

So, after a short rest this afternoon, we're feeling a bit jet lagged, tired, yet eager to continue the process. Tonight will be rest & tomorrow begins our next adventure - shopping in HCMC and going to the market w/ the other families.

To be continued...Let the pictures begin!

T-minus 1 and counting down...

I was playing with my digital camera and snapped a picture of Colin's crib. Guess we now officially have a "Zoo" theme, eh (giraffes and gators and lions, oh my!)? The painting hung above and to the right of Colin's crib has a very special place in our hearts. The painting is entitled, "Pima Indian Drummer Boy." It is from an original oil with the DeGrazia Gallery In the Sun (Tucson, AZ). What makes this painting so special? It was a gift to Eric from his Great Aunt Tibby.

Well, today has certainly been a very busy day in our home. It was PACKING DAY. After spending the morning completing a few important errands, we stuffed suitcases inside suitcases (the better to bring more things home w/ us :) ) and pretty much completed the majority of our packing (save the bathroom stuff, etc. - things you really can't pack until the day of travel).

You know, the good thing about being busy it that time moves quickly and it keeps you sane. My CM (Charlotte Mommies) UC friends will attest to the sanity of keeping me busy (and preventing spastic me from rearing her spastic head - it's not a pretty picture, trust me!).

So, we have 3 suitcases for check-in (w/ 2 additional suitcases being crammed w/ things inside the larger suitcases) and two bags for carry on. Good tip from more seasoned travelers: bring a change of clothing in your carry on! I'm also carrying our digital camera and video recorder to help record & document this wonderful journey to the other side of the world.

Yikes - I still have a few errands to run in the morning. All these final preparations to complete before the big day. So, it's around 12:15 am (0015 for you healthcare or military people) right now. It's incredible to think (providing US Air is on time ;) ) that around 18 hours from now, we'll be leavin' on a jet plane.

We're flying from CLT to LAX, so going through LA to the International terminal will certainly be an adventure in and of itself (...stay tuned for further developments). Nevertheless, next stop: VIETNAM!

All Aboard! The Heberlig Express is preparing for departure!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane or "T minus 4 days and counting"

Yesterday is such a blur! I received an email from our agency yesterday afternoon to confirm that the PC had confirmed our G&R for the week of October 29th. YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!

Guess who was the 1st person I called? Nope, not my wonderful husband...I called our travel agent Todd Gallinek (I'd HIGHLY recommend him to anyone traveling internationally for adoption - he's been fantastic) so that he could confirm and book our flights.

The next call was to Eric, of course. Then, the entire phone tree of calls had to be made during the day to let our family and friends know that we had definitely flight plans.

We are now at 4 days before our departure date (of the 24th) and the frenzy of travel preparation is on! Today, it's house cleaning (major endeavor - including the fridge, washing Colin Nhan's clothes, etc., etc., etc., - I'm lovin' it!). Despite all the last minute things to do (yes, we still have toddler proofing on the agenda :D), it's all worth the time and effort.

We spent last night watching a movie - probably the last official grown-up movie night we'll have for awhile (I forsee lots of Baby Einstein and Disney in our near future). A very strange Farrelly brother's movie called "Kingpin." Very strange, indeed (recommended by our chiropractor Dr. Bill - note to Dr. Bill, you have a very warped sense of humor - hehehe).

Signing off for lunch - will be posting as we can to update you on our travels!

Minor Bump in the Adoption Highway

So, our plans have had a slight modification. Based on current estimates, we will most likely be traveling to VN around the 24th of this month. Because there are families traveling to Ben Tre (another province) and Vinh Long, our G&R will probably take place on Thursday, November 1st.

Mildly disappointing, but in the grand scheme of things, it's only a small bump in our adoption highway. Colin is still coming home very soon!

Half a World Away

Thanks to Audra at Charlotte Mommies for sharing this with me:

Here is a poem I found when I was searching for poetry! It made me think of you and your little Colin! Jill Work wrote this poem for her son-to-be Quinn, while he was 33 mos. old and waiting in Can Tho, Vietnam. It was sung at his baptism. Jill is the adoptive mother of two children.

Half A World Away
by Jill Work

A half a world away
Sometimes it seems we're so far apart
But a half a world away
Is not too far for a journey of the heart.

My little one, my bundle of joy
I'm waiting for you
My precious son, my baby boy
I know you're waiting too.

A half a world away
A child waits for a family of his own
While a half a world away
A family waits to come bring him home.

My little one, my bundle of joy
I'm whispering a prayer
My precious son, my baby boy
I hope to soon be there.

I hope that we
will no longer be
a half a world away.

Slow Moving Moon

Thanks to Audra for telling about this wonderful poem written by a Mom adopting from VN! I've made a few addendums to personalize the poem to our adoption journey.

Marea Rose Jenness wrote this poem while waiting for her travel date to adopt her son from Vietnam, in the winter of 2001.

Slow Moving Moon

By Marea Rose Jenness

It started out a slit of light.

Stubbornly, it grew to a crescent.

In this January-February (October) sky,

while I wait to see you for the first time,

its progress seems painfully slow.

Three-quarters now, it will be full in three nights.

Then in reverse, it will shrink to a crescent before I travel.

Eleven (Seventeen) long nights.

I have no power to speed the earth's shadow as it moves across the moon's face.

I think that I may notice each degree of progress.

Travel Approval

Our agency has given us the BIG update. They are preparing our G&R letter of request for the week of October 22. We will begin our ticket search tomorrow and have been informed that we should plan to be in Ho Chi Minh City no later than Saturday, October 20th (meaning we fly out of the country no later than Thursday, October 18th).

G&R stand for Giving & Receiving Ceremony. This is a formal ceremony where Eric and I will sign the adoption papers for Colin. The term comes from the idea that we are "receiving" our child and "giving" a gift to the caretakers who have been taking care of our son at the orphanage since he was an infant. In turn, they will be "receiving" our gift and "giving" us custody of our son.

Wow! I am amazed, excited, and nervous simultaneously. It's incredible to think that in 17 days, we will be making the most important journey of our life!

Now...let the frenzy begin!