Visa in Hand

As of Thursday afternoon at 4pm (Hanoi Time) we officially have permission to bring Frances home! We have her Vietnamese passport with her official US Visa. Now we just have to get home. We have decided to go with the flight that has us leaving Hanoi, Vietnam at 11:05am on Monday July 2nd and arriving in Portland Oregon on Monday evening at 8:22! Now we can just enjoy our last weekend here and see some more of this mad city.

Stuck in Hanoi

The final challenge to our trip will be to find our way home. We were originally scheduled to fly out of Hanoi on Thursday morning. But since the Visa wont be ready til afternoon that aint gonna happen. Its not easy making last minute changes to get from Asia to Oregon. But we have travel agent extraordinaire on the case and at least now we have options. It is not only proving difficult to find room on the Hanoi to Hong Kong to LA flight but the final connection to Portland is tough. Seems a lot of folks are flying that way this weekend. But after a long night of email communications (gotta love the technology) at least now we have several options. Do we hold tight here for couple of days and wait for the smooth connections or do we get out of this country as fast as we can but have to make new connections with overnight layovers with a ten month old baby (and pay to switch airlines to get to Portland). Which will we choose and what will work best? As soon as the decision is made and the flight is booked we will let you know!

Hanoi Beginnings

So Wednesday evening we arrive in Hanoi and of course we are now on our own (with the other family but no agency help). There had been no vacancy at the agency’s preferred hotel so they had booked an alternate. When we arrived we all agreed that we would spend just one night there. It was not in a good area and it was not very nice. The important thing was to get to the US Consulate in the morning and then find better digs.

There was a small hotel restaurant. Crystal did not trust it enough to eat the food. The rest of us took the chance and made it out ok.

Wednesday morning we made it to the US Consulate to get the Visa process started. It was a little frustrating at first. The forms were not filled out properly and the baby’s pictures we were given by our agency coordinator were not the right size or format. They should have been done as regular passport photos but were not. We almost had to leave to go get new photos taken before our applications would be accepted. The consulate worker took pity on us when she realized we were on our own. She was able to make the photos work and instructed us to come back at 2 pm for the final interview.

After some running around we were finally checked into the Melia Hotel, just outside the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Very nice! Crystal and I sprung for a suite on the 19^th floor and the views of the city are fantastic. It is a good thing we are comfortable because we don’t know when we will be leaving!

The final interview was very easy. The woman at the consulate was very friendly. It was really just a matter of paying the fee and signing some final documents as all of our paper work was already examined and found to be in order. There is still a 24 hour waiting period as some final background checks are performed. Apparently the photos of the babies get transmitted to a US office in Kentucky and checked against some database. We have been told we can pick the Visa up on Thursday afternoon at 4. The only problem we may run into is if the computers go down – which is not unusual to happen around here. And the we can head home! Of course we have all missed our return flights and don’t know when that will be!

INS Appointment and Off to Hanoi

On Monday morning we finally had the big INS appointment (with US Dept of Homeland Security). The purpose of this interview is for US approval of our adoption – to ensure that it has been done legally and ethically according to US regulations. This approval is needed before adoptive parents can apply for a Visa which allows the child to enter the US and become a US citizen. The interview went easier than we expected. The woman was very professional and understanding. We appreciate her efforts to make sure that adoptions are done ethically. On Monday afternoon our coordinator from the adoption agency’s Ho Chi Minh City office retrieved our approval in a sealed envelope.

We were not able to obtain a flight to Hanoi for the Visa application interview until Tuesday afternoon. The other family and we moved into the same hotel for our last night in Ho Chi Minh where we were also able to spend time with our Groucho’s family and there new daughter. Crystal also had the opportunity for one more Ho Chi Minh shopping spree. When we arrived at the counter to check in for our flight to Hanoi we discovered that we had not purchased tickets for the babies (at ten percent of a full fare). We were sent to the “Excess Baggage” counter to purchase them! We finally made it to the gate about 15 minutes before the flight. This 2 hour trip was to be a test flight before our twenty plus hour trip home. We all did pretty well.

