Hello,
We're in the midst of our adoption of an older child from Russia. I'm traveling in 9 days to meet *him*, (husband staying home with other kids).
I'm a SAHM of frat twins, b/g, 1w/autism. They are 4.5. My oldest (20 at the time) passed away nearly 2 years ago (11/7/04). I used to have a home on a different parenting forum, but lately things there have gone a little whacky, and I'm looking for a new home. Since we are in the middle of this amazing journey, I thought a virtual home centered around adoption would be more comforting right now.
Hope to hear lots and lots of wisdom from all!
We are asking to adopt a boy, aged 4-8. We are using an agency located in IA, we live in New England. I am very excited, but also extremely scared. I have traveled in Europe a long time ago, but never to Russia and I'm a tad nervous about that, as well as scared to death at the thought of meeting our new son, knowing how difficult attachments can be to form, realizing his life in an orphanage is beyond anything I can imagine...wondering if he'll think I'm ugly or fat or just be plain old terrified of the thought of going so very far away from all he's known.
I've been fortunate to have a few mentors (in the realm of adoption) in my life. An old friend (sadly, we drifted apart ~5 years ago) adopted two darling girls from China, and a very dear friend has 3 daughters from Poland (bio-sisters). They've been a wealth of information, but I still feel like I'm traveling in un-charted territory.
Advice I've received so far has included Cipro, buy all the souveniors I can stand on this first trip, go to the Bolshoi while in Moscow (tickets booked), dress more formally than I normally do (SAHM lives in jeans) address the MOE and/or judge and never the interpreter, get my cash in newer bills without rips or tears, etc.
I'm still petrified.
Any wise words....anyone?