Holt Heritage & Adoptee Day Camp in China 2012
Details reposted here from Holt International. Please contact them for further info or check out their website at www.holtinternational.org/tours
Supporting adoptee identity means much more than simply providing opportunities to learn about birth country culture.
ANNOUNCING PLANS FOR A COMBINED HERITAGE TOUR & ADOPTEE DAY CAMP IN CHINA IN 2012!
Holt was the first U.S. agency to pioneer the concept of heritage tours for international adoptees in the 1970s. With adult adoptees in leadership positions and on our staff and board, and with years of experience working with children in orphanages all over China, Holt is uniquely qualified to offer a special homeland experience for you.
On Holt’s upcoming 2012 Family Tours, in addition to the many fun sightseeing and educational touring activities, for three days all adoptees will also be given an opportunity to participate in a day-camp in China exclusively for them.
PLEASE NOTE: The following dates and itineraries are TENTATIVE. We are still working with our partners in the Chinese government on details.
SPACE MAY BE LIMITED. TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST AND TO STAY UPDATED, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND ASK TO BE SENT A PRELIMINARY INTEREST FORM, or visit our Website at: www.holtinternational.org/tours
Especially for teenage adoptees and their families (adoptees 9 and older are also very welcome)
Approximate dates: June 17 ~ July 2
CO-ESCORTED BY A YOUNG ADULT ADOPTEE CAMP COUNSELOR: An opportunity for all adoptees to share this tour experience with a trained adult international adoptee “big brother or sister” with a background and experience similar to their own. Some special activities will focus on teenage participants.
BEIJING: Major tourist sites like the Temple of Heaven, Great Wall, buildings of the 2008 Olympic Games, old “hutong” city neighborhoods and traditional home, special discussion meetings about orphanages and adoption from China facilitated by experienced Holt staff...and much more
HOME PROVINCE / ORPHANAGE VISIT: an escorted visit to the adoptee’s home province, orphanage, finding site and foster family (where applicable and possible)
GUILIN and YANGSHUO: Local activities and sights, beautiful mountain scenery including a boat cruise down the gorgeous Li River, visit a traditional cooking school where you can learn to make Chinese dishes, see a traditional folk performance… and much more
THREE DAYS OF ADOPTEE DAY CAMP IN CHINA: Special daytime activities for adoptees only in a specially reserved location, facilitated by experienced camp counselors from Holt’s Post Adoption Services program who are also young adult international adoptees, and assisted by China’s government office – Bridge of Love Adoption Service. Adoptees will experience self-discovery and fun within a community of other adoptees, while also exploring issues of adoption, race, and identity development. Escorted tourist activities will be made available for non-adoptee family members.
OPTIONAL ADD-ON TOUR PACKAGE: Tour the Panda Research facility at the world famous Wulong Nature Preserve near Chengdu. We are working on an opportunity for teenagers to volunteer to assist researchers with some hands-on care of pandas.
TOUR B
For all adoptees and family members 9 years old to adult
Approximate dates: June 25~July 9
CO-ESCORTED BY A YOUNG ADULT ADOPTEE CAMP COUNSELOR: An opportunity for all adoptees to share this tour experience with a trained adult international adoptee “big brother or sister” with a background and experience similar to their own.
BEIJING: Major tourist sites like the Temple of Heaven, Great Wall, buildings of the 2008 Olympic Games, old “hutong” city neighborhoods and traditional home, special discussion meetings about orphanages and adoption from China facilitated by experienced Holt staff...and much more
HOME PROVINCE / ORPHANAGE: an escorted visit to the adoptee’s home province, orphanage, finding site and foster family (where applicable and possible)
Xi’An: China’s famous Terracotta Warriors, visit a local farm village and a traditional farmer’s style home, tour the old city wall – from the top… and much more
THREE DAYS OF ADOPTEE DAY CAMP IN CHINA: Special daytime activities for adoptees only in a specially reserved location, facilitated by experienced camp counselors from Holt’s Post Adoption Services program who are also young adult international adoptees, and assisted by China’s government office – Bridge of Love Adoption Service. Adoptees will experience self-discovery and fun within a community of other adoptees, while also exploring issues of adoption, race, and identity development. Escorted tourist activities will be made available for non-adoptee family members.
OPTIONAL ADD-ON TOUR PACKAGE: Tour the Panda Research facility at the world famous Wulong Nature Preserve near Chengdu. Possible opportunity to hold or pet a panda for a fee to support the research activities of the preserve.
Both of these tours are open to families with children adopted from any province. Families will separate into smaller groups mid-tour for an escorted trip to their home province and orphanage visit, and then rejoin the main tour group for the remainder of the tour. We recommend that all participants in either tour be at least nine years old.
COSTS:
Fees will vary, depending upon orphanage location and some personal choices. An average fee for the base tour should be between $2700 and $3500 per adult; the fee for children under twelve will be slightly less. Your family will be informed of your exact base fee before official application and down payment is required. Your tour fee will cover international tourist hotels, professional tour guides and site fees, all arrangements for visits and activities within the primary tour schedule, most meals, fees for camp lodging, materials and activities, and air and ground transportation in China. It does not include international airfare to and from China, tips to professional guides and drivers, some possible local expenses related to orphanage, foster family or finding site visits, China visas, and any personal or optional arrangements. Participants may also choose to add individually arranged tourist packages in China to the beginning or end of either of the above basic heritage tour itineraries.
HOW TO APPLY:
First, reply to this message for more information and to receive a form for registering your family’s interest in participating. You can also find information and submit an interest form via our Website: www.holtintl.org/tours Please note that the interest form is not a commitment to participate in a tour. Once we have confirmed tours and dates, we will provide you with more details and registration forms for each member of your family's party. A down payment will be required to secure your place on the tour of your choice. Detailed arrangements for your tour will be announced before payment is due.
Feel free to contact me anytime with questions. Hope to see you on a future Family Tour to China!
 | Best regards, |
AAAW MINI GATHERING
Triple ABC invites you to celebrate the Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (AAAW)'s 15th Anniversary Mini-Gathering. Date: Sept. 15–18, 2011. Location: Seattle, WA, USA. Come celebrate this milestone year and enjoy everything that Seattle and the local adoptee community have to offer. Early-bird registration is now available!
For more info, please visit AAAW's website here.
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