[1katie2paco]

I have just been notified that I am out of PGN. When do people make plans to pick up their child after PGN? Do you have to wait for the pink slip or can you make arrangements ahead of time?

Any one's experiences would be helpful. Thanks!!

[foxl]

Hey, congrats!

We were advised to wait till pink, b/c birth certificates out of Guatemala City Civil Registry are running slow.

Hope to meet you there! (or maybe you should hope to get there first!)
Linda

[lotterino]

As with every part of this process, the timeline for pink is very "iffy." Some people get it quickly, others wait for 5 weeks. I would wait until you have pink to make definite plans. At the very earliest, I would wait until you know for certain that you have been submitted to the embassy for pink. But now is a great time to start sniffing out deals. And congrats on your OUT!

[1katie2paco]

Thanks to you all for writing. I actually feel a little better about it after reading your responses because as happy as I am about being out of PGN, I was expecting it to be later and I must be able to close out a few things with work before I can travel. I hope it won't be too long before pink, but I could use just a bit more time. I was actually out of PGN months before I anticipated it!

Let me know when you travel!

Any suggestions on places to stay in Guatemala City? Can you actually get out around the city or is it dangerous?

[Pizzamoma2004]

1Katie2paco,
First of all Congratulations on exiting PGN. Let me know if you'd like me to add you to the "Waiting for Pink" list.

[Kesti]

Yes, for both of our adoptions from Guatemala we waited for pink. When we were on our pickup trip for our first adoption in 2003 we saw too many families waiting for pink who were there for too long and we didn't want to have to go thru that stess and of course the expense of staying at the hotel for a long period of time. If you can afford to go and wait it out then I say do it but for many it is not possible.

[1katie2paco]

yes, this would be great - thanks!

[mcidas]

Any suggestions on places to stay in Guatemala City? Can you actually get out around the city or is it dangerous?

There are a ton of places to stay, just do a search.

Yes you can get out and around the city. It's no more dangerous than any other big city here in the US.
We just hired a cab from the hotel. $7/hr during rush hour. Cheap.
Enjoy.

[brink]

Thanks to others for giving you the good advice. There is definite protocal and procedures to follow in the adoption process. The pink slip is the Embassy's notification to you that all is ready for you to come to the Embassy for your appointment. It is there that you sign on the "dotted line" and your adoption is complete. Guatemala now recognizes you as the legal parent of the child. As adoptive parents, I feel strongly that we need to respect the system, follow the rules even when we don't like them or understand them, and to remember that this is not just about us becoming parents. There is an entire flip-side to our child's history, and I believe it keeps us humble, patient, and grateful thru it all to consider all the people involved in that early history, those who make it possible for us to parent an adopted child. And tho I realize not many want to hear it, I believe we would all do well to consider more than just ourselves and our strong desire to parent in all of this. I've been reprimanded here for being "insensitive" to individuals, but my desire is that all involved will be "sensitive" to the culture and individuals we are dealing with in Guatemala. More is at stake for future adoptions than we may realize, as we show courtesy to embassy officials and staff and respect for the system they've chosen to use.

Our agency director, a vetaran of adoptions for over 25yrs is in Guatemala now. I respect her highly for her professionalism and respect for all others involved in our child's adoption. From the get-go 14 yrs ago when we first applied w/ that agency (we have completed three, nearly four, and started on fifth adoption thru them), they told us they're not in the business to find us a child. They're in it for the sake of the children. The best philosophy for everyone's sake, I believe.

Down off my soapbox. I know I will either be ignored in this thread, called "insensitive" here, told this is not the time or place for such thoughts, or PMd encouraging words from others who have privately voiced similar concerns. But it's worth it to me, if I can help one person be more "sensitive" to the other side of our adoptions. Our adopted children deserve that from us, not to mention that as mothers and fathers we should be teaching them that the world does not revolve around them, they need to follow the rules, and learn to wait patiently for the best things in life. That seems to be "counter-culture" in this day and age at times. Sorry it's your thread I am choosing to use. Absolutely nothing indicated in your words that you have any such attitudes, so nothing intended to be pointed at you.

Best wishes to you. We are also very near the end of this long process, for our third time. Birth certificate will supposedly be in hand next week. After passport, dr appt for child, and translation of bc back into English we should be receiving that precious pink slip. Maybe first wk in Feb?

