Ties Traveler: Meet Bella
Hi, my name is Bella Faulkenberry! I traveled to Guatemala with The Ties Program in 2019 when I was just 14 years old. I’m now a rising junior at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, majoring in Health Sciences. During the school year, I juggle two part-time jobs—one at a nonprofit senior living community, and the other as an attendant at my university’s health sciences center.
A few fun facts about me:
I have a cat named Kitty (yes, that’s really her name—it was an accident), and she’s basically famous on campus. I’ve embraced my crazy cat mom identity.
Parks and Recreation is my all-time favorite TV show—I’ve watched it nearly every day for ten years. April Ludgate-Dwyer is hands-down my favorite character.
I have a beautiful niece named Alliah. She’s three years old, and I got my first tattoo in her honor after her first birthday.
Why I Chose The Ties Program
Growing up, my moms always told me how beautiful Guatemala was and how much I would love it. I had always wanted to learn about my heritage and culture and find answers to questions I had been asking my entire life.
When I began the process of searching for my birth family, our searcher recommended The Ties Program.
Learning about one’s birth country while traveling with other adoptees on a similar journey was something I had never heard of before.
My family ultimately chose Ties because getting to experience Guatemala not just with my family, but with others who understood what it meant to be adopted. And something that made Ties feel really unique was that the staff included adoptees, too. They led our Connect & Chat sessions, which gave us a space to honestly talk about all of the feelings that we were experiencing. Ties make support for adoptees and loved ones a top priority, as the experience can sometimes be wonderfully overwhelming.
That “Wow” Moment
One of the most powerful moments happened the second we landed.
Everyone looked like me. Everything was at my height. I didn’t have to look up. Everyone and everything was at my eye level… It was something so small, but to me, it was everything.
Coming from South Carolina, where my sister and I were often the only Latin kids in school, it was surreal to walk out of the La Aurora International Airport and be surrounded by people who looked like me. There were families waiting with balloons and flowers, and in that moment, I felt a sense of belonging I had never known before.
What Shifted
There was a deep longing to fill in the gaps of my identity, and this journey offered the space and support to begin doing that.
Before traveling to Guatemala, I carried a sense of incompleteness—like a crucial part of who I was had been left unanswered. I didn’t just want to see where I came from—I needed to feel it, experience it, understand it. The trip allowed me to do all of that and more.
Whether it was hearing local stories, learning about my culture firsthand, or just sharing space with other adoptees, every part of the experience helped me feel more whole. By the end of the trip, Guatemala wasn’t just my birthplace—it was my home, in a way I hadn’t understood before.
What Ties Gave Me
Ties means community, support, and love.
Before Ties, I had never met many other adoptees—especially Guatemalan adoptees. On that trip, I gained a support system like no other. I’m still in touch with many of the people I met, and they’ve become some of the most important people in my life.
This experience completely changed me. I’ve been back to Guatemala twice since my first Ties trip, and I carry with me the pride, connection, and rediscovered sense of self that began with that journey.
Bella’s Advice for Future Travelers
Bella soaking up the Guatemalan spirit in Antigua
I want future adoptees and their loved ones to know this: there’s no right or wrong way to feel about going back to your birth country.
Being an adoptee is complicated… the smallest things made me feel the biggest feelings.
While I was in Guatemala, I felt everything—joy, surprise, discomfort, sadness, pride. Sometimes all in one day. This journey is different from any other trip. You’re not just sightseeing—you’re engaging with parts of your identity that might have been buried, unknown, or shaped by others.
If you’re nervous, know that it’s okay to be vulnerable. Many adoptees worry about what they’ll find, how locals will perceive them, or whether they’ll feel like they belong. You’re not alone. And if you’re excited—embrace that too. Be open to connection, but also honor your emotional boundaries.
Just be present in the space, and you might realize some things that you hadn’t before.
Feeling inspired?
If Bella’s story resonated with you—or sparked curiosity about your own journey—we invite you to explore what a Ties trip might mean for you or your family.
Whether you're ready to travel or simply starting to ask the big questions, there's a community here for you.
Learn more about our 2026 Guatemalan Ties Heritage Journey. Request the info packet to explore the itinerary, pricing, and what makes this trip so special.
