12-June: Heading to Binh Thuan province...

After four nights in Saigon, we checked out of the Renaissance Riverside this morning. We are on our way to Binh Thuan province where Olivia was born and living in Ham Tan orphanage when we met her. We used Children's Home Society and Family Services for her adoption and they have arranged for a car, driver, and translator to accompany us today to visit her orphanage and primary caregiver. Her primary caregiver is now working for a different orphanage in Phan Thiet city.

After eating breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we were on our way at about 8:15 am. We drove to the orphanage in Ham Tan first. This orphanage is a small, rural orphanage. I believe that we were told during the time of Olivia's adoption that only the babies that are expected to be adopted internationally are placed here. We were fortunate to see the orphanage director there today as we learned that she has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. You may notice that she is wearing a wig in the photos. This is the same director that was there during the time of Olivia's adoption in late 2002.

Besides sharing Olivia's photo album with the director and caregivers, we brought culture camp and holiday photos that included photos of the other adoptive families that travelled with us as well as a couple of messages from adoptive families that had contacted me before our trip. I was surprised that the caregivers recognized 'their' babies from the more recent photos that we had with us. The orphanage director gave me recent birth mother photos to share with one of the families that had contacted me. It was a very emotional visit. I was so relieved that the orphanage director was able to be there today, especially since Olivia's primary caregiver is no longer at this orphanage. During our visit, we asked the director to give the driver directions to the medical center where Olivia was born as well as the directions to visit her primary caregiver at a different orphanage in Phan Thiet.

After our visit at Olivia's orphanage with the director, caregivers, and children, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on to the medical center (now hospital) where she had been born. Additions had been made to the hospital and the maternity ward had been remodeled. We had never been to this location before today. Our intention was just to take photos of the outside of the building. Initially, we were told not to take photos. Then after the translator explained why we were there, they actually led us to a doctor in the maternity ward whom then proceeded to give us a tour. We were shown the room where expectant mothers wait, the examination room, the delivery room, and finally the room where the mothers and babies recover after being delivered (complete with a resting mother and breastfeeding baby). It was so wonderful how caring, curious, and welcoming everyone was during the unplanned stop and tour!

Our final visit for the day was to see Olivia's primary caregiver, Dong (pronounced more like dome), at a different orphanage in the 'big' city of Phan Thiet. Olivia's orphanage had been organized such that each baby was assigned a primary caregiver. We could tell that Olivia was very attached to her during the adoption process. It was indescribable to see her again. It was most surprising to me that she looked about seven years younger rather than seven years older. We learned that she had been married a year earlier. It was amazing to see the youthful changes that resulted from her new love, new job, and new home. It was enjoyable to share all of Olivia's accomplishments with her. Olivia was very animated. One of the few english words that Olivia's caregiver spoke during our visit with her was 'happy' as she watched Olivia bounce around and share her photo album.

Finally, we headed on to our final destination of Mui Ne, a beach area on the South China Sea:
http://www.saigonmuineresort.com/
We checked in to the Saigon Mui Ne Resort which is where we had stayed with Ivy on our first adoption trip to submit paperwork and to meet Olivia. We will be here for four nights.

Links to photos of Ivy and Olivia's adoption trips in 2001 and 2002 may be found in the list on the right.