WHAT TO KNOW WHEN ADOPTING FROM KAZAKHSTAN
I can honestly say that we thoroughly enjoyed our 83 days spent in Kazakhstan and did not get homesick!
We looked at the adoption as a once in a lifetime experience and appreciated every day because we
were spending it with or child and one day closer to our dream of bringing her home! There were a few
times when we felt frustrated or stressed but we reminded ourselves that our time in Kaz was an
opportunity we would never get back. We trusted the agency - that they knew what they were doing,
enjoyed the food made for us (yeah, no cooking!) and made relationships with other people that lived in
Kaz and also families from France and Spain that adopted from the same baby home as us. We trusted
that everything would happen as it should, relaxed and took everything in stride. We trusted that we
would be informed of important information when needed and had a ‘wait and see’ attitude. Sometimes
with the language barrier, it was more confusing trying to get details about what was going to happen with
the adoption than it was worth. We used the services of our translator whenever possible and relied on
her for most things – she became a wonderful friend who we miss greatly! Marina and her agency staff
are very kind and interesting people to get to know; they invited us to several outings and would drop off
fresh fruit, treats and small gifts.
We made sure we saw and did as much as we could, shopping, restaurants, museums, parks etc. so that
we could pass the knowledge on to our daughter when she is older and it also helped to pass the time.
People were friendly, most things are quite cheap (clothes/shoes and some brand name toys are about
the same as at home) and as long as you keep your wits about you because you’re in a foreign country,
your fine (don’t say you are visiting for adoption use work, family, tourist etc.) We visited Astana for a
couple of days, the architecture was amazing and we highly recommend it – we went with our translator
and it was amazing! We visited Almata at the end of our stay (by ourselves with our child, used Air Miles
to cover the hotel costs) and had a great time seeing the mountains; these cities are more developed and
worth seeing to get the big pictures of what Kazakhstan is like. Karaganda (where you are staying for the
adoption) is a large city with lots of shopping and things to do, but there is not as much money invested in
the infrastructure here.
We created a Facebook Group that was private, we invited friends and family and made a daily post; this
will serve as a wonderful gift to our daughter when she is older and also made coming home a joy
because we can recant special memories with friends and family as if they were there in Kaz
experiencing them with us! It also helped us focus on the big picture and gave us something to do every
night! Any invitation or opportunity that came up, we did it – made our posts and memories that much
more interesting! Please ask Becky Rogers if you would like to become a member of the group.
We used Skype daily to talk for free with friends and family on the computer (remember the time
difference that Kaz is 10 hours or so ahead of Cdn time). Also, for maybe 1.7 cents a minute you can call
from your computer to a land line which we had to do a few times to call our bank (much cheaper than
calling internationally!) and booking flights.
Use the website OneDrive or something similar, we uploaded pictures and video from every day to this
website (for free) so that our pictures were safe; we feared something happening to the laptop –
especially on the flight home that would erase these precious pictures.
A huge tip! Collect Air Miles – we collected for about a year and had more than enough to cover our
flights, saving us almost $10,000! The secret is that you have to collect under one person’s name, and
you can order as many printed collector cards from the website as you want and also hand them out to
friends and family. However, the biggest collecting method was using Bank of Montreal Air Miles visa
and debit cards, our parents even got them and directed the air miles earned to our collector card. We
flew using British Airways from Toronto to London to Almata, Kazakhstan; we then had to pay a few
hundred dollars for the final 1.5 hour flight from Almata to Karaganda Kazakhstan where the apartment is.
Marina came and picked us up, it is less than ½ hour drive away. Please note, you may have to be a little
flexible with flight dates, there were no seats left for the soonest flight home, so we stayed in Kaz 2 days
longer, but for the amount of savings, it was worth it, plus we got to discover the city of Almata. Any
questions, please ask.
When packing, keep in mind that almost everything you need can be bought within a 5 minute walking
distance to your apartment - including all the toiletries you would have at home, groceries, clothing etc. It
is safe and people are friendly. You can walk pretty much everywhere on your own, eat out at restaurants
with english menus and may attempt to take a public bus on our own.
