A visit to the Nanjing Deaf School

After our visit to the orphanage, we were able to visit the deaf school.  I believe that the couple that has taken Jian in, helped us to be able to go in and visit here.  We were told that it was being remodeled and that we would probably not be able to enter.  We were very thankful to be able to go in and ask some questions!

 

Jian has not been in school for the past year, so, he was very happy to see his friends again.  We were able to see several classes of students and they were all thrilled to see the American people.  They laughed at my pointy nose and wanted their pictures taken and to be on video, Jon was happy to oblige.  The younger children jumped up and down, laughing and clapping when they saw us.  Tanner walked right into all of the classrooms and informed them that he was in the 4th grade at Henderson Elementary School and he is a Henderson Hawk.   He was so excited to see all of the deaf kids and didn't realize or care that they signed a different language :)  We were able to tell the children (in Chinese sign language) that we were Jian's new mom and dad and he was moving to America.  He wanted to see the pictures of these friends over and over again this afternoon.

 

The pictures here are of Tanner and Jian outside of the deaf school and then several of the Jian and his friends.  We were able to speak to some of the administrators and ask for school records, we're not sure if we will receive them, but, were glad to have the opportunity to ask. 

 

Afterwards, the couple who took Jian in (his Chinese mom and dad), brought us to a nice restaurant for lunch.  It was not an easy lunch for me, but, I ate enough to show my appreciation :)  There is a picture of one of the meats that Jon ate and I did not try, duck tongue.  Jian enjoys it as well, but, will have to learn to live without it!   The lunch was a sort of fondue-like setting - boiling soup in a pot and you put in all kinds of different foods - lotus flower, tofu, skinny mushrooms, bok choy, and MUCH more.  You boiled those things, then take them out and eat them.  Then, came shrimp, lamb, chicken, more lamb, more shrimp (that is supposed to be eaten with the shell on), duck tongue, (so-called) meatballs, and more.  THEN, after all that, they said the main course was coming!  The noodles.  WE were informed it's a tradition to have noodles at the end of the meal because it's a reminder to keep in touch for a long time (like the long noodles), so, of course, we then had to eat noodles too!! 

 

Then, of course, the boys begged to swim again.   So, they swam for a while before we went back and rested, went to a grocery store for some food, ate dinner, and are now back and ready for bed!

 

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to some more sight-seeing!  Good night from China!