2024
Highly Recommend the Korean Ties Heritage Tour
“The Korean Ties Heritage Tour 2024 met and exceeded all my expectations. From the extensive communication before the trip, to the guidance provided during the tour itself, I felt extremely well taken care of. Big props to the organizers for choosing the perfect blend of historical sites, shopping, varieties of food, live performances, and time to explore the natural wonders of the land. The balance of sight-seeing to personal time was also ideal. I especially looked forward to the Connect and Chat times, scheduled spaces for adult adoptees to discuss whatever feelings or thoughts came up on the deeply impactful journey. I felt a kinship right away with the adjunct staff who were our “go to people.” And no one could inform, engage and delight a bus full of KAD families like the incomparable Ms. May. She was supremely knowledgeable and downright hilarious. The visit to my birth city was much more meaningful thanks to a connection I made with a Korean Ties alum living in Korea with his birth family. I met the adoptee at a special dinner organized by the staff. He later invited me to his father’s restaurant which just happened to be in my birth city of Siheung. Since both of my birth parents are deceased, I can’t possibly put into words what it meant to me to have a place to go and someone to meet in a city where I otherwise knew no one. This relationship fostered by Korean Ties was invaluable. I am grateful to the Gift of Identity Fund, whose scholarship made the journey much more affordable. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Korean Ties Heritage Tour to any adoptee looking for an incredible homeland experience.”
Stacey Fargnoli, Adoptee
August 6, 2024
2019
Philippines Homeland Tour
“My 22-year-old son and I recently returned from our Homeland Tour to the Philippines. We worked with Bea Evans/ Adoptive Family Travel. Their individual family travel option was perfect for us. Bea Evans was readily available to help us quickly put our trip together as we had a narrow window of time and opportunity to make the trip. She assisted us in every detail including making all of our airline and hotel reservations and helping to arrange all the venues we were hoping to visit. Most importantly she arranged for us an incredible guide; a notable social worker in the Philippines with decades of experience in adoption and child welfare. Glady was with us from the moment we arrived in the Philippines until the moment we left eight days later. She made every effort to help my son feel special and important and to help make our hopes and dreams for our trip come true. We visited my son‘s birth place, the hospital where he was born and the orphanage that arranged his placement with us. We met with the director of that orphanage and the social worker that put together my son‘s case file and was there the day that we met him 22 years ago! We also visited many meaningful and beautiful sites as well as had many wonderful cultural experiences. It was a trip of a lifetime and everything my son and I hoped it would be. It would not have been possible without Bea and Adoptive Family Travel. I would highly recommend them for any family wishing to plan a homeland trip. Please feel free to contact me through Bea if you have any questions about traveling to the Philippines. Thank you, Sarah Sharp”
Sarah Sharp, Adoptive Parent
April 3, 2019
Korea Ties Fantastic Experience
“Our two young-adult children (adopted from South Korea as infants), my husband, and I returned home less than 2 weeks ago from a whirlwind trip to Seoul, Busan, and Jeju Island with the Korea Ties program. The journey exceeded our high expectations! We are so thankful to Pat and her kind, knowledgeable, funny staff and to the extraordinary guides and interpreters from Korea who enriched the trip and made adoption-related site visits possible. The visit enriched our family in at least three ways: through exposure to Korean sites and culture (food, markets, school, Taekwondo, palaces, natural wonders, baseball, etc.); by facilitating adoption connections we otherwise would not have made (which in our case included visits with birth family and drives to birth cities/clinics); and by enabling meaningful friendships among similar-age adoptees and among parents. It definitely was an advantage to be part of a fairly large group (108 adoptee/family participants), allowing for 3 tour buses divided by adoptee age groups -- encouraging adoptee connections with each other. The ability and flexibility of the staff to accommodate individual family schedule and travel needs (site visits, drivers, interpreters, etc.) without disrupting any parts of the group journey was remarkable. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but we know for sure that we will return to Korea on our own! Gamsahamnida, again, to all who made our family's trip so special.”
Louise Berner, Adoptive Parent
July 25, 2019
2018
Life Changing Experience - Highly Recommend Korean Ties Program
“It's difficult to explain just how incredible the life changing experience and trip to my mother land was by putting it into words. Adopted as a baby from South Korea, I grew up in WI surrounded by Caucasian people (i.e. my family and friends). I never had a strong desire to return to Korea until recently as an adult - mostly just out of curiosity and some interest in the culture. My (adoptive) mom and I toured four cities throughout South Korea in the 12 day trip with Korean Ties and had an amazing time experiencing the Korean culture. It was such a fantastic way to reunite with my roots by being with a group of people who were experiencing the same feelings (feeling so American/"white" yet becoming more and more proud of being Korean with each experience during the trip). We laughed, cried and had SO MUCH FUN together. I'm so grateful my parents knew about this program as it was absolutely the right choice. Pat Hallada and her staff were delightful and have so much experience with traveling here and navigating ALL OF THE FEELINGS that my mom and I had as we had the opportunity to meet my birth mom and some other members of my biological family. I appreciate everything they did to make this trip so memorable.”
Aimee M. (From Wisconsin, USA), Adoptee
August 7, 2018
Processing The Trip Takes Time
“I traveled with Ties Guatemala in July 2016. It was a great trip. Fantastic travel families, awesome counselors and guides. The trip exceeded my expectations. During one of the counselor discussions, Mic shared it might take time for your child to process the trip/experience. My child fit this description. During the trip my teenager enjoyed the travelers who were her age, but focused on the negatives such as getting sick and not meeting the birth parents. After we returned we heard she might return but only on her terms. Last week, during a family dinner we discussed favorite trips. Much to our surprise she said her trip to Guatemala was her all time favorite. Yes, 2 years later! When asked what made the trip special she only talked about the great parts. The bonds she made, the excursions, the outings with out parents, meeting the foster family. This could be a separate article on how processing takes time and one that MAY have helped our unhappy Korea participant this year. So i want to encourage other adoptive families to take a Homeland Herritage trip. It is life changing, not only for the kids but also for the adoptive parents. And after reuniting with the foster family, they too were over joyed we visited. Our family grew larger that day. We are very thankful for the opportunity to take that journey. And it was a blessing to be with caring experts who made the experience even better.”
