Top 10 Secrets of Successful Adoption Travel

This is the title of a recent article from Adoptive Families, a magazine we subscribe to. So below are the top 10 secrets and my comments in red. 10. Get in shape, and stay that way. If you are traveling for your first child and you are not adopting a newborn (us) you may be surprised to learn how hard it is to carry a 15-20 pound baby. This is a valid point and does not even address being older. Both of us are working on this suggestion. 9. Choose your traveling companion wisely. If you are not traveling with a spouse, you should consider bringing a friend or relative to help. Be sure to choose someone whose temperament, health and enthusiasm are suited for this important and demanding job. Plan on traveling with spouse... but if spouse was not able to travel I'm certain family or friends could step in. This is a non-issue. 8. Be prepared before you get "the call". This advice seems to pertain more to domestic adoptions (IE make list of all things you need to take with you, have as many items pack as possible, etc.) For international adoptions (at least for China) the time from "the call" to travel is 6-8 weeks. 7. If you're staying a while, make yourself at home. Again I think this applies to domestic adoptions. Our trip, most likely 2 weeks but could be 3, will be a planned itinerary. We are both experienced at international travel as well and open minded to expected delays, etc. 6. Research your destination ahead of time. Again this advice seems to be directed to domestic adoptive parents (IE. "a GPS is helpful"). John and I have enjoyed reading about China and the many China DVDs we have purchased. Additionally we feel certain our trip will also be well orchestrated. 5. Give your older child affection and appreciation. N/A. 4. Reassure the child left at home. N/A. 3. Buy it when you see it, and get it home safely. I've heard this advice before from my grandmother, specifically when we were traveling to England, and she was right. This is more of the advice I find easy to embrace. Anyhow here is how the article put it: Though shopping may be the last thing on a tired new parent's mind, whether you travel to New Mexico or a more exotic destination abroad, bring home something to remember the trip by usually proves irresistible. If you see somthing you like - well-made jewelry, crafts that are especially representative of your child's original home, unusual artwork - don't count on finding it at a better price or a different location. To bring your treasures home safely, take an empty duffel bag or buy an inexpensive suitcase at your destination and pack new purchases in it. Unlike advice tip #10 this advice is easy to embrace. 2. Don't rely on your memory. After the stress of being in a strange place and caring for a new child, you may not remember the details of the journey, and still photos won't capture the sounds, smells, and feeling you'll experience. Take the time to keep a record of your trip. Some parents used their e-mails to document their trip, some tape recorders to document street sounds, baby sounds (coos, babbles, words and so on) and their observations. All this sounds like good advice. We plan on using some blogging, e-mails, flip video camera and possibly a small recorder (I have one somewhere) 1. Take along your sense of wonder. If you can face surprises and keep your composure, you'll have a more enjoyable trip and be a better parent. Think of adoption travel as an adventure. Even the stuff that goes wrong, the miss connecting flight, unpleasant gastrointestinal bug, baby throw up on last clean outfit, you can consold eyourself with one thought: this trip will make a great store someday. So true.