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 will be. Of course, your agency staff should know great places to eat, shop and visit, but you may find something off the beaten track that you would like to explore with your newly formed family.

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  Start out at the library so you’re not stuck with a book that you don’t enjoy reading. Even if it’s an older edition, or a guide for a different country, check out a few different travel guides from different publishers. If you like Lonely Planet’s Guide to Guatemala, you’ll most likely enjoy Lonely Planet’s Guide to Viet Nam.
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  Talk to other parents who have recently been to Viet Nam and ask for guide recommendations. They may even have a copy they could lend you.
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  Do some research online. Rough Guides and Lonely Planet provide extensive information on their websites and give you a feel for their writing and traveling styles. Both the Rough Guide to Viet Nam and Lonely Planet’s Viet Nam guide books are popular.
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  Be sure that when you purchase your chosen book that you get the most current copy, which will provide you with the most up to date information. Lonely Planet is currently accepting pre-orders for the 9th edition of their Viet Nam Guide, and the most recent Rough Guide I found was published in October of 2006.

Related Links:
Viet Nam Packing Tips






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