Donna Seeger, Adoptive Parent
August 13, 2018
2017
Amazing Start To Finish! (China)
“My son, age 9, and I just returned from our first return visit to his city of birth in China. TIES helped make the trip amazing for us both! I first contacted TIES after trying to go through another agency, and was amazed at the speed with which Bea was able to put together our trip (which was individualized, not part of a group trip). She understood that we had limited travel dates and was able to secure us our preferred dates of travel. She responded to email in a timely manner which is always so appreciated. We are expats living in China, so she accommodated us as we were able to arrange for our own flights and hotel stay. We proposed an itinerary of the sites we’d like to see in the city, and she came back with a well-balanced itinerary that included all of our requests as well as, of course, the visit to the Children’s Welfare Center that required pre-registration. We were also given the choice of only hiring a guide for the welfare center visit day or having a guide for our 3 days of touring, and we opted to have the guide the whole time. What a great choice! It was completely worth the cost, which was reasonable considering how wonderful our guide was and that all transport (by private driver in really nice cars!) entrance fees and even lunch were included daily. We were able to be in contact with him before our arrival via social media which helped put us at ease. At no point during our itinerary was he not by our side and, while we are very seasoned travelers, we appreciated this because it was crucial that the trip be as seamless and positive as possible to help my young son create his first impressions of his city of birth. He was flexible and paid attention to the needs of my son as we spent the days together. He was also just very sweet in general. He was a seasoned adoption service guide and his demeanor was very well-suited to the type of trip we were experiencing – things were fun, relaxed, informative, and geared towards discovery of this place that my son was experiencing for the first time. At no point did we feel like we were just typical tourists. On one day, when we encountered a problem with our hotel booking, he refused to leave until it was completely settled. I kept expecting him to drop us off at certain places and return to meet us, but he went with us everywhere in a non-intrusive way (even on the rides at the theme park! Even walking us through check-in and up to security at the airport!). He was a native of the city which was also very nice – he was proud of the city and helped my son and I to be the same. The welfare center visit was seamless and we were welcomed so warmly by the staff who were definitely expecting us. There were several staff members there who still remembered my son and you could see that everyone was so excited and proud to see how he had grown (the photo album we left with them was a big hit!). The pictures I had sent beforehand had been shared with the staff so that they could connect us with who we had met at the time of adoption, his special nanny, etc. We were able to garner some previously unknown information and photos that were real treasures. My son was absolutely enthralled, excited, and happy the entire trip and this is invaluable! I know this trip will serve him well as he grows and we can’t wait to return again with our whole family! Thanks, Bea and TIES.”
Julie, Adoptive Parent
April 24, 2017
Korean Trip 2017
“Ours was a very thoughtfully planned, prepared for and carried out trip. Each staff member presented as though they truly enjoyed what they were doing and were very attentive to each families individual needs. Both Mee Hye and Jin were very excited in anticipation of the opportunity to return to their homeland Korea and were involved in preparing from the time we completed the applications. They were both happy and proud of the gift of identity grants they had been awarded. Words can't describe the impact on Jin sook of her visits to Social Welfare Society, her baby reception center and her orphanage. This includes the interactions she had with staff as well as being in the actual buildings where she was as a young child. We have a picture of her in the actual room in the baby reception center where she lived for three months after she was found. She was able to talk to the social worker at SWS who had been in touch with her foster mother and planned to be again. Jin has her name and address and plans to write to her with questions. She was able to read her files at the various locations and we were given pictures of herself that were taken prior to any we already had. They are invaluable. Again, I can't describe the intensity and impact these experiences had on Jin. Mee Hye remembers times with her family and experiences at her orphanage. She was thrilled to see the picture of herself hung on the wall with other children. In observing Mee Hye , I saw her as extremely comfortable in just navigating the streets of Korea. I know she felt at home. The visit was invaluable to our family. I need to mention again how genuine and professional the staff was and I can't thank you enough for making it comfortable for us to leave the group and pursue adventures on our own. We needed to do that. Thanks Pat. I know my girls won't forget the trip nor any of the terrific staff.”
Jennifer Egan, Adoptive Parent
July 27, 2017
Korean Ties 2017
“I just finished reading the reviews of several people who traveled on Korean Ties 2017. Although I want to try to add information that was not discussed, I have to repeat the glowing review of the excellent staff that traveled with us. They were receptive to even unspoken needs. I loved watching the young people on this trip blossom, develop friendships, and grow to love their country of birth. This process was facilitated by professionals who understood the experience of these adoptees at a very deep level and came ready to respond everyday. As many have stated, our itinerary was an excellent combination of seeing sights and experiencing moving parts of the adoption process. Our daughter was 24 when we travelled. I am so thankful that we followed the advice of Pat and went with the original Ties program. As soon as we landed, she connected with some young women near her age. Many nights she went out to dinner or to Karaoke with a group. In the morning she liked to go out to get coffee and communicate with the shop owners on her own. Due to the maturity and integrity of the young people on this trip and the safety of the Korean streets, we felt confident with this independence. Each person traveling with the Ties program will have their own journey. Know that no matter what contacts are made or not made, traveling to a home country is an emotional journey. I came to believe and have faith that we had the journey that was right for us. Now I want to dispel some of the concerns I had before traveling. Group Travel: Traveling with this group was a completely enriching experience. Following a schedule: Because of the time change, it was easy to start the day early. Near each hotel were amazing pastry and coffee choices. Food: We were usually provided with lunch and these were beyond any expectation. Again, because of the time change, we were hungry at this time of day and it was always appreciated. In the evening we were able to have fairly simple meals which were about 10-12 dollars per person. We did bring some power bars, cheese sticks, peanut butter and prunes. We ate them all. Flight: It was 14/12 hours. We flew on Korean Air and had a direct flight out of Chicago. We had two full meals, snacks and lots of entertainment. Money: We brought a good amount of cash. This made exchanging for won easy and we did this gradually as the money was needed. Each room had a safe. South Korea: I felt safe when we were in the country and I would love to return. I loved this trip and I am so thankful that we could do this with our daughter and this group of people.”
Peg Reichardt, Adoptive Parent
August 17, 2017
Self Discovery
“My daughter graduated from a small junior high where everyone knew us as a family with a child adopted from Guatemala and entered a high school of 4,000 kids. Suddenly she was with kids of many races and only a few knew her story. She had a hard time explaining who she was because frankly she wasn't sure. She knew a lot about Guatemala and the culture but did not remember living there and had not revisited. While researching how to help her the Ties program was suggested. Going on the Ties trip to Guatemala was the best decision we have ever made as a family. The trip filled in so many blanks for my daughter in a safe, well organized fashion. After indicating we were receptive, they even coordinated a meeting with her foster family. It was beautiful to see her connect with people who loved and cared for her in Guatemala. Other families chose not to (or did not have enough information to ) research foster families/orphanage nannies while others found birth family. Each case was treated respectfully and without judgement and I believe each family had a meaningful experience. The trip also provided my daughter with a community of adoptees just like her who shared this journey. She will be friends with theses kids for the rest of her life. Important aspects other than seeing people, customs and places include a trained caring staff that connected with both kids and adults and an opportunity to participate in a service project to provide bunk beds to families in need. These are touches that make Ties such a unique experience. Finally, sharing this trip with my daughter is one of the greatest privileges of my life. It strengthened our bond as a family. I will forever be grateful to Becca. Ana, Rebecca, Kahleah, NestOr and everyone else involved with this wonderful journey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
Mary Campbell, Adoptive Parent
July 23, 2017
Korean Ties 2017
“Fantastic! Indescribable. Korean Ties did an impeccable job, creating a birth country visit so positive that every member of the family felt connected to Korea more and more each day. The group itinerary was spot on - each day's planned event was another piece of the puzzle that, by trip's end, allowed us to understand the great big picture - 18 years in the making. We visited a mother's home for women considering keeping or adopting their unborn child. Our family had dinner at a Korean family's home which has turned into a friendship via email and shared photos. A visit to a Korean folk village provided a first-hand experience of the traditions and culture from which our daughter came. And each family had a personal itinerary too. Based on conversations we had with Pat prior to the trip, much to our amazement, my daughter was able to re-connect with both her foster mother at her adoption agency in Seoul, and with her birthmother during a side trip arranged just for them. No words can really convey what this was like for us. Let's just say it was a beautiful thing. Our translator, social workers, in-country guides and the directors of the trip were professional, warm, extremely competent - each of whom clearly understood the unique process each family was going through during this amazing journey. Thank you to each one of you :)”
Abby Rosenblum, Adoptive Parent
July 27, 2017
Russian Ties 2017
“Words cannot describe the gratitude that I feel for the Russian Ties program and staff. I traveled to Russia last month with my 21 year old son, Zachary. We adopted Zach at 7 months of age and this was our first trip back. Zachary has had many feelings throughout his life of missing being a part of his country and also his birth family. I was not aware of the depth of his feelings, and he may not even have been aware of how strong they were. When we decided to take this trip, and to try to find Zach’s birth family, I asked Sarah from the Ties program if she had any recommendations. She recommended Igor and he was fantastic. He found Zach’s mom, sister and brother and Zach immediately began email correspondence with his sister and brother, using Google Translate. Our trip to Russia was beyond our dreams. Moscow and St. Petersburg were beautiful. The Ties program provided group tours every day to see many spectacular sights. My favorite parts were the lunches with performers singing and dancing to Russian songs. It took me back to my mom and my own Russian Roots (my grandmother was born in Radomisl). The absolute highlight, however, was the visit to Zach’s birth city of Krasnodar. During our 3 days there we went to Zach’s orphanage, the hospital he was born at, the court we adopted him from and the house that his family lived in at the time he was born. Zach also met and spent significant time with his sister, his mom, his brother, 3 nephews and some extended family. He saw his sister and 2 nephews every day and spent MANY hours with them. They became quite close. The driver and guide were amazing and amended their hours to accommodate ANYTHING we wanted to see or do. It was only because of their flexibility and caring that Zachary was able to spend so much time with his sister! We are forever indebted. This trip has given Zach so much of what he was missing and has opened the doors to continued and new opportunities to connect with his family and heritage in the future. Thank you Ties program and staff.”
