Leave your diamond ring and other expensive jewelry at home. Wear sneaks or good walking shoes for traveling, and to wear around town, you will be doing a lot of walking and stair climbing! The only time you need nice shoes is for your court hearing. Casual, comfortable clothing is fine. The woman in Khabarovsk wear lots of black, and young woman wear lots of sexy clothing. We were told to wear our Sunday best when visiting the children's home for the first time, but once we arrived, we were told that the director could care less what you wear. They understand you have been traveling for days to reach your child, and are happy you are there!*When you arrive in Moscow, you will have a layover between flightS. You can take a free shuttle, cab or walk to the Novotel Hotel, where you can relax in the comfortable restaurant or bar, or catch a nap. From the Novotel, you can use their free shuttle to the domestic airport. (10 mins by car.)On our first trip the layover was 8 hrs, so we took a day room, where we slept for 6.5 delicious hours! I do not know how often the flight schedule changes, but the flight to Khabarovsk seems to be a consistent nightly departure at 8:30, with arrival in Khabarovsk about 11 am.
*If you stay at the Central Hotel, pack light! The floor ladies will take your laundry home overnight to launder it for a reasonable fee. *The Central Hotel has a coffee shop that is open from 8-8pm. The menu is limited, but the food is decent. Meals run about $2 per person. Be sure to try the pelmini (a crescent shaped ravioli in a huge crock of beef broth, or served with butter and dill weed.)
If you stay at the Central, be sure to request a room away from the disco! *Next to the Central is a restaurant called B-52, which is open for lunch and dinner. The food is good, service is slow. They have a menu in English, and one of the waiters speaks English.
*The Parus Hotel has very good breakfasts. Lunch and dinner are so-so. Be sure to try their bilinis and berries one morning.
*The Parus has an internet connection that you can use for $5. / hour.
*Next door to the Central hotel is a phone center. Calls to the US are $1./min. You hand the clerk cash (500 rubles is more than enough) and she will give you a receipt with the booth number you are assigned on it. To reach the US, dial 1 then 0. Once you have a dial tone, dial 1, area code and your number. Once your party answers, dial 8 to complete the connection. When you are done, return the receipt to the clerk for your change. The phone center is open until about 10 pm. (Bring these directions with you. No one there speaks English!)
*Don't worry about bringing lots of clothes that might or might not fit your child. You will have PLENTY of time to shop for the perfect size. The 10-day wait is rarely waived. *It is not necessary to pay overweight luggage charges. You can find almost anything you need in Khabarovsk, with the exception of pull-ups (which I recommend for preschool aged kids at bedtime!) If you are donating toys, you might want to buy them at home also. They are more expensive, and of a lesser quality in Khabarovsk for some unknown reason. Gifts are given at the end of your trip, and can be purchased in Khabarovsk once you get a feel for what the recipient might enjoy. We tipped our drivers $20 per week, and they were quite pleased. Khab. Has a lovely jewelry shop, and gold pieces were much more reasonably priced than in the US. We also found a lovely tea set (service for 6) for about $40 there.
*If your child is over 1 or 1.5 be sure to visit the Mogley play center. *If we had one thing to do over again, we would have requested permission to take our son away from the orphanage slowly. Perhaps starting with ½day moving up to a full day, and working up to overnights. Our days in Khab. Were extremely difficult. Roman wouldn't go to sleep. When he did, he would wake up in the middle of the night to play in the toilet, or with the buttons on the TV, radio, clock, etc. This was non-stop. When we went to restaurants, he would refuse to stay seated. If we left him wander around, he would snatch things off other diner's tables. It was non-stop burning of energy, exploring, and defiance. When he was corrected, he would bite, kick, scratch, etc. This behavior lasted until we were home 3 weeks. It lasted much longer for other families. If you experience difficult behaviors, remind yourself that you have been preparing for this adoption for many months. YOU understand that the changes in your childs life are for the better; you and your partner can communicate. All the child has is unknowns. Life WILL settle down. Things WILL get better. Be patient, it might take months, but you will blend into a family. I know you waited "forever" to be with your child, but DO consider allowing your child to gradually make a break from their present home. You will all be better rested and more relaxed for it!Lin and Leo Pleiman
