Earlier this week I posted about the delays that are occurring in the US Passport system, and how it is important to start any passport applications or renewals many months in advance of when you will actually be needing them. A reader posted that she had already sent in her application before she knew about the delays and sought advice as to what to do now. It’s not her fault that she was not aware of the delays; the wait times listed on the processing... more

If you need to apply for a new passport or even apply for a renewal on an expired passport, please be sure to do so as far in advance of your anticipated travel date as possible. The United States is still facing a backlog of passport applications that has caused serious delays that are affecting many would be travelers.

New rules were implemented in January that required passports from travelers coming into the US from countries that did not require passports before the new rules. This caused a large scramble for passports, thus causing... more

A few weeks ago (July 8, 2007,) Reuters reported that the rising number of incidents of Dengue Fever in Viet Nam were causing concern. As of July 8th the disease had taken the lives of 27 Vietnamese people. It had also infected over 20,000 people in the first half of 2007, which is 23% more cases than last year. A warden message was issued by the United States Embassy in Hanoi... more

Yesterday I wrote about some of the reasons behind switching countries during the adoption process. The following is some information about how to make the switch. This is basic information and can vary from state to state and agency to agency, so please be sure to double check.

Depending on where you are in the process will determine how much paperwork needs to be re-done or amended. Your original birth certificates, marriage certificates, financial statements and the like can all be used for any country.

First, check with the agency that you are currently working with.... more

Many people decide to switch countries during their adoption process, and there are many different reasons that parents make this decision. Here are a few reasons that some make the switch.

It is not terribly uncommon for countries to change their rules, lengthen time frames, decide to no longer allow parents to state a sex preference, change their guidelines so that only children of a certain age are able to be adopted, and on and on. Prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) who decide to adopt from one country and a few months into the process learn that they are no longer eligible to adopt from there, or the wait has significantly increased may choose to turn elsewhere.

Situations... more

I would highly recommend getting out of your hotel and exploring Viet Nam during your adoption trip. There is much to learn about your child’s birth country and you will be rewarded with stories to tell them as they grow up. Experiencing new restaurants, shops, museums and just walking around town will give you a much richer in country experience. With that being said, there are a few different ways to travel (and I loved them all!)

Taxis are plentiful, quick, easy and relatively inexpensive. In most areas of the cities... more

A recent article about where the best place to invest in the manufacturing sector according to Price Waterhouse Coopers was titled “Vietnam ‘a better bet than China’.” Clearly, my mind isn’t on manufacturing investments, but the title caught my eye. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Viet Nam is better than China, but I wonder about all the people drawn to China who will no longer be allowed to adopt from there. How will... more

Your trip to adopt your child will be an enormously emotional time that you will remember forever. Here are some ideas to help you remember your entire adventure. Not only do these ideas make for great scrapbooking, but they will help to teach your child about their country and their adoption:

Bring a camcorder! We bought one off of ebay specifically for our trip and I am so glad that we did. We were able to record the entire trip to Ella’s baby center, them opening the gates for us and us meeting her! We also have pictures of that... more

I mentioned in yesterday's post that learning about your child’s province is a great way to pass the time while waiting to travel. Another activity that I would recommend would be choosing a travel guide book and learning all you can about Viet Nam and the city or cities in which you will be staying while you are there to adopt your child. The more you know beforehand, the more relaxed your visit... more

Thanks to my wonderful readers’ comments I did some digging about the Little Pearls adoption agency. They are stuck deep in controversy and I want to let you all know the information that I found.

Little Pearls is an adoption agency owned by Richard (Ric) Feinberg, and they currently hold a license to process adoptions in Viet Nam. Most of the controversy surrounding Little Pearls comes from the fact that Mai-Ly Latrace was involved with them in the past. I cannot confirm that she is or is not still involved with the agency, but past relationships need to be researched just as deeply as current ones. Latrace, who has been criticized by adoptive parents, adoption agencies and the adoption... more