Hi -
We adopted a long time ago from the Vladimir region (Alexandrov, to be precise). It was about a 2-3 hour drive up the old Siberian highway from Moscow. (Would not have taken as long but for the Moscow traffic and icy roads).
Court was very smooth and the prosecutor and judge both kind and nice. Our 10 days were waived. The home director was very polite and kindly -- genuinely happy for our DD.
The home itself, however, was really run-down and in poor condition. While the doctor and director's office was clean and nice, we were never allowed to see anything else, and by the smell of things and the shrieks and wailing from behind closed doors, we think it was not so clean and nice elsewhere. Our daughter was in very poor physical condition, with multiple treatable (but untreated) illnesses. Malnutrition was severe. She had suspicious bruises on her head.
The female doctor was a volatile drunk (half-empty vodka bottle in plain view) who screamed at us, just before we left with DD, for inquiring as to whether DD drank from a bottle.
Of course, today our DD is tall and healthy and bright and well-behaved and kind and absolutely model-like gorgeous and a very talented dancer.
So keep in mind that from some pretty inauspicious beginnings, wonderful, wonderful children emerge.
Good luck in your journey!
