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 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 3/4/26 Elizabeth Kwon 3/4/26

All of Your Ethiopian Ties Questions Answered

Planning a Ties Heritage trip to Ethiopia? This guide answers everything from dates, to updates from the inaugural trip, in-country support, reconnection opportunities with birth family and pricing. Learn how Ties creates meaningful, personalized experiences for adoptees and their loved ones plus get tips on grants, travel planning and making the most of your journey.

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 1/22/26 Elizabeth Kwon 1/22/26

Ties Traveler: Meet Liz

Meet Liz Sevigny (they/them/她). Liz is a Chinese adoptee from Yueyang in Hunan Province and a participant in our inaugural China Ties Adult Adoptees Age 21+ heritage journey. Liz shares reflections on returning to their birth country, traveling alongside fellow adult adoptees, and the meaningful experience of meeting with their birth family during the journey.

Elizabeth Kwon 12/18/25 Elizabeth Kwon 12/18/25

File Reviews & Birth Search in the Age of NCRC: Part 2

In part two this two-part series, program manager and Korean adoptee Liz Kwon personally reflects on how birth search and file reviews are being handled since NCRC took over adoptee files earlier in 2025.

Elizabeth Kwon 12/11/25 Elizabeth Kwon 12/11/25

File Reviews & Birth Search in the Age of NCRC: Part 1

In part one this two-part series, program manager and Korean adoptee Liz Kwon personally reflects on how birth search and file reviews are being handled since NCRC took over adoptee files earlier in 2025.

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 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.

Elizabeth Kwon 8/7/25 Elizabeth Kwon 8/7/25

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.

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 6/28/25 Autumn Ackerson 6/28/25

Ties Traveler: Meet Tatyana

Kazakhstan adoptee Tatyana shares her powerful 2024 Ties Program journey—reconnecting with her orphanage, embracing her culture, and finding community through heritage travel.

Autumn Ackerson 6/20/25 Autumn Ackerson 6/20/25

Ties Traveler: Meet Bella

Guatemalan adoptee Bella Faulkenberry shares her transformative experience traveling with The Ties Program. From rediscovering her heritage to building lifelong connections with fellow adoptees, Bella reflects on what it meant to return to her birth country with support, community, and love.

Autumn Ackerson 6/14/25 Autumn Ackerson 6/14/25

Ties Travelers: Meet Wen

Follow Wen's journey back to China on the 2024 China Ties trip as she visits her birthplace in Ningdu, reconnects with her roots, and reflects on identity, belonging, and the power of traveling with fellow adoptees.

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.