Learn more about our itineraries and request information at: www.AdoptiveFamilyTravel.com/Asia/Vietnam/ This list is an evolving one with frequent additions.
While traveling, families often wish to reconnect with people and places important in the life of their son or daughter. Reminiscing is an important part of the journey and these points of connection provide a foundation for your child. The Ties Program is pleased to assist by requesting permission to visit orphanages, exploring the possibility of meeting foster families, birth families, and orpha
nage caretakers, and making arrangements to see other places important to your family’s story such as the hotel where your family first met, a hospital, place of finding, or birth village. Families will travel with an English speaking guide to assist with and personalize the visits. Here are some of the people and places families have or hope to visit as part of their journey to Vietnam. See something missing? Or, are there other people or places on your “dream list?” Please email us. We are always open to helping you with other connections. An Giang Orphanage
An Lac Orphanage
Bien Hoa Orphanage
CanTho Orphanage
CanTho Hospital
Don Chua Cuu
Go Vap Orphanage
Hoa Binh Social Assistance Center
Hoi An Orphanage
Kien Giang Orphanage
Madame Hai (deceased)
Mam Non 4 Orphanage
Mrs. Thuy, former Claudia Hotel
Phu Tho Orphanage
Sister Mary Vincent
Soc Trang Orphanage
SOS Children’s Village Ben Tre
Tam Binh Orphanage
Thai Binh Social Protection Center
Thai Nguyen Orphanage
Tu Du Hospital
Tu Liem Orphanage*
Vinh Long
Vinh Phu Orphanage
Vinh Son Montagnard Orphanage (VSO)
*Closed. AKA Cau Giay
The Ties Program does not endorse any of the places listed above, but rather offers them as places families have indicated they may want to visit. The Ties Program-Adoptive Family Travel is a sister organization to the Gift of Identity Fund, Ltd.. a non-profit 501(c)(3). The mission of the Gift of Identity Fund, Ltd. is to build a fund so that ALL international adoptees have a chance to visit their birth country and explore their beginnings—accompanied by family who loves them, and supported in a way that is emotionally healthy. Finally funding for international adoptees visiting their birth country with the goal of helping them understand their identity, heritage, and culture! Visit Gift of Identity's page (www.facebook.com/GiftOFIdentity) or learn more at www.Gift-of-Identity.org.
Thank you to everyone who joined our webinar last night! We've had an incredible time with our webinar series this year and have learned so much together. We hope you've enjoyed it too!
In exciting news and as a great way to wrap up our winter/spring webinar series, join our Owner and Director, Dr. Tanya Kaanta, as she explores trauma, chronic illness, and healing in relation to adoption. 🌟 Don't miss out on this insightful session!
Register: https://bit.ly/maytanyawebinar
During Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, it's important to recognize and celebrate the unique experiences of adoptees within these communities. Many adoptees of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent bring a rich blend of cultural backgrounds to their identity.
For adoptees within these communities, heritage can be a complex and evolving part of their identity. A lot of the adoptees who travel with us are international adoptees and have had to adjust to cultures and traditions that are different from their country of birth. Many are transracial adoptees and are navigating the intersection between their adoptive and biological cultures.
This month offers an opportunity to highlight the diverse journeys of adoptees and the ways in which they contribute to and shape AANHPI communities. It's a time to celebrate the resilience, strength, and unique perspectives that adoptees bring to their cultural heritage. Let's embrace and uplift adoptees as integral members of our AANHPI family during this special month of celebration.
🕖 Reminder: Join us tonight at 7 PM CST for our "Pre- to Post-Trip: Gathering Your Support Team" webinar!
But wait, we have more! 🎉 We're thrilled to announce our upcoming May webinar featuring the fantastic duo that is Kimiko Kawabori and Kari Grady Grossman!
📅 Save the date for this awesome FREE webinar.
Date: Wednesday, May 1st
Time: 7:00PM CST
Register here: https://bit.ly/AncestralWebinarSignUp
📅 Mark your calendars and join us on April 17th at 7PM CST for our FREE webinar: 'From Pre- to Post-Trip: Gathering Your Support Team. Whether you’re planning a trip this year or in the future, we can help you consider important aspects when building a strong support system for every step of your journey.
