Have Questions??

Do you have any questions about Katie, or adoption, or China? Please feel free to ask them, and I'll answer! If you can't get on here to ask, you can email me (Katie's mom) at stevepatg@aol.com.

Getting Closer!

Mr. G. is getting closer to traveling to China! Some friends of ours will be going to Katie's orphanage in a few weeks to pick up their 9 year old daughter. When they are there, they will post updates on their blog. If we learn anything new about Katie or where she lives, we'll write it here! They hope to visit the orphanage, and if the timing is right, Katie might be there for lunch. (She rides her bike back to the orphanage at lunchtime, and then goes back to school in the afternoon.)

A lot of work goes into preparing for a new family member! We have Katie's room ready (she'll be sharing with sister Anna), and have some clothes hanging in her closet. We have some things ready to take to China. My school (Candor Elementary)took up a collection of mittens, hats, and gloves for the children in the orphanage. We have small gifts for the nannies who have taken care of Katie. (In China, it is common to give gifts to people to say "thank you".) This weekend, we will start practicing some things to say in Mandarin. We did this when Leah came home three years ago, but we have forgotten a lot.

Last week we sent Katie a letter, and included two pictures of her new school! That way, she'll know what the classrooms look like when she arrives.

Everyone in our house is very excited to meet Katie! It won't be long now!

Pictures of Katie when she was younger!

Chinese Language

Pinyin is a phonetic form of the Chinese language, otherwise known as Simplified Chinese. Children in school in China learn traditional Chinese right along with Pinyin.

Here are a few of the sounds:

a= ah
e= uh
i=ee
o=aw
u=oo
ai=aye
ei=ay
ou=oh
uo=(oo-aw)
uei=way

In Case You've Just Joined Us...

If you have just joined this blog, you might want to read the older posts first to learn more about Katie. If you want to start here, let me give you a quick description of this blog and why it's here.

I am Katie's mom, and I've created this blog especially for kids and their teachers. Katie is 13 years old and lives in China. Our family lives in New York state, and we are in the process of adopting her. Katie is going to have to get used to a lot of new things here in the United States--a new language, different foods, a new culture, and learning how to live in a family. Katie also was born with a hand difference--she has missing fingers on one hand.

My posts are written with kids in mind, so if you have questions, feel free to ask. Very soon, Katie's dad will be traveling to China to bring her home. You can look here for updates!

Good Websites for Teachers

Lots of good information and resources here for English Language Learners and internationally adopted older students:

http://www.colorincolorado.org/

http://www.adoptionarticlesdirectory.com/Article/Dealing-with-cultural-differences-of-an-internationally-adopted-child/1377

This post was written by Anna, my 9 year old daughter.

"Kids sometimes ask me questions about being from another country.

Most kids think that I am Chinese or Japanese. I tell them that I am Korean. I was born in South Korea on December 8, 1998. When I was 4 months old, I flew on an airplane from Seoul to Philadelphia. A lady took care of me while I traveled here. On April 22, 1999, Dad and Mom met me at the airport for the first time!

Every April 22nd, we celebrate Airplane Day at our house. We eat Korean food and have a cake. I get a couple of small presents, sometimes they are from Korea.

For the past two years, we have gone to Korean Culture camp in Albany (at Russell Sage College) for a week in the summer. When we are there, we eat Korean food, learn to write some words in Korean, Taekwondo, Korean drumming, and singing. Most of the kids there have been adopted from Korea, but their brothers and sisters go to camp too! It is a lot of fun!"

Photos from China

Would you like to see our photos of China from our adoption of Leah?

http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/stevepatg/Photos%20from%20China/

These were taken in Beijing, Wuhan (Hubei Province), and Guangzhou in January 2005.
Enjoy!

Katie the Student...

Here's what the nannies and teachers have reported about Katie's school habits and life:

Katie has lived in the orphanage since she was pretty young. As a preschooler, she liked to listen to music and was a bit timid. She was always polite and a good listener.

Katie (Chao Yan) studies very hard. She is a good student who respects the teachers and is ready to help other children. She is very protective of the younger children and used to assist them getting to and from the bus stop in previous school years. She is very independent and washes her own clothes and shoes. She makes her bed and cleans her room very well. (Oh, I LOVE THAT!) She often helps caregivers with taking care of other children. And she has been asking for a family for years.

In another report, she is described as polite and humble. She is outgoing, active, hardworking, sensible, and enjoys music, books and basketball. She has never been late to classes, and she likes to attend school even when she feels sick. She gets along well with other students and follows school discipline. Katie pays full attention in class, takes notes, and studies hard.

