Agency News
Russia adoption program update and Chinese language classes
Fee reductions for Russian adoption program
Significant program fee reductions are available through October 31, 2006 for families that have previously adopted from Russia through AAI or any other agency as well as families who are new to the Russia adoption program.
Call AAI at 616.667.0921 for details.
*The fee reductions apply only to families who submit applications between September 1 and October 31, 2006 for the Russia program. The fee reductions do not apply to current waiting families and are not retroactive.
Update on Russia Program
We continue to see extensive activity in our thriving Russia Program with an average of sixteen families traveling per month to meet their child for the first time or bring their child home. The process is moving along very well and it’s an exciting time!
Currently, 11 U.S. agencies, including AAI, are accredited in Russia. On September 15, two more U.S. agencies will have their accreditation expire, followed by three more on January 25, 2007. The last group of U.S. agencies to have their accreditation expire, including AAI, will be on March 1, 2007 (see http://www.jcics.org/Russia.htm for more information).
We feel positive that the situations faced in the last few years have helped to improve the Russian adoption process tremendously. AAI has adopted new education requirements, even more extensive pre-evaluation of prospective families at the time of preliminary application, and more organized post-placement reports which are leading to more and more children being provided with safe and loving families.
Should you Sign up Now?
Yes! The program is still open and thriving! An adoption of a boy has great potential of being finalized before accreditation expires on March 1. Presently the boy referrals are sent within one to three weeks of dossier translation. An adoption of a girl or multiple children will have a longer time frame, with finalization possibly taking place after March 1, 2007.
What Does That Mean?
Families are concerned with what will happen after the March 1 deadline. Some of the regions with which we are working made an official decision to process and finalize all the cases registered before the accreditation expires. So it’s still a great time to sign up and bring your children home!
AAI is dutifully applying for NGO registration and working hard to prevent any lapses in accreditation status.
Russia continues to remain a strong choice for international Caucasian adoption.
Why AAI and why now?
AAI works with families anywhere in the United States—families who are dossier ready, in the home study or dossier process, and those just starting the process.
AAI is the only agency in Michigan’s lower peninsula that is accredited in Russia.
Significant program fee reductions are available through October 31, 2006 for families that have previously adopted from Russia through AAI or any other agency as well as families who are new to the Russia adoption program. Call AAI at 616.667.0921 for details.*
There is no waiting time for boys.
Eighteen referrals were received in June.
Fifteen families traveled in July.
As of September, AAI will be one of only 9 U.S. agencies which will remain accredited in Russia.
*The fee reductions apply only to families who submit applications between September 1 and October 31, 2006 for the Russia program. The fee reductions do not apply to current waiting families and are not retroactive.
More information
For more information on Russian adoption call our Russia Program Director, Alla Goncharova, at 616.667.0921.
Chinese Language Classes
Nihao! We are happy to announce Chinese language classes designed for waiting adoptive families. The classes will focus on learning Chinese intonations, words, and phrases that will help you to communicate with your child during the transition in China and assist you in other ways while traveling in China.
Western Michigan
Our teacher, Danielle Deng, a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese, was a teacher of ESL for eight years in China before coming to the U.S. She graduated from Calvin College with a master’s degree in education in 1996. The book that Danielle will be using is Beginner’s Chinese with 2 Audio CDs (paperback) by Yong Ho. List price is $25.95 ($16.35 on Amazon.com). The ISBN number for the kit is 0781810957.
The class will be held in the meeting room of the Jenison office of Adoption Associates, Inc. at 1352 Baldwin, Jenison, Michigan 49428.
Fall Session
Saturday Morning Classes
9:30-11:30am
September 16-October 14, 2006
Cost per student: $35.00
If you are interested in learning some Chinese before you travel to China, please contact Adoption Associates, Inc. at 616.667.0921 to register and reserve your spot in the upcoming classes! Class size may be limited to 15-18 people.
West Michigan residents can also check Chinese Village Culture and Language School’s web site for language classes.
Eastern Michigan
Our teacher, Michael Su, has worked as a language and cross-cultural training consultant for companies with a global, diverse workforce and/or with business interest in China. He has also worked extensively with both the national and local chapters of the not-for-profit Families with Chinese Children. Michael is an adjunct faculty member of Schoolcraft College and Macomb Community College. He is also a member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Michael received a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Wayne State University, as well as over ten certifications from Michigan State University, the University of Hawaii, the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Department of Education in foreign language, cross-cultural training and instructional technology. The course material that Michael will be using is a condensed version of his soon-to-be-published Learning Mandarin and Understanding the Chinese Culture The Fun And Easy Way, which is designed specifically for the China-bound waiting adoptive families. The course material, which comes with a CD that is helpful for hearing and practicing the words at home, is available for $10.00 and can be purchased directly from the instructor.
The class will be held in the meeting room of the Farmington Hills office of Adoption Associates, Inc., at 26105 Orchard Lake Rd, Suite 301 Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334. We will be holding four sessions—two in the fall and two in the winter. Classes will have a minimum of 16 students and a maximum of 20. For your convenience both the fall and winter sessions will feature a Friday night or Saturday morning option:
Fall Session
Friday Evening Classes
6:30-8:30pm
September 8-October 6, 2006
Cost per student: $35.00
Saturday Morning Classes
10am-12:00 noon
October 14-November 11, 2006
Cost per student: $40.00
Winter Session
Friday Evening Classes
6:30-8:30pm
January 12-February 9, 2007
Cost per student: $35.00
Saturday Morning Classes
10am-12:00 noon
February 17, 2007-March 17, 2007
Cost per student: $40.00
If you are interested in learning some Mandarin before you travel to China, please call 248.474.0990 to register. We look forward to seeing you.
