RUSSIA HOMELAND JOURNEYS
Russia Ties-our flagship program July 11 - 22, 2012
Russia Connections-NewAugust 4 -11, 2012
Private or Semi-Private Travel
Read What Families Have to Say
Request an Information Packet
Pre-Register for a future year! Pre-registered families have priority when registration opens.
Possibilities for Visiting People & Places Significant to Your Adoption
Suggested Reading & Helpful Travel Items
A highlight of Russian Ties is the opportunity to visit the orphanage where your child lived. "From Russia to Minnesota and Back" is a glimpse of Katie and her family’s visit to The Oryol House of Children while traveling with Russian Ties 2008.
RUSSIAN TIES HIGHLIGHTS
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 "Parent Talk Time."Visiting Russia as a family is profound and memorable. Together you will experience extraordinary moments and gain incredible insights leading to a greater understanding and a stronger sense of pride. We understand how important this trip is for you and your child. In the many years we have done Ties programs around the world, we have seen how beneficial it is for children to experience this journey in "community" with other adoptive children. At the same time, we pride ourselves in making your family’s experience a personal one. You will have all the benefits of traveling with a group – a “community” of families with similar life experiences. And, we will tailor the journey so that your family is able to reconnect with people and places important in your child’s life.
Families from throughout the United States immerse themselves in Russian culture while seeing the sites and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Recognizing that every child has a unique connection to Russia, The Ties Program customizes a portion of the journey enabling families to return to the part of the country where their child was born.* Referred to as the "centerpiece of the journey," these arrangements include transportation, accommodations, services of an English speaking guide as well as arranging a visit to the baby home or orphanage where a child lived.
To date, Russian Ties families have visited Cherepanovo, Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Kirov, Kurgan. Moscow, Murom, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Orel, Perm, Petrozavodsk, Rostov, St. Petersburg, Shakhty, Stavropol, Surgut, Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladivostok, Vyshny Volochyock. In the future, The Ties Program looks forward to the helping families return to these cities and others.
Request a PacketIn the comment box, please indicate yourinterest in a Ties Program & date preferred
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RUSSIA CONNECTIONS HIGHLIGHTSConnections programs are less expensive options, providing a well rounded in-country travel experience, and are staffed by an in-country English speaking guide. "Connect & Chat," and "Parent Talk Time" are not offered as part of Connections.
Russia Connections includes time in Moscow where you'll visit The Kremlin, Red Square, Izmailovo Market, and enjoy lunch in a Russian family's home. Then, The Ties Program looks forward to helping you visit your child's region of birth. Arrangements will be customized for each family to include transportation, guides, and hotels as well as obtaining permission for you to visit your child’s baby home or orphanage. If you would prefer not to go to region on this trip, the possibilities for interesting things to do in Russia are endless and we are happy to help you make arrangements. At the end of the outlined program, you can extend your stay in region, visit St Petersburg, or travel elsewhere in the country. The choice is yours!
Russia Connections is an opportunity for families to visit Russia as part of a quality program that is well organized, family focused, and fun! And it's backed by an organization you can count on—The Ties Program.
Request a PacketIn the comment box, please indicate yourinterest in a Connections Program
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 requestor call 1 800 398-3676
WHAT FAMILIES HAVE TO SAY
"The trip was a fantastic experience for our family...It is an experience we would never have undertaken on our own. Our family has grown closer as a result of this trip and we have made many new friends who we would have never met otherwise. We will always remember the experiences we shared in Russia..." ~Debbie Uliasz
Click on the article to your right to read full article!
Sixteen year old Kyle Hunt shares his thoughts about visiting Russia. A short interview with a very sweet and profound ending.
Participating in Russian Ties, "I believe my kids developed a new sense of pride for their Russian roots. It has been a positive experience they won't forget. The trip was more than I expected...we will remember it for years to come." ~Sheryl Harmon
Russian Ties "was a journey back to a country where I received two "special gifts" - our family now has a great appreciation for Russian culture and history and an emotional tie that will last a lifetime." ~Betsy Grodhaus
The Walter family was interviewed on Surgut TV while they traveled with Russian Ties. Click here to watch the segment. Click here for the translation."The trip to the orphanage was more than we could have ever expected. It meant so much to all of us, as well as the staff at the orphanage. It is an expereicne we will never forget." ~Larry Leeuwenburg"I liked meeting new people and going back to the country where I was born in. I also liked visiting the baby home. (One of the doctors remembered me and that was special to me.) ~Julia, age 13
"I would recommend people see where they were born..." ~Dasha, age 12
Russian Ties is "absolutely the best trip we’ve been on – gave me lots to think about. Didn’t realize that sharing with others would be so significant." ~Donna Thonis.
