CHINA HOMELAND JOURNEYS

China Ties-our flagship program
April 4 - 17, 2012
June 27 - July 10, 2012

China Connections -NEW
November 18 - 25, 2011 
     (registration deadline 9/1/11)
November 17 - 24, 2012
July 5 - 12, 2012

CHINA TIES HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Centerpiece of your Journey--a visit to your child(ren)'s province
• Assistance locating people & places important to each family
• Ties Program "Connect & Chat" for the kids and "Talk Time" for adults
• Child friendly & “Adoption Aware”  
• Project Kindness-China

Traditional Ties Programs, our flagship programs, are staffed by an English speaking in-country guide, an adoption professional, and a group leader who creates community, builds bridges and deals with details enabling you to focus on your family and the profound meaning of the journey. All Ties programs include our signature "Connect & Chat" for kids and “Talk Times” for parents.

China Ties families will begin their travel in Beijing.  For the children among us, China will first become "real" for them at the Great Wall.  But they'll love to ride rickshaws through the Old Hutong City, and delicious Chinese food too. We’ll see the world famous cloisonné being made, and yes, have time to shop!  During our free day, you can visit Xian to see the Terra Cotta Warriors if you’d like. 

The centerpiece of your journey will be your visit to the provinces where your children lived before they joined your family.* This is the part that adds meaning, the part that your children will carry with them forever.  Working with a caring and experienced group of people who have been helping families as they adopted, we will request permission for you to visit your child’s orphanage, meet care givers, and travel to your child’s place of birth or founding.  To date, all of our families have been given permission!

Afterward, we’ll re-group in Guangzhou—a place that brings back a million memories. Then, if you’d like, continue on to tour Guilin and the spectacular Li River Cruise and/or to the Chengdu Panda Reserve to see and hold the oh-so-cute pandas!

Throughout our time in China, we'll have optional "Connect & Chat" for the kids and "Talk Time" for adults, facilitated by a trained adoption professional/social worker. The Ties Program has a long history of providing families with support before, during and after the program.   Because processing the journey will be "lifelong work" for your kids, it is important to have the resources of a known and reliable organization that will be there for you in the years to come. 

Request an Information Packet
In the comment box, please note your
interest in Ties & date preferred.

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CHINA CONNECTIONS HIGHLIGHTS:

New! Connections programs are less expensive options, providing a well rounded in-country experience, and are staffed by an in-country English speaking guide. "Connect & Chat", and "Parent Talk Time" are not offered as part of Connections.

Beijing serves as home base for China Connections families.   From here, you will visit The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. You will also learn about and experience a traditional Chinese birthday. On another day, you will make your very own Chinese kite and have the fun of flying it in China.

While in China, families may want to (re)connect with people and places important in the life of their child (ren).  If so, we’ll make every effort to help with the arrangements to province, including permissions to visit orphanages and foster families.  Reminiscing is an important part of the journey and points of connection establish a concrete setting for your child, helping them “experience” parts of their story, a big factor in identity building.

Families wishing to extend their stay in China are invited to participate in optional extensions to Guilin, Chengdu, or Xi'an. 

Request an Information Packet
In the comment box, please note your
interest in Connections & date preferred.

PRIVATE OR SEMI-PRIVATE TRAVEL  While we believe strongly in the support a group provides, we know there are times when individual family travel is a better fit. We are happy to work with individual families or small groups of families.

Email us your request!
or call  1 800 398-3676 

We’ll make arrangements for your international air flights, providing a complete, easy program for all those who'd like life to be just a little bit easier!  (If you have frequent flyer tickets or prefer to do your own, that’s ok too!)

Working with World Ties, our non profit sister organization, we'll make donations and seek out volunteer options for those who would like to give of their time and energy.  World Ties is a 501(C)(3)  dedicated to improving the quality of life for children in developing countries.  

