Finding our familia

Published as part of the Our Story series, this is the story of the adoption of two children from Guatemala. But it is more than that. It is a moving and inspirational account of how a couple, in their search to build their family, find not only two children but what will become their extended family – their familia.

The story charts the difficult and drawn-out bureaucratic processes of intercountry adoption, and their many journeys to Guatemala, during which they learn about the country, its history and day-to-day life in the present. They develop supportive relationships with their new found familia, get involved in local projects, and help their children maintain links with their origins as well as to belong to a multi-ethnic family in modern Britain.

Who is this book for?

Anyone who is interested in the adoption experience and how this can affect parents and children, and particularly in intercountry adoption.

What you will find in this book

‘The lift doors open and there sitting on big leather sofas are a group of smiling people – Guillermo, his wife and two daughters, Silvia, the foster mother, her brother who has driven them down and, of course, Veronica and Osvaldo. I look at Ossie and he just sticks his arms up and we cuddle for the first time, so naturally and so deeply I cannot explain it, other than that somehow we were fated to meet.’

‘One of the factors that had drawn us to the school and the whole area was its mixed ethnic composition. Our reading and discussions had led us to choose environments where our children would not stand out as the only, or one of a few, children of colour. We were keen to get more direct contact with people who reflected the children’s ethnicity, and so had Central or Latin American students come to stay with us as home-stays and au pair placements. To help support the children’s language further, we found a really nice Spanish playgroup and the children used to go there every Saturday to sing songs and play games in Spanish.’

Author

Stevan has lived and worked around the world. He worked for thirty years in marketing and communications before moving on to building a new career in property.

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