Hosting Interview Team – NEW Updates
Visit www.orphanhosting.com to learn more about the 2014 Holiday Hosting Program.
Day 2:
“Today we wrapped up our interviews in our first orphanage and spent hours deliberating which kids to select for hosting. They ALL stole our hearts, but unfortunately we could only select about half for the program! After all, we still have kids from two other orphanages who deserve a chance to have a life-changing trip to America this winter. As we bumped along in the car on the way to orphanage number 2, our three American-sized bodies squeezed into the backseat of a Chinese-sized compact car, we finally settled on the sweet kids from orphanage 1 we will match with our families.
I could not have asked for a more amazing, talented, intelligent, dedicated and fun interview team. “Dr. G.” and Alex, our Program Coordinator, are superheroes for these kiddos. Of course, the only thing we’ve argued about this whole trip is which one of us would host our “Karate Kid.” (We finally agreed we should let one of you guys host him, because we just couldn’t decide who would be lucky enough to have this honor among the 3 of us.) Here is how our interview went with him:
“Bruce” (honorably nicknamed after Bruce Lee), walked in with a stoic and serious look on his face. He was ready to get down to business. He promptly obeyed every task we asked him to complete and matter-of-factly answered each question. Oh, he was aiming to please! We kept asking him things that would get him to show personality, and he certainly took initiative to do things like write his name. Finally, we got to the “what would he like to learn to do?” question. All of the sudden he lit up and said, “get better at martial arts!” And he immediately proceeded to perform and entire sparring routine, complete with perfect form, “hi-yas,” and ended with a bow. Then he posed like a real karate kid for his hosting photo! He was so proud to impress us, and thanked us for letting him show off his skills. And we just have to add that he is incredibly handsome for a 9 year old, so watch out ladies, this little Cupid will be on the loose September 20th, so get your applications in before that for a chance to be matched with our sweet Bruce!
Day 1
Ni Hao from The interview team in Guangzhou! We’ve had two amazing days interviewing the sweetest, fun loving, most beautiful children we’ve ever seen! We can’t wait to share their smiling faces with you in a few days. As we prepare their bios and photos for our first 40 VIP families (still a few spots available!), you can look forward to some cute stories and photos from the trip.
(Part of our team interviewing one of the children.)
Here’s our favorite interview story of the day:
Little “Caleb” walked in with a big smile and kind eyes. He waved and said “ni hao” and was so happy to see us! He had a look on his face like, “It’s finally my turn? Can I draw a picture for you?” One interview technique we use to evaluate he kids’ cognitive abilities is to have them draw a face or person. He eagerly drew a face, and looked up at our “Dr. G.” seeking approval for his drawing after each feature: eyes, nose, mouth, etc. As we asked him questions, with a sheepish grin he shyly but willingly answered. Favorite color: red; favorite food: spicy! Then came the question where he melted our hearts with his answer: “If we could grant you one wish, what would it be?” And his answer was, “I want to go find some parents in America, and then come back every three years to visit my foster mom and friends.” We looked at each other, and “awww” was a universal word for all of us, both Chinese and English speakers.
You can look forward to seeing him and others who expressed their interest in visiting the US to live with a family very soon! These kids are already stealing our hearts and we are barely halfway through the interviews! Check back tomorrow to read about our favorite “karate kid”!
Below is our Interview Team with the Director of the Guangzhou Orphanage.
Orphan Hosting – VIP Registration Now Open
Orphan Hosting – VIP Registration
– Priority Matching
– Free CCCWA Keepsake Book
– Exclusive early viewing of child list
– Tax deductible fees
15 Kids Home in August
Oh Happy Summer! 15 Kids have come home with their families in the month of August. Thirteen of these beautiful children were from China, and two from Latvia! We are so thrilled to have the kiddos home safe with their forever families. Look at some of the smiles that have finally made it home!
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CCCWA Shares Their Heritage Tour Experience
This summer we sent 49 children on the CCCWA Summer Heritage Tour. Our children and families toured China and learned all about their homeland. Some of the children even got to visit their orphanage. CCCWA released a wonderful article about the event. They displayed several picture of Director Li and their children. We are so honored to participate in such a unique experience. It’s not too late to begin registering for next year’s CCCWA Heritiage Tour!
