[Angel99]

I was just curious when you would consider taking your child back to Guatemala to visit? Not that we are planning any time soon but it is always in the back of my head....almost as if I'm planning already- Iwant to do this or we need to go there and see that....

What are your thoughts?
Has anyone already done this?

I would love to hear about it if you want to share

[whereintheworld]

My son was 14 mos old the first time we returned, to meet his little sis. We took him back again for the pickup trip (which was exactly 1 year and 1 day after his homecoming...he was 18mos). Our goal now is to do an extended trip over the Christmas holidays in 2010, when they are 4 and 5.

[dac_cincy]

Bug came home at 21.5 months on 01Jun2007, I took him back 19 months later (at age 3) on 31Dec2008. We are tentatively planning to go back for Spring Break in 2011 - his kindergarten year.

Our visit trip this year was just that a visit trip back to see his foster family and to start getting out more from the hotel. We went to the zoo, IRTRA, aome museums and the foster family's home. It was great- he remembered them, loved them and even remembered the house.

When we go back in 2011, we are planning on Antigua and Lake Atitilan along with visiting the foster family.

Youc an see details and pictures of the trip on our old blog
Life with Little Bug Dates 01Jan2009-09Jan2009

Love to you

[Slatond10]

Thanks for asking this question ....I am hoping to go this July on a "mission trip" and take DD. She will be 4 1/2 yrs old. If finances allow.

I have made bfamily contact and would like to visit w/ them the following summer b4 she goes to K.

Like you this is something I have in the back of my mind right now and tentatively planning.

Will follow thread to see other responses.

[angel_bayou]

I took my DD back when she was 2 1/2 and I'm planning to let her go back with me on my mission trip this December so she will be 4!! She met her birthfamily (mother/father/siblings/grandparents) on the visit as well as spent a few hours with her foster family!! It was really nice and I want her to be able to go back every two or so years for sure!!

[mksilvermoon]

we are headed back this august for 3 weeks - antigua, lake atitlan and IRTRA in retalhuleu

we also have contact with DD's family and plan to meet - so looking forward to the trip already and also hope to return every other year (finances permitting but we plan to save for this goal) as DD grows up - that way Guatemala will be a lived part of her childhood/teen years - she will be 2 and three quarters in august!

MK

[mommytoEli]

i made the mistake of telling my dh WAY too much info i had read about Guatemala in the last year, and he now does not want to take eli back until he is much older....like old enough to tell someone he needs help from the US embassy. i can't wait until then...i am excited, and i really want to spend several weeks in antigua at a language school together. i'm thinking 7 or 8. but we'll see.

[mommyto2guatboys]

We took our boys back when they were 2 and 3 it was wonderful. MommytoEli, I made the same mistake too! I have told my husband everything I have read online and he says we won't be going back for a long time with the kids, he is too worried about safety. I actually don't blame him though, when I was last there in December I felt that the saftey aspect has changed there, better safe then sorry, but I have been thinking lately that I really want to go again soon, ofcourse finances permitting. I want to take the boys back to see their foster families again and we have made birthmom contact with youngest son's family and would love for them to meet him.

Magen
My family!

[gwenrenee007]

We would go back now if we had the money. It's not only the cost of the trip to think about, but we want to be able to give $ to dd's foster family, first family, and friends we met while down there. I also want to do some mission work while down there. So I am thinking in the next year or year and a half we will be back. I would like to go back every 2 years to do mission work.

[annaguat]

I am not planning to take the girls back till they are in their mid teens. We took our older daughter back when she was 15 and she had a blast visisting Tikal, museums, under ground market etc. I also feel better when they are older. DS 19 did not want to go back. Anna

[Anne1377]

We have been back one to two times each year since Annie came home in 2003. The first time we returned was six months after we brought her home so she was 14 months old. We are able to visit her foster and birth families as well as the many friends we have made there each time we go. We want Annie to grow up knowing Guatemala and knowing all the special people we know who live there.

We are already excited thinking about our next trip!

Diane

[GuatMommy2Be]

We are tentatively planning to return at the end of the year. Madeline will be 3 at that time. I'd also like to take her the summer she goes into Kindergarten - My hope is for that to be a couple weeks.

[b_fettes]

Going with MK's family in August. My son was 4 when he returned for the first time and will be 6 this summer. My daughter will be 2 1/2.
I want them to visit many times as they grow up and to know their families especially siblings whilst they are all children.
The finances from Ireland are huge but we hope to go every 2 years. When my son did return in 2007, I have to say it was one of the most moving experiences ever to see him glowing with pride for his native land and loving that he looked so much like everyone else. He asks every day when we are returning.

[Mindybeth6]

We are not planning to go back until Mikayla is old enough to remember the trip. We took Alec on our pick-up trip and he was 4 at the time and he barely remembers the details of it. Some things, yes, but not completely. When we go back I want it to be a real learning experience for her. I want her to see her orphanage, her place of birth, etc. and be able to ask questions. Of course, I am assuming that she will want to go there in the first place. That decision will be hers. I know several adopted children that have no interest in their birthcountry. It will be Mikayla's choice but we will not go back until she is 7-8 years old likely. And we are going down with our best friends, who also have a child Mikayla's age that was in the same orphanage as Mikayla at the same time:-)

Now, if we had money, we would have already been back regardless of all the above. But when we go, it will be a huge sacrifice for our family financially, therefore I need to make sure Mikayla is aware of what is going on when we go back. But OH do I miss Guatemala. I would go tomorrow if I could afford it.

[kzwief]

I am thinking about taking Kate back sometime next winter. She will be 2 1/2 or almost 3 depending on when we decide to go. I would love to hang out with her foster family and also head up to Lake Atitlan for the majority of our trip. Kate came home at 18 months old. I think am mad that we didn't spend more than a week on pickup seeing some of these things, but I was so anxious to start our life together at home. I can't wait to go back. I am already planning it in my head!