Sign up today: https://bit.ly/TiesAprilWebinar
Happy International Women's Day to all the incredible souls out there! Today and every day, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and diverse stories of EVERY woman. Here's to honoring every unique journey and embracing the power of inclusivity and equity for all!
Adoptive Family Travel - The Ties Program has always been a woman-owned and operated organization. We are proud to be guided, supported and led by visionary women who bring empathy, support, and inclusivity to heritage travel. Cheers to ALL the incredible women who have been part of our trips, supporting adoptees' journeys along the way! 💖🌍
⏰ Friendly Reminder ⏰
Gift of Identity Grant applications are due NEXT WEEK!
For more information, visit: https://gift-of-identity.org/info-for-applicants
Visit www.gift-of-identity.org for more information!
🌸✨ Wishing everyone a joyful and prosperous Tết celebration! May the Lunar New Year bring you good health, happiness, and abundant blessings. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! 🎊🧧
Tet is a special occasion not only for Vietnamese people but also for foreigners in the country
Join Vietnam Ties for a journey of connections! Regardless of age, form unique and diverse bonds that last a lifetime. Begin your journey towards lasting connections by registering today.
Read more on the ages of adoptees on our 2024 trip here: https://conta.cc/3wbi2In
Request information and learn how to register at the link in our bio!
Visit www.gift-of-identity.org for more information!
Reminder: Our Early Bird Discount of $100 per person ends Wednesday, January 31st. Gift of Identity-For International Adoptees Grant Applications are also due Jan 31st!
If you would like to learn more about our Vietnam Ties program, Gift of Identity or find out how to register, click the link in our bio!
Birth country travel is a profound experience for international adoptees and their families. Here are five core truths about birth country travel https://conta.cc/3SgzdRn
Request information an learn how to register for Vietnam Ties 2024 today at the link in our bio.
Drum roll please...Registration is now open for Vietnam Ties 2024-2025! We're finally returning to this beautiful country and we can't wait to have you with us! Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!
If you're interested in learning more about Vietnam Ties, dates of travel, and how to register, just click on the link below!
https://conta.cc/47Z7fyY
More magic from Vietnam today.
Ladies collecting water lilies and washing them in the Mekong river delta to sell later at the market.
For adoptees, our lives don’t begin at placement- our lives begin in utero/at birth. However too often I work with adoptees who were raised in spaces that only fully honor the parts that include adoptive family, seemingly forgetting whole chapters that influenced & impacted our worldviews and challenged our senses of safety.
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“She never had a family until us.”
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“He couldn’t miss birth family, he’s never met them.”
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“You’re being too sensitive, not everything is about adoption.”
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These are examples of phrases- that I have repeatedly heard over the years, that are forgetting the chapters before adoption. These are the phrases that ignore implicit memory, that are rigid rather than curious. These are the phrases that forget we must be looking at adopted children and their experiences through the lens of grief & loss.
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How might our perspective shift about big, challenging behavior , big complicated feelings, struggling to find identity,
High risk behaviors, search & reunion, and other big topics if we were to slow things down and get curious about grief and how it bubbles under the surface - a key factor in all of these.
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For many adoptees, this grief is some of the biggest to hit the system. Often occurring in the most vulnerable developmental stages, which also means it’s occurring in preverbal, pre- explicit memory making phases. How (understandably so) disorienting. We cannot underestimate the impact this has.
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Of course things feel hard when you have lost so much. Of course things feel isolating when there are no solid answers. Of course things feel disorienting when loved ones raise you and will not acknowledge what came before as if it’s a secret, or something to be ashamed about.
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When children are adopted the wholeness of them is adopted, the wholeness of them deserves love & the wholeness of them needs attunement.
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The Ties Program is now adoptee owned!
