The USA is about to get a new citizen!

Wednesday, July 6th

Today was the day that we have all been waiting for. The entire trip is based around the appointment at the US Consulate for Cameron’s visa interview to be allowed to immigrate to the United States of America. I really wish we were allowed to bring our cameras into the Consulate because when all the parents of the 12 families whose appointment was at 8:30 this morning stood up and raised our right hands to take the oath, Cameron looked around and raised his hand too. It was pretty darn adorable.

Other than that cute moment, the rest of the morning was a bit anticlimactic. I wasn’t expecting the US Consulate to simply be one of many offices in a huge building that looked like it mostly held travel agencies. It was hot. The lines for people trying to get their visas were unbelievably long. Those people would be waiting for hours for their turn. I was so thankful there was a separate section for adoptive families. I was hoping for a huge American flag, perhaps the Star Spangled Banner playing in the background. Nothing. The website has an adorable Chinese girl wearing a silk outfit holding a panda bear stuffed animal in front of an American flag. That was not my day.

Cameron has had enough of these appointments and long lines and forever bus rides. He was very whiney the entire time. My interview was a bit of a challenge and I felt like I was talking to a bank teller. I had Cameron shoved on top of the counter and was pumping him with M&Ms so he would stop crying and I could hear the questions. Fortunately, my interview was as quick as he could make it and he showed me great mercy.

One thing that is told to us over and over again before leaving for China is to CHECK EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT in your child’s province. Every single thing has to be exactly right and every “t” has to be crossed and every “i” has to be dotted. No errors whatsoever or you might need to go back to the province to correct the mistake! My guide was a bit challenging to deal with in Xi’an. She was experienced and not interested in anything that I questioned her on. On adoption day, you are given information to look over that goes into what is called “the red book.” This is very official and contains all of our family’s official adoption paperwork. Cameron’s name was spelled wrong and I immediately told her about it which they corrected. Additionally, I mentioned that his middle name was not listed. The guide, Sherry, said that’s not a big deal. Some people’s red books only have the name in Chinese written because it’s like a souvenir. I basically said I preferred to have his entire name in English on the paperwork, and she basically told me no. At the end of your time in your province, you are asked to review all the paperwork from the notary. I again brought up that his middle name was not on the paperwork which she reiterated was not a problem.

What happens when I have my visa interview, I am questioned because Cameron’s name on my visa application (which includes his middle name) which was done months ago does not match what is in his red book from his province. GRRRRRRRRRR!!! I was steaming mad. He told me not to worry about it and he crossed out Cameron’s middle name on his visa application with my permission. At that point I was like do whatever you need to do to get me out of China and back to the US with my son. The wallflower that I am, I left the visa appointment and called my former guide in Xi’an while I was on the bus waiting for the other families to finish their interviews. I “told” her about my interview and that she needs to stop blowing things off all the time and that the information written in the red book must match the visa application exactly, so she needs to get her act together for other families. They might not have as easy of an interviewer that I did who was willing to change my application for me. This kind-of stuff drives me absolutely insane.

It was a long bus ride back to the White Swan and Cameron was having a full-blown meltdown as we sat in traffic. I basically told the bus he was just like his father in Boston traffic which got a few chuckles out of the rest of the families who were holding their sweet and sleeping infant daughters. One grandmother commented “wow, he seems like he is ‘all boy’ “ as he was hanging upside down from the curtains on the window used to block out the sun on the bus. Gee, ya think! I really wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone, especially people who had a team of husband, wife and grandmother and I have been doing this completely solo. I basically said a prayer thanking God that I have been doing this trip solo and not part of a travel group because I could tell that people’s comments and behaviors would really get to me after awhile. I only have so much patience and right now it is focused on dealing with being in a foreign country adopting a 2 year old. A very handsome 2 year old, I might add. Here’s the famous “red couch picture” at the White Swan that I am sure you have been waiting for! :-)