Karen McCumiskey, Adoptive Parent
August 11, 2017
Priceless Insights
“Many thanks to the China Ties program for help in coordinating a memorable heritage trip our family recently took to Hefei and Anqing cities, on behalf of our Chinese daughter. We would have been hard-pressed to attempt navigating this on our own, and China Ties really came through, arranging for a bilingual guide, driver, accommodations at a new luxury hotel with a meal plan; and, especially, contacting the orphanage where our daughter had spent her first few months. We’d sent China Ties a 16-year-old photo of our daughter at the orphanage in the arms of a nanny. Staff told us they would share it with orphanage officials to see if the nanny was still employed there. After a night of “jet lag recovery” our guide, Ding, took us to a well-known shrine and park in Hefei and showed us around the bustling city. The next day we took a four-hour excursion through green farms and hills to the Anqing orphanage - the original one (now a senior care facility) and the new headquarters building housing special needs kids, with its wonderful welcoming staff. We were greeted at the latter with hugs and much fanfare; our daughter was made to feel a celebrity. A welcome banner was posted in the conference room, bowls of fruit and gifts of moon-cake type confections were presented. Ding was indispensable, translating messages of gratitude, love and family information between us and the staff. We met the facility's nurse, who'd worked at the original building and remembered examining our daughter. We were also surprised and thrilled when, as a coincidence, the nanny -- the one in the picture – appeared at the facility (Ding initially was told that she’d retired and moved on.). More hugs and joyful emotion ensued! We were then taken on a brief tour, stopping at a room housing special-needs youngsters, a heartbreaking scene. Also, with the help of orphanage records, we were shown the "finding place," just steps from the old orphanage, near a gate where our daughter’s birth parents had left her to be found. Although my daughter seemed non-plussed by this event, I could feel tears welling in my eyes. We ended our Anqing visit with a splendid lunch in downtown Anqing, paid for by the orphanage folks, of the best Chinese food we’d ever tasted -- local vegetables sautéed in sauces, bowls of shrimp, succulent pork roast and beef stir fry, noodles (of course) and, my favorite, geoduck clams topped with sautéed cellophane noodles and bits of garlic. And the bowls kept coming! It was wonderful to be treated so royally, and at the same time comforting to know that our daughter had been in caring hands in her infanthood. All in all, the knowledge and insights we gained were priceless. Thank you again, China Ties, for connecting us with an important chapter in our family history.”
Jeanne Sturiale, Adoptive Parent
August 21, 2017
2016
I Wish We Had Found You Earlier!
“Thanks for an incredible trip! I just wanted to write and tell you what a wonderful experience the Romanian Ties trip was for my daughter and for me. She connected with the other kids (she isn’t the ONLY one who felt awkward and weird in high school) and loved Paula, our group leader. Paula was so reassuring to us parents that we had raised great kids who would continue the journey to understand their dual cultures. And Victoria was a tremendous guide who related well to the kids, and created a trip that was memorable for the adults (we loved the wine tastings!) and the kids. Everything was so well organized that I could concentrate on my daughter and not any of the logistics of the trip. I know my daughter left with a much better understanding of her culture and the richness of the history of her homeland. And meeting the birth family was something that she needed to do, and I am so thankful that Mariana and Vali found the family, and that Mariana supported my daughter during the visit. I know she will continue to process what all of that means, but it is such a necessary part of her growth, that I am so glad that she was able to finally see her birth family and home. I think the quote my daughter chose from the kids' last talk with Paula – “I am not what has happened to me, but am what I choose to become” sums up exactly what I was hoping that the trip would provide for her – a chance to begin to make sense of how to incorporate her adoption into her self-worth and identity. I am so grateful that we found you guys, and that we could participate in what is likely to be the last trip to Romania, since the adoptees are now getting so old. I only wish that we had found you guys earlier!”
Charlene W Leahy, Adoptive Parent
August 12, 2016
Korea 2016
“I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for all the hard work you and your staff put in so that our trip to Korea would run so smoothly. It was definitely a trip of a life time. One that we will cherish for the rest of our lives! Our family gained so much from this trip that it is hard to put into words - but I'll try!! Because of the hard work and organization by everyone involved, our family was able just to completely enjoy every aspect of this trip. We didn't have to worry about where we were going (bus drivers covered that), what we were doing next (guides had that covered) or would they be able to understand us (translators and english-speaking Koreans took care of that)! Your organization covered every aspect of this trip that I had concerns about. What do I need to pack? What documents will I need? Along with a 100 other questions that were all covered either in the material we received before we left or on the actual trip. It amazes me still that you're able to take 28 families on a group trip to Korea and make it feel as though the trip was tailor made just for your family!! All this being said, what probably was the most amazing aspect of our trip is the difference it made in the lives of our children. Our sons now have great pride in their heritage, as well as, great friends they made on this trip and I believe they will be life time friends!! Again, thank you so much for everything and for giving our family the greatest trip ever!! At least until we return to Korea on another ties trip!! Time to start saving again!!! Lol.”
Nancy Barth, Adoptive Parent
July 20, 2016
Adoptive Family Travel By The Ties Program
“My adult daughters (25 and 28) and I were thrilled about the prospect of finally traveling to Peru for the first time since they were adopted as infants. Our initial plan was to join a Ties group tour, but when this was not possible, Ties put together an itinerary for our family to travel independently. I've done a lot of international traveling, almost always making the arrangements myself--with the usual frustrations and mix-ups involved. What a delight to be guided and supported through an amazingly hassle-free trip! We took multiple flights in- country and stayed at multiple hotels and at every step were met at the airport as planned and so well taken care of. Our guide in each city was incredibly helpful, not only with touring but also managing personal needs and unexpected "emergencies" (e.g., frantic searches for the Peruvian equivalent of Pepto Bismol and for a new suitcase when mine fell apart). Prior to leaving for Peru we were fortunate enough to have located the birth family of one of my daughters in a small town near Cusco. Travel agency staff there made arrangements for a meeting with the family, and our guide accompanied us to translate--not a planned part of the trip but probably the most important experience of all. I can't thank you enough for helping up put together this unforgettable trip. Both of my daughters say it's changed their lives, and I feel the same way!”
