[crg]

hi
this may sound crazy,and i can't believe i am writing this , i did not think was true but..... are there asian babies in guatamala... people called mongol or something???
please don't laugh at me but that is what i have been told and sent pictures of already adopted out babies/children and one little girl looked very asian .
i have been waiting for vietnam to open and then switched to russia for 2 asian infants....as i was told it would be a quick refferal and now over 3 months later no refferral and i am told to switch to guatamala...and there are some young asian children....please let me know what you think ........and yes it sounds crazy to me too.
carolyn

[jen]

I'm not really sure about the facts- someone else here will know. But my son does look asian and people have even asked me if my husband is Chinese.

My son is much darker than my daughter who does not look asian and is just a bit darker than myself. I have even heard people say that some Guatemalans have round eyes where others are a bit slanted. Good question, I'm looking forward to the responses you get.

[sassafrass]

I have heard there are lots of asian or part asian kids there too. During my visit last weekend, I met a little girl believed to be half chinese. She was adorable and looked very asian AND very guatemalen. Also another baby that is believed to be part filipino. (sorry spelling is not my strong point) she was so cute and looked more asian than guatemalen.
Hope this helps but I'm not sure how you would FIND one of these asian referrels in guatemala.

good luck

[ejatt]

There is an asian population in Guatemala. My three year old son has asian features and I met a little Guatemalan girl (adopted) last summer who I would have sworn was from China.

Melissa

[zanjen02]

Hello,
had to chime in on this one! lol! My son also has very Asian features. Our co-ordinator in Guatemala told us that there is a large Korean population in Guatemala. Maybe that is where the Asian features come from. My daughter from Guatemala has very Mayan features. Kind of like America where you can see many different ethnicities. Aren' t they all so beautiful!
God Bless!
Jenny

[Gingerella_68]

Well, history itself explains that a long time ago (about 23'000 years ago!!!) asians walked through Siberia and Alaska and populated North and South America. White people communly call them "indians". Indian children look quite often like asians. In Guatemala the Indians are Mayas and they did not mix much with white people (usually spanish people) like in Mexico for exemple.

I often look to the very beautiful straight black hair of my sun, they look so much asian :-). I've also met some children that have really asian eyes.

I read the history part in the Lonely Planet over Guatemala. A good book to have if you're interested in the country.

[flutterby]

Many Guatemalan children have what most would be consider "Mayan" features. But, when you realize that the Maya and their descendents are descendents from those who first walked across the Bering Straights thousands of years ago, to come to the Americas, it's no wonder that our indigeneous children have similar features to the indigenous of Asia.

Several people have asked if my son is from Korea.

[guatdad]

Yes we have seen a few babies with asian features in Guatemala. I met a family with a strong-looking chinese baby girl and I asked them about her. They said there are lots of Chinese immigrants living on the eastern coast of the country. Those people were brought in as slaves many years ago.
Nelson's foster family had some chinese workers on their farm.

[becky]

Some of the children absolutely look Asian. When they first brought Bella to the hotel for our pick-up trip I called my husband and told him our Guatemalan little girl looked like an Asian little boy (they had shaved her hair)...she definitely has the look...and is much lighter skinned than many Guatemalan babies I have seen.

[carterj6]

This is an interesting thread. Throughout our adoption with Elia I always thought she had the roundest eyes I had ever seen and that she completely looked Guatemalan. Her paperwork says she is Mayan Indian. However, since we have been home, I have had 2 people come up to me and ask if she is Korean. Since they have asked me, I can see why they think it now. I guess there is a good mix in all countries! Jenny

[sarahdavek]

Our older daughter definitely has asian eyes. They are almond shaped. You can tell she has a Mayan background - coal black hair, black almond-shaped eyes. She is darker complected than our friends' children from China and Vietnam (especially when she's out in the sun). I think she looks rather Hawaiian. There was a man from Taiwan who asked me if she was from Cambodia or Vietnam a few months ago.

On the other hand, the daughter we are soon to meet appears to be much more European Hispanic. Her eyes and hair are the same color, but her eyes are much rounder. She is lighter complected as well.

I can't wait to see the girls together.

[Janette Monteil]

Well when I first brought Jeff home, someone from work asked me if he was asian. On the opposite side, a family who had adopted from China came into our store and I could not believe how much she looked like my son. Same coloring same eyes. If I had adopted from China and my daughter looked like her, nobody would be able to guess which kid came from which country.
(well except for the girls from China clue) But you get the point.

jan

[csw]

Hi,
Have you thought of Kazakhstan? You can adopt asian or Russian or a beautiful blend of both! They are gorgeous kids and the orphanages are pretty good. Cathy

[sk8termom]

Edwin's nickname at Casa Quivira was "Chino" due to his gorgeous almost black almond shaped eyes. When he was younger, a lot of Asian people would ask us if he was Filipino, Chinese etc... because of his eyes.

Edwin's eyes are still very almond shaped, though his skin is darker than most people from China. His hair is almost blue-black in color and very thick. Edwin is a very handsome 5 year old boy!

Gail

[crg]

i just want to thank all of you for your replies... i am seriously thinking about switching mostly due to the information you all have given to me.
i am tryiing to be open to where God is leading me and although i never would have considered guatemala i am thinking this may just be it ,,a little more prayer and i will make my decision by jan.
thanks carolyn