In addition to her required assignments, Katie also reads additional materials on literature and history. She does not enjoy science that much. Sometimes she does not ask questions when she has difficulties with her studies.Katie is mostly independent on everything except for cooking.

(Now get out the Kleenex...) The last bit of her report states: "This child is content with very little. She has this saying: 'I have food to keep me from hunger. I have clothes to keep me warm. That's all I need.'"

Sound like a kid you'd like to teach? (Me Too!)

Everyone Needs Good Friends!

Everyone needs and deserves good friends. People who stand up for you, who encourage you, and who cheer you on when times are tough.

Katie will need good friends when she first arrives. She may be quite overwhelmed with the new language, new family, new school, new foods, sights, sounds, smells....everything! Her mannerisms may be different...the way she holds a fork, or says hello, or walks down the hall. Changes will eventually come, when she is ready and able to make them. For now, please enjoy her for who she is, and get to know this wonderful new student at your school! We feel fortunate that there are so many kind kids here, and we know she will do well.

Eating in China

Foods are different all over the world. Here in the United States, Chinese restaurants are easy to find. However, many of them serve Americanized foods. In China, much of what is eaten is different than what we see here.

Some of the foods that are eaten may seem strange to you. They are not things we are used to eating here! However, if you take a good look at our food labels, you will see that we eat some pretty unusual things too!

Katie will probably want a lot of traditional foods when she is first home. Soups are eaten a lot in China, and rice or noodles is part of almost every meal. Food is also a great comfort, especially when you are in a new or unfamiliar environment. Katie might want to eat "comfort foods" from China when she is first home. Mr. G. loves to cook (and he's GOOD at it!), so don't be surprised if you see a few new things coming in with her for lunch! Eventually and when she's ready, she will try our foods.

Links from other adoptive families

A few adoptive families have given me permission to share their links to their blogs. (Teachers, content is most likely fine but you may want to review first before giving students free reign.) I'll keep adding links here as people share them with me. Sometimes it's fun to read how others have built their families!

www.ouradoptionblessings.com
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/micahquirie

Chinese Customs and Cultural Differences

If you want to read the detailed version, go here: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/china-country-profile.html

Here are some interesting things about Chinese customs:

*In Chinese culture, it is very important to not lose 'face', or honor. People will endure major punishments before apologizing, as to do so would be to lose honor. Sometimes, younger children will smile in response to a reprimand. This is sometimes a response to avoid losing face or because they don't want to disappoint an elder.

*There is a high respect for elders, whether they be parents, teachers, or senior citizens. The younger generation has an obligation to respect the older ones.

*Because the Chinese society emphasizes the need for group affiliation, they will not publicly embarrass another individual. This is often observed by the use of silence in very structured meetings. If someone disagrees with what another person says, rather than disagree publicly, the person will remain quiet. This gives face to the other person, while speaking up would make both parties lose face.

Non-Verbal Communication

. The Chinese' Non-verbal communication speaks volumes.
. Since the Chinese strive for harmony and are group dependent, they rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels.
. Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a sign of disagreement. Therefore, most Chinese maintain an impassive expression when speaking.
. It is considered disrespectful to stare into another person's eyes. In crowded situations the Chinese avoid eye contact to give themselves privacy.


Chinese Etiquette and Customs
Meeting Etiquette

. Greetings are formal and the oldest person is always greeted first.
. Handshakes are the most common form of greeting with foreigners.
. Many Chinese will look towards the ground when greeting someone.
. The Chinese have a terrific sense of humor. They can laugh at themselves most readily if they have a comfortable relationship with the other person. Be ready to laugh at yourself given the proper circumstances.

Gift Giving Etiquette

. In general, gifts are given at Chinese New Year, weddings, births and more recently (because of marketing), birthdays.
. The Chinese like food and a nice food basket will make a great gift.
. Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they indicate the severing of the relationship.
. Do not give clocks, handkerchiefs or straw sandals as they are associated with funerals and death.
. Do not give flowers, as many Chinese associate these with funerals (hmmm...and these are given on National Teachers Day....).
. Do not wrap gifts in white, blue or black paper.
. Four is an unlucky number so do not give four of anything. Eight is the luckiest number, so giving eight of something brings luck to the recipient.
. Always present gifts with two hands.
. Gifts are not opened when received.
. Gifts may be refused three times before they are accepted.