“It's like starting from the beginning..." ~Lexy, age 13
"A careful and meaningful vacation exploring your child’s origin and cultural heritage…great combination of learning, emotion, and flat out fun!" ~Sue Tyler
"A very supportive way to see Russia with a wonderful group of families – very special." ~Alissa Shethar
Thanks to The Ties Program "for a great trip and a great experience - you opened doors & people's minds - we looked beyond what could have seen alone and together experienced more." ~Bill Uliasz
Read A Homeland Tour to Russia by Heather Ames, MSW, LICSWTop of Page
POSSIBILITIES FOR VISITING PEOPLE & PLACES SIGNFICANT TO YOUR ADOPTIONThe Ties Program is pleased to assist families visit people and places important in their child's life. Over the years, families have have expressed interest in visiting the following places. We look forward to updating the list as new requests are received.
Baby Homes & Orphanages
Angarsk City Orphanage
Adygeya (Maikop)
ArchangelyskAstrakhan
Bashkortostan (Ufa, Beloretsk, Sterlitamak)
Buryatia (Ulan-Ude)Cheraponovo OrphanageCherepanovsky Specialized House of Child
Dagestan (Makhachkala, Buinaksk)
Ekaterinburg Baby Homes #1, #5 (formerly Baby Home #2) Ekaterinburg Specialized House of Child #1
Ivanovo (Shuya)
Kaliningrad (Gusev, Sovietsk)
Kirov (Vyatka, Kotelnich, Slobodskoi, Urzhum, Yaransk)
Kirov Orphanage
KhabarovskKrasnopolynasky Baby HomeKrasnodar (Armavir, Eisk, Sochi, Novorossijsk, Labinsk)
Krasnoyarsk
Kungar - https://sites.google.com/site/fromkungur/home/englishKurgan Baby Home
Leningrad (Vsevolzhsk, Lomonosov)
Magnitagorsk
Magnitorsk Baby Home #5 (formerly Baby Home #2)
Moscow Orphanages #24, #25
Moscow City Baby Orphanages
Murom Baby Home
Nighny Novgorod Orphanage #2
Nizhny Novgorod
Novcherkassk Baby Home
Novocherkassk
Novokuznetsk
Novoshantinsk Children’s Hospital
Novosibirsk (Baby Orphanage #1, #2, #3, Kuibyshev, Cherepanovo)
Orel Baby Home
Orsk (Orenburg Region)
Petropovlovsk
Perm
Perm Province Children’s Home #1 Pervouralsk Children’s Home Petrozavodsk City Baby Orphanage
Primorsky (Vladivostok, Primorsk, Ussurijsk)
Pskov (Sebezh, Kilsk)
Rostov on Don
Shakhty Children’s Hospital
Smolensk (Yartsevo)
Somovo
St. Petersburg City Baby Orphanages
St. Petersburg Children’s Homes #2, 6, 10
Stavropol (Mashuk)
Surgut Munitsipainaya Gorodskaya Bolista #1
Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Tagil, Krasnoturinsk, Pervouralsk, Revda, Serov, Kamensk-Uralsky)
Tomsk
Tula (Novomoskovsk)Tula Baby Home
Tver (Vyshny, Zapadnaya, Kashin, Konakovo)
Tyumen
UlyvanoyskUlyanovsk Children’s Home
Vladimir (Alexandrovsk, Kovrov, Murom)
Vladivostok Municipal Baby Home
Voronezh (Somovo, Pavlovsk)Vyshny Volochek Baby HomeYaroslavl Children’s Home #1 Yaroslavl
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.
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SUGGESTED READING & HELPFUL ITEMS
Click here for reading lists, as well as other helpful items as you continue your journey as an adoptive family.