The Groucho's are in town!

I remember how nervous I felt landing at the HCMC airport, looking for a man holding a sign that read our last name. It was so much fun for our family of three to show up at the airport to greet our friends over at Groucho's family! We three stood in the crowd and held up their sign.
Welcome to Vietnam, we can't wait to see our girls together!
We have been so lucky to form friendships with "Groucho's family" and "Love from Vietnam" because they are really nice people, and they live so close!
Congratulations M&M on your lovely new daughter! ...mind if we pop by for a visit and let the girls get acquainted?

-As always, I will be holding my breath for Julie (Love from Vietnam) who is eagerly awaiting referral. Come on baby, show yourself; you already have two little friends!

HCMC update:
It is Sunday here, and we are nervously waiting for our Monday INS appointment. But today we have fun... once Frances wakes up we will visit her new little friend.
Baby update:
She is amazing. She lets her poppa carry her around and loves it when he tosses her in the air. And she likes it when her momma feeds her carrots with chopsticks!

Still in Ho Chi Minh

Well Friday came and went and we are still here in Ho Chi Minh City. We were told that our I-600 was not filled out completely and we had write out another one. It didnt make much difference though as Frances' Vietnamese passport was not ready. We were told that the passport would for sure be picked up on Friday evening and we could expect our INS interview on Monday morning at 11:45. Then it will be off to Hanoi on Monday afternoon and maybe the Visa appointment at the US Embassy on Tuesday. So we are still on track to fly out on the 28th. On the plus side Groucho's family is flying in today so we can spend some time together in Ho Chi Minh with both girls. We are looking forward to a good weekend.

Loves the Water

After our trip to the zoo we all headed back to the hotel to play in the pool. We took Frances into the water and she absolutely loved it. She smiled and laughed more than ever. I think it was the best time here so far.

Asleep at the Zoo

Wednesday was a free day. After breakfast we took a trip to the zoo with the other family. Frances really keeps to her schedule, and since it was the middle of her nap time she slept through most of the visit. The zoo here is not the most modern of facilities and was not the happiest of places to see.

medical check

On Tuesday morning we were taken to the International Medical Center for Frances' medical check. We walked through a courtyard and into the main hospital. So different from what I am used to in an American hospital. The hospital staff are all very professional and serious, it is the facilities that could use some modernization. We were taken into a small conference/examination room where we met with a doctor and a nurse. Frances was weighed and measured. The doctor performed a short physical exam and read through her medical chart. It all went well and we are now one step closer to obtaining her Visa. We are just waiting for the Vietnamese passport to be issued and we can go for the INS interview. Hopefully that will be Friday. After the exam we went for lunch with the other family that is here adopting through the same agency. Frances really enjoys being out and about. While at the restaurant the power went out for a short while - a not uncommon occurrence here. I cant believe the tangle of electrical wires that string along the utility poles, I don't know how anyone could ever figure out what leads where. Later that I afternoon I went in search of someplace to buy baby formula. There are lots of shops in this area but I had yet to see a place that sold basic groceries. Finally I hit the jackpot at the TAX department store, a small grocery market on the second floor. It can be fairly difficult navigating through the streets but I am starting to get the hang of it. Most intersections have no stop signs or lights and the streets are full of scooters, mopeds, motorcycles and cars all just maneuvering around each other and constantly honking horns to signal where they are. To cross the street you just walk out into it. No one stops - you just become part of the traffic flow and make your way to the other side. It can actually be entertaining to watch. Sort of a controlled chaos.

