Click here for a printable form. Helping to make your adoption trip a wonderful adventure for everyone It is our hope at Children's Hope International that your trip to adopt your child is going to be the trip of a lifetime and beautiful in every way. What we include below, we believe will help make it better for you and all of those traveling with you. Both parents should travel if at all possible Children's Hope highly encourages both adoptive parents to travel to adopt their child(ren). If only one parent can travel, we encourage the traveling spouse to take one companion along on the trip. We also encourage singles to take a traveling companion to assist.  Now what about other's accompanying you? What about your children; would it be a ?good? thing to bring them with you? We have helped many families make this great journey Over the years we have helped thousands of families, in all of our programs, making this journey of love to bring their child(ren) home.  What they have told us, added to our own observations, enables us to help you with your journey and your decision to take others with you. It is wonderful, but not easy Probably first and foremost to consider is that international adoption travel is very rigorous.  Even though it is a great adventure, it is important to remember that the adoption trip is not a vacation. It can be stressful, overwhelming, and all consuming. Jet lag, strange places, unusual foods, along with a strict schedule, and only a few days in country, conjunct together to require all one's concentration.  That is why we urge adoptive parents to never schedule business appointments during the trip. (Rare, yes, but it has sometimes happened).  A time for bonding This is a very special time for parents to bond with their new child(ren), and adoptive parents may never have this special time alone again with their new child!  When others (children or adults) are along, it can detract from the bonding process.  We have found that children bond with one person at a time and additional traveling companions may confuse the child.  Attachment may be harder for the child in the long run.  The newly adopted child may bond with the traveling companions and not the parents.  Thus adding extra stress to the adopted child and the adoptive parents and causing additional problems later on.  Having another child along can cause jealousy issues on the part of either or both children; or the adopted child could end up bonding with their new sibling and not the parents. As well, adoptive parents can compare their first or other child(ren) unfavorably to the newly adopted child, and adoption agencies have seen a higher disruption rate in these cases. Also, if one child or the other should become ill during the trip, that child would have to be given additional care and attention and the other child could be denied getting the attention that they need. It's important that your 5-7 days spent in Ethiopia are used to bond with your new child and the child with. Their will be a lifetime for the child to get to know and bond with other relatives and family friends.  And what about the other families on this trip of a lifetime? Families travel to Ethiopia can travel with small group, or alone as a couple. One of the great benefits of traveling with a group of families, all caught up in the wonders of adopting a child, is that they often become like family. As you make your plans for your adoption journey you will want to consider how your decisions affect others in the group.  Often couples traveling alone have expressed to us they felt the adoption process was hindered when a particular family brought along their children and perhaps grandpa and grandma. They may feel some resentment that a large part of the time is devoted to the families with a lot of accompanying members that are taking so much time and attention.  It is our hope that our staff in country can give each family equal time and attention in moving through their adoption journey. Even though the additional traveling companions are not allowed to participate in any of the adoption process or birth parent meetings, just getting on and off the planes and taxis, you probably can understand how others in the group might feel.   And those wonderful appointments?  It's imperative to be ready for pick up, and on time for all appointments. It is bond to put added stress on other families traveling in your group if you are traveling to visit your child's orphanage, for example and all parties are not ready at the given time.   You can take additional family members or friends?. However, we ask that you give great thought and consideration to whom and how many will be traveling with you, as it may not be in the best interest of you or the child. If it sounds like we are recommending that a couple travel alone and that a single person travel with only one other accompanying member, it is because we think this is the best scenario in most cases.  We want to thank you for considering the reasons why we think this way.   We hope you will also understand, based on everything said above, it is necessary  to include an additional fee of $250 per additional person, for your extended family members (grandparents and other relatives), and family friends, because of the necessity of adding additional staff and vehicles for transportation, etc.  This fee will be included in your final invoice and paid before travel. There will not be an additional travel companion fee for other children of the adoptive family, or for the traveling companion of a single parent traveling. If you would like additional travel companions to accompany you, please complete and sign the agreement/waiver and return with your referral acceptance documents. May this journey of love be the greatest trip you have ever made and may the Lord's blessings and protection be on you in every way - every day.   AGREEMENT/WAIVER FOR SPECIAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS  I/We have read and understand the issues, costs, and concerns listed in the Children's Hope International Travel Policy and request that additional persons, children, or travel companion(s) accompany me/us to Ethiopia.  I/We understand that an additional service fee will not be required for our own child who would travel with us.  Likewise, I/we understand that a single parent traveling may take a companion without paying an additional service fee.  This additional travel companion is in good health, is flexible, will be on time, will not in any way interfere with the adoption process nor attempt to influence group decisions, and will not make special requests other than the normal adoption trip. As well, the additional travel companion will not attend the birth parent meeting, should it occur, and will be sensitive to the cultural differences evident between the two countries. The parents and traveling companion understand that they are representing Children's Hope International, international adoption, the adopted child, your family, the United States of America, and all future adoptive families who will follow in your footsteps, and with that in mind, will present themselves in the most positive and respectful light while traveling. Below I have provided the information on my additional travel companion, i.e., extended family members (grandparents and other relatives), and family friends.  (One form for each additional person)  NAME                              ADDRESS   PHONE   FAX   E-MAIL   PASSPORT #   DATE OF BIRTH   Relationship   Fees for additional traveler(s) 250 service fee - per additional travel companion / paid before travel Air fare - round trip for US domestic flights                                                           International Airfare to Ethiopia   - Round trip                               Hotel or Guest House accommodations + meals If traveling companion will be staying at the House of Hope Transition home and occupying a separate suite or guest room, the cost is $85 p/night, double occupancy, including meals.  (An additional day will be charged if check out on the last day is after 1 pm). If additional travel companion is not staying that the House of Hope, but will be having meals there, the fee is $10 per meal- per adult to be paid in Ethiopia at the House of Hope,  in U.S. dollar or Ethiopia Birr. There will not be an additional travel companion fee for other children of the adoptive family.       By our signatures, we agree to all of the above. ______________________________________                  ______________________________________ Signature of Adoptive Parent                                            Signature of Adoptive Parent     ______________________________________                  ______________________________________ Signature of Additional Travel Companion                         Date Click here for a printable form.