Lin Breeden, Adoptive Parent
September 5, 2016
2015
Russian Ties Program
“We cannot say enough positive things about the Russian Ties program. My 82 year old father, my 17 year old son and I (Mom) traveled in July, 2015. While I had done my research prior to the trip and had high hopes for it, the trip exceeded my expectations. The coordination and organization of the trip were exemplary. Every detail was handled almost perfectly with a tremendous customer service focus. We were so warmly welcomed to Moscow by the Ties staff that we almost felt like family instantly. It was wonderful how the adults and children bonded with each other over the 13 days and how well everyone got along. The accommodations in Moscow and St. Petersburg were great and the sight seeing experiences were amazing. While the accommodations in the birth regional part of the trip weren't quite so nice, it was the best the region had to offer. The tour of the birth region and the connections with the birth family, visit to the baby hospital and tour of the orphanage were extremely well done. My son rated the trip a "12" on a 10 point scale when a friend of mine recently asked him about the trip. He was extremely pleased with the experience and is thankful he had the opportunity to go back to his homeland and to meet his biological family. Going on this trip was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I will always be truly grateful for the incredible opportunity we all had.”
We cannot say enough positive things about the Russian Ties program. My 82 year old father, my 17 year old son and I (Mom) traveled in July, 2015. While I had done my research prior to the trip and had high hopes for it, the trip exceeded my expectations. The coordination and organization of the trip were exemplary. Every detail was handled almost perfectly with a tremendous customer service focus. We were so warmly welcomed to Moscow by the Ties staff that we almost felt like family instantly. It was wonderful how the adults and children bonded with each other over the 13 days and how well everyone got along. The accommodations in Moscow and St. Petersburg were great and the sight seeing experiences were amazing. While the accommodations in the birth regional part of the trip weren't quite so nice, it was the best the region had to offer. The tour of the birth region and the connections with the birth family, visit to the baby hospital and tour of the orphanage were extremely well done. My son rated the trip a "12" on a 10 point scale when a friend of mine recently asked him about the trip. He was extremely pleased with the experience and is thankful he had the opportunity to go back to his homeland and to meet his biological family. Going on this trip was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I will always be truly grateful for the incredible opportunity we all had.”
Diane Everhart, Adoptive Parent
October 2, 2015
2015 Ties Trip To Russia
“I would describe our recent trip to Russia, via the Ties Program, as ‘beautifully orchestrated’. This is an emotional and complicated trip to make, so traveling with the Ties Program allows families to enjoy and relax as they experience this complex journey. From planning, booking travel and delivery of an amazing trip – the Ties Staff were fantastic. Both Dr. Sami W. and Sara G. were very helpful and well versed in the Russian travel and culture. Dr. Sami has the amazing ability to connect and understand kids of all ages – she is the ultimate professional to have along in on this journey. My 13-year-old daughter and I traveled without husband/dad, so having the benefit of the group structure provided a safe and comfortable environment. And although the group trip included many plans that were pre-scheduled, there was always the option to do whatever you might choose – so there was still flexibility. The group also demonstrated to our daughter that there are many wonderful children, just like her, who have been adopted from Russia. Our visit to birth region (Kirov) was definitely the most amazing part of our trip. The region was peaceful and lovely, but more than that – the birth family we met were incredibly welcoming and amazed us with their kindness. We visited 2 baby houses and actually met one caregiver who definitely remembered our daughter and the caregiver was in tears when she hugged her. These moments were more than I expected and will be forever engraved in our memories. The story that I have been telling to our daughter for last twelve years – came to life. This type of trip is one that is never forgotten, and fortunately we had a very positive experience and would recommend the Ties Program to others. We have joyfully relived many moments – especially those with amazing siblings who I never dreamed it would be possible to meet.”
Susan Lee, Adoptive Parent
October 6, 2015
China Ties - Amazing In Every Way!
“Our travels with China Ties were so well organized in every way. The schedule suited everyone, leaving options for those who wanted less or more. The restaurants were excellent and diverse (we all commented on this during the trip), and the staff provided for all sorts of dietary restrictions on top of this. Bea and Paula, and the guides, in essence, took care of everything, and not just travel logistics, but in finding us answers to questions on everything we needed (as well as things we really didn't "need”(!)), and really just madek the trip so relaxing and adventurous, and most of all FUN! The care and personal attention they took with each family and each family member was quite amazing, and we felt not just taken care of, but cared for. The hotels were excellent — ranging from beautiful palatial locations to, in province where choices were more limited, very good. The in country travel arrangements were well done and scheduled in a way that took advantage of our time and where we were going — taking the bullet train from the South was an incredible trip and just gave us so much more to see in the ride and was a highlight! We are ready to return and do this “trip of a lifetime” again. They made everything so easy, but also so very meaningful. And best of all, it really was about creating ties, not just to each other during our travels, but for our family, in making ties to the country that brought us our daughter and so much joy. I think we all brought home a lifetime of memories and good feelings. Thank you, Bea, Paula, and everyone at the Ties Program and Tempoo Travel for these many gifts. We will carry these fine gifts for a lifetime!”
Kathy Gallo, Adoptive Parent
October 4, 2015
Positive & Transformative Journey!
“Our family went to China in July, 2015 with the Ties Program with our three children, ages 12, 9 and 7. Our middle child, the only girl, was adopted from China in 2006. Helping our daughter stay connected her origins has been a priority for us from the time she joined our family when she was 11 months old. Our decision to visit China with the Ties Program (rather than on our own or with a different group) is one of the best decisions as parents we have made. The experience was transformative for our daughter and for the family in terms of her growth and understanding of herself. She was entirely engaged in the journey from beginning to end and she returned to the U.S. with a fortified identity. The many positive encounters she had (whether that was with other adoptees on the trip, visiting the orphanage or interacting with the adult adoptee representing the Ties program) affirmed her connection to China, her understanding of herself as an adoptee and her overall well-being as a person who has a unique origin story. We are so pleased to have worked with the Ties Program and feel that the significant resources we dedicated to this trip (time and money) were very well utilized. We did have some complaints – some of the hotels were not as nice as we expected given the cost of the trip and the food coordinated by the program was not noteworthy (which would be hard to do when feeding over 40 people at one time) but these issues were not the highest priorities for this trip. The Ties Program, especially their focus on the provincial visits, excels at prioritizing the most essential reason for making this kind of journey – to support our daughters in ways that we (as non-adopted parents) can never truly understand. One final comment is that our family prepared for this journey is several significant ways in the year before the journey with the Ties Program. These efforts included participating in an adoption support group for parents & adoptees and reading several books that helped us (parents) more deeply understand what was at stake for our daughter. Three books: 20 Things Adopted Kids wish their Adoptive parents to knew by Sherrie Eldrige, Ghost of Sangju by Soojung Jo, Growing up Black in White by Kevin Hofmann. We highly recommend the Ties Program and look forward to maintaining our relationship with them in the future.”