Second Day

Tuesday Morning

Baby Frances’ second day was more difficult than the first. She cried a lot more and at times was inconsolable. This is to be expected as she is in a state of shock or bereavement after leaving her caregivers. She has latched onto Crystal as her primary caregiver so Crystal constantly holds her and takes care of the feeding and cleaning. I am in more of a supporting role. If I have to hold her for a bit she won’t stop crying unless Crystal is in her view. She sleeps on the bed with us and will continue to do so at home for a time as we ease her transition. She seems to be most receptive to me in the morning just after she wakes up and likes to have her back and tummy rubbed. But when its time for that bottle it is Crystal who she wants. Though we do let her watch me make it up so I am part of it too. I think her previous home was more open air, she really likes to be taken outside. She especially seems to enjoy the hotel courtyard where the pool is. We have to remember that not only are we strangers to her and she cant know we mean to love and care for her but we also smell and sound differently. She is used to the sound of theVietnamese language, English must sound foreign to her. This will be even more pronounced when we return to the States. So we will be making it a very quiet homecoming and follow the experts’ advice which include limiting her contact with others in the beginning and slowly bringing her around.

Giving and Receiving

Monday June 18th 2007
Today the Giving and Receiving ceremony was held at the Binh Duong Provincial Department of Justice. It was presided over by two ladies from the People's Committee. Also present were the Orphanage Director and the Catholic priest who run the orphanage. It wasn't very ceremonial. Essentially we signed the documents finalizing the Vietnamese adoption. We are now the legal parents in the eyes of the Vietnamese government. This is the first step in getting Frances home. Now we must meet the requirements of the US government and obtain a Visa which essentially gives her permission to travel to the USA. In order for a US Visa to be issued Frances will require a Vietnamese passport and a satisfactory medical checkup. Crystal and I must then interview with an INS official here in Ho Chi Minh City. If the INS approves our petition it will be off to Hanoi for a visit to the US Embassy where the Visa will be issued. The purpose of the INS interview is to ensure that there was legal and ethical in keeping with US Immigration Law. If all goes smoothly this week we will be in Hanoi on Monday.
There is another family from the same agency here this week. It is nice to have someone here we can share this experience with. I think it is making it easier on all of us. We plan on spending time together seeing the city and maybe some areas outside the city as we wait for the process to unfold.
We will continue to update as things happen and time permits.
Bye for now
The LeGallos

Happy Father's day to Frank

It is Sunday the 17th here in VN.
We arrived midday on Saturday the 16th and forced ourselves to stay awake.
So today we are not feeling all that jet lagged.
Thank goodness because today we are parents! We brought Frances home this morning and have been laying low in our hotel room getting to know our daughter.
I am so happy and sad all at the same time. She was definitely attached to her caregivers from the orphanage. Though she has stopped crying, (napping right now) she still takes these great big upset breaths. I hate that this is causing her pain and grief.

She is beautiful. She is amazing. You should see these big eyes in person! I will treasure this time here in Vietnam, but look forward to the time when she is securely attached to our family and trusts that she is loved and will be well taken care of.

Our hotel is old and beautiful. I love 1920's architecture. The Majestic was built in 1925 and has loads of charm, full of art deco moldings and fixtures. I have never been in such a beautiful hotel. I am glad we splurged on this part of the trip. I have been feeling much culture shock and I need to be comfortable in our room. We have enjoyed eating at the outdoor restaurant on the fifth floor. It is really a great view where you can watch the traffic flow below.

-Wow, If you could see the traffic. Everyone rides scooters and man can these folks drive. You should see the intersections were two streets cross. No lights, they all just...merge at once. It looks orchestrated! Instead of blinkers, they beep horns. I wish I could explain it. Just imagine the busiest intersection in your city. Now take away the traffic lights. The only rule is that you yield to anyone bigger than you. Okay, got that? Now take away the cars, trucks and buses. Instead place these drivers and passengers on ONE scooter. Family of 4 you say? Yes, a family of four and more fits on ONE scooter. Okay, got that? Now let's say that you and your family need to cross this medley... guess what you do? Just start slowly and methodically walking out into the street together in a line. Crazy stuff.


Tomorrow is the Giving and Receiving ceremony. We will keep you all updated.
Thank you all for your well wishes and support, it helps! My stomach is in knots from all the stress and worry. I will ask Frank to post a picture.

