This guest blog post was written by Tenzin Dolkar.
Gross , J. (2007). Gifts from ukraine.
[ News Documentary]. The New York Times.
The process of International adoption is long, emotional, complicated, and an arduous journey for most families who decides to adopt through this route. However, when the adoption is finalized and the parents are legally recognized as parents of the child, lives are transformed and dreams are realized. It is probably one of the most wonderful and amazing experience anyone can ever partake in. Yet, international adoption is mysterious and unknown; parents don’t always know what to anticipate except the joy of becoming a parent.
Jane Gross of The New York Times films a documentary in 2007 called Gifts from Ukraine following a family’s experience with the International Adoption Hosting program by hosting twins from Ukraine during Christmas holiday. The international adoption hosting program creatively connects prospective parents with children available for adoption from various countries. Children are invited to visit American families to test-drive possible adoption in future.
The film tracks the nine years old twins’ arrival to the United States to their departure. The twins live in an orphanage in Ukraine following the demise of their mother. When they arrive at the airport, they meet the host mother along with another Adoptee from Siberia. The host mother greets the children anxiously knowing that the children might not experience attachment with her and her fiancé. As soon as the twins get home, they get to open gifts. During their visit, the family takes them shopping and a trip to see the New York City. The twins, temporarily, get to live the lives of typical American teenagers.
The film attempts to discuss the complexity of international adoption despite the attractiveness of the hosting program. The family had hosted their first child from Siberia and took on a second mortgage to adopt her. The process took about 18 months. In spite of getting attached to the twins and wanting to adopt them, the family cannot financially afford to do so. At the end of the visit the twins have to go back to their lives in orphanage having known comfort, home, and families in America. Therefore, “visits don’t always lead to adoption”.
Another critical question the film raises is whether the hosting program is a pre-selection adoption program. The supporters of the program deny the claim by citing that this is an amazing experience that gives opportunities to both sides to get to know each other. These children are offered once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and learn new things. Most families participate to make a difference in someone’s life. It also eliminates the elements of the unknown and the lack of full disclosure from both parties. However, this reasoning ignores the power differential in this relationship. The parents have the capability to choose whether they want to adopt or not and the children are at the mercy of the parents’ decisions.
Furthermore, as the host family learns, the Ukrainian law forbids pre-selection thus, preventing families from adopting the children they host. The law was designed to protect older children and aid their prospects of being adopted. Nevertheless, as international adoption goes- it is complicated and mysterious. Thus, 85 out of 90 families that hosted Ukrainian children were able to adopt the children they hosted.
As the film acknowledges the hosting program is not perfect, but for the time being, these children are cherished by the host families with a hint of a possible life changing event. Most of us know when we want to be become a parent, but we don’t know what sort of child we will have and what sort of parents we will become. Being able to choose the child and to learn how you parent is a common sense practice, but it does not exclude insinuating pre-selection which is distasteful. Therefore, the question is whether the practice is ethical. Also, is it just to show the stars and the Disney world to these children and return them to the orphanages to await their fate?
To view the video click here or see below.
The process of International adoption is long, emotional, complicated, and an arduous journey for most families who decides to adopt through this route. However, when the adoption is finalized and the parents are legally recognized as parents of the child, lives are transformed and dreams are realized. It is probably one of the most wonderful and amazing experience anyone can ever partake in. Yet, international adoption is mysterious and unknown; parents don’t always know what to anticipate except the joy of becoming a parent.
Jane Gross of The New York Times films a documentary in 2007 called Gifts from Ukraine following a family’s experience with the International Adoption Hosting program by hosting twins from Ukraine during Christmas holiday. The international adoption hosting program creatively connects prospective parents with children available for adoption from various countries. Children are invited to visit American families to test-drive possible adoption in future.
The film tracks the nine years old twins’ arrival to the United States to their departure. The twins live in an orphanage in Ukraine following the demise of their mother. When they arrive at the airport, they meet the host mother along with another Adoptee from Siberia. The host mother greets the children anxiously knowing that the children might not experience attachment with her and her fiancé. As soon as the twins get home, they get to open gifts. During their visit, the family takes them shopping and a trip to see the New York City. The twins, temporarily, get to live the lives of typical American teenagers.
The film attempts to discuss the complexity of international adoption despite the attractiveness of the hosting program. The family had hosted their first child from Siberia and took on a second mortgage to adopt her. The process took about 18 months. In spite of getting attached to the twins and wanting to adopt them, the family cannot financially afford to do so. At the end of the visit the twins have to go back to their lives in orphanage having known comfort, home, and families in America. Therefore, “visits don’t always lead to adoption”.
Another critical question the film raises is whether the hosting program is a pre-selection adoption program. The supporters of the program deny the claim by citing that this is an amazing experience that gives opportunities to both sides to get to know each other. These children are offered once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and learn new things. Most families participate to make a difference in someone’s life. It also eliminates the elements of the unknown and the lack of full disclosure from both parties. However, this reasoning ignores the power differential in this relationship. The parents have the capability to choose whether they want to adopt or not and the children are at the mercy of the parents’ decisions.
Furthermore, as the host family learns, the Ukrainian law forbids pre-selection thus, preventing families from adopting the children they host. The law was designed to protect older children and aid their prospects of being adopted. Nevertheless, as international adoption goes- it is complicated and mysterious. Thus, 85 out of 90 families that hosted Ukrainian children were able to adopt the children they hosted.
As the film acknowledges the hosting program is not perfect, but for the time being, these children are cherished by the host families with a hint of a possible life changing event. Most of us know when we want to be become a parent, but we don’t know what sort of child we will have and what sort of parents we will become. Being able to choose the child and to learn how you parent is a common sense practice, but it does not exclude insinuating pre-selection which is distasteful. Therefore, the question is whether the practice is ethical. Also, is it just to show the stars and the Disney world to these children and return them to the orphanages to await their fate?
To view the video click here or see below.