THINGS TO PACK
Special toy/blanket to leave with child at baby home that they can bring back to apartment/home (make
sure baby home understands this and give it to child on first day).
Small/light toys to bring with you to the baby home daily to play with your child and also to have back at
the apartment; you can also play with the toys at the baby home too; and you will want to buy more here
too .
You will be asked to supply diapers for your child and may be asked to supply pjs or other items of
clothing right away if they are in need – these items will be considered donations and can be bought
inexpensively in Kaz.
About a week’s worth of clothing for child for when they come back to apartment; buy shoes for them here
unless you can guarantee their size; they wear the clothes provided to them at the baby home until they
come home but if you want to change them on special occasions or bring them things to wear during
visits at the home, that’s fine. You’ll want to buy some clothes here too.
We packed for ourselves about a week’s worth of casual clothing that we didn’t mind if it got ruined and
one or two nicer casual outfits for the weekends and a nice outfit for court; house shoes, running shoes (if
you’re walking to the baby home), weekend shoes and dress shoes.
Bring layers of clothing for yourself and child, as it is usually very warm indoors at the baby home, malls,
restaurants, taxis (usually no air conditioning and then overheated in the cold months). The apartment is
air conditioned and stays cool but very warm in cold months. In summer the weather could be 35
degrees celcius and then go down to 20 degrees celcius.
Appropriate foot wear (spring you might want rain boots); comfortable – you do a lot of walking if you are
adopting from the Shapagat baby home which is 2 KM away = 8 KM a day in nice weather; other baby
home is about a half hour drive away.
The water is very hard on clothes, also the settings on the washing machine in the apartment (no dryer,
everything is hung to dry) are not that easy to decipher, so don't bring anything too precious.
Bring travel size toiletries unless you like something specific; brands from home are here, even
replacement razor blades.
Bring wipes and you will buy more here, useful during long plane travels, take to baby home, and when
out shopping (bathrooms most often do not have toilet paper).
*Painkillers like Tylenol and Advil, other medications/prescriptions; small first aid kit; allergy medicine,
cold/flu medicine, pepto-bismol… none of this is available here although you could find something similar
from the pharmacy in the apartment.
Plug converters for Kazakhstan; we brought 3 standard ones for 2 prongs and 1 plug that needs to be
grounded (it has three prongs that converts to 2).
A backpack or large easy to carry bag to bring toys/snacks with you to the baby home every day (used as
a carryon luggage) and then diaper bag during trips out with child once back in the apartment.
Download enough tv/movies to last you 80 days here, we watch about 3 hours of tv a day; there is
unlimited internet for you to download shows while you’re here and to access any website.
Visa or Visa Debit card that has as high a withdrawal limit as possible; keep in mind that you will be taking
out American money and Tenge, so if the limit is $1000 CDN, you’ll have to get less out than that to
account for the American exchange rate and the 1-2% fee to withdraw money; we brought about $2500
American to have on hand. Most places only accept tenge cash, some take visa, there is always a bank
machine close by to get money out
A camera that prints pictures with the date on it; you will need a few pictures from every day of bonding
printed with the correct date (make sure it’s set with Kaz time!) print after last day of bonding to have
ready for committee interview and court.
We brought 2 laptops and used one to plug into the tv to play the tv/movies that we downloaded to it; the
plug required to do this is called: Orei XD-M600 MINI HDMI to AV RCA PAL/NTSC Video Converter
Adapter, available at http://www.amazon.ca/Orei-XD-M600-Video-Converter-Adapter/dp/B008EPW7M2
Connects from your laptop to the tv; it works very well. There are many knockoffs that don’t work. You
will also need an HDMI out on your laptop to use this. It switches HDMI(digital) to RCA(Analog). No
single cable without a converter can do this. Very easy to do, Justin Rogers can answer any questions:
You will need a laptop with HDMI on it, 1 HDMI Cable, 1 set of RCA cables RED WHITE AND YELLOW,
USB connector for power, like a cell phone charger you plug into your laptop. (It may come with this
cable).