[BEBE]

We waited untill we had the Pink Slip BEFORE making travel arrangements. Our agency insisted on it. And IMO it is best to wait. I have heard way to many stories of people who go on and travel before the pink slip and then are stuck just waiting in limbo.
Dont get me wrong, Guatemala was great, but we could not have afforded to stay a week or more than we had planned. Plus our older DD was here in the States with my parents. We had decided not to take her on the pick up trip. So we wanted to get back home as soon as possible, she had a cold when we left and by the time we returned she had a very bad case of bronchitis.


We were notified at 3:OO PM on a Friday afternoon that we had the pink slip. I called the travel agency (she told me to call by 5:00 pm) and she booked us the LAST 2 seats on the flight out very early Monday morning. Just as we had wanted. It worked out perfectly.

But boy was I a nervous WRECK at work that day!
I nearly jumped out of my skin each time the phone rang. He He He!! LOL Our flight from Houston down to Guatemala, DH and I were not on the same row (he was behind me) but it was fine. We didn't ask anyone to change. We were so happy to finally be going to get our baby, I would have sat on the floor if necessary. LOL

Congratulations on your PGN exit!!

[Corolla]

Hi Brink

I'm in the early stages-(dossier almost done waiting for referral). I appreciate your candor. I feel I have learned an important lesson over the last couple of days. Don't rush the system. Even if the rules and regulations don't make sense to me. I know I haven't even begun the painful part of adoption process yet. I will keep in mind to appreciate and respect both Guatemalan and US agencies involved, without them my dream of having a child could be gone.

Your post was very helpful to me

[csw]

Hi
I can't believe you are out of PGN already! How long since referral? I am so happy for you...If you can afford the time off from work and the expense, I know your particular agency would not mind you going down to foster until pink is ready..its up to you..I went 4x including fostering for almost 1 month at the end..mainly because our daughters foster care was so bad..but I know yours is great! So..its really up to you..
there is a lovely hotel in Antigua that your agency recommends..they even have hammocks and a pool! Talk to them about your concerns, but like I said..its really up to you if you want to foster as I know your agency people personally and they encourage fostering..
If you have a limited time off from work, I would probably wait for pink..it seems to take a minimum of around 3 weeks for pink..but sometimes it takes longer..
Have a great trip and cant wait to see updated photo's...take care, Cathy

[AddisonsMommy]

if you have seen any of my recent posts, you will know my story...i am here, stuck in guatemala because dhs is conducting some sort of investigation on my file. if i had known what i know now, and known how i would be treated by my own embassy, i would have waited it out. god knows how long this will take, and i assure you after the joy of having your child placed in your arms, it quickly becomes a game of survival and living in a hotel room with an infant is a huge challenge, to say the least.

dont get me wrong, i am glad to have my baby with me, but it's hard...she is sick, and i am stressed and upset, and it has been a nightmare. no offense to anyone who did better on a long term trip over here, but i just want to go home....

jen
still stuck in guatemala, waiting to see what happens tomorrow, as today is a holiday, emlbassy is closed

[carl&hiromi]

Best advice - wait for your pink slip. There are some that will tell you to go now or go when your paperwork is submitted to the embassy, etc, but the safest bet is to follow the advice of your agency and wait until your attorney has the pink slip in hand. I will probably get some feedback from others who have done just that - but all you have to do is read Addison's Mom's posts to understand the wisdom of waiting.

Use the time now to find the best flight prices and hotel arrangements. The money you save by making reservations a little further out can be better spent on your child than on higher priced tickets.

Best of luck to you.

Carl

[Mically]

Wait for the pink slip. I have seen/heard too many stories of heartbreak that occurred when a parent went down without their pink slip and then had to go back without their child (while a delay was worked out). If you have the financial resources and flexibility in your personal life to stay indefinitely in Guatemala (and don't mind staying) that's another story.

However, I would say that 99% of all adoptive parents want to bring their babies home as soon as possible--Guatemala City is dangerous (third most dangerous in the entire western hemisphere), not having a car makes it really tough to get around, and parents are limited in what they can do in terms of sightseeing given the logistics of an infant.

The Embassy isn't an evil entity that prevents parents from bringing their babies home. The people who work there are bound by the strictures of US laws. In the case of an investigation or a delay (obtaining the birth certificate, for example) there literally isn't anything they can do until the case meets all the legal requirements. They can't make "exceptions"-- they can't break the law. And I know that no adoptive parent would want their child under fraudulent circumstances.

So please please please wait for your pink slip. Wait until it is physically in your attorney's hand. And until it is, know that you will be in my prayers. . . it's a tough long road but it has such a happy ending.