Ties Program Blog

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

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 4/16/26 Elizabeth Kwon 4/16/26

Ties Traveler: Meet Aunt Allison

Read the powerful story of adoptee Dulce’s heritage journey to Guatemala, accompanied by her favorite aunt, Allison. This moving post details how the aunt-niece duo navigated the emotional complexities of a Ties trip, from discovering the program to successfully meeting Dulce’s birth family and siblings.

Learn why having a non-parental "sidekick" made a difference in Dulce's reconnection experience, the process of finding birth family, and how their family continues to build connections to Guatemala through Spanish classes and plans for future trips.

Elizabeth Kwon 4/2/26 Elizabeth Kwon 4/2/26

Ties Traveler: Meet Beth

Exploring identity, connection and community alongside fellow adoptees and loved ones, Paraguayan adoptee Beth shares a powerful reflection on moments in Asunción and Pirayú, bringing to life the depth of heritage travel and the lasting impact of connecting with culture, language and roots.

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 2/5/26 Elizabeth Kwon 2/5/26

Inside the Mind of Our Travel Team: Marisa Reflects on Our Inaugural Trip to Ethiopia

In this behind-the-scenes reflection, Ties travel team member Marisa shares what it was like to lead the inaugural Ethiopian Ties heritage journey, offering insight into adoptee travel, group support, in-country partnerships, and the powerful moments of identity and belonging that unfolded along the way.

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

November Gratitude Spotlight: Destiny Fore

Elizabeth Kwon 10/13/25 Elizabeth Kwon 10/13/25

A Journey Back to Guatemala: How One Adoptee Found Connection Beyond Birth Search

Former Ties Traveler, Gabby Mendez, reflects on what it feels like to travel to your birth country without accurate birth records.

Autumn Ackerson 5/26/25 Autumn Ackerson 5/26/25

A Long-Awaited Journey Back to Ethiopia

Join us for the inaugural Ethiopian Ties trip this December. Program Manager Rebecca Blessing shares the heartfelt journey of how this long-awaited heritage experience for Ethiopian adoptees and their loved ones finally came to life.

Tanya Kaanta 5/13/25 Tanya Kaanta 5/13/25

What to Expect When Traveling with The Ties Program

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