We are on our hopefully last train on this trip the Shinkansen bullet train from Fukushima Japan to Tokyo. Pardon how little we have posted the last few days. We have not had accessible wifi in Japan. Our time in Fukushima was very nice. The people in Fukushima and in the region are working hard …

Continue reading “Japan, family, the earthquake, and traveling home”

Japan is not China. I guess we all knew that but it didn’t hit me as hard as the last couple days. Certainly there are similarities and both are incredible cultures and people’s but if one goes into one expecting the other, one will be in for a rude awakening. Still we loved China and …

Continue reading “Japan is not China and meeting new family”

Today was the last day of the ISI conference in Hong Kong. This time together was very sweet for us. To be able to share with friends who have a passion and love for the same things, for the same people, it was as if we were suddenly put in the presence of over 200 …

Continue reading “Leaving Hong Kong for Japan and a grieving brother”

Since arriving in Southern China, our trip has been a whirlwind. We met in Guangzhou with the first Chinese student that we were friendship partners with Jack with his friend Phillip. Jack has a daughter the same age as our little girl and they were friends when he was a student at UTA in 2005. …

Continue reading “Southern China & Hong Kong”

I am sitting in the front of a projectile moving nearly 340 km per hour. We are sitting in in China’s newest class of high speed train jetting away from Wuhan on the way to the southern city of Guangzhou. Because of trains such as these, what used to take 19 hours takes only 5 …

Continue reading “Speeding through China”

Today was a very special day for our little girl. Today is the day we went to visit the orphanage where she spent the first year of her life. In addition, with the help of our special guide, Cherry and our driver, we were able to find the place where Charis was found abandoned bundled …

Continue reading “A Special Day for Our Little Girl”

Hi all. I just wanted to let you all know that we are posting ALL our pictures from the trip on our flikr account. You can access it at http://flic.kr/s/aHsjv1EDZL .

We arrived from Beijing in Hefei and were greeted by our guide Cherry.  We set up to have a private driver and guide for the time in Anhui as we didn’t know that many people and we needed some specific information in terms of finding Charis’ orphanage and the place where she was originally found. …

Continue reading “Unexpected Tourists… Huge Sacrifice!”

As I write this, I lie in a sleeper train car from Beijing to Hefei, settling in for a 9 hour ride. At least we will be sleeping most of the way and so the trip should happen quickly. While Lisa and the kids have their own stateroom. I am sharing with three others. One …

Continue reading “Leaving Beijing and off to Anhui”

Last night we met with Catherine and her husband Vince for dinner. We know her from over 10 years ago when she was a graduate student at UTA. She has since written a book and hopes to do further study in the university. They are doing very well. She is very special for us because …

Continue reading “A Light day with some terrific friends in Beijing”