At The Airport

We are on our way!

It has been a crazy week. I still cannot believe I am here…In the LAX airport, with a 7.5 hour layover. We are settled at an empty gate in the international terminal. And thanks to good good friends I am typing on a laptop, after which I will settle back and practice my Vietnamese (I am hoping to expand my five words to ten in the next 20 hours.) and then perhaps when I need to relax I will listen to the Nano! A very thoughtful gift, One of the best I have ever received, here I am with 20 hours of travel ahead of me, and now I have a Nano loaded with music and books to help ease the long, long flight. I will treasure it. Wow, I feel like a hip young person hanging out in a terminal with cool technologies. The loud overhead messages in other languages help set the mood.

Sigh, I can’t believe I am here, and almost there. I have been sad, scared, excited and nervous all week. But I woke up this morning happy, happy, happy.

Oregon gave us an amazing sendoff this morning. The sky was clear, the air was warm, and the mountains were majestic! I can’t wait to come home soon with our family of three.

-An amazing sendoff, you bet!

We also got a call from our good friends over at “Groucho’s Family”. Guess who is going next? They are! I am so excited and happy for them. We have been through this long wait with them side by side and it was bittersweet to be leaving without them.

-No wifi,

6/14 2244

3 more hours until takeoff!

Have G&R date, will travel!

Wow, it has been a whirlwind few days! Let me catch you all up.

MONDAY: We were not expecting to receive our official dispatch (3rd letter) from the Department of International Adoptions (DIA) in Hanoi for at least a few weeks. So on Monday you could have knocked us over with a feather when we did. So we held our breath…not for very long because on

FRIDAY we received our travel dates! And you are not going to believe this but we will be in HCMC next weekend! Frank and I will meet our daughter for the first time on Fathers day. We are so happy. We are also very busy. This is not much time to prepare and we needed visas and airline tickets ASAP. We sent off our visa application on Friday and had better get our visas and passports back by Wednesday morning because the very next day we fly!

We will keep you all posted as we finish what we started over a year ago! I can’t believe we are almost there…
It is all feeling a little less surreal now. And a little more scary!

June update

Oh and guess what else? An update! It feels like we have just weathered a long drought and finally it rains! Purposeful metaphor, you should check out the weather in Vietnam. It is the rainy season. It is hot and it is muggy and I can’t wait.

Baby Frances,
What will you think of us? We already love you and can't wait to meet you. I can't wait to see you smile and watch you crawl. No walking okay? I want to be there for that first step!
We did not know why we had to wait, until we saw you. We are blessed that you will grace our lives. Please stay happy and healthy and know that we are counting every minuet until we are united as a family.
Love,
me, who wants to be Mom

Possibly, hopfully, could it be true? Travel THIS June?

The Last steps: Our Adoption Decree

1) Certification from the PDJ (Provincial Department of Justice, from the province Frances is from). I do not know what exactly is being certified…but I know we need it!

2) Formal adoption approval: Our paperwork travels back to the other end of Viet Nam to Hanoi where we wait for the DIA (Vietnam’s Department of International Adoption) to officially approve our adoption. Our agency calls this the 3rd letter. The PDJ now has 7 days to prepare and sign the Adoption Decree.

3) Last but not least, TRAVEL DATES!!!

Our heads are spinning
On Friday June 1st (though we like to say May 32nd) we received news that our Adoption Decree had been certified. Step One Hundred and ONE, done!
We were happy, one step down a few more to go. But we were not too excited as a few families from our agency have had their decrees certified for three weeks now. We were starting to accept a possible summer with out our daughter.

We were then shocked to learn that today June 4th we received the 3rd letter! We could actually have travel dates this week or next! We are guardedly excited, but it is looking like we will meet Frances THIS month. Step One Hundred and TWO, done!
We will be holding our breath for the next week until we have that travel date. Please cross your fingers for us and for the other families still waiting for good news. It is a long journey and we could use any luck you might spare to bring us through to the end!