Greetings from Riga, Latvia!
The official launch of the Winter 2015 Hosting Program is underway! Kayley and I (along with our fearless leader, Snow!) hopped on a plane early Monday morning around 8:30 am, and on an essentially non-stop intake of coffees in airports and on planes, we went straight to work when we arrived here in Riga at 11:00 am Tuesday morning. It’s strange to chase the sun around the world but exciting to get to know we’ll be meeting the children who will touch the lives of so many families this winter!
Latvia is a beautiful country, and we have the best guides in Karina and Evita to show us all the historic landmarks and museums. Compared to Texas, the weather is beautiful! The countryside is filled with lush green trees and flowers bloom all around.
We met our first amazing kiddo in a small but bright orphanage with green painted walls and a piano standing in the corner. Caught in the middle of a nap, the sweet little lady we were interviewing came to the table rubbing her eyes and looking at her caretaker for guidance. She told us her favorite movies are Rapunzel and Frozen, and that her best friend lives with her at the center, and they share a room.
After another hour trip, we met a group of girls, including a sweet pair of sisters! The older sister told us that, though she was allowed to pick on her sister, no one else could pick on her! She was a confident little lady who told us that she secretly likes the idea of being someone’s younger sister herself. She’d do great a host family with older siblings to play with! Both of the sisters told us they want to come to America to improve their English. She drew us a cute narwhal photo!
All of the children today spoke English, and most of them spoke very well. They are excited to improve in speaking with their new host families. While we can’t post photos of the children on the interview trip, I can say that any family would be lucky to host any of the girls we met today.
Tomorrow is another full day of riding in the car meeting groups of children who hope to be a part of a host family this winter. Stay tuned to hear more about these wonderful kids and what they hope to learn in America, and contact us at info@orphanhosting.com if you’re interested in our Winter Hosting Program!
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