We're DTV

Finally! We're DTV (Dossier to Vietnam)! Now it will be translated by FTIA's in-country staff, and then they will send it on to the government officials in the International Adoption Department (IAD). There it will wait to be matched with paperwork on the child identified for us.

FTIA's director, Keith, is in Vietnam right now to see how things are progressing with the two new provinces. A lot of families are getting anxious because the wait times have been extended twice in the last year, and unless something drastic happens, they will likely be extended again soon. Keith will return some time in June and said that he will have news for us and will have some "specific recommendations" for FTIA families. We're very interested to see what he has to say. I imagine that it will be giving us a few choices: wait out the long wait times, consider switching countries, or consider switching agencies. A few families have already switched agencies hoping to shorten the wait.

See, the way it works in Vietnam is different than in China. In China all international adoption dossiers are sent to one central agency, the CCAA, and the paperwork on all children available for international adoption also goes to this agency. That central agency then matches children and prospective parents and makes the referal. In Vietnam, each placement agency (like FTIA) has agreements with individual provinces and supports a specific orphanage in that province. All the referals for that agency come from the orphanges they support. So, an agency supporting an orphange in a large city would theoretically have more referals than one supporting an orphange in a rural province with a much smaller population, and therefore, potentially shorter wait times.

It'll be interesting to see what Keith has to say, and to see what the response to it is. For now, we are planning to stay with FTIA and the Vietnam program. We very much appreciate FTIA's emphasis on having an ethical adoption process, and everyone there has been so helpful and supportive. What is meant to happen will happen, and if that means waiting years for our next child, so be it. I want to look her in the eye when she's a young adult and be able to tell her with confidence that her adoption was completely ethical and honest.

Now that we are in the waiting stage, I plan to post some educational-type stuff on here. Info about Vietnam as well as info on adoption in general. Hopefully you'll find it interesting and it will help us all feel more prepared for the adventure ahead. I know that the more I read about it, the more comfortable I feel. If there is anything specific you're curious about, please feel free to ask me! If I don't know the answer, I'll find out and we'll both learn something new. :)