Ties Program Blog

Preparing for Heritage Travel | Ties Travelers Reflect | Hear From Our Team

Elizabeth Kwon 4/30/26 Elizabeth Kwon 4/30/26

Five Things Adoptees Should Know Before Traveling to Their Birth Country a Second Time

Been to your birth country before? Your next trip is going to feel completely different and that's okay. 💜 We're diving into what adoptees can expect on return trips: bigger feelings, new perspectives, and the beauty of seeing familiar places with fresh eyes. Featuring real stories from Ties Team Members and alumni, it's an honest and encouraging guide to traveling with an open heart, releasing expectations, and embracing every feeling along the way.

Elizabeth Kwon 4/23/26 Elizabeth Kwon 4/23/26

Kazakhstan Through New Eyes: Reflections from an Adoptive Mother

Sixteen years after adopting their son, Noah, Amelia reflects on their powerful 2025 heritage trip to Kazakhstan with The TIES Program. This blog spotlight details how TIES expertly balanced deeply emotional work with genuine fun and adventure, allowing Noah and other adopted kids to connect in a way that required no explanation. Amelia shares how the experience deepened her understanding of international adoption, replacing initial anxiety with ease and joy.

Elizabeth Kwon 3/26/26 Elizabeth Kwon 3/26/26

More Than a Return: Reflections from India Ties Kolkata Travelers

Before leaving India, we sat down with the tour members for India Ties Kolkata and asked them what the journey was like for them - what made them travel with Ties, how the trip has impacted their relationships to themselves and their families and if they would recommend a Ties tour to anyone considering it. Excerpts have been edited for clarity.

Elizabeth Kwon 3/19/26 Elizabeth Kwon 3/19/26

Returning to China: A Heritage Trip with My Sons

Adoptive mother, Jen Decker-McMillen shares her summer 2025 experience returning to China with her adopted teenage sons through The Ties Program. A powerful story of heritage travel, identity, and connection.

Elizabeth Kwon 3/12/26 Elizabeth Kwon 3/12/26

Language at the Lake: A New Way to Experience the Heart of Guatemala

Hazel Bendix refects on her transformative Ties trips to Guatemala and shares why she’s excited for the new Language at the Lake program. From cultural immersion and volunteering at El Amor Children’s Home to learning Spanish and building lifelong connections, this program offers adoptees a unique opportunity to explore heritage, language and identity.

Elizabeth Kwon 11/19/25 Elizabeth Kwon 11/19/25

November Gratitude Spotlight: Ana Wilson

Elizabeth Kwon 11/4/25 Elizabeth Kwon 11/4/25

November Gratitude Spotlight: Destiny Fore

Elizabeth Kwon 8/28/25 Elizabeth Kwon 8/28/25

Ties Returns to Colombia: A Journey of Connection, Culture and Homecoming

Ben Kaanta, Colombia Ties Program Manager, reflects on Ties’ return to Colombia and how geographical and cultural layers can inform an experience.

Chloé Gingrich-Howling 7/24/25 Chloé Gingrich-Howling 7/24/25

From Participant to Team Member, Reflections from Ties’ First Intern

Guatemalan adoptee Bella reflects on her return to Antigua as the first Ties Program intern. From mentoring fellow adoptees to learning and living daily life in Guatemala, she shares the emotional and cultural impact of the Service and Language heritage travel experience.

Autumn Ackerson 6/9/25 Autumn Ackerson 6/9/25

Returning to China as an Adoptee: The Trip That Opened the Real Journey

China Ties Program Manager Autumn Ackerson reflects on her personal journey as a Chinese adoptee returning to her birth country—and how leading others on their own return trips has shaped her path.