Dining Etiquette

. The Chinese prefer to entertain in public places rather than in their homes, especially when entertaining foreigners.
. If you are invited to their house, consider it a great honour. If you must turn down such an honour, it is considered polite to explain the conflict in your schedule so that your actions are not taken as a slight.
. Arrive on time.
. Remove your shoes before entering the house.
. Bring a small gift to the hostess.
. Eat well to demonstrate that you are enjoying the food!
Table manners:
. Learn to use chopsticks.
. Wait to be told where to sit. The guest of honour will be given a seat facing the door.
. The host begins eating first.
. You should try everything that is offered to you.
. Never eat the last piece from the serving tray.
. Be observant to other peoples' needs.
. Chopsticks should be returned to the chopstick rest after every few bites and when you drink or stop to speak.
. The host offers the first toast.
. Do not put bones in your bowl. Place them on the table or in a special bowl for that purpose.
. Hold the rice bowl close to your mouth while eating.
. Do not be offended if a Chinese person makes slurping or belching sounds; it merely indicates that they are enjoying their food.
. There are no strict rules about finishing all the food in your bowl.

Language Info for Teachers

More brain power needed for Mandarin than English
July 1 2003


Mandarin speakers use more areas of their brains than people who speak English, scientists said, in a finding that provides new insight into how the brain processes language.

Unlike English speakers, who use one side of their brain to understand the language, scientists at the Wellcome Trust research charity in Britain discovered that, in Mandarin, both sides of the brain are used to interpret variations in sounds.

"We were very surprised to discover that people who speak different sorts of languages use their brains to decode speech in different ways; it overturned some long-held theories," said Sophie Scott, a psychologist at the charity.

Using brain scans on volunteers, Dr Scott discovered that different areas of the brain are used to interpret words and intonation.

The left temporal lobe of the brain is active when English speakers hear the language but Mandarin speakers use the left and right lobe, which is normally used to process melody in music and speech.

Intonation is important in Mandarin because it gives different meanings to the same word. The word "ma" for example can mean mother, scold, horse or hemp, depending on the tone.

"We think Mandarin speakers interpret intonation and melody in the right temporal lobe to give the correct meaning to the spoken word," Dr Scott said in a statement.

She believes the research could provide insights into what happens when people are forced to relearn speech comprehension following a stroke.

"It seems that the structure of the language you learn as a child affects how the structure of your brain develops to decode speech. Native English speakers, for example, find it extraordinarily difficult to learn Mandarin," Dr Scott said.

The findings will be presented at a science exhibition this week at the Royal Society, Britain's academy of leading scientists, in London.

Reuters

How in the world will she learn to speak English? Tips for kids and teachers.

Good question! It has to be incredibly hard to learn a new language after 13 years!

In the past few years, researchers have been looking at how older children who are adopted learn to speak their new language. Most of the time, when people move to America and have to learn English, the entire family speaks a different language. But with children adopted from other countries, lots of times all they hear is English. Whether they are at home or at school, all they hear is English.

We are just beginning to figure out how kids learn a new language when they no longer hear their old one every day. In some ways it is harder for them, because they can't go home and talk with anyone like they used to. Everything takes so much work! On the other hand, they learn faster because they hear English all the time.

Here is what we know sometimes happens when someone is just trying to learn English, and they are not using their first language in their new home:

*They get tired out quickly! It is a LOT of work to concentrate on the words and the meaning. (You can help Katie with this by speaking slowly and clearly. Repeat what you said, or even explain something two different ways. Use pictures to help explain whenever you can.)

*Sometimes people learning a new language will pretend they understand when they really don't. They don't want to appear dumb, so they pretend they understood you. Put yourself in their shoes, and you'll have an idea of how it must feel.

*When someone is first learning the sounds of the letters and the words, they sometimes are very hard to understand. They need to practice awhile and then they will be easier to understand. You can help by being patient with them, and please don't laugh when they make mistakes. They are trying hard to say it right!

*Sometimes a new English learner will say one word when they mean another. It can be a little funny sometimes! If this happens, make sure the person knows that you are not laughing AT them. Help them to use the right word.

*Early research is showing that there is a short period of time where a child loses his native language but still hasn't acquired enough English to be "solid" in either. This will pass!

*People usually understand what people are saying before they can speak it back.

*You can help an English language learner understand by using pictures, maps, and visual supports as much as possible.

*Katie will have a little "translator" with her. It looks like a large calculator, and she or the teacher will be able to type things into it in English or Mandarin. It will translate to the other language, so that everyone can communicate.

