Gotcha Day

Today is the day we've been waiting for.  This morning we arrived to BSSK to the warmest possible welcome from Vishakha.  As soon as she saw us enter the gate, she came racing towards us.  With a huge smile, she wrapped her arms around my leg and said "Mommy!", then she hugged Phillip, then "Daddy!"  We spent the day there observing her routine, playing with the children, and eating lunch with the staff.  It was a truly amazing day.....then we left BSSK. 

Since our hotel is only a few blocks away, and their driver was on holiday today, we decided to walk to the hotel from BSSK.  Vishakha happily held our hands and walked for about 1/2 block, then I think she realized that she was not going back to the place she knew as home, and the people she knew.  She just stopped in the middle of the road.  Then she started sobbing uncontrollably. 

This lasted all the way back to the hotel, and for several more hours, with a few small breaks to catch some air.  She would not take off her backpack, and kept trying to escape, screaming the Marathi word for "no" over and over.  It was heart wrenching.  The hotel staff came and talked to her for a little while in Marathi, and that calmed her down, but only for a few minutes.  Ken finally decided to take her for a walk, and I think that did the trick.  When they came back she was much calmer, but still anxious to go out.

We decided that we'd all go out, as it was getting close to dinner time, and we needed a few things from the store. (such as a hairdryer, because of course mine broke this morning)  The more we walked, the more comfortable she became.  I think buying her chocolate and a Dora the Explorer watch while we were out might have helped too.  She quickly picked up on that and started pointing at every toy we walked by, like she wanted us to buy it for her.  Oh boy! 

After shopping, we had a nice dinner, then came back to the hotel.  She wasn't here 5 minutes, when she pointed toward the bedroom.  I tucked her in, and sang her a song, and she was asleep in about 2 minutes.  I breathe a sigh of relief as I head off to bed.  It's been an exhausting day, but a good one.