Emily at her orphanage in Nicolaivka, Russia in 2005

I love my family because family important to me and also my family care about me and they give me life.

I believe adoption good because sometimes children are born into situation where they cannot be provided for. Children need family. I want be adopted because life make me happy. If I don’t be adopted I will be dead, and someone kill me for money. In my position I never have family before. Now I do have family. My mom, (Oksana) she never love me, but my dad (Anatole) love me. I never thought that my mom, Oksana love me because nobody teach her how to be a good mom. I feel bad for her because she died. My dad (Anatole) love me. He never hurt us and also he save my sister, Lydia from the stove.

Russian government took us from home and put us in the orphanage. In orphanages kids make fun of me because I said I will be adopted. Kids said that my family not love me or care about me or like me. They said I am not going to be adopted from American family. I thought my mom and dad (American) love me a lot and I trusted them a lot because they adopted my sisters and brother.

I never thought my family could adopt me from Russia. My mom and dad good parents. In this situation, parents give children life, happiness, food, shelter, water.

When government ask me go to America I said yes, because I want have a good life, and be with my family and sisters. I never thought I am going to America. Now I am with my parents and sisters. I want every child be adopted and be with good family because I want kids to be happy.

I am happy go to America. I thought America is different than Russia. I thought that I will see Britney Spears and Mary Kate Olsen, and Ashley. And I thought I would have everything, like yellow car, like credit card, and cell phone. And I thought I am going to lunch with Mary Kate and Ashley.

I love my brothers because I never met them before. Now I have.

Family always give support to childrens like life, shelter, food, water.

It is our purpose to use Emily’s blog articles to help people understand the point of view that comes from children of her background. We also want people to see that the culture these children come from is not representative of their original country culture, but an alternative culture that exists in trauma-inducing families and institutions. Lastly, we want people to understand the level of understanding, education and intellect that many of these children have when they age out of “systems” and onto life on the streets. These feelings and opinions are Emily’s (unvarnished). From time to time she is assisted with English. While we try to preserve her grammar and speech whenever possible, sometimes there are minor modifications made to improve clarity.

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