Ties Program Blog

Preparing for Heritage Travel

Featured
Reflections from Vietnam: A Journey of Connection and Discovery
Reflections from Vietnam: A Journey of Connection and Discovery
Is Your Citizenship Status Correct?
Is Your Citizenship Status Correct?
Reflections from India: Discovering Roots and Building Bonds
Reflections from India: Discovering Roots and Building Bonds
How to Plan Your Heritage Journey for 2025
How to Plan Your Heritage Journey for 2025
When Private Travel Is Right
When Private Travel Is Right
Six Reasons Why Group Travel Is (Usually) The Best Choice For Adoptees and Their Loved Ones
Six Reasons Why Group Travel Is (Usually) The Best Choice For Adoptees and Their Loved Ones
Questions Adoptees Should Ask When Choosing Travel Companions for a Heritage Journey
Questions Adoptees Should Ask When Choosing Travel Companions for a Heritage Journey
8 Things to Know Before Starting a Birth Family Search
8 Things to Know Before Starting a Birth Family Search
Birth Country Connections and Their Impact -- The Heart of the Journey

Ties Travelers Reflect

Featured
Ties Returns to Colombia: A Journey of Connection, Culture and Homecoming
Ties Returns to Colombia: A Journey of Connection, Culture and Homecoming
Kazakhstan Ties 2025: Carrying the Torch, Continuing the Legacy
Kazakhstan Ties 2025: Carrying the Torch, Continuing the Legacy
Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel
Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel
From Participant to Team Member, Reflections from Ties’ First Intern
From Participant to Team Member, Reflections from Ties’ First Intern
Ties Traveler: Meet Tatyana
Ties Traveler: Meet Tatyana
Ties Traveler: Meet Bella
Ties Traveler: Meet Bella
Ties Travelers: Meet Wen
Ties Travelers: Meet Wen
Returning to China as an Adoptee: The Trip That Opened the Real Journey
Returning to China as an Adoptee: The Trip That Opened the Real Journey
Ties Travelers: Meet David
Ties Travelers: Meet David

Hear From Our Team

Featured
Returning to Research: Reflections on the Rudd Institute’s Adoption Masterclass
Returning to Research: Reflections on the Rudd Institute’s Adoption Masterclass
Ties Returns to Colombia: A Journey of Connection, Culture and Homecoming
Ties Returns to Colombia: A Journey of Connection, Culture and Homecoming
Turning Pain Into Purpose with Simon Benn of Thriving Adoptees
Turning Pain Into Purpose with Simon Benn of Thriving Adoptees
Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel
Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel
Returning to China as an Adoptee: The Trip That Opened the Real Journey
Returning to China as an Adoptee: The Trip That Opened the Real Journey
Mental Health Awareness Month: Unspoken Adoptee Stressors — Part 2: The Weight of the Narrative
Mental Health Awareness Month: Unspoken Adoptee Stressors — Part 2: The Weight of the Narrative
A Long-Awaited Journey Back to Ethiopia
A Long-Awaited Journey Back to Ethiopia
Mental Health Awareness Month: Unspoken Adoptee Stressors — Part 1: The Ghost Kingdoms
Mental Health Awareness Month: Unspoken Adoptee Stressors — Part 1: The Ghost Kingdoms
What to Expect When Traveling with The Ties Program This Summer
What to Expect When Traveling with The Ties Program This Summer

Not what you’re looking for? Search all of our categories and archives or start from our most recent reflections below.

Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel
Ties Travel Experience Elizabeth Kwon Ties Travel Experience Elizabeth Kwon

Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel

In this powerful reflection, Korean Ties Program Manager Sarah Kurtzahn shares her personal experience traveling to South Korea with her husband (a Korean adoptee) and their young son. From exploring Seoul in 100°F heat to navigating Korea’s evolving post-adoption landscape, Sarah reflects on how heritage travel, adoptee identity, and family connection continue to intersect in meaningful ways.

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