Laura G., Adoptive Parent
September 24, 2015
Kazakhstan 2015
“We did the Ties Program trip to Kazakhstan this past summer (2015) and had a great experience. Everything was taken care of including interpreters, transportation, sightseeing, lodging, and Baby House visits. I may be making it sound like a very regimented trip but you had plenty of free time and you could opt out of any of the sightseeing trips. My favorite activity was visiting with a host family that cooked and served us a traditional Kazak meal. It was so much fun and they were very excited to host us and teach us different Kazakhstan traditions. Everything we did from the hosted dinner to the Kids Camp, to visiting a Kazak village was an opportunity for my daughter and I to see the excitement and enthusiasm the Kazak people had to see us and share their culture with us. I was a little nervous when we first arrived at my daughter’s Baby House. It seemed like they weren’t expecting us but I think we had just ended up being early. Once we started touring the facility everything changed. The caregivers welcomed my daughter with open arms and were so happy to see her and visit with her. They showed us everything on the Baby House tour and my daughter was able to hold the babies and play with the toddlers. It was gratifying for me the to see that my daughter was able to observe how protective and carrying the Baby House workers where with the babies and children under their care. Ian and Sophia were amazing! Through the whole trip I watched the social workers interact with the children individually and in groups and I realized how important it was to have them there. Asemgul, our interpreter, was also amazing! She was always willing to answer our questions and help us out. Our first day in Almaty she had just taken a family to a money exchange place and on the way back to the motel she ran into us. When we told her we were going to exchange money she turned around and made the same trip with us! It was wonderful for my daughter to meet the other adopted Kazakhstan children and their families that made the trip. She made friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Marcia Mecklenburg, Adoptive Parent
November 10, 2015
Great Trip - June 2015, China
“We had a wonderful trip to China with our two girls! It was the best of all worlds on this heritage trip which balanced so much – orphanage visits for both girls; an emotional visit with our oldest daughter’s foster family; tourist sites such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, and many more; small yet intimate sights like an afternoon cooking lesson in a small village setting; breaks from the heat in the hotel pools with the kids from our group just playing; and sharing groups for both the kids and parents (separately), skillfully guided by Ties staff, which encouraged the girls to process and integrate the meaning and importance of the trip for them individually. Every step of the way there were guides walking us through airports and getting us on flights; vans showed up and took us where we needed to go; nuances of the world around us were explained; and critical interactions with foster parents, orphanage staff and airline ticket agents were interpreted skillfully. As someone who prefers to travel without a group, I can’t imagine doing this trip without the personal support of going with other adoptive families and the logistical support of a tour group. The Ties Program excels in both, with an emphasis on the former – a big difference from other agencies. We felt so well taken care of during our 3 week trip. On multiple levels, the Ties Program met and exceeded our expectations!”
Russ & Diane, Adoptive Parents
October 28, 2015
2014
Russian TIES 2014
“When we went to Russia to adopt our 2 boys 7 years ago, we were SO focused on the adoption process that we didn't have the time or the energy to appreciate the country or the culture of our children's birthplace. The TIES program had everything well planned on our trip and it was SO nice to explore Russia and just be tourists in Moscow & St. Petersburg! The hotel in Moscow was so close to Red Square that we could walk there when we had free time. We loved walking through the lovely pedestrian street and just exploring Red Square and the surrounding area on our own. In Murmansk, it was amazing to reconnect with our boys' siblings! They were able to show us all of the places that were important to our boys, even the "big rock" that the boys remember playing on as young children! Our boys' faces lit up as they explored their old neighborhood & realized that their memories weren't just dreams after all! It was fantastic for our boys to be able to share their home country and their Russian family with their American family. We knew that the trip would be good for the boys, but we had no idea how great it would be for our whole family! Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to the "Connect & Chat" times that the TIES program staff facilitated with all of the families in our group. I felt I wouldn't really be interested in sharing my personal feelings with people whom I'd just met, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Especially after the regional trip to Murmansk, I found that I needed the time to share with people who uniquely understood my feelings. The TIES staff were excellent at helping us interact in meaningful ways and they were a great support as we returned from a very intense and very emotional time in our boys' hometown! Thanks SO MUCH to the TIES program, especially Sarah and Sami for organizing and facilitating the trip for us! This will forever be an INCREDIBLY special time in the life of our family &, while in some ways it feels like a completion of our adoption journey, in other ways it feels like the beginning of our journey as a Russian/American family...integrating our 2 families from across the globe! THANK SO MUCH for making this an unforgettable trip for all of us!!!”
Barb Stellwagen, Adoptive Parent
August 10, 2014
Russia Ties June 2014
“We had been wanting to return to Russia with our two sons for a long time, but could never really figure out how to do it. After finding the Ties website and investigating the possibilities we knew we had found what we were looking for. The amount of planning and support for this trip was amazing, much more than we could have ever hoped to do ourselves. The biggest bonus, and one that we did not anticipate, was the opportunity to travel with other adopted kids and their families. This was probably the biggest highlight of our trip. Our two boys bonded almost instantly with the other kids. Together they formed an instant support group that both boys turned to constantly during the trip. The able guidance that Amy gave this group made all the difference. She was always there for the kids, and always supportive. Truly amazing! As a result, a very emotional trip became a source of growth and learning on many levels. We loved the tours and excursions around Moscow and St. Petersburg. They enhanced our understanding of Russian culture and history and deepened our appreciation of the Russian people. The trips to the Baby Home and Baby Hospital that our sons came from were truly wonderful experiences. Our boys really had a chance to reconnect to a part of their past that had previously been inaccessible to them. It meant a great deal to all of us. Many thanks to all of you at Russian ties, but especially to Larilyn, Amy and Sarah who did so much to make this once in a lifetime experience come together for us.”
Cill & Bob Richards, Adoptive Parents
August 3, 2014
China Ties July 2-16, 2014
"I have to admit that I was uncertain what to expect with this trip and that my wife and I were doing this exclusively for our 16 year old daughter who had not been back to China since we adopted her at 20 months of age. My hope was that I would have a speaking engagement that would allow us to return to Beijing but as that never occurred, China Ties appeared to be a very good alternative. Thank God for China Ties! It was outstanding experience. Between the very knowledgeable tour guides, the experienced and very people-friendly China Ties staff our experience was nothing short of phenomenal. We were able to travel - via experienced drivers - to six different cities/provinces and truly experience Chinese culture and customs. The girls ranged from 9 -18 and they were able to take classes in cooking, calligraphy, kite-making, and painting and all 12 families were able to experience touring a silk factory, explore an incredible cave, take a wonderful cruise down the Li river, take a bike ride around the city of Xi'an, and visit the Great Wall, Tianamon Square, and the Terrakota Warriors. The highlight, however, was being able to reunite our daughter with her foster mom - who China Ties arranged to come on a 12 hour train ride to meet us at her original orphanage. It was a very tearful reunion and my daughter - who had a tremendous experience - thought this was by far the highlight of the trip. China Ties even arranged for us to see our daughter's adoption file when we were in Beijing and I think that brought an element of closure to everyone who came. It was an amazing trip and I would recommend it to anyone who truly wants their daughter to have the ultimate experience when the decision is made for them to visit their homeland."
Ed Bennett, Adoptive Parent
August 26, 2014
Russian Ties 2014
“Our family recently experienced the TIES Russia program and I feel compelled to write you and share with you some thoughts regarding our experience. Let me begin by saying that the trip far exceeded our expectations in every way. The logistics and amenities were outstanding. But more importantly, the personal support to families was phenomenal. I want to specifically highlight the work of Sarah G. and Sami W. Sarah was both an outstanding tour guide and a very good resource to adoptive parents. She acknowledge the fact that she is not a parent yet she served as an excellent "sounding board" to parents. She demonstrated a high level of understanding and maturity through her thoughtful approach to questions and concerns. Sarah was very organized with regard to the logistics of the trip. Each detail was carefully orchestrated and well planned. I can't say enough about the work of Sami W. Her knowledge and understanding of the needs and nuances of adoptive families was invaluable to our experience. Sami brought a natural yet professional demeanor to the families and provided outstanding support and guidance to families. She helped to guide the emotion of the experience into a very constructive experience full of reflection and thoughtful meaning. It was evident that Sami is passionate about her work and this was clearly demonstrated by her caring support provided to families. She was simply outstanding. Our family is grateful and thankful to TIES and specifically to Sarah G. and Sami W. for making the trip an experience of a lifetime. Thank you.”
