Adopted Chinese children from 90 American families attended a welcome ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the start of their root-seeking journey which will feature a whirlwind of tours to China's ancient relics.Not much different from the reports of previous China-sponsored "root-seeking" tour. It seems to me, though, that the real focus is the adoptive parents, not the supposedly root-seeking child. . . .
The adopted children, aged from four to 18, have been invited to return to their birthplace or orphanage and attend activities that would help them have a better understanding of China, an unnamed official with China's Ministry of Civil Affairs told Xinhua.
Most of the adopted children are from China's southern provinces of Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangdong as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Together with their parents, the returning orphans have a fully-packed schedule including visits to China's most renowned places of interests including Chengdu, home to the giant pandas, and Xi'an, where the terra-cotta warriors are.
Talking about adoption, birthparents, abandonment, race, and China with my kids. That's not all we talk about -- but reading this blog, you'll think it's all we do!!!!!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Root-Seeking Tour in China
From China Economic Net:
Yes a very vague term "root seeking".
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly does that mean? An orphanage visit.. sight seeing?
To me.. that isn't root seeking.
Currently my wife and 2 of our children are on this tour (the last day) and it has been a great experience. This was not just any tour for them. There have been some "attachment issues" that needed to be addressed. The children were older adoptions at age 4 and age 8 at the time and now are age 9 and 12 and this tour gave them the opportunity to revisit the past "the good, the bad, and the ugly" and hopefully release some of the ghosts of their past that have made it difficult to adjust to being a member of a family. There are adjustment and attachment issues that have to be worked through with adoptions especially when working with older children that have established some degree if independence in the orphanage setting where it can be "survival of the fittest". This appears to have been an a success for us and a new view and perspective has been appreciated by both the parent and the child. As a parent we have a better understanding of where behaviors have come from and how they developed by observation of others at the orphanage on this trip. The children have the opportunity to go back to there past homes, finding locations (and foster families)and show us what their life was like before they met us parents and we are able to talk in the same language to better understand. For us this trip has been great and eye opening for all, and we will take what we learned to better communicate and adjust for a better future. Would recommend for the family that is ready.
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