We had
to drive back out to Karakastek, the village where Alison's
orphanage is located, to get her adoption certificate, and
to the Almaty registration office to get her new birth certificate
listing me as her mother. Galiya is now getting copies of
those documents and taking them to the passport office and
police department, to get the paperwork started on Alison's
passport so we can come home.
A few
interesting observations about 21st century life in Kazakhstan:
The office in Karakastek that handles all certificates (birth,
marriage, adoption, etc.) has had no phone service for a few
weeks. Apparently, they have an unpaid bill of 120,000 tenge
(about $80). The woman who handles these duties was going
to take "sick leave". Luckily, Galiya had her home
phone number and when Galiya called her last night to tell
her we'd be coming today, she said she would not be in. Galiya
told her that the families needing adoption certificates wanted
to settle her phone debt, so she decided to come in just for
us (and our money). This same woman kept the last group of
adopting families waiting four hours before she helped them.
There
are no computers there, so all the paperwork was done by hand
and took two and a half hours to complete for three children
(mine and two others). There was also no heat and it was freezing!
People were lined up in the hallway to see this woman, who
told them she was not working today, she was only there to
take care of us.
We then
drove back into Almaty to get the new birth certificates.
Although this building did have heat, they too didn't have
computers! They had all the birth records in archive books
... pink for girls and blue for boys, filed by year. They
looked up Alison's original record, complete with made up
names for the mother and father (as she was abandoned on someone's
doorstep). The woman making her new birth certificate crossed
out the false information on Alison's permanent record and
wrote in my name and address, as well as Alison's new name.
Galiya
is now rushing around trying to get a passport processed for
Alison in time for us to leave Monday night. I was supposed
to leave Almaty Tuesday night, go to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow
on Wednesday, and fly home to the U.S. Thursday morning(leaving
at 7:00 AM). However, Amy (my friend from Houston who left
the night before last) was delayed in Moscow. She didn't get
into Moscow in time to get to the Embassy that day. The Embassy
must receive your paperwork, including a medical report on
the child done by an Embassy certified doctor in Moscow, between
9:30 and 11:30 AM in order to get an appointment that afternoon.
She missed it. Unfortunately, if I miss that window, I'm in
trouble. All the flights home after the one I currently have
reserved are completely booked ... for days. So, I'm frantic,
trying to get out of here a day earlier than planned.
Even though
Amy already left, she's still a bad spending influence on
me. She demanded that I visit the national museum ... not
to see the displays, but because they sell the most beautiful
hand made rugs. Yes, I admit it, I bought a rug. But it's
beautiful and I paid a fraction of what it would cost at home.
I guess these are considered real art pieces, since I have
to have an official certificate to take it out of the country.
Don't ask how I'm going to get it home, with the jacket, dombro
(national instrument), all the gifts, and all the souvenirs
(including three old Soviet-era radios). Oh yeah, and a daughter!
It is a good thing I brought over so many orphanage donations
that I have an empty duffle bag. I'm sure it's full by now.
Speaking
of that daughter, my skinny little Alison is now a chubbette.
Remember how I said I thought I'd lose weight over here? No
way! I'm fattening up this little girl with lots of butter,
pasta, cheese, etc. All the food in this country is fried
and the bread is fresh and delicious.
Aside
from a really bad night last night, Alison wouldn't sleep
and cried continuously unless I was holding her walking around,
she's doing great. I, however, am exhausted. Hope to be on
U.S. soil soon.
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 1
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 2
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 3
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 4
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 5
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 6
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 7
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 8
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 9
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 10
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 11
Alison's
Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 12
About
The Author
Nicole
Sandler is the owner/producer of Legacy Video Productions,
specializing in producing adoption stories. You can see Alison's
Journey Home, the video at www.legacyvideoproductions.com.
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