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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ties Travelers: Meet David
Korean adoptee David shares his powerful return-to-Korea journey with Ties—reflecting on identity, belonging, and what home truly means.
Returning to Korea as an Adoptee–Reconciling With What It Means to Belong
Ties Program Executive Director, Tanya Kaanta, reflects on life as a Korean adoptee.
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.
Ties Program Participants Now Eligible to Receive Grants from CH/LSS!
Discover how Ties Program participants can now receive grant funding from CH/LSS to support heritage travel. Learn who qualifies, what the grants cover, and how to apply for this meaningful opportunity.