We unlocked a personal cell phone from home and brought it to Kaz, put a Kaz chip in it and used whatsap to text anyone around the world for free using the internet connection when we are at the apartment so
it didn’t cost minutes or data; we still bought data for texting or calling agency staff when we're outside the
apartment; ask your child’s caregivers if they have whats-ap and you can send them updates about your
child.
Important adoption documents – Cdn citizenship paperwork, all originals! Child’s history (if it isn’t saved
on your computer – you will need to study this for interview and court). Also refer to the study notes for
committee and court at the end of this document.
Gifts for caregivers/agency staff – at Shapagat we had 9 caregivers/nurses, 1 doctor and 1 director; we
bought gold plated bangle bracelets from Foxy Originals for the caregivers (we brought a few extra in
case there were more caregivers), we gave a necklace to the doctor and earrings to the director from the
same line. We brought Canadian made teas, maple suckers, cookies, chocolate, nuts etc. to give to
caregivers/agency staff and friends we met along the way. We gave jewellery and food items from the
same line to the agency staff. We tried to get lightweight and small items for packing.
Donations for baby home - we brought a combination of toys and clothing.
We used one large suitcase each plus one carryon each plus one purse and one laptop bag, plus one
more large suitcase filled with donations and clothes/toys for your child – that suitcase will be full of
souvenirs when you come home; if you tell the airline in advance that the extra bag is full of donations
they might not charge your for it. Remember to take anything of value (gifts) in your carryon.
SUGGESTIONS TO PACK
A cheap dollar store, small photo album that fits about 100 pictures that will be taken with you to Ministry
of Education committee interview and then left with the judge when you go to court.
Cue cards with pictures to help teach English words (we bought some here)
We brought a few small Tupperware containers to carry snacks in for child, but you can also buy that
here.
Bib
We brought some organic strained baby fruit and vegetables in the tetra packs, you can also buy them
here; easy to drink for child, pack for baby home and for outings when at apartment/on plane.
A small notebook and pen to have on you at all times – you never know when you will be told information
about your child or otherwise that you will need to write down.
A drinking cup with a secure closure for your child to take to baby home, have in apartment and on plane.
A few favourite snacks of your own, you might not be able to get them here although you will be able to
find something similar or better!
If you love peanut butter bring enough to last 3 months, it’s hard to find here and doesn’t taste the same.
If you want brewed coffee that’s not ‘instant coffee’, bring a plastic coffee single cup cone with a built in
filter to use at the apartment (you can buy ground coffee here); we have yet to find filters though
Pictures of your home, family members and friends to show your child so it’s more familiar to them when
they come home; also took pictures of child with and other children at baby home and had them
developed here – children love looking at these! Also developed pictures of apartment to help explain
what to expect.
Magazines – you can’t get them here in English!/ E-reader (book light if you like to read in bed)
YOU DON’T NEED – IT’S EASY TO GET HERE
Toiletries
Batteries
Stroller – buy at bazaar
Extra clothes/toys/shoes
YOU DON’T NEED /IT’S IN THE APT
1 bedroom (double bed and crib), large living room, wash closet (with washing machine, shower, sink)
and toilet room, kitchen, covered balcony for storage, hallway for storage. You are free to move furniture
around to make it more comfortable for you.
Iron and Ironing Board
Blow dryer
Washing Machine
Child size utensils
THINGS TO KNOW
Ask all caregivers of your child if they have pictures they can send you of your child, and any stories they
might have. We even took a picture of our child’s picture that was in her medical chart from when she
arrived at the baby home. Make sure to ask if your child has lived in different rooms of the baby home,
take pictures of all the rooms and any caregivers from those other rooms too. Also took pictures of all the
children in her room; got names for everyone.
The kids in Kaz all seem to be very musical
English is the third language here, young children are often taught it in school and more people are
learning it every day; pretty much everywhere you go, you will find one person that can speak a little bit of
English to help you if needed; people will love practicing English with you!
