Passport and SOS clinic

Today was a big day. After breakfast, we went shopping in the silk district with the other two families. We got Gianna two traditional Vietnamese outfits and some souvenirs for people back home. We bought a hat with the Vietnam flag on it for one person and Dan put it on Gianna's head. Apparently she thought this meant the hat was for her. Later in the morning when Dan had to leave to pick up her passport, she threw her usual "I want bố!" tantrum in which she was yelling "Vietnam! Vietnam!" and pointing to the hat. She put the hat on and continued the tantrum until Dan came back ;-) Sometimes she yells at me in very clear Vietnamese (although she never speaks when she's content). Its funny to watch because she's very frustrated that I somehow don't understand her demands that she wants to see bố now! And maybe if she speaks more clearly, I will take her to bố as she insists.

Her passport was ready this morning, so we took her to the SOS International Clinic for a doctor's check-up this afternoon. The French doctor was very nice; he reminded me of my French boss at work. He said sure, she's shy and withdrawn now, but he can see there's a little monster lurking inside that will come out once we get to America. Hahaha, yeah we have already met that little monster inside!! Everything checked out fine; they will send her sealed medical file with their decision to the US Embassy. When we got back to the hotel, they were cleaning our room so we hung out in the downstairs bar drinking Tiger beer. I tried to feed Gianna cookies and candy as a way to win her over and reward her for being a good girl at the clinic. She would take the candy and feed it to bố. But, in an unusual turn of events, she began feeding me the chocolates! She wouldn't eat any herself, just wanted to feed the two of us. It was as if she was saying "you guys have given me so much, here's a little something in return". She emptied the entire bag; we weren't about to tell her to stop when she was opening up like this and having such a good time.

Since the passports were ready and she passed the medical exam without issue, we are all set for our visa interview at the US Embassy on Wednesday. Assuming we pass the interview, they will either issue her visa on the spot or we will pick it up Thursday morning. This means we should be returning to the States on Friday as planned. I can't believe we only have a few more days here in Hanoi! The time has really flown by and I worry about her next transition to her new home in the US. Will we lose all this progress we've been making this past week? How will she react to the plane ride and the totally different sights and smells of New Jersey? We'll be ordering Vietnamese take out for a very long time.

Oh, I should mention, the loaner computer that Dan's work gave him has been crapping out. This might be the last time it starts up, who knows! (I wonder if the ants have anything to do with this...) He changed the battery and got it to work for now. So, if it blows, I can still make text updates using my ipod, but no more photo posting until we get back :-( Check out the latest pics from yesterday and today here.