Mike And Sarah McCarthy, Adoptive Parents
August 18, 2014
Russian Ties, 2014
“I adopted my son from Russia fifteen years ago and had always felt that someday we would go back, but I could never figure out how. I researched translators and drivers and found it so overwhelming that I just gave up on that dream. Then one day, about a year ago, a friend provided a link to Russian Ties. I couldn’t believe it. It looked like everything I needed and more. We talked to Sarah at Ties and signed up immediately. We traveled in June/July, 2014. We met families who were so kind to us, and my son instantly connected with the other kids. That turned out to be so important to him. Our every need was met and often anticipated before we even knew it. Our accommodations couldn’t have been nicer, and we saw everything we possibly could in our two week trip. The Ties staff facilitated a meeting with my son’s birth family that was smooth and warm and the highlight of our trip. He is planning on returning, and I am confident that he will continue to reconnect with his homeland for many years. What a huge gift for him!
Thank you so much, Larilyn, Amy, and Sarah. I know it’s been said a million times, but this truly was the trip of a lifetime, for both of us. I highly recommend it.”
Patricia Kurth, Adoptive Parent
August 5, 2014
2013
“My 16-year-old daughter and I traveled to Korea in June of 2013, and I can honestly say the experience exceeded all of my expectations. All of the information provided in the packet of materials we got prior to travelling was enormously helpful, but I'll say that the single best piece of advice peppered throughout was to go into the experience with "patience and flexibility"! The trip was well organized down to the smallest of details, but even with all of the planning that goes into it things DO happen. However, our guides and in-country personnel were always on top of things and and you always knew things would work out. There are so many "moments" in a trip like this that it's impossible to share them all, but some of the very best moments in the trip were the unplanned ones .... like hiking the boardwalk along the beach at night with our group, beach volleyball with nothing but flip-flops serving as the net, learning to find our way around the Korean subway system (with MUCH help from quite a number of Korean natives!), and the endless search for Coke Zero! A huge part of what made the trip special was sharing it with other families. The kids immediately bonded and were even coordinating their own activities, and some of my favorite times were just on the tour bus, getting to talk to other families to hear about their experience the day before. My daughter fell in love with Korea right away, which I was hoping for and pretty much expected. What I didn't expect was how much I would fall in love with the country, and how completely "at home" I felt there. Even after being back from our trip less than 2 months, I already can envision taking another trip back. You do see so much of the country while you're there, but you know there's much more to experience too. So, yes, I highly recommend taking a tour to your child's birth country, and I highly recommend the Ties Program for that. They're wonderful - and they take good care of us!”
Aggie Hale, Adoptive Parent
August 15, 2013
“Hello! We traveled with the Ties program on their 2013 China trip 6/26-7-10. We had been planning this trip from the day we adopted our daughter in 2001....we just didn't know when or how we would do it. It was so great to have Ties do all the work for us, we packed our bags (yes they were large) and we were off. We knew the moment we landed in Beijing and were met by Ties staff that we were in good hands. While in Beijing we had the perfect mix of sightseeing and leisure time. Our guides, both national and local were amazing. The best part though, was the other families from all over the USA. The girls (12 of them) ranged in age from 9-17, our daughter was right in the middle at 13. Our visit to the orphanage and finding site was the highlight of our trip. We were warmly welcomed and Hannah was remembered by much of the staff. We held the babies and wished we could take them all home with us. We were there on July 4th, which is also the day (12 years prior) our daughter became a US citizen, we had come full circle! Meeting back up with our group in Guilin allowed us the opportunity to share our experiences with the other families. Also, the cruise down the Li River is breathtaking and you don't want to miss it! We are thankful to the Ties for "sweating the details" so we didn't have to. This truly was the trip of a lifetime!”
Suzanne Boyd, Adoptive Parent
July 25, 2013
“My family traveled to the Philippines in June 2013. When asked how the trip was, all I can say to people is AWESOME! Words cannot describe how fantastic the experience was. I can not imagine going to the Philippines to tour the country without TIES. The adoption component was just as important as learning about the culture. I honestly did not put much thought into the "talk" portion of the trip. I actually didn't think my 16 year old daughter would even want to participate. As it happened, it was an unbelievable part of the experience. The parent talk time was also fantastic. Not only did we get to visit the orphanage that my daughter came from, we also visited other children homes that brought reflection and a wanting to help. My daughter now wants to go next summer to volunteer at House of Refuge in Manila where they take in street children and give them love and a home. Our tour guide, Glady Bunao was fantastic and has truly become a forever friend. The places we visited were truly an insight to the culture and people of the Philippines. Riding on horseback up a mountain and seeing the beautiful scenery...I cried in pure joy. The other families we travelled with made the trip extra special. All of the children bonded in an amazing way. Sharing an experience with each other that went far beyond learning about Manila. The cost of the tour can be prohibitive and it certainly was a hardship for us to save for it...but I can honestly say that it is worth it..TEN TIMES...ONE HUNDRED TIMES!. If you are looking for a homeland experience, you will not get it by simply discovering the country your children were born. I truly believe it is just as important to experience the adoption aspect of the trip and seeing how the children not only experienced their culture, but experienced their story. I said to my daughter, "These other kids you are with..they are real friends." She replied, "No mom. They're not my friends. They're my family now." Just do it.”
Kim Jackson, Adoptive Parent
July 30, 2013
2012
“Part I - Sometimes I think about my life before I traveled to Korea and wonder how I could have been so disengaged from what the world has to offer me. I traveled with my family and several other families and their adoptees, on July 20, 2012 to Seoul and I feel very lucky because I know for certain that this was the week that changed my life dramatically and for the better in a way that nothing besides my adoption itself has had an effect on me so greatly. I'm not sure I could ever describe in words or define by any definition of degree, just exactly what the Korean Ties Trip did for me, but I will try my best! The three most important experiences for me were firstly, meeting and living with my birth family and secondly, gaining a much better and more genuine appreciation for all people outside my own little world. The last, and perhaps not even a main focus of the Ties Program, is that the experience made me realize I am not alone in my personal experiences. The trip provided me with new found and life long friends who I can seek out and talk about adoption, doing the Asian-Korean thing on a day-to-day basis and all that other stuff that typically I felt I had no outlet for. Man, I love me some outlets. Anyway...
Part II - I am lucky in that my family has grown larger and become "one." The experience the trip gave me also gave me a new found passion for life. It's so funny, so many kids know the typical life plan: 1) be born 2) eat food 3) go to school 4) go to college 5) get job 6) get married .... then what? That's how I thought life was suppose to work and the more I realized I was becoming an adult, the more I thought how limited my life had become and the less I was excited for each day. Go to work, try to eat, go to sleep, repeat. Blah, it makes me sad but the night before I left for Korea I remember specifically not really being excited, but more worried about crap like my friends and Facebook and playing soccer and just stuff that I've done my whole life. That paragraph makes me sad, because I wonder sometimes if I had not gone on the trip if I ever would have "woken" up to get the most out of each day of my life. Truly and honestly I try to make each minute, each second and each moment worth it and overall I'm just so much more happier to be alive.
