[SAVeronika]

... and starting to look at Kaz.

Can anyone give me any advise when it comes to adopting from Kaz? What are the pros and cons from those who have been there, done that? What should we watch out for? Do they have any severe restrictions I should know about? Would you all recommend starting an adoption from Kaz now? Are there any severe medical issues I should be aware of, for example a lot of FAS and such? I'm here to learn, so any advise or opinions is more than welcome. If there is any good reading material please point me in the right direction. Also, any PMs about which agencies to consider or avoid will be great. Thanks in advance!

[JenniferKaz]

One of the things that swayed us towards Kazakhstan was the daily visits. As first time parents it was nice to play for 2 hours a day, then when he got cranky and we didn't know what to do, someone was there to help.

They also let us gradually change diapers and feed him.

By the end of the 2 months, we were as ready as we would be, to be parents.

It also made the transition a lot easier. We did not have the rough start like we did with our son from Guatemala, who was literrally handed to us in a hotel lobby.

[mlb]

Challenges: 2-3 visits (depending on where you adopt from), longer trips (we were 42 days for adoption one and 25 and 6 days for adoption two), lost of income if you can't get paid time off

Assets: I agree with the above poster, the visits make for a much smoother transition. We got to feed, change and just relax with our sons on their own turf before bringing them home. It was good for my older son as well as he bonded with Alex on "neutral" territory. I loved that we spent real time in our sons' birthcountry. We stayed in an apartment and did as much as we could while we were there. I loved that we met his caregivers as they are probably the only people with connections to my sons that we will ever meet. We traded blankets and first outfits with the baby home and the caregivers wrote messages to the boys. We will cherish these items forever. I was glad that we did it, but even more so when my niece came home from China with only the clothes on her back. I am glad that my sons will have more of their personal history when they are older and truly understand what it means. I like that we got to select our child. In a time when we had no control of our fertility, we were able to control something so important and wonderful.
And lastly, if you can parent in Kaz with just you and a suitcase of clothes, you certainly can when you have the gadgets, gizmos and family members helping you at home. Good luck!