Hi,
I am thinking of starting a regular meeting group over coffee for those in the various stages of adoption. That would include those waiting to start (that 12 month period when you can do nothing), the application process (forms and home study world), waiting for a child and those who are completing visa and citizenship paperwork. This could be for information sharing, advice and support. For those ex-pats trying to adopt locally or intercountry. If there is anyone interested please post a reply then PM me so we can set up a time - for e.g. the first Monday night of each month at Red Bar or something along those lines. It would be great if both men and women attended as I know everyone feels different things as they go through this unique way of forming families.
Emma
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Dear Emma, would love to meet with you and others. We just starting looking into the adoption process. We already met with HKG SWD and have a meeting with ISS next week. Adoption process sounds awfully complicated for us US citizens. Are you an American as well?
Dagmar
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Hi Dagmarnyc,
I am Australian and if you think the US is complicated - you should give Australia a whirl some time:) We dont have adoption agency's - the government does it all. I will PM you with a time and place to meet. There is another couple that has just finished the application process that is interested in meeting up but she is away for the summer. But the two of us can meet - having someone to talk to can help with the frustration you feel - especially when you are in a foreign country.
Emma
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Hi Emma,
Thanks for your reply! I am here all summer and available to meet. I agree that it helps having someone to talk to to manage the overall level of frustration. I am just amazed that there is no "easy" way to figure out what the adoption process (incl. documents, timeline) is for the various nationalities.
Dagmar
(I am based in Hong Kong)
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Hi to both of you,
this ssounds really good and it would be something that my husband and i would love to join. I have been snooping these forums for months, we have our first general info evening with SWD tonight, and I have suddenly kind of gone from optimistic and thinking it will be all smooth, to quite nervous and losing my up-beat view a little! I am sure it is just nerves - and of course, I know nothing except what i have read on these forums. Can I ask what PM means? thanks - hope to meet you both soon!
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Hi,
PM means personal message. You just click on the message button rather than reply at the base of the string. I am thinking we can meet at RED at IFC on the roof top. Very casual bar where it is easy to talk and for those of us working in the city it is easy to get to. So far we have 4 families interested so even if two of us show up it would be great.
For us we have finally started to make some progress outside of the Hong Kong program so it will be interesting to here the process both locally and inter country. I will PM the time.
Cheers
Emma
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that sounds great Emma - really looking forward to it. We went to our information evening last night and feel somewhat disheartened, but I need to get rid of that and get energetic and optimistic about it again - and actually finding out real life experiences and more information is exactly how to do that I guess! they basically told us we had no chance unless we adopted disabled or special needs children, which sounds a little scary but of course sometimes their definition of 'special needs' isn't actually all that much. :-)
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Are you Australian? Have you considered intercountry adoption. Hong Kong ISS has programs with Phillipines, China and Russia. The best person to contact there is Anita Ng. The general phone number is 28346863
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Fantastic information - thanks. (I am a kiwi....)
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Hi! My name is Amanda and I have replied personally to some of you already. I am a licensed US social worker (LMSW) living in the Guang Dong province of China. I work for a credible American agency and am licensed to do home studies in the international adoption process for American citizens. I would love the opportunity to help if you or anyone you know needs questions answered or are seeking services (home studies, etc.). Please feel free to contact me at expatadopt@yahoo.com or my phone number is 13929597203. Thank you
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Hi everyone,
My name's Megan. My husband and I are NZers living in HK. I used to religiously scour this forum for information on the SW adoption process and got some really good info, so I just wanted to share a couple of things for those of you in the adoption process. We got matched with the most beautiful baby boy (he was 8mths old then - now 18mths). We also felt quite dispirited after the workshops, not to mention after ticking all the medical boxes of what would or would not be ok with regards to the childs health conditions. It all seemed rather scarey!! Just keep in mind the labelling of special needs is quite different to the labelling in many of our home countries. So hang in there. Everytime I look at our son I just cant believe how lucky we are. It will happen for you and looking back now it feels like the process which seemed interminably long at the time was quite short! Best of luck to you all!
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Hi all,
There were three families that had a great chat last month and I know as a result of speaking with each other we all considered different things that we hadnt thought of.
We are due to get together again this Thursday (last Thursday of every month). We will meet at IFC - RED bar on the roof again at 7pm.
