This year, VAN (Vietnamese Adoptee Network) is partnering with the Colorado Vietnamese Heritage Camp for its bi-annual conference.

Registration begins Thurday, 15 March, for the August 9- 12 gathering at Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park, Colorado. (See the link above.)

Registration also starts on the 15th of this month ... and runs through the 19th of May ... for the Cambodian Heritage Camp. This one will be held from the 19th to the 22nd of July.

Cambodian Heritage Camp is a family camp where campers from ages 3 to 18 and their parents participate in classes, workshops and family-oriented special events presented by Cambodian Americans, adult adoptees, professionals in the field of adoption, and the campers themselves, all of whom enthusiastically share their perspectives and expertise with adoptive families.

More than 30 Cambodian American young adults serve as counselors, acting as warm and caring role models and mentors to the children as they participate with them in cultural classes. Adult family members attend cultural and adoption-related workshops ranging from Cambodian cooking to the blessings and challenges inherent in our adoptive families.

"Rivers and the Flow of Life"? is our theme this year. We'll learn more about the central role rivers play in the daily lives of Cambodians and explore how Cambodians have created and celebrated the gifts of life, the earth, and family along rivers for generations, including through dance, music, stories, and festivals.

We will explore traditional events such as the Cambodian Water Festival--typified by its spectacular boat races and cultural lifestyles -- such as those of Cambodians who live on and run businesses from their boats.

Parent workshops will include a continued emphasis on cultural discovery and support for adoption-related issues, providing guest speakers and time for both open discussion and facilitation of family connections.

As a community, we will discuss and celebrate the flow of the adoption experience through our lives.

Sounds great! I hope someday we'll be able to attend!

There's a conference coming up on the 27-28 April near Seattle for families with Russian and Ukrainian kids. FRUA (Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption)is offering four workshops over the course of the conference, with an interesting array of topics:

Workshop #1 Friday April 27th

A. New Insights Into the Impact of the Pre-Natal Alcohol Exposure
B. Vision: Often Overlooked in the Education and Development
C. Understanding and Getting the Educational Support your child needs
D. Impact of the Child's Individual Difference on Relating and Social Interaction

Workshop #2 Friday April 27th

A. Buliding the Family: Transitional Tools for New Adoptive Parents
B. The Educational Evaluation: 1st Step to Getting School Services for Your Child
C. Helping the Latter Placed Child Move Into Adulthood w/o Drama
D. Social Communicative Abilities of School-Aged Children with FAS

Workshop #3 Saturday April 28th

A. Does my Child Need Speach-Language Therapy
B. The Roots of Issues for Adopted Teens
C. Therapeutic Environments
D. Speech & Language Obstacles for Adopted Children

Workshop #4 Saturday April 28th

A. Resiliency in Adoption
B. Issues in Dual Language Acquisition for Adopted Children
C. When It 's Not Working in School: Understanding our Children's Symptoms
D. Assessment of the Internationally Adopted Child: Language Difference or Disorder

It is said that this will be a "practical, educational, with excellent internationally known speakers well versed in areas that we need information about ... "

And finally, here's the latest newsletter from the International Adoption Project with results of many of the studies conducted recently, such as:

Preliminary Results from Studies of Brain and Behavioral Development

Post-Institutionalized Children’s Cognitive Challenges Are Specific, Not General

Perceived Discrimination as a Post-Adoption Risk Factor in International Adoption

Language and International Adoption

Neuroendocrine Functions in Post-Institutionalized Children