Everyone agrees that interacting with kids at the orphanages is very heartwarming but also extremely emotional. The reality of living in a chinese orphanage, even a good one, has many drawbacks. It was wonderful to learn that some of the children we examined have been adopted and their parents are just waiting for travel approval. But there are so many who remain and I suspect will always live there until they can be relocated at an adult facility when they are old enough. Our volunteers shared tears together more than once. Having a daughter who spent her first year in a social welfare institute in this country of so many millions of people makes me acutely aware of how lucky I am. That being said, it is always a good thing to end our volunteer trips with an afternoon in the countryside and this year we chose a mountainside in the Lanxi area with a cable car and a giant golden Buddha. I am posting this entry from the airport hotel in Shanghai as we will board the plane in one hour to head home. Stay tuned to the blog as others would like to post memories and more photos from the trip. Jane

link to RTC 2009 photo album