QUICK TIPS FROM ADOPTION SOURCE FAMILIES FROM ORENBURG 1. Were there any stores (grocery/pharmacy, etc) nearby? There are no stores within walking distance so you will have to be taken to the store by the driver. I would get food and water to have in the room. 2. Did you find any good restaurants? Any bad ones? There is a restaurant in the Spa where I stayed but I didn’t eat there. We went to the same restaurant everyday but the food was good. I would bring or buy some breakfast and snack food to have with you. 3. Is there anything you wished that you had packed or that you wouldn’t bring again? I would bring sheets, flip-flops, towels, and toilet paper. You may even want to bring a hot pot on the 2nd trip. 4. Any suggestions or comments on the hotels/host families? (Should you bring anything?) better towels, toilet paper, etc.? The Spa is not the nicest place; it is a rustic camp type of room. But it is adequate; just don’t expect much. 5. Were there any Internet cafes nearby? Yes, the driver will take you to one in town. I would suggest buying a $10-15 card reader for the computer that you can take your digital memory card and plug it into the back of the computer to act as an additional hard drive to send pictures back to the US. 6. Was there anything you did or saw in the region that you would recommend or discourage? I did not do anything in the region, which I regret a little now. You can ask your drivers if you want to do any sightseeing. 7. Any other general tips that you would like to share? Have water with you and try to be well rested. You will arrive into Orenburg at 1:30am and get to the hotel at 3:00am and then be up again at 7:00am to go to the orphanage. It can be a very long day so try to rest up ahead of time. 8. Any comments about the orphanage or tips about speaking with the Minister of Education or Judge during court that could help future families? The coordinators were very nice and helpful during the whole process. A social worker will observe you in the orphanage. For gift the women like perfume and the driver likes XL shirts. The Judge was hard, some of the questions asked were about my age, about me being single, and how I would handle raising a child or deal with it when the child was sick. A lot of questions asking how they will know I will not kill my child, etc. The Minister of Education was nice; she worked really hard. In the end court was hard, but worth it, I adore my son.