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READ WHAT FAMILIES HAVE TO SAY
                      
“I learned who I truly am. I knew I was adopted from China, born in Anhui Province, found somewhere in Tongling City, but when you actually get a chance to go back to your roots, everything seems to come together." 
Molly McPeak, 15   

 “I was loved from the beginning, all the time. My foster family took really good care of me."
Mary Tollefson, 9                  

“Grace and I are so much closer now. She has really opened up and found her wings.  Words just can’t express how perfect this trip was!" Robbie Rose-Poel

About "Connect & Chat" for the kids: "You can talk about your feelings and no one will laugh. I wouldn't change anything."  Cadi Stair, 12

"We gave this trip to our daughter as a gift, and we're so pleased she opened it." 
Marie Van Voorst

"It was an awesome trip!"  Alexa Van Voorst, 13 

"We had a fabulous experience. Our daughter had a chance to glimpse into her birth country in the safety of family and friends. It helps her understand where she has been, and will be a lasting positive impression for the rest of her life."  Carol Robinson

"I would 100% recommend China Ties to any friends who want to re-create their child's journey and beginnings."  Moira Macdonald

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POSSIBILITIES FOR MEETING PEOPLE AND PLACES SIGNIFICANT TO YOUR ADOPTION
This is not a complete listing. If your SWI does not appear, please let us know--we are still happy to make arrangements.

China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA)  

AnHui Province

AnQing Social Welfare Institute, BengBu Children's Welfare Institute, ChaoHu Children's Welfare Institute, ChuZhou Children's Welfare Institute, Dong Zhi County Social Welfare Institute, Fan Chang County Social Welfare Institute, Fei Dong County Social Welfare Institute, Fei Xi County Social Welfare Institute, He Fei Children's Welfare Institute, Huai Nan Children's Welfare Institute , Huai Yuan County Social Welfare Institute, Huang Shan District Social Welfare Institute, Huai Ning County Social Welfare Institute, Hui Zhou District Social Welfare Institute, LiuAn Children's Welfare Institute, She Xian Count Social Welfare Institute, Tong Cheng Social Welfare Institute, TongLing Children's Welfare Institute, Tong Xi District Social Welfare Institute, Wu He County Social Welfare Institute, Wu Hu County Children's Welfare Institute, Wu Hu No.2 Social Welfare Institute, Xiaoxian Social Welfare Institute, Xiu Ning County Social Welfare Institute, XuanZhou County Social Welfare Institute

Beijing

Beijing No.1 Social Welfare Institute/Beijing City Children's Welfare Institute, Beijing No.4 Social Welfare Institute, Beijing No.3 Social Welfare Institute, Tong Zhou District Welfare Institute

ChongQing Province

Chongqing City Children Welfare Institute, Jiangjing City SWI

FuJian Province
FuZhou Children's Welfare Institute, GuTian County Welfare Institute, NanPing YanPing District Welfare Institute, NanQing County Welfare Institute, Pencheng County Social Welfare Institute, ShaoWu Welfare Institute, ZhangZhou Welfare Institute

GanSu Province

FuZhou Children's Welfare Institute, GuTian County Welfare Institute, Lanzhou Social Welfare Institute, WuWei District Social Welfare Institute

GuangDong Province

Dapu Social Welfare Institute, DongGuan JinJu Social Welfare Institute, DongGuan Social Welfare Institute, FoShan Social Welfare Institute, GaoZhou Children's Welfare Institute, GuangZhou Social Welfare Institute, GuangZhou, DongShan District Social Welfare Center, HuaZhou Infants' Welfare Institute, LianJiang Welfare Institute, MaoMing Social Welfare Institute, Qingcheng Social Welfare Institute, QuJiang County Social Welfare Institute, ShaoGuan Social Welfare Institute, ShenZhen Social Welfare Center, WuChuan Social Welfare Institute, Xinhui Children's Welfare Institute, YangChun Multiple Social Welfare Institute, YangJiang County Social Welfare Institute, ZhanJiang Social Welfare Institute,

ZhuHai Social Welfare Institute

GuangXi Province

BeiHai Social Welfare Institute, Cangwu County Social Welfare Institute, GuangXi DeSheng Social Welfare Institute

Hepu County SWI, GuangXi DeSheng Social Welfare Institute, GuiGang Social Welfare Institute, GuiPing Social Welfare Institute, Hepu County SWI, Mother's Love Orphanage, Nanning Social Welfare Institute, Qinzhou Social Welfare Institute, WuZhou Social Welfare Institute

YuLin Social Welfare Institute

GuiZhou Province

Guiyang Children Welfare Institute, Zhenyuen Social Welfare Institute

HeiLongJiang Province

HaErBin Social Welfare Institute, HeiHe Social Welfare Institute, HaiLun Social Welfare Institute, HeiLongJiang TangYuan Social Welfare Institute, JiXi Social Welfare Institute, MuDanJiang Social Welfare Institute, QiQiHaEr Social Welfare Institute