Lunch and Dinner is provided every day; lunch is cooked by Irina in Marina's apartment upstairs, she
brings it to your door hot around 1 pm, dinner is hot on your table by the time you come home from the
baby home. The food is good, if you don't like something you can tell them (we aren't fish fans); there is a
lot of beef, chicken and mutton, lunch is usually a soup, a meat, a carb and a side dish of veg (largest
meal of the day); dinner is same idea as lunch but no soup. Saturday at lunch time you get 2 lunch meals
and 2 dinner meals brought to last the weekend; they supply eggs, bread, milk, tea, most condiments,
fresh fruit, juice, water and often home baked cakes and pastries. Breakfast you make yourself and any
other snacks. As you run low on food items you just write it on a list and leave it in the kitchen for Irina.
I will send you a video of what the apartment looks like. It is bright and sunny, Luda keeps it clean, the
linens all smell nice and fresh when you arrive and the bathroom is clean with washer/dryer; compare it to
staying at a friend’s cottage… The apartment is on the 4 th floor of a large apartment complex,
neighbours are quiet, but you might want ear plugs because fireworks go off a lot and kids hang out
sometimes on the weekend underneath your bedroom window
Visits to the baby home are from 10-12 every morning, 4-6 every afternoon, except Sat is just a morning
visit and Sun no visit. Kids are cared for wonderfully, the staff genuinely care about the kids – we grew
attached to a lot of them and were very sad to say good bye! We bring toys to play with and a snack of
fruit or something in a backpack every day to the home.
OUR TIMELINE – EXAMPLE ONLY
Dec 16 - Dossier submitted to Kaz
Mar 9 - official referral for daughter *Make sure that your adoption practitioner is always in the loop and
aware when a referral should be coming, Rodica can usually tell you because you will want to set up an
appointment with him/her asap after receiving the referral to review it and update the home study/sign the
acceptance)
Mar 15 – updated Home study and signed Acceptance Letter & sent to CARC
Mar 30 - Acceptance Paperwork in Ottawa
Apr 16 - Acceptance Paperwork in transit to Kaz. Can start filling out visa application form now, and get
passport pictures for visa.
May 6 - Invitation to travel letter received
May 7 - Invitation numbers sent which are needed to fill out visa application
May 8 - Visa application and passports sent to Ottawa
May 15 - Visa application approved received passports back
May 21 - Flew out of T.O.
May 23 – Arrived Karaganda, Kazakhstan
May 26 – Met daughter
June 13 – went into city to sign over Power of Attorney with agency reps
June 24 – Ministry of Education Committee Interview
June 27 – went into city with agency rep to meet lawyer/prepare for court
July 1 – Court
July 15 – went with agency rep and child to get passport photo taken
July 17 – Daughter came back to apartment
Aug 10 – flew out of Karganda, spent 2 days in Almaty
Aug 13 – home!
STUDY SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMITTEE INTERIVEW & COURT
(Started studying first day day in Kaz, learned a little bit more every day – compiled from other Cdn
families and also international families that went through Kaz adoption.)
Government info – number of chambers etc. Know the govt levels:
President elected by popular vote to a five-year term ; There is a two-term limit on the president, except
for Nursultan Nazarbayev, as the first president of the republic. The government is headed by the prime
minister, who is appointed by the president. There is a two-tier Parliament.
Presidents name - Nursultan Nazarbayev, the current President, has been leader of the country since
1991
Prime Ministers name - Karim Masimov
Major cities, memorized 18 easiest:
Aktau
Aktobe
Almata
Astana
Baikonur
Balqash
Karaganda
Kentau
Kostanay
Oral
Pavlodar
Ridder
Saran
Semey
Taraz
Turkistan
KAZAKHSTAN INFO:
Capital of Kazakhstan – Astana, moved from Almaty in 1997
When was the country independant? 1991. Dec 16-17 is independence day.
Population – 17.7 million
Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence following the dissolution of the
Soviet Union in 1991;. Since independence, Kazakhstan has pursued a balanced foreign policy and
worked to develop its economy, especially its hydrocarbon industry.[8]BFP,DE,HCI
Astronaut Landing – Sept. 10, 2013,
What do you know about Kazakhstan traditions?
