UPDATE 5: New people / new places

Elena is still uncomfortable when she goes places that are big or loud or have too many people.  We're slowly getting her accustomed to visiting other places, but it takes some time.

Remember that she's used to a relatively quiet, predictable, and regimented life in an orphanage.  Doing different things or going different places--something we take for granted--is something that's a new experience for her.

In small doses, though, she's OK.  I've brought her shopping a number of times, and she's usually pretty good about that.  She likes riding in the cart, and I think rolling down aisles while facing me makes even a large grocery or department store seem smaller, because she can concentrate on a small space.

We just brought her on her first restaurant trip (not counting supper in the DC airport seven hours past her bedtime).  Not a restaurant-restaurant, but a fast-food-restaurant.  The Wendy's in Hamtramck, to be precise.  Elena was mostly OK, but the large and bright dining room (it was sunny outside) was clearly overstimulating, even though there were only a handful of people inside.  It didn't help that the women in front of us, although nice enough, seemed not to grasp the "fast" part of "fast food," and spent a full 7-8 minutes clarifying various menu options.  Elena took a little walk, though, and was pretty good once we sat down.  She got gradually more and more antsy, so we cut the visit a little short, but she did make credible headway into her chicken nuggets and fries, so I think that counts as a success.

Large numbers of people are still overwhelming, though.  We attended a small Thanksgiving gathering at Auntie Mary's house, and Elena kept out of the way and stayed with just two or three people the whoe time--seeing all eight or nine people was a little much.  Contrariwise, we went to a friend's house, and eight or nine people gathered in the kitched was instantly way too much--too many people, all talking, in a small place.  There, we spent some time outside and left soon after.

We just spent dinnertime yesterday at Auntie Val's house (with cousin Helen).  This was the second visit there.  The first time, it took Elena a half hour or so to feel comfortable (she actually kept her coat on for a while, I assume so that she could make a dash for it if need be).  This time it took only about 30 seconds, due in part to Helen's new tramopline, which Elena thought was wonderful.  She's now asking when we can go back.