HeNan Province

KaiFeng Social Welfare Institute, XinXiang Social Welfare Institute

HuBei Province

DaWu Social Welfare Institute, DaZhi Social Welfare Institute, HanChuan County Social Welfare Institute, HongHu Social Welfare Institute, HuangGang Social Welfare Institute, HuangMei County Social Welfare Institute, JingZhou Children's Welfare Institute, TuanFeng County Social Welfare Institute, WuHan Children's Welfare Institute, XiangFan Social Welfare Institute, XianNing District Social Welfare Institute, YangXin County Orphanage, YiChang Social Welfare Institute, YunXian Social Welfare Institute, YunMeng SWI

HuNan Province

ChangDe Social Welfare Institute, ChangNing Social Welfare Institute, ChangSha No.1 Social Welfare Institute, ChenZhou BeiHu District Social Welfare Institute, HengNan County Social Welfare Institute, HengYang City Social Welfare Institute, LouDi Welfare Institute, PingJiang County Children's Welfare Institute, XiangTan Welfare Institute,

XiangYing Social Children's Welfare Institute, Yiyang Children's Welfare Institute, YongZhou LengShuiTan Children's Welfare Institute, YuanJiang Social Welfare Institute, YueYang City Social Welfare Institute

JiangSu Province

ChangZhou Social Children's Welfare Institute, GaoYou Children's Welfare Institute, HuaiAn Social Welfare Institute,

KaiFeng Social Welfare Institute, Liang Yung Gang Social Welfare Institute, YanCheng Social Welfare Institute, YangZhou Social Welfare Institute, ZhangJiaGang Social Welfare Institute

JiangXi Province

FengCheng Social Welfare Institute, GanZhou Social Welfare Institute, GuangChang County Social Welfare Institute, Guixi Social Welfare Institute,

JiAn Social Welfare Institute, Jiujiang SWI, Jing De Zhen City Social Welfare Institute, Linchuang Social Welfare Institute,

NanChang Welfare Institute, NanCheng County Social Welfare Institute, NanFeng County Social Welfare Institute,

NanKang Social Welfare Institute, NingDu County MeiJiang Welfare Institute, RuiJin Social Welfare Institute, Shanggao County Social Welfare Institute,

ShangRao Social Welfare Institute, TongGu County Welfare Institute, XiaJiang County Welfare Institute, XinFeng County Social Welfare Institute, Yujiang Social Welfare Institute, YiChun Welfare Institute, Yugan SWI, YuGang County Welfare Institute, ZhangShu Welfare Institute

JiLin Province

ChangChun Social Welfare Institute, SongYuan Social Welfare Institute

LiaoNing Province

Dalian City Social Welfare Institute

NingXia Province

YinChuan ChengQu Welfare Institute

QingHai Province

XiNing Welfare Institute

ShaanXi Province

Ankang District Social Welfare Institute, Baoji Social Welfare Institute, TongChuan Social Welfare Institute, Xian Social Welfare Institute, XianYang Social Welfare Institute, YuLin District Children's Welfare Institute

ShanDong Province

BinZhou District Social Welfare Institute, DeZhou Social Welfare Institute, DongYing Social Welfare Institute, HeZe District Social Welfare Institute, JiNan Social Welfare Institute, JiNing Social Welfare Institute, JiNing QuFu Social Welfare Institute

ShangHai Municipality

Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute

ShanXi Province

Datong Social Welfare Institute, Xi'an Children's Welfare Institute

SiChuan Province

ChengDu Children's Welfare Institute, Deyang City Guang Han SWI, Guanghan Social Welfare Institute, NanChong No. 1 Social Welfare Institute, YiBin Children's Welfare Institute

TianJin Province

TianJin Children's Welfare Institute

XinJiang Province

Wulumuqi Children's Welfare Institute

YunNan Province

Dongchuan SWI, GeJiu Children's Welfare Institute, KaiYuan Social Welfare Institute, KunMing Social Welfare Institute, KunMing Children's Welfare Institute, LiJiang County Welfare Institute

ZheJiang Province

HuZhou Social Welfare Institute, LongQuan Social Welfare Institute, TaiZhou JiaoJiang District Welfare Institute, TaiZhou HuangYan District Welfare Institute, Wenzhou Children's Welfare Institute, YiWu Social Welfare Institute

See something missing above? Or, are there other people or places on your "dream list?"    Please email us. We are always open to helping you with other connections.

The Ties Program does not endorse any of the places listed above, but rather offers them as places families have indicated they may want to visit.

SUGGESTED CHINA READING & HELPFUL ITEMS

Click here for reading lists, as well as other helpful items as you continue your journey as an adoptive family.

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