"Sightseeing"

We were told that today we would be visiting the countryside and a small village. So we hop in the van all excited about getting out of this city and seeing some of the lovely areas that we saw from the plane when we arrived on Sunday.

We leave the hotel, drive along the river a few miles, the cross over on a small bridge that is under construction. We drive through some narrow, dingy streets, not 5 miles from our hotel and then stop. "Everyone out" says our guide. We are nowhere near the countyside, we are in more of a slum neighborhood, although it is all relative because the city of Nanchang is very poor. Jiangxi province is one of the poorest in China and it's capital city, while very opulent by Jiangxi standards, is well below many of the other cities in China.

We walk along the dirt path past one roomed brick and concrete homes. Homes where the human residents share space with the chickens, pigs and rats (yep, saw all three types of beasties). The people who live in this "village" farm plots given to them by the Chinese government, then sell the produce in the city.

Kate was terrified. She shut down completely and clung to Phil as her carried her around while our guide described the sights that we were seeing. With her not speaking or understanding Mandarin there was no way to reassure her, no way to explain that we had left our lovely hotel to view the "sights" of this village and would then return. And this was the first outing that we've had with her where we loaded up her her book bag to bring snacks and activities since we thought we were going on a trip out to the countryside; one that might take several hours and she might want things to occupy her time in the van. She probably thought we had loaded up her bag to haul her off to her next dumping spot. I was just glad that I had tissue with me.

As we approached the van, Phil set her down and she hauled him to it. They were the first two back on. We're now back in the hotel room and she is a happy camper! Smiling and playing hide and seek with big brother. And she got him at his own game . . . lurking in the closet while he was in the bathroom! He came out, realized she wasn't in the room and just as he was getting out the words "where's Kate", she pounced!