Let me know who will be coming.
Cheers
Emma
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Hi all,
I am free and will see you all at Red at 7pm. Last time we met it was really useful -so Emma(Herblot) - do come along!!
See you all there :-)
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FloS
15 yrs ago
Sorry I missed the drinks this time - I was out of town but I'll join you all again at the end of Sept. Look forward to hearing an update and sharing experiences some more.
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No worries. There were a few that couldnt make it - but Missy Moo and my husband and I had a great time. Hopefully it wont be as hot next time.
An update on our adoption - Home Study next Friday & Saturday. All our other paperwork is authenticated so then I just get Ethiopian stamps on it from the Consulate and I fly it over to Ethiopia with me. It is in sight.
Cheers
Emma
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Hi FloS,
Following Emma's reply, my husband and I are just frantically finishing off our intital dossier to submit tomorrow for our adotpion from Russia! So it is all action here in the adoption waiting group...looking forward to our next meet-up :-)
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FloS
15 yrs ago
Emma, MissyMoo,
Great news for both of you that things are moving forward. We've handed in all our paperwork - we've decided to go the local route for the time-being (I didn't feel quite as discouraged after having attended the next workshop) but we are keeping our mind open regarding other countries if it looks like HK will take too long. Look forward to hearing more on how the intl process works.
Emma - if we don't see you next time best of luck in Ethiopia!
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It's so nice to know that there's a support network. Will love to join you at the next meet up. We've been waiting since Feb. We cleared our paperwork and homestudy in Feb. Waiting anxiously in anticipation every fortnight and trying not to be discourage at the same time.
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lmbtv
15 yrs ago
Hello Everyone,
My name is Leslie and I'm an award winning television producer from NY currently living in lovely Hong Kong. I'm delighted to be coordinating a Charity Dinner benefitting Cambodian Children living among landmines.
The exhibit 'Living with LandMines' by photographer V. Tony Hauser, 16 life-size portraits of Cambodian children who had survived a landmine accident, will be on display. This exhibit gives a voice to the people who experience life amidst armed conflict and demonstrates how citizens continue to suffer in the wake of war.
In addition to the life-size photographs we have arranged for speakers and a film, including :
- V. Tony Hauser, the Canadian photographer (and landmines activist) who is taking his exhibit around the world (www.vtonyhauser.com)
- Aki Ra, the former child soldier, who founded the landmine museum/school/hospital NGO facility in Cambodia (www.cambodialandminemuseum.org)
-We will also have Bill Morse from the US, who is moving to Cambodia to devote his efforts to Aki Ra's work full time.
Please Join Us:
Oct. 14 Private Dinner at Crown Wine Cellars
It will be a wonderful evening of drinks, dinner etc. as Tony Hauser, Aki Ra and Bill Morse speak to a more intimate group. Proceeds will go to the CLMMRF.
We are working hard on this event and want to extend the invitation to people who might be interested. I can be reached via email at lmbtv@optonline.net. If you or anyone you know would like to join us for dinner and conversation with others in support of children in Cambodia, please don't hesitate to contact me for additional details.
All the Best,
Leslie
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Hi all,
Shall we meet again on Thursday the 5th October. I just got back from Ethiopia and signing the contract for our beautiful little girl who turns one on Friday. Now we just wait for the court date - hopefully in the next 6 to 8 weeks. Then we all go back to Ethiopia and get to bring her home with us:)
So much to catch up on with every one and a chance to talk through frustrations, options and hope. It is nice to sometimes feel like you are in control and talking about it helps.
As the weather has ruined my plans the last 2 times I have been to Red at IFC - shall we take to The Hidden Vine. It is in Soho right off the escalators at Stauton Street. Take the little alley where the gym is. Website is www.sbs.hk/hiddenvine.html
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Hi all,
How are people positioned if we meet for drinks to talk through adoption processes, stages and frustrations or joys on Wednesday 24th Feb. We now have our beautiful daughter but would love to keep encouraging others through the process. HOpefull within a year everyone in this group will be parents and no longer waiting. PM if you want to catch up - probably the Hidden Vine in Soho or One Bar in Exchange Square 1 building.
Cheers
Emma
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so how is everyone? Updates? Have those been waiting as previousl posted been matched yet?
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