Part III Because of the trip, so many other things have happened in my life. I'm learning Korean on my own - using YouTube, buying books, and working with Rosetta Stone - and perhaps most importantly, I've met a Korean family that owns a Korean restaurant near my place where they allow me to help out and work and communicate with them in Korean. Using Kakao Talk and Skype - I never have missed a day since the trip to speak with my birth family. I literally speak with them everyday. They are apart of my life now :) The learning of the language is very daunting, but fulfilling. It's hard to explain, but I have this inner drive, an inner energy, that I call upon each day after work to just sit and practice and work by myself so that perhaps by the time I go back to Korea (late-March 2013) I'll be able to explain in detail to my birth what a truly courageous and loving decision they made for me and my situation in terms of my adoption. I want to be able to explain to them my life, the experiences I've had and why adoption gave me every opportunity to succeed and a loving family and friends. I want to be able to comfort my birth when they apologize over and over again about not being able to adopt me (it breaks my heart to hear them say this).
Part IV I am lucky enough that I was able to get a job at a private-school where there are many international students who live in a boarding house or host families that are indeed Korean. There are many students from China, Norway and many other places but the school has given me the opportunity (and a nifty promotion) working as an international ambassador. I get to work with students of 14, 15 and 16 years of age (who have much more courage than myself) and I'm not sure if I would have been able to give them the respect that they deserve for such a huge decision to come and study in America. I know for a fact, that my limited interest in other cultures besides my own would have limited myself and I'm sure I would not have been given that opportunity if it weren't for my new found passion culturally diversifying myself. The emotions of the trip still run through my veins and I think often of the day I met my birth family.... hugging my 3 year old niece and never wanting to let go, playing video games with my younger brother, eating ice cream with my older sisters and feeling the warmth of my father and mother as they embraced me. The Ties Program in essence, gave me life. It gave me a purpose and a goal for myself. It gave me an extended family. It gave me more than I could ever put fully into words. So thanks and yeah... I'd say the trip was worth it.”
Michael Taillie, Adoptee
September 12, 2012
"Our family traveled to Russia, in July, 2012. What a wonderful experience to learn so much about Russian history and culture. The Ties staff was awesome to work with and took care of everything which included transportation to and from the airport, English speaking guides, many meals, and lodging. The itinerary gave us the opportunity to tour Moscow, St. Petersburg, and our son's home region. It would have been impossible to see as much as we did, on our own. Even though it was a filled schedule, there was also enough free time to explore by ourselves or just relax, if needed. It was great to meet and travel with other adoptive families. The visit to our son's home region was very special for all of us. The orphanage director and assistant director remembered our son, quickly showing us the pictures we had provided during the first two years, following our adoption. The orphanage staff was very welcoming and were genuinely thrilled that we took the time to return to Russia. We were giving a tour of the orphanage, with the assistant director, beaming the entire time. Through our interpreter, they wanted to know about our son, his likes, school and career interests, etc. It was nice to see that improvements have been made over the last fourteen years, including "e-mail", which will allow us to continue to share pictures. I can't imagine making this trip without the expertise and guidance of the Ties Program and their wonderful staff. We even made a last minute change to our return travel arrangements and Mike at Tempo Travel was able to accommodate our request and update us, while we were in Moscow."
Karyn Heininger-Pollino, Adoptive Parent
August 5, 2012
“Our family has traveled twice to Vietnam with Ties. It was so reassuring to know that the Ties team was there every step of the way, from planning through on-site support and even follow up when we returned. A very happy surprise was the level of support that the children on our trips have given to each other. They remain friends today, chatting online even though our homes are scattered across the US. While we were still in Vietnam, the first group made a commitment to stay connected, and we have reunited several times at culture camps in the US. (We adults are Facebook friends, too - hello fellow travelers!) While at culture camp, several families decided to make a return trip to Vietnam. We connected again with Ties and our much-loved guide, Thom, who planned another amazing trip. As it happened, two of the "original" families made the second trip, and we quickly expanded our friendship circle to include new travelers. Some of our favorite moments involved meeting the Vietnamese people. When our guide noticed something that he thought would interest our children, he first explained to the local people that our children were in Vietnam to learn about their culture. This opened hearts, and the Vietnamese generously allowed our children to weed crops, touch livestock or watch weaving. We visited schools, where our kids interacted with students in their equivalent grades and practiced each other's languages. Our kids also played soccer with Vietnamese children - at a group living facility for orphans and also at a professional soccer boarding school. Perhaps most meaningful to the adults was the invitation to visit a private home and coffee farm. Our kids "helped" tend the coffee plants and we enjoyed a delicious lunch and good company. My goals for these trips have been exceeded. My son speaks warmly of his visits "home," and I believe he feels a lifelong connection to his country and his fellow travelers. This support system will be valuable for the rest of our lives.”
Kim Polzin, Adoptive Parent
August 14, 2012
“Our family traveled with the China Ties program this year, 2012 in July. I think it was very well organized and the closeness to the other kids there was definitely a plus. They split the kids up into two groups, an older and younger group, which I think helped all of us related and get to know each other better. The trip was incredible and something I won't forget. We got to see all the major touristy places but we also got have free time to explore the cities on our own. The food was great and one of the lunches was held at a woman's house which was very homey and comfortable. It was cool to learn the traditions of a smaller town. My family had a great guide and driver when we went to my orphanage. They took us to good restaurants and we were able to meet my director and assistant director of my orphanage. I became attached to one of the kids in my orphanage and I had asked Daniel (our guide) if we could go back and visit the next day and he was very considerate and said of course. I'd like to give a special thanks to Jenna Cook, who was a helper, teacher, translator, and basically a sister to all the girls on this trip. She was very sweet and I think she contributed immensely to this trip. My family had a wonderful time and we thank China Ties for all its support and efforts to make this trip a trip of a lifetime.”
Sarah Kay, Adoptive Parent
August 20, 2012
"Our family traveld to Russia in July 2012. Our 11 day trip included sighteeing with our group of families in and around Moscow, visits to both of our sons birth cities and sighteeing in and around St. Petersburg with the group. Adoptive Family Travel/Russian Ties handled all of the arrangements including travel, lodging, some meals, sightseeing trips with English speaking guides, etc. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. We really enjoyed meeting and spending time with other adoptive families. The visits to the orphanages where we first met our sons was certainly a highlight for all of us. In both cases, we met staff that were there when our sons were babies and remembered our sons. They were so pleased that we were making a visit noting that when babies leave the orphange they rarely learn what happens to them. Larilyn and Deb were wonderful hosts and all four of our Russian guides were top notch. It was evident that they enjoyed their role as tour guides - all were so knowledgeable. It was amazing to see how much Russia has changed since we were there in 1997 and 2000. For our sons, ages 15 and 13, as well as my 71 year old father who also traveled with us, the trip was an adventure unlike anything they have experienced. We encourage any family who has adopted from Russia to consider making this trip with Adoptive Family Travel."
