Raise a glass to Stephanie...

Today was a very special day. We were off to visit Stephanie's birth city, Taizhou, and her orphanage, the Taizhou Social Welfare Centre (TSWC). After crossing the Yangtze River bridge in Nanjing, we drove 2 1/2 hours to reach our destination. Taizhou (known as "peaceful perfecture") is 2,100 years old with a population of 5 million, and is recognized as a historical and cultural city.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a thoughtful welcoming banner and the gracious staff of the orphanage, including the Director Mr. Liu.
We were taken into the orphanage for some snacks (the girls loved the little candies) and some delicious oranges and bananas. The locally-grown bananas were so fresh and tasty, nothing like the much-travelled, bland ones we get back home. After asking the staff several questions prepared by Stephanie, the Director presented Stephanie with a beautiful little ornament to express his thanks (on behalf of the entire Centre) for the care and love we have provided Stephanie. Stephanie was rather shy and a bit overwhelmed by it all, but we think she enjoyed the experience.

We then visited a room of (primarily) babies, some doubled up in cribs, some with special needs, but all very beautiful (sorry, but we weren't allowed to take photos). Three older children (4-6 years old) kept us amused throughout our visit. The oldest (and most mischievious) will be joining her forever family from the USA next Monday. Steve would have taken her home in a heartbeat. The TSWC is very small (currently 24 children, 10 when we visited in 2003). A new complex is being built and will be ready this fall to house all orphaned children in the city. For our other Taizhou mates from 2003, the Taizhou Social Welfare Institute is now solely a home for local seniors.

After the orphange ceremonies and presentation of the donations purchased in Nanjing, it was off to a large, fancy restaurant for lunch with the Director and the orphanage staff. The food was unique and very tasty. Steve even chowed down on some eel. "Slimy yet satisfying"! During lunch, we learned that in China, the host must ensure that the guests have a good time. Mindful of the blog-reading children, let's just say Steve, 48% "wine", beer and glass-emptying toasts = good time :). Other than a full bladder, Steve departed relatively unscathed, looking forward to Mr. Liu's "hospitality" the next time we visit. Get ready Rick!!

We left the orphanage and city of Taizhou, with a peaceful sense that we had closed a kind of loop with our return. We will certainly be back and will plan to spend much more time in Taizhou.

Cheers.