Exciting things are happening at The Ties Program. For 30 years, we have strived to take international adoptees and their families on extraordinary birth country experiences. We have loved every minu
Netflix, a worldwide streamer of movies and TV shows, has revealed the first photos of its upcoming movie ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’ that was filmed in Vietnam.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/laughing-cow-17483989.php
Foil-wrapped wedges of Laughing Cow felt like one of those semi-universal things.
An important read.
Portraits of Vietnam will include pictures of people, places, landscapes, scenery, food and Vietnamese experiences, all with the goal of helping adoptees see Vietnam the way we all know it to be—SPECTACULAR! (More to come! Watch for photos to be added often!)
Four women share how they’ve forged ways to celebrate a holiday that originates from their unknown histories.
https://gtelocalize.com/which-countries-celebrate-lunar-new-year/
In this post, let's find out which countries in Asia celebrate Lunar New Year and what traditions they have on this special occasion.
For the first time in its 130-year history, revered fashion magazine American Vogue will solo feature an East Asian woman on its cover.
Without a significant Christian community, the purchasing power for pine trees and decorations for Christmas was still expected to increase in Vietnam as people long for a festive season after a long period of social distancing.
YES!
Ji-Young's existence is the culmination of a lot of discussions after the events of 2020 — George Floyd's death and anti-Asian hate incidents. Like a lot of companies, "Sesame Street" reflected on how it could "meet the moment," ...
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/15/1055733980/sesame-street-makes-history-with-the-debut-of-its-first-asian-american-muppet
Seven-year-old Ji-Young is Korean American. She loves her electric guitar just as much as her skateboard, and she'll be introduced to the Sesame Street gang during Thanksgiving day special.
Jaclyn Skalnik, aka on Instagram, speaks from a place of experience. In her early 20's, she participated in a Ties trip with her family. She then went on to earn her MSW, led an international adoption program, traveled as Ties travel staff, became a parent, and ultimately opened Adoption Wellness.
Most international adoption programs require parents to travel to the country. Parents, what did you experience when you were in your child's country of origin? Did you experience cultural differences? Were you out of your comfort zone? Did you explore new foods? Did your brain fatigue after hearing a different language? I ask you to pay attention to what you felt while in your child's country, but also, what you did to learn. This minute window offers you a glimpse of the adjustment your kids go through when transplanted to their new country. I oftentimes hear adoptive parents complain about their trip; it was smelly, dirty, poor, etc. Please use judgement when speaking about your child's country. What you say may be interpreted as a reflection of them. Children growing up outside of their culture will feel disconnected and can only rely on what they hear about it from others. Listen, we have smelly, dirty, poor areas here too - so let's be culturally sensitive while also acknowledging the beauty of their country.
Speak early and often about a visit, save $ for it and make it a priority. Your children depend on you to provide them with resources to make connections to their birth culture/country. If your child is reluctant, it may be because it was introduced to them too late. "We're going to take you back to China next summer" vs. "We're going to visit China next summer" are two very different phrases. As parents, the language we use is critical. Talk with your children about what they want to do and see during a visit. Will the whole family travel? Do they want to travel with other adoptees? Do they want to visit tourist places or spaces connected to their life before adoption (orphanage, etc.)? Talk about their expectations of the trip, not yours.
Adoptees need time to prepare for and unpack from a homeland trip. Please make sure they are supported to share their feelings. They deserve an opportunity to visit where they are from as it can really fill in the blanks. Eating takeout from the local Chinese restaurant once a year does not cut it for "exposing them to their birth culture."
When children learn the world is random and unpredictable, they move into a state of protection. We all do it. It’s natural.
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When children have experienced attachment trauma, they have been taught that caregivers can be random and unpredictable and their response of self protection often plays out in behavior and relationships. However, regardless of how they respond- caregivers must be intentional and devoted to how attuned and sensitive they are in creating moments of connection for children.
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It’s these moments of connection that fuel attachment and feelings of felt-safety. It is within these healing spaces that children can find a sense of worth and belonging.
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Children who are living from the lens of protection need the presence of connection.
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I see you showing up for the hard and uneasy. I see you creating spaces that enhance peace and validate pain. No one said it was easy. You are not alone 💛
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