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I find in interesting how the factors so many people seem to find the most important (new born, amount of contact with bparents) were deffinately not the main ones I've considered. Granted I did consider them both to some extent, and I did conclude I'd really like to know a lot about the kid if I adopted much past 1 because of how critical the first two years are to a childs developement, but I never thought much about their importance to me it was all about finding out what I felt was the best for a child.
The things that really made me think about what "I" wanted were all about how much I would gain from one process or the other. International experience and my kids connection to their country vs. comfortable preporation for a new child without extra stress of travel and it's preperations. I did consider a lot of the other issues and possible instability of different types, but most of those waited untill I decided one way or the other then it was time to find a program or agency with better stability on the issue that bugged me the most.
I may still do a domestic adoption someday, but I do know that I'd learn more and enjoy the process of an international one more, at least the first time though. And that was the key point for me, other issues can be dealt with after this one. International vs. Domestic seems like one of the first to make then a lot of the little preference or worries. But thats j.ust my opinion.
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TCK"s or Third Culture Kids are difined as "[A] person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The third culture kid builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the third culture kid's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of the same background."
How being a TCK relates to my desire to adopt some day: I grew up an international child, and while the walls between country and race mean less to me than most, I grew up with an understanding of the influence of clashing cultures that is hard to explain to someone who exists in solely one culture. God has given me the gift of experiences to fuel my desire for international adoption and to understand an internationally adopted child's world.
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