Steve Craig, Adoptive Parent
August 4, 2012
"We had a wonderful trip to Guatemala in July 2012 . We have 3 adopted children from there. Tony and Maria are now 11 years old and Jose' is 8 years old. We enjoyed every day traveling around Guatemala. The Ties program kept us very busy. We all did things that we never would have done on our own. Our Tony went on a Zip line all by himself. We climbed mountain,volcanos,boat rides on beautiful lakes (Atitlan) walked through a wildlife reserve,and planted over 300 trees for a reforestation project on a very steep hill, we also were invited into a coffee farmers' home (Daniel) and learned how his family processes coffee, makes beautiful bags, sells produce that they planted. Mama Maria and her daughters made a beautiful lunch for all of us and we all enjoyed their home and hospitality. Our group comprised of 30 people and also our wonderful Bea and Angela from the Ties Program. There were 16 adults and 14 children. The families all had adopted children, most from Guatemala and 1 from Korea, 1 from China and 1 from Paraguay. It was a trip that we wanted to do for our children and ourselves. We wanted to know more about Guatemala and our children's birth places and how they may have lived there. The guides were from ViaVenture. They were all excellent. I would recommend this company to everyone who comes to visit Guatemala. We saw a very green land and mountains, curving roads, Lake Atitlan, corn fields, avocado trees, banana trees, coffee farms, wonderful warm people, museums, art galleries,schools,a wonderful couple that opens their home to children in their area for an after school program, we learned about the Mayans, Mayan ruins and some of us went to Tikal and we enjoyed the clean cities. There was so much to see. My husband said that we would definitely visit Guatemala again. The children on the trip connected with each other and were so well behaved. The children swam in all hotel pools, tried a variety of food, played soccer with the children of Guatemala."
Debra Johnson, Adoptive Parent
August 4, 2012
"Our family recently traveled to Korea in June-July, 2012 on the annual Korean Ties trip. Words don’t express it. This was a journey, and we were changed in a good way by it. We planned and saved for this trip since the kids were small, and they are in high school now. Our kids decided they wanted to take it one step at a time. They asked to travel as a family while they are in high school to see what they would be doing if they still lived in Korea. Our kids also asked to search for foster families, deciding to save a birth family search until later (we gave them the choice). We followed their lead, taking cues from them as we moved through trip preparation, research, writing letters, travel, beautiful temples, outdoor markets, making new friends and connections, delicious food and sand beaches. Korean Ties staff and the families we traveled with guided us every step of the way, through the emotional highs and lows that adoptive families know well. All new experiences and all together. Korean Ties staff helped us work with our adoption agency, and suggested ways our kids could learn more about their life stores. They both did, and we are deeply grateful. We will never forget the file reviews, meetings with their foster families, the laughter and the tears. Korean Ties staff also asked both our kids for a wish list, and worked personally with us to help them fulfill their dreams. Our daughter bought a traditional Korean drum in Seoul and visited the hospital where she was born. Our son shopped for clothes that really fit him. He asked for a haircut too. We watched our kids gain confidence as we walked the streets of Seoul and Busan, and we felt confidence grow in us as well. We stood quietly in the DMZ, understanding the history and the ongoing grief more deeply. In a way, we closed a circle. Korea is a real place for us now. Welcome and inviting. A tangible connection we didn’t have until now. A friend told us that parents can open doors for their kids. Open the doors and then step back to see if your kids will walk through. Doors are open now. For example, our son is emailing his foster mother. I am emailing her too! This journey will continue to grow and change us in the years to come. We highly recommend Adoptive Family Travel."
Deb Schiel-Larson, Adoptive Parent
August 4, 2012
"We traveled to Korea with Korea Ties July 6-15th. Our kids are ages 26 and 21. All I can say is that it was a wonderful journey for both our kids and us. The Ties staff, especially Pat, was so great. She acted as tour guide, mentor, ATM machine and counselor! Everything went off without a hitch. We had some very fun times and very emotional times during the trip. It was so much more than just a "vacation". My son was able to meet both his foster mom and birth mom and has now found out that he has family in Atlanta Georgia! My daughter met her foster mom who remembered her and treasured the time she had with her. We also did lots of fun things as well as very meaningful things. For me, visiting Eastern Social Welfare Society was one of the most meaningful parts of the trip. Looking into the room where all of the babies were and picturing my kids there when they were babies was very emotional for me. Just being where they were made me feel a real connection and I felt that we had come full circle now. We also visited an orphange in Busan. We played with the kids there and spent time with them but it was VERY hard to leave them. Some of the "fun" things we did were visiting a Korean Folk Village and seeing the "Cookin' Nanta" performance in Myeong dong. All in all, the trip was VERY meaningful and unique. The Ties staff were great from the get-go, from initial planning to making plane reservations for us, etc. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone with children adopted from Korea instead of trying to visit the country on your own. For the kids, just having others in the group with the same circumstances and background was very meaningful for them and they all connected with each other by the end of the trip. For us parents, we were very blessed to be able to share this journey with our kids and I believe we all feel "changed" because of this experience."
Becky Hardwick-Johnson, Adoptive Parent
August 5, 2012
“I participated in the Korean Ties program in 2001 with my husband, mom, and in-laws. It was an amazing trip and the Ties staff was attentive, caring and fully understanding of the needs of adoptees and their families. They cover everything. It was wonderful to have the logistics of travel to and from Korea and everything in between taken care of by such warm and wonderful people. The Ties staff was supportive and helpful from beginning to end. The trip was the perfect balance of learning about the culture of my birth country, understanding my past, and the necessary downtime to just enjoy the present. I enjoyed touring Seoul and eating dinner with a Korean family in their home. Spending time with children in an orphanage was bittersweet as I wanted to take all of them home with me. I loved the visit to Mount Sorak and traveling to Pusan, but the most poignant part of my trip was meeting my birth family. Since I was adopted in the 70s and the information I had surrounding my adoption was vague, I never expected to find my birth family. Korean Ties did all of the research and legwork to make that possible and for that I will be eternally grateful. Meeting my birth mother, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and half siblings was a beautiful experience. Special thanks to Becca, Pat, and Kathleen for making this trip so personalized. Actually, everyone on the Ties Staff was extremely helpful in making the trip life-changing and memorable. I hope to take my children to visit their grandma on the other side of the world soon.”
Carolyn Newkirk, Adoptee
August 14, 2012
“China Ties 2012 was a trip that I will cherish forever. It was my first time to go back and I am glad I went with Ties because the program handled all the logistics so perfectly, I was able to concentrate on the more important things, like the emotional/cultural experience, and not worry about missing trains or flights, or anything like that. I had a very strong sense of belonging in China...I have been studying Mandarin for quite some time now, and when we went to my home city, I had the opportunity to go shopping! (And therefore, talk) The previous day we had gone to an amusement park, and we had seen a LOT of kids/teens in school uniforms. A desire to have my own uniform was kindled inside me, so the next day, my father and I went walking around and found a clothing store. I went in and asked if they sold uniforms. "You can only get those in schools" "Oh, but I didn't see any high schools. Just an elementary school." "Their uniforms are too small for you" "Yep" "Well, my daughter is graduated. You can have her uniform. Give us your next hotel address and we will send it there. Here is the phone number." I was so blessed by her generosity, we asked if we could pay her, "No, no, it's old, it's old." Well, the postage? "No, no, really, it's old, not new." My happiness in that moment was unsurpassed. As I reflect on that experience, I am glad I went when I did, as an older teen, rather than younger, so I could have the ability to more fully experience and reflect on interchanges like this. It contributed greatly to my "Chinese girl" part, --I've always known I was adopted from China but I feel more connected to those roots now that I've been there--"I am adopted from China" means more to me now. ??? ??? Eleanor Chin”
Eleanor Chin, Adoptee
September 17, 2012