I thought I'd let you all in on one of the group coping mechanisms (ie - long-running jokes) that Jill, Doug, and I have been using while in China: Hashtags. Of course most of you are probably on Twitter or have seen these in some form or other, but for those of you who are disconnected (like myself) or maybe unfamiliar the basic idea is that this is a short phrase or single word that creates a category for all kinds of things to fall into. Mechanically, a "hashtag" is a pound symbol followed by the word or phrase you're "tagging."
Our version of this started with Jill tagging everything as "#surviveChina" which I thought was a decidedly fatalistic outlook. So, that one shifted to "#whateverittakes." Admittedly it isn't quite as fun, but it can apply in so many ways. Like when Sawyer screams at us in a restaurant because he doesn't like the way his food is being distributed and, rather than parenting as she would at home, Jill gives him an Oreo because she knows he will stop throwing a fit. #whateverittakes. But it also works when you think about what we're really doing here: rescuing two little boys and giving them hope and a future. #whateverittakes. It applies to the commitment that Jill and Doug are living out at great cost to themselves financially, physically, and emotionally. #whateverittakes. When they're comforting children who cry themselves to sleep each night, wake up crying in the morning, or when they are traveling to a land thousands of miles from home to stand in lines and navigate government bureaucracies. #whateverittakes.
I think our most common use of the hashtag, though, has been "#nevercomingbackhere." There is a great deal of social pressure placed on parents of small children in any public setting - but especially when two white americans are parenting two chinese boys in China. It would be easy to sit and worry about what all those people who are staring at us are thinking about. That's when one of our group applies the #nevercomingbackhere tag. As in "We're never going to see these people again so why should we even care what they think?"
Sidebar: Chinese people have no reservations about staring. #juststareback
So, now that I've shared the hashtags that are fit for public consumption, I'll get to the nuts and bolts of accounting for where our time has gone and, of course, more pictures of the boys.
We've spent the last few days in the city of Guangzhou. This is the final stop on the way home with the boys. At this point, China considers their work done and everything we're doing in this city (medical exams and consulate appointment for visas) is for the benefit of the American Government getting its paperwork in order.
As with every stop along the way in China, there has been lots of waiting. To pass the time, we've visited parks, done some shopping on Shamian Island, and today we went to the Safari park in the pouring rain.
#memorablemoments:
Our version of this started with Jill tagging everything as "#surviveChina" which I thought was a decidedly fatalistic outlook. So, that one shifted to "#whateverittakes." Admittedly it isn't quite as fun, but it can apply in so many ways. Like when Sawyer screams at us in a restaurant because he doesn't like the way his food is being distributed and, rather than parenting as she would at home, Jill gives him an Oreo because she knows he will stop throwing a fit. #whateverittakes. But it also works when you think about what we're really doing here: rescuing two little boys and giving them hope and a future. #whateverittakes. It applies to the commitment that Jill and Doug are living out at great cost to themselves financially, physically, and emotionally. #whateverittakes. When they're comforting children who cry themselves to sleep each night, wake up crying in the morning, or when they are traveling to a land thousands of miles from home to stand in lines and navigate government bureaucracies. #whateverittakes.
I think our most common use of the hashtag, though, has been "#nevercomingbackhere." There is a great deal of social pressure placed on parents of small children in any public setting - but especially when two white americans are parenting two chinese boys in China. It would be easy to sit and worry about what all those people who are staring at us are thinking about. That's when one of our group applies the #nevercomingbackhere tag. As in "We're never going to see these people again so why should we even care what they think?"
Sidebar: Chinese people have no reservations about staring. #juststareback
So, now that I've shared the hashtags that are fit for public consumption, I'll get to the nuts and bolts of accounting for where our time has gone and, of course, more pictures of the boys.
We've spent the last few days in the city of Guangzhou. This is the final stop on the way home with the boys. At this point, China considers their work done and everything we're doing in this city (medical exams and consulate appointment for visas) is for the benefit of the American Government getting its paperwork in order.
As with every stop along the way in China, there has been lots of waiting. To pass the time, we've visited parks, done some shopping on Shamian Island, and today we went to the Safari park in the pouring rain.
#memorablemoments:
- McDonalds and the siren song of its fries are right out the front door of the hotel. We have succumbed a number of times.
- I got interviewed on Chinese Television
- There was a snake in a pond at the park. Doug and I were terrified (we also use the #nevercomingbackhere hashtag for moments like this one)
- Each of us has broken down into insane laughter at some point this week. We've lost our minds and may not be the same when we return.
- China does not care about animal rights. Today at the safari park there was a show with White Tigers where they would dangle meat out over water and the Tigers would leap to get it. Amazing. The show runs every half hour.
#cutekiddos:
#finalthoughts:
We're flying home tomorrow so this will be my last blog post. I'll give the keys back to Jill and she can keep you up to date from now on. It has been a joy and an honor to accompany Doug and Jill on this journey and to be there when they met their boys. Though I have not developed any great love for this place, I will never forget China.
-Graham (Jax and Sawyer's favorite Uncle)
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