RUSSIAN TIES

July 30 - August 10, 2011Russian Ties Tour

Watch Russian Ties come to life on video

Russian Ties Highlights

Read What Families Have to Say

Information & Packet Request,
Pre-Registration

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  

  • Visit your child's orphanage and meet the care givers
  • Ties Program  "Connect & Chat" for the kids and “Talk Times” for the adults
  • See The Kremlin, Red Square, The Hermitage, and more
  • Family friendly and "Adoption Aware"
  • Humanitarian aid via Project Kindness-Russia

Russian Ties Heritage TravelVisiting 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.

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 Read What Russian Ties Families Have To Say

Russian Ties Worth Every Ruble!"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
Russian Ties Tour
"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, LICSW

For more information

Contact The Ties Program

Request an Informational Packet.

Pre-Register (Pre-Registered families will
have priority when registration opens)

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Possibilities for Visiting People &
Places Significant to Your Adoption

The 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 and new requests are received.
 

Baby Homes & Orphanages

 

Adygeya (Maikop)

Archangelysk
Astrakhan

Bashkortostan (Ufa, Beloretsk, Sterlitamak)

Buryatia (Ulan-Ude)

Dagestan (Makhachkala, Buinaksk)

Ivanovo (Shuya)

Kaliningrad (Gusev, Sovietsk)

Kirov (Vyatka, Kotelnich, Slobodskoi, Urzhum, Yaransk)

Khabarovsk

Krasnodar (Armavir, Eisk, Sochi, Novorossijsk, Labinsk)

Krasnoyarsk

Kungar

Leningrad (Vsevolzhsk, Lomonosov)

Magnitagorsk

Moscow City Baby Orphanages

Nizhny Novgorod

Novocherkassk

Novokuznetsk

Novosibirsk (Baby Orphanage #1, #2, #3, Kuibyshev, Cherepanovo)

Orsk (Orenburg Region)

Petropovlovsk

Perm

Primorsky (Vladivostok, Primorsk, Ussurijsk)

Pskov (Sebezh, Kilsk)

Smolensk (Yartsevo)

Somovo

St. Petersburg City Baby Orphanages

Stavropol (Mashuk)

Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Tagil, Krasnoturinsk, Pervouralsk, Revda, Serov, Kamensk-Uralsky)

Tomsk

Tula (Novomoskovsk)

Tver (Vyshny, Zapadnaya, Kashin, Konakovo)

Tyumen

Rostov on Don

Ulyvanoysk

Vladimir (Alexandrovsk, Kovrov, Murom)

Voronezh (Somovo, Pavlovsk)

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

 

Amazon makes a donation to our sister organization, World Ties, and there is NO extra charge to you. All proceeds from Amazon support Project Kindness. Your connection to Amazon must be made through our site, but once there you can purchase ANYTHING at NO additional charge to you! Please click on an item below to enter via our site and help children in Russia.