So, here's a map of Russia. You can see how it is divided into many regions or "oblasts." We are registered in a region called Voronezh. As I understand it, there are 3 orphanages in this region. Voronezh is southwest of Moscow, bordering Ukraine(count about 3 regions down,and 1 to the left from Moscow on the map). It's about a 12 hour train ride or 1 hour by plane from Moscow.
If you are interested in knowing a little more about the Russian adoption process...
Adopting in Russia actually requires us to make 2 trips. The first trip lasts about a week. We'll get a couple of days visiting with our child(ren) in the orphanage. Then we must file our paperwork with the Ministry of Education, stating we are planning to move forward with the adoption. Then, we go home... and the children stay in the orphange! :(
It can take several weeks (even months) before we receive a court date and are invited back. On the second trip we will have our official meeting with a judge, then there is usually a ten day waiting period before we are allowed to leave the country with the children. We must file for visas for the children back in Moscow. In all, the second trip can actually run close to 3 weeks.
Usually, at this time of year, Scott and I are planning some tropical vacation somewhere. Not this year! We're just saving our pennies, and hoping our next flight takes us far, far from any palm trees or oceanfront cabanas.
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