The main tradition of Kazakhs, which eventually transformed into a feature of national character, is
hospitality. Hospitality is considered a sacred duty in the Kazakh society.
Respect for the elderly is another positive feature of Kazakhs. Traditionally, a child from early childhood is
taught to be moderate and honest when dealing with older, wiser and life experienced people.

Most Kazakhs have a first and patronymic name (the father’s name followed by a suffix -ich or
–ovich for son of or daughter of, respectively).

Eldest born son looks after siblings and youngest born son looks after parents
The ancestors of modern-day Kazakhs were nomadic or semi-nomadic, and many of their customs reflect
that lifestyle. Not surprisingly, horses play a large part in their traditions. It is said that in the past, many
Kazakh children learned to ride before they learned to walk, and the Kazakhs are still known for their
superb horsemanship. They were the first to use stirrups, and perfected the technique of shooting arrows
with superb accuracy while riding at a gallop.
As a result of their nomadic lifestyle, the Kazakhs developed one of the most efficient and practical
transportable dwellings - the yurt, which has many uses today.
What do you know about Karaganda?
Coal mining and steel, nuclear tests, stalin labour camps ; located on steppe lands; population 450500,000; Kazakh meaning for Karaganda is black city because on top of all coal, spelling of Karaganda the ‘ar’ stands for earth and ‘ra’ stands for sun
The FLAG
the current flag of Kazakhstan was adopted on 4 June 1992, has a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring
golden steppe eagle, centered on a sky blue background; the hoist side displays a national ornamental
pattern (the horns of the ram) in gold;
the blue color is of religious significance to the Turkic peoples of the country, and symbolizes cultural and
ethnic unity; it also represents the endless sky as well as water;
the sun, a source of life and energy, exemplifies wealth and plenitude; the sun's rays are shaped like
grain, which is the basis of abundance and prosperity;
the eagle has appeared on the flags of Kazakh tribes for centuries and represents freedom, power, and
the flight to the future. The width of the flag to its length is 1:2.[1]
The economy
The economy of Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia.
has enormous oil reserves as well as minerals and metals. OMM.
has agricultural potential with its vast steppe lands for livestock and grain production, LG
as well as developed space infrastructure, which took over all launches to the International Space
Station from the Space Shuttle. ISS SS
The mountains in the south are important for apples and walnuts.
relatively large machine building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural
machinery, and some military items.
The currency
it is called tenge. It was introduced in 1993 to replace the Soviet ruble.
The word tenge in Kazakh means a set of scales.
Kazakhstan was one of the last countries of the former soviet republic to introduce a national currency.
On Sept. 2, 2013 the National Bank of Kazakhstan moved the Kazakhstan Tenge from a managed float
and pegged it to the U.S. dollar and Russian ruble.
On Feb. 11, 2014, the Kazakh National Bank chose to devalue the tenge by 19% against the U.S. dollar
in response to a weakening of the Russian ruble.
Paper bank notes and brass, copper and nickle coins.
Personal Questions
When did you arrive?
How long did you go to the orphanage?
Why did you pick the child proposed to you?
Know your childs medical history in detail if you receive any!! They will ask you questions from that
section.
If both parents die who will take care of your child?
Financial Income per month?
Job Descriptions
Where do you live...explain your home
Do you have any sick children at home? Will you use parts of your child for them?
Religion? Answer: Do everything we can to educate child on religion and believe in religious freedom for
her to choose, whether it be Islam, Christianity or another religion
Why adopt from Kazakhstan?
What official documents did you sign to adopt? Answer: Acceptance & declaration
Did you find that your child evolved since you visited her?
Why did you not adopt in Canada?
Who will take care of her when you are at work? Justin/Mom/Sister
What do you know about your child’s birthparents?
What do you know/feel about Ukarine/Russia and Canada’s opinions? Answer: Don’t follow it, have no
opinion.