*People learn conversational English pretty quickly; the academic language takes years to develop.



Teachers, here are some resources just for you:

http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/pigs/pig19.htm (excellent article!)

http://www.everythingesl.net

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/ (good upper grade resource; may be too hard for Katie for awhile though. These might also be good with other kids struggling with language processing issues.)


http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~lds/adoption/Snedeker_Geren_Shafto_2007.pdf

Katie's Writing...

This is a letter that Katie wrote to us in December. I'm told by a local Chinese friend that her writing is very beautiful!

Here is the translation for the letter:

"Hello Dear Dad and Mom,

I want to have a home. Thank you for giving me a home. I'm so happy! Finally, I have a dad, mom and sisters and brothers! I hope you will come to China to pick me up very soon and I can get together with you. I love you and I miss you very much. I am studying for first grade at nearby Wantou Middle School. I hope to go to America very soon and adapt to their study and life situation.

Love you,

Yang Chao Yan"
(The translation of 'first grade' really means she's in her first year of middle school.)

This is such a precious letter to us!

Thanks to the owners of Kam Fung restaurant who are nice enough to translate for us, we have been able to write back to Katie. :-)

(Teachers, for more info on Simplified Chinese, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin )

Katie's Native Language and Chinese Name

(This is a photo of Katie taken in December 2007. She had written us the letter in the picture that one of the nannies is holding.)

In China, most people speak a language called Mandarin. Cantonese is also popular in some parts of China, and many areas have their own specific dialects.

Katie speaks Mandarin. We don't know yet if she has a certain dialect, but even if she does, she will understand Mandarin. She has started taking English this year in school, but we don't know how much she has learned.

Katie's Chinese name is Chao Yan ("Chow Yen"), which means outstandingly good, colorful and beautiful.

School Culture in China

What is "school culture"? It's what makes your school feel special and unique. It's the feeling you get when you walk into the building, and the stories those four walls could tell if only they could talk. School culture includes things like celebrations, shared sayings or stories, how you are rewarded for your efforts, behaviors, and rituals.

Every school has its own culture. If we look at a larger picture of schools in each country, we could say that each country has its own special school culture. China has her own unique school culture, too.

Because I haven't met Katie yet, I can't tell you for sure exactly what her school culture is like. I can, however, tell you some differences that might be in Chinese schools compared to here. Some of these things may seem a bit weird to you because they are different from what you experience in your school. Keep in mind that "our ways" here in the United States seem every bit as strange to someone from another place.

These are also "generalizations", meaning that they likely don't happen in every single school in China. They are common practices in some areas, though.

Here you go...

*When a teacher enters the room, the students stand in respect.
*When a child answers a question, he or she stands first before speaking.
*It is often considered disrespectful to a teacher to say that you don't understand something. Saying this in China is interpreted to mean that you are telling the teacher that she is not doing a good job of explaining the lesson. It is far better to say, "Yes, I understand," and remain confused than to admit that you don't "get it". When a child has difficulty getting a lesson, most often it is considered to be the fault of the child, not the teacher.

*Teachers are held in very high regard. On National Teachers Day, educators are presented with flowers by their students. In some schools, students bow to their teachers on the way into the building.

*School schedules run similar to ours throughout the year, only with less days off. Chinese New Year is the big holiday in January or February, with school children getting several days off in a row.
*Some children celebrate a (secular) Christmas, but with much less fanfare than here in the United States.

*Children have to study hard to get into good high schools. They don't necessarily go to the high school that is closest to their home. The harder they study, the better their chances of going to a good school or on to college. Parents also have to pay for high school (orphanage children usually go on donations). When it's time to sign kids up for high schools, parents will stand in line for days (yes, DAYS) to get their child into a good program. Because of this, school is generally taken very seriously. (There are good things and bad things about this level of stress on the kids, as you can imagine.)

*Here in the United States, we often tell kids what a good job they are doing, and focus on their successes. Often teachers are more critical in China, pointing out to the children what they can do better.
*In China, emphasis is on the good of the society as a whole, and not individuals. People are not as concerned with individual rights; it is more about what is best for the group.

*Noodles or rice are common and served at almost every meal. Children who eat at school usually travel there with their own chopsticks or spoon. Soups are most commonly served, especially at dinnertime for the older kids. Milk is served at room temperature or warm, not cold like we drink it here.

