Past Cultural Events

Vietnam Motherland Tour 2007

Dear Families and Friends,

Joy and I are once again offering a unique opportunity for you to take your family on an incredible adventure back to Vietnam – sharing the experience with other adoptive families and those interested in adoption. The country of Vietnam is often described as mystical and magical – it is certainly a beautiful place with warm, friendly people. It is a time to reminisce and to learn more about the people and culture together as a family. I have listed the report of the last Motherland tour written by Jennifer Sylvester, and one of the families on the trip. As you will see if you take the time to read it – everyone has a unique experience – and everyone always wants to go again.

We plan to begin this tour in Ho Chi Minh City touring this city with its interesting history. A visit to your child’s orphanage will be planned. We will be visiting Tay Ninh Orphanage with a tour of the Cao Dai Temple, the Cu Chi Tunnels and other points of interest along the way.

The tour will include Cam Ranh/Nha Trang area, Danang/Hoi An, and Hanoi with an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay. An extra special event will be a two day tour of Sapa, an area on the China border that has been untouched by time. We will be riding the overnight Victoria express from Hanoi and return.

The scenery is magnificent everywhere you look – photo ops are everywhere. Take a lot of film or tape and batteries – you never have enough. Everyone who has been on a motherland tour with us has found it to be so much more than they expected and cannot wait to visit Vietnam again. Many have gone back on their own or with Joy’s help. A few families have gone on all the tours.

Several parents and teenagers have gone back to volunteer in an orphanage or center and are doing projects with us or on their own. I have hears several people say “Vietnam is a country that gets under your skin – it is in my heart – it is the only place that I have been that I feel this way about”.

For families interested in connecting with the birth family all efforts will be made to facilitate contact. Read Cindy’s report of her two trips connecting with her three children’s birth family. It is an amazing and very unique story.

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