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Hosting Kids Need Forever Families NOW
Our China summer host program has come to a close. Now comes the big task, bringing all of these kiddos home for good! Several of these kiddos are being adopted by their host families or have found a family because of this program, however there are a few kiddos that still NEED families. Their host families have been advocating for them since day one and brought them here to the U.S. to try and help them find a family. TTheir host families are more than excited to talk to prospective families and share all of their experiences. If you can’t bring one of these kiddos home, at least share this blog so we can bring these little ones home for good!
Meet Tanner!
My name is Tanner and I am 7 years old. I have swollen glands under my tongue and some hearing loss in my right ear. I am lively kid and just returned to China from a hosting trip in the United States. I am hoping to be able to return one day with my forever family.
Meet Gwen!
Hi, my name is Gwen and I am 8 years old. Some of my muscles are weak and I need some help but other than that I am a lot like my peers. I was just hosted by a family in the United States and had so much fun. They are helping me find a forever family, and I hope to one day return to the U.S. forever!
Meet Gavin!
Hi! I’m Gavin! I just started school at home last September and am learning a lot! I know my numbers and can count different objects I see. I am still working on learning my colors. I like to charm others and I love getting to play with my friends. My doctors helped me correct my cleft in my palate and lip and they also tell me that I am a Hep B carrier. I can hear well but I do have to eat softer foods. My favorite things are watching little bear cartoons and playing with cars and legos.
There is nothing negative to say about him. He is just a wonderful little boy who would fit in any family. -Gavin’s Host Mom
Meet Bo!
My name is Bo and I am 10 years old. My doctors say that I have Spina Bifida and I need help getting around. I am very friendly and love being active. I just visited the United States for the first time and really enjoyed my stay with my host family. I would love to be able to return someday with a family of my own.
Meet Jim!
HI, I’m Jim and I will be 11 years old soon. I am currently being hosted by a family in the United States and want more than anything to return with a forever family. My doctors say that I have good health. I am a smart boy and I get a long well with my caregivers. I love watching cartoons and playing outside with my friends.
Meet Teddy!
Hi, I’m Teddy I am 6 years old and I am loving my trip to the United States. My doctors say that I have something called Cerebral Palsy, but I obviously don’t let it stop me. My legs are a little weak, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. My host family started a Facebook page to help me find a forever family, it has lots of photos and stories about my visit here in the U.S.
Meet Hope!
Hi, I am Hope and I am 9 years old. I am currently enjoying my time in the U.S. with my host family. My host Mom shared a lot about me in hopes to help me find a forever family.
“Hope is a fun loving 9 year old. She smiles and laughs alot. She has cerebral palsy but can walk using a walker and can transfer to low lying chairs as well as use the restroom and dress herself with some assistance. She tries hard but needs encouragement to keep pushing herself to do new things. She responds well to praise. She loves music and after three weeks with our family picked up many songs and even began using phrases in English. Hope enjoys crafts and will spend hours using markers, making things with foam stickers and always has a pen and paper near by to draw with. While she was part of the hosting program she received glasses which helped her enjoy things like TV shows and movies since she could finally interact with them and know what parts were funny. She likes the Disney movie Frozen and can sing part of the song “Do you want to build a snowman?” She also received AFOs (leg braces) and is learning to walk using those and her walker. We are a large family and she was able to learn our names and get along with each member well. Hope is strong willed and also a perfectionist. While her initial adjustment to our family was difficult and she had trouble adjusting to schedules, foods and boundaries, she learned to like all American foods and eat well (except pizza!). She benefits from love and a good schedule with consistent boundaries as she learns what it means to be part of a family. Her response to disappointments resembles a much younger child (meltdowns and tantrums). As she made daily progress in our home, these became less frequent. She has learned what it means to have a “mommy”, “daddy” and lots of brothers and sisters but might thrive in a smaller family than ours. We believe she would do well in a family that understands the complex needs of cerebral palsy, who have the physical strength to attend to daily needs and also possibly older siblings that could praise her often. She will need help learning to manage emotions and behaviors in positive ways and how to be part of a family and accept love but not demand constant attention or help with the things she can do for herself. ” – Hope’s Host Mom
Meet Dean! – I HAVE FOUND MY FOREVER FAMILY!
Meet Elliott! – I HAVE FOUND MY FOREVER FAMILY!
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Staff Spotlight – Kayley
Meet Kayley!
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What is your job title and description here at GWCA?