*School instruction is generally quite traditional, with the teacher in the room lecturing to a class of 40-50 kids. This is changing in some areas, however.
*Kids usually don't switch classes! The TEACHERS move from class to class while the students stay in the same room all day. Often kids in older grades are seated at a double desk with a learning partner. They may keep the same partner for years, and (hopefully) they become good friends.

*Sometimes math is taught in a different sequence in China. Kids learn addition, multiplication, and division before they learn subtraction. Emphasis is more on rote learning than critical thinking and creativity with some subjects.

*Children do take English lessons; often they start in 7th grade.
*Children learn both Mandarin and pinyin at the same time. Pinyin (also called Simplified Chinese) is phonetic and is often taught alongside traditional Mandarin to help kids learn the language. Here is a good explanation of pinyin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin

SCHOOL IN CHINA

Katie goes to Wantou Middle School in Yangzhou. While I don't have a schedule for her particular school, I have found a neighboring school that runs similar to hers.

The next time you think you have it rough, think of Katie! Here is what her day probably looks like. (We know she rides her bike for sure; the school schedule is our best estimate). If you'd like to read more about Yangzhou and Americans teaching in China, check out this blog: http://cms.westport.k12.ct.us/cmslmc/mystuff/China/intro.htm . (Teachers, you might want to look at the teaching schedule on this site. It's not half bad!)

A Day in the Life of Katie:

All 2600 students follow this demanding schedule from Monday to Friday! On Saturdays, they only have to attend school from 7:30 until 11:30 AM!

7:00
Arrive at school by bicycle- both students and teachers! Katie rides 2 miles to school, in all kinds of weather.

7:20 – 7:40
Self study period

7:40 – 8:00
Morning exercises on the rear field

8:00 – 8:45
1st period

8:55 – 9:40
2nd period

9:40 – 9:45
Eye exercises (music is played and the students have to massage their eyes!)

9:55 – 10:40
3rd period

10:50 – 11:35
4th period

11:35 – 2:30
Students can go home or anywhere they want. Some stay on campus to eat. Katie rides her bike back to the orphanage for lunch, and then returns to school. (Another 4 miles of riding.)

2:30 – 3:15
5th period

3:25 – 4:10
6th period

4:10 – 4:15
Eye exercises

4:25 – 5:10
7th period

5:20 – 6:05
8th period

6:05 – 6:30
Dinner in the classroom – brought by selected students from the dining hall

6:30 – 8:30
Self study

Katie rides her bike back to the orphanage. That's 8 miles a day on the bike, six days a week, folks. (She may be able to leave by 6:30 though, as she is one of the younger students at the middle school level.)

From what we can gather, she sleeps in a room with many other younger children. She looks tired in some of the pictures we've gotten--I think I know why!

Wow...I'm ready for a nap just thinking about this!

So What is Katie's Life Like?

Katie is just like you in many ways. However, because she grew up in another country, many of the things she has experienced are different from your life. I'm going to break her life down into a few topics so that you can get an idea of what just what I mean.

It might be fun and interesting to compare your life to hers. What things are the same? What's different?

Here are the topics I'll discuss in the next several posts:

SCHOOL

LANGUAGE

CUSTOMS

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

What's COOL about Yangzhou?

Check out these beautiful pictures of Yangzhou!

http://www.panoramio.com/user/169705/tags/Yangzhou%20China%20%E6%89%AC%E5%B7%9E

So What's the Weather Like in Yangzhou?

Yangzhou features a humid climate being in the subtropical zone, and its annual average temperature is 59 degrees F. In July, the average temperature is 82°F. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 35°F.

The annual average precipitation is 1,030 mm, and about 45 percent of rainfall is concentrated in the summer. The rainy season known as "plum rain season" usually lasts from mid-June to late July. During this season, the plums are ripening, hence the name plum rain.

Where does Katie live and how will she get here?

Katie lives in Jiangsu Province, on the east coast just above Shanghai. (Leah lived in Hubei Province, just west of there.)

When Mr. G. travels to China to get her, he will fly from Binghamton to another US city, then to Beijing. That will take anywhere from 17-26 hours, depending on what flight he can get! Once he's in Beijing, he'll fly south to Jiangsu Province (Nanjing), and will get Katie the next day. They have to stay in Katie's Province for at least five days as part of the adoption requirements. At that time, he will complete a lot of paperwork, visit the orphanage with her, and shop for clothes for her.

Then both Katie and Mr. G. will fly south to Guangdong Province. This is where many of the government offices are located and the adoptions are finalized. He also needs to be here for several days. Once that is done, they both will fly back to Beijing. There they will see the Great Wall and Tianemen Square. Finally, they will board the plane and fly on back to Binghamton!

