Belonging. It’s a basic human need. We all crave it, and many kids find it among their peers as they visit their birth country. Remember Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs theory? If you’re a little rusty on that, here are the Cliff Notes. Maslow held that people must have basic needs like food, water, safety, BELONGING and self esteem met … Read More
Birth Country Travel: Language & Identity
Birth Country Travel: Language & Identity This is part 3 in a series on international adoption and identity. For most kids on a homeland journey, language and the ability to communicate is an immediate piece of how they see themselves. Very few are able to speak in their birth language. As a result, their first interaction with people in their … Read More
Identity: Do Adoptees Need to Know The Past?
About This Article Series This is the first in a series of articles on identity building and international adoption. Over the past 20 years, we have learned a LOT about what is important to adoptees as they take the giant step of visiting their birth country. We hope you enjoy the series from Adoptive Family Travel by The Ties Program … Read More
Vietnam Ties: A View From the Inside Out
Vietnam Ties: A View From the Inside Out by guest author Michaelyn Sloan “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world, you change things slightly. You leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life – and travel – leaves marks on you.”― Anthony Bourdain Shortly after returning from Vietnam Ties, this quote caught my eye. … Read More