As Travel Advisor for GWCA/CAN, I facilitate each family’s travel to the country where they will be adopting their child. This includes intra-country travel arrangements, scheduling adoption appointments, and making sure families are prepared for their journey in whatever way they may need. I also manage the Legacy Journey department, which facilitates heritage tours for adoptees to go back to China. In fact, I currently have about 30 families in China on a heritage tour sponsored by CCCWA, which is extremely exciting.
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How long have you been working at GWCA?
I began work at GWCA on January 15, 2013. I moved into the role of Travel Advisor in June 2013, and have been in that position since!
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What do you enjoy most about your job?
Communication with families, and figuring out ways to support their transition and travel in seamless, effective ways. Travel is, admittedly, a difficult time if only because it is high stress, and there is a large amount of emotional and financial output. But – the travel phase also has the highest rewards, and there is nothing I enjoy more than getting a happy email or pictures from families that just had Gotcha Day.
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What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
Working with separate entities because this can sometimes cause unexpected delays that can’t be controlled. Those are difficult to navigate as a travel manager, and even more difficult for the families who may have to wait a bit longer to see their kiddo. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it is frustrating for everyone.
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How have you grown personally from working at GWCA and with their families?
GWCA is a collaborative environment, and I think that has made me more aware of effective communication, teamwork, and coordinating my day so that I am helping someone else – both the families that we serve, and other staff.
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Why do you love adoption?
Every human being deserves a family that loves them. Adoption gives families the chance to grow, and gives children in particular the chance to learn and play in a happy environment. I think being born into that type of environment is a wonderful privilege, and my work is centered on the goal of extending that privilege to all orphans. Adoption journeys are never “perfect,” but I’m always honored to be a part of them in whatever capacity I can be.
Fun facts about Kayley:
1. I am a black belt in American tae kwon do.
2. I have two dogs and I could not love them more, even if I’m pretty sure they conspire against me.
3. I moved to Canada for two years to go to graduate school, and I don’t know what I’m going to do without proper cold weather in my life now. (Side note: It’s true, Canadians are the nicest people in the universe.)
4. My mother and I once drove for 25 hours straight from London,Ontario to San Antonio,Texas just to prove we could do it.
5. I love movies of any kind, and if there is a quirky documentary on this planet that I haven’t seen … I would be shocked.
Read MoreHosting is Underway
Whew! The kids finally made it. Last week all 26 host kiddos made it safely to their destinations. The chaperones may need a week to recover, but everyone made it in one piece. Stay tuned to our blog andFacebook page as our families share this wonderful experience with us.
2014 Family Reunion was a Success!
The 2014 Family Reunion was a success! A big thank you to everyone that came out to support us. It was so wonderful meeting families and seeing all of the beautiful children thriving.
Stay tuned as the planning has begun for the 2015 Family Reunion.
Read More14 Kids Under Six Years Old
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A few of our programs have children available under six years old. All of our programs have a wide range of waiting children and more often than not we are seeing older children in most of our programs, however there is still hope for younger children. Have you considered China, Bulgaria or Latvia? These programs all have children available under six years old.
 China: The requirements can be strict, but the waiting child process can be relatively easy compared to most. We currently have 14 kids on our China photo listing that are all under six years old. In China most children under six years old are going to have a wide range of medical needs. Many of these needs are manageable, and not as scary as they seem. Our matching team does an excellent job counseling families through the matching process.
Bulgaria: The Bulgaria program has children under six years old as well. The younger the child the longer the wait however the process is fairly simple. The children from Bulgaria typically have some needs but many of their needs can be more emotional vs. medical.
Latvia: Lots of love in Latvia. Once registered in country a family can receive a referral very quickly. The option for younger children is available, the younger, the longer the wait but the process is smooth sailing once you have been matched. Latvia has the option for young healthy children, however the wait averages around five years.
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Why Adopt From the Dominican Republic?
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Why Adopt from the Dominican Republic?
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1. Our DR program is quickly growing, we should be seeing waiting children very soon.
2. The children born in the DR have very unique features, as their ancestors range from white European (Spain and France), to African and Amerindian.
3. The DR encourages lengthy bonding time for families and their children to ensure they will be a good fit.
4. For travel purposes the distance between the States and the DR makes travel easier and less expensive.
5. The country is beautiful, laid back, and full of children waiting to find their forever families.
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