Where do kids live before they are adopted?

(You can see Katie in the blue coat on the right. She is at the orphanage celebrating a friend's birthday. Many of these children have already been adopted and live in the United States. Katie will be able to stay in touch with them! Notice they all have their coats on. There is no heat in their orphanage and it is cold inside. But the kids still have good food, fun, and friendship!)

This question has a few different answers!

Some kids go right home from the hospital with their adoptive family. Others may live with the family they were born into for awhile. Still others live with a family who temporarily cares for them until they are adopted. These families are called foster families.

In some countries, children who are waiting to be adopted live in orphanages. This is where many kids live in a big building with many nannies. Imagine if your school was turned into a place where you ate, slept, and played all the time! This is kind of what an orphanage looks like. The children usually leave the orphanage to go to school.

Life in an orphanage is very different from your life. Children often have to share almost everything, including all of the toys and many of the clothes. The kids usually have a pretty strict schedule for when to get up, eat their meals, and go to bed. Some orphanages don't have heat in the winter, so kids must wear coats and layers when it is cold. Lots of times the older kids in the orphanage help take care of the younger kids.

Sometimes you might hear stories about orphanages that don't take good care of children, and this is sad. Most of the time, the nannies at the orphanages work hard to give the children the best care that they can. They love the children and want them to grow up healthy.

Not all kids get adopted, and some live in orphanages or foster care until they are adults.

If you would like to see a video of Katie's orphanage, please cut and past this URL into your browser: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/visit-to-yangzhou-orphanage/3779725629 . (If this doesn't work, go to YouTube and type in Yangzhou Orphanage, and it will come up.)

What is Adoption?

What is Adoption?

Adoption is a special way of adding a child to a family. Sometimes when children are first born, or even when they are older, they are not able to live with the family that they were born into. This can happen for many different reasons.

Sometimes the person who gave birth to the baby does not feel she can do a good job of being a mom, so she makes an adoption plan to find her child a family who can do a good job. In some places, it is very hard for families to find medical care for their babies, or they are poor and may not have enough food for a child. There are many reasons why someone might need an adoptive family. Sometimes it seems pretty complicated! Every adopted child has his or her own special story. Some kids like to talk about their story, and others like to keep it private.

Maybe you were adopted and have your very own adoption story. Or maybe you weren't adopted and have a unique story about your birth. Either way they arrive into a family, kids are just like presents. There is always something special and nice inside!

A Little Background: Meet Our Family

Many of you know our family, but in case you don't, here we are! Katie will be our fifth child, and she will also be the oldest child in our family. Here you can see Mr. G. and I, along with David (13), Justin (11), Anna (9), and Leah(7).

Families are formed in many different ways. In our family, children arrived to us through both birth and through adoption. This was exactly how we wanted to build our family, so we are very happy about that!

David and Justin were born to me, and Anna was adopted from Seoul, South Korea when she was a baby. (See video of Seoul here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D1to2w_pZk ). Leah was adopted from Hubei Province, China, when she was almost 5 years old. (See video of Wuhan-the closest city to the countryside where Leah lived here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2XfN-4hJH0 and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CyiiNzPtRY .) Katie is coming from Jiangsu Province, China. We think she will be arriving home in March, and Mr. G. is traveling to China to get her!

Welcome to our blog! We are in the process of adopting our new 13 year old daughter from Yangzhou, China. (Click on this link to see a video of Yangzhou: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiWxudHOITI .) Her name is Kathryn Lucille Chao Yan, "Katie" for short.
This blog is a little different than most, in that it is being created solely with children in mind. We would like Katie's classmates to be able to follow along on our journey to adopt her. Everything here will be appropriate to share in the classroom and kid-friendly. Hopefully once our journey is complete, other teachers can use this to introduce topics such as adoption, physical differences, language differences, and cultures into their classroom. Some of my posts will take you on our journey for Katie, while others will explore related topics in a more general way.

NOTE: I HAVE INCLUDED LINKS TO YOU TUBE. THESE HAVE BEEN PREVIEWED, BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF MONITORING THE PERIPHERAL THINGS THAT COME UP. IF YOU OPT TO HAVE KIDS USE THE LINKS, PLEASE MONITOR TO BE SURE THEY DON'T NAVIGATE ELSEWHERE.

Along the way, if you or your students have questions, please feel free to ask! Thanks--we hope you enjoy your time with us!