So today was Day 1 of International Adoption Training for Nova Scotia Community Services.
What a day!
We met some great folks - there were 4 couples planning to adopt from Russia and 1 couple considering between Russia and China. Apparently the CST (Community Services Team) have never seen a this many people interested in Russia. A little trend in IA (International Adoption) perhaps?
There was one couple there who had IA'd THREE times - they are a great resource! The shared a lot and they definitely added a much needed humour to the day as I think most of us were new to the process and still a little intimidated/scared/nervous about the entire thing.
The days topics were based around cultural adaptation in the adoptive family. We watched a film that followed 2 journeys. The first journey was of an adult adoptee who had trouble with her identity and self-actualization given that she was of Asian descent in a very small-town Caucasian American family, which was followed by the expectant loss of her parents to cancer. Her struggle was a lifelong one.
The second journey followed childless APs (Adoptive Parents) through their referral and pick up of their first child from China. This made me tear up!
The day's conversation focused on 7 main adoptive issues:
- Loss
- Rejection
- Guilt and Shame
- Grief
- Identity
- Intimacy
- Mastery/Control
The conversation was heavy in some ways, but yet very focuses on race versus culture (in my personal opinion). But an eye-opener none-the-less.
But, after sitting in a hotel meeting room in the World's Most Uncomfortable Chairs watching movies and having discussions we are drained!
I look forward to seeing what tomorrow's session will bring.
(Okay, so I googled "World's Most Uncomfortable Chairs" and this is what I got. I take back my previous statement, but they were really uncomfortable!!)
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