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China adoption travel: Red thread journeys take flight
Our China adoption travel was the most memorable journey of my life. When we stepped on the plane to Beijing, my “labor pains” were questions that pounded my brain with every beat of my heart. Our forever family was about to be born. Our red thread journey was about to take flight. But, what if…… ...she cries?...she doesn’t like me?...I need to change her on the bus?...I need to carry her to the bathroom with me?...she’s sick? ...she doesn’t like the food we give her?...she doesn’t sleep all night?...the clothes and shoes we brought her don’t fit?...she doesn’t take her bottle?...she has lice?...she has scabies? What if, what if, what if……. The questions squeezed through my fingertips and left nail marks on my poor husband’s hands. To say I was concerned was an understatement. My husband convinced me on the plane my “concerns” were something we could handle. He reminded me we prepared for our China adoption travel as best we could. The events we couldn’t prepare for would take care of themselves. Since our love for our daughter was already alive and kicking in our hearts, we decided to focus on the moment we first held her. She was the only answer we needed. The other questions faded the higher the plane climbed. I eventually lay my head back and went through all the preparations we made before we got to this point. I reviewed our packing list for our China adoption travel. Successful China adoption travel relied on following our packing list to the letter. There were several components that were included so that our trip went smoothly and was memorable. The major components of our packing list were as follows: Paperwork needed for the Chinese officials/government. Donations and gifts Clothing, shoes, hygiene items for us and the baby Medicine Kit for us and the baby Camera equipment Money and ways to carry it Enough luggage to carry everything on our list Specific items varied among our travel group but everyone followed the same general list given to us by our agency. One item we wished we had carried but didn't was an international cell phone. We heard about these before our China adoption travel but thought they were expensive at the time. Since then, we've found the cost to be more reasonable. We recommend some research before you travel with an international cell phone. Sometimes buying a long distance calling card may be the best buy. Since our travel to China and Cambodia, however, we're willing to invest in a cell phone. Like in the US, it is added peace of mind for us to be able to talk to our family and give them updates. Even without the cell phone, when we arrived in Beijing the wheels started running smoothly. We discovered our agency also did a lot of work to prepare for our China adoption travel. Every family reached the end of their red thread safely and memorably. The minute we received our daughters we began the work of weaving the red threads into our family tapestry. Photographic Print
Our China adoption travel left an unforgetable impression upon us and our hearts. The country itself is a dichotomy of Chinese tradition and culture and modern capitalistic frenzy. We hope that this was not the last time to see and experience such a wonderful country. Next time we will go without an adoption travel group but with our children. With professional travel assistance we hope to relive our China adoption travel through our daughther's eyes. Somehow through this small gesture, we want to strengthen our daughter's red thread connection to us as well as to China. We want her to always remember where her red thread began.
Return home.
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