Feb. 22
Consulate appointment
We got up bright and early and were in the bus by 7:15. We headed over to pick up the other family at the other hotel, then went to the US Consulate. We had to wait for a few minutes while someone brought paperwork to Elvin. While we were waiting he talked to me about Jack’s Chinese name, Shen Kaizhou. Shen is the family name, all the children brought to the orphanage that year have the same name. Kai means the beginning, and zhou means boat. Elvin translated it as the beginning of a boat voyage, and new possibilities. He said it is a good, strong name.
When it was time, we rode the escalators up to the fourth floor, and waited in line to show our passports to the guard. Then we were allowed up to the fifth floor. The guides aren’t allowed upstairs, so we were on our own for this part. We had to go through security (like at the airport, but we could keep our shoes on!), then we had a seat and waited. The head of the adoption unit came out and spoke to us, then we took the oath that all the info we had submitted was true. After that, we waited for our child’s name to be called (“the family of Shen Kaizhou”) and Rich went up to the window to answer the questions and sign the paperwork. Then we went back to our hotel. Jack's passport with the US Visa should be delivered to us tomorrow, along with the infamous "brown envelope" THAT IS NOT TO BE OPENED until we deliver it to the immigration worker at our port of entry in the US. They always make it sound so ominous!
That afternoon we did a bit of shopping and walking around the island. It rained a bit, then we had a downpour! We stopped off to sit at Starbucks and have hot chocolate, coffee, or tea and some cheesecake under one of the big umbrellas!
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