Becoming an American

I stand corrected. Today we visited the United States Consulate for one more check of the documents, a solemn oath, and to receive Molly's Visa package. The U.S. Consulate recently moved from a block away from the White Swan Hotel to an office building near the financial district. All of the families with Consulate appointments on February 27th took White Swan buses to the new Consulate which was a 30 minute drive. We were told to be bring a Menominee amount of items and no cameras! Once there we went thought a search and metal detector the whole mass of families waited and mingled and waited for their facilitator to call them up to the window. At the window a Chinese woman with perfect English looked at our passport and than at each one of us to make sure we were one and the same. Than more waiting, until a mid-30's looking American woman came out and introduced herself as a consular official (political appointment or career foreign service?). She said a few words about the Visa package and told us we were not to open it and must present it as is to immigration in LAX. We than had to swear an oath for the babies which was immediately followed by much cheering and congratulations. After Nelson gave us our Visa packages and double confirmed everything, we headed back to the White Swan. Molly is now one step closer to becoming an U.S. citizen.



But that was in the afternoon. We also had a very fun morning. After another buffet breakfast, Nelson took those of us who were interested to a Buddhist monastery. According to Nelson, this was the first Buddhist Pagoda built by Monks in China. They had landed in China from India approximately 2200 years ago and this Pagoda is supposed to have ashes from Buddha in its foundation. The monastery and Pagoda are set in the middle of a busy and crowded section of the city, but surrounded by high stone walls. Nelson explained that he would have preferred not take us to the monastery today because according to the Chinese calendar it is January 1st and would be very crowded. But this was the best day that worked and Nelson believes it is very important for the families to see and important part of the babies Chinese culture.



Inside the compound there many building surrounding this very tall Pagoda with throngs of people (mostly old ladies) with bundles of incense. Within the buildings were various statutes of Buddha in different forms. The first one we visited had three giant gold buddies, representing past, present, and the future of Buddha. It was here that Nelson arranged for us to have our babies blessed by a Monk. We knelt with our babies in the center of the room near a table with various objects given to the Monks as a donation. With our heads bowed and facing Buddha, the Monk chanted a blessing for our daughters.



After the monastery we looped back to the White Swan to pick up the rest of the group and head to the pearl market. The wholesale pearl market consisted of a six or seven story mall filled with pearls, jade, coral, amber, and dozens of other types of precious stones or shiny objects. However, Nelson said we could only visit shops on the first floor and that he preferred that we buy pearls from a specific shop where he had negotiated a 10% discount. The pearl selection was amazing and they took Visa. Just after we showed up another group of adopters from the East Coast appeared. It quickly became a mob scene, but the women behind the counter patiently served each customer. With Cheryl in full control of the pearl situation, I wandered off to see what else was on the first floor. Once you left the main atrium, there were mazes of little hallways filled with stores, in turn filled with pearls, jade, agate, etc. After a tour around the other shops, the one Nelson took us to was the nicest with the biggest selection of pearls. In case there was any doubt, Nelson was not going to steer us wrong. But the one hour Nelson had allotted, quickly turned into two before we got back on the bus.

The entire afternoon was taken up by the Consulate and we had our last group Chinese dinner. Again, another very good meal. Tomorrow is our very last day in China.