Volume 7 • Issue 1 February 2002 Heart to Heart Bound Together Forever FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM CHINA – OREGON AND SW WASHINGTON The Gift of Language by Charlie Dolezal id you every have any regrets about your childhood? ber going to the FCC Saturday morning Mandarin classes. D Did you ever wish you had done something Hannah went for several months and never said a word. differently? Well, I do. I regret never having taken a foreign Then, one day in her car seat, she sang one of the songs. language. It wasn’t required. Language arts was not my best She was listening. She took it in. Children are like sponges. subject, so how could I excel at in another language? My We are fortunate here in Portland to have so many parents didn’t push me to take one. My dad always told language immersion programs, both public and private, to the story how his parents made the decision upon immigrating choose from. As FCC members we all have a tie to to America that their kids had to learn English to be a real Mandarin. We have elementary Mandarin programs at Americans and leave the “old” country behind. Thus, they never Woodstock (public school) and The International School taught my dad and his brothers and sisters their native tongue. (private school). In addition, there are immersion pro- When did I regret it? I regretted it on my first trip to Europe grams in French, German, Spanish, and Japanese to avail- with three college friends. We got a 48-hour visa to visit able in our community. We are blessed with the choices. Czechoslovakia, then on the other side of the Iron Curtain. What are the benefits? They are on so many levels. Let’s take We were asking a little old lady directions at the train station the current economic downturn. A recent article in the in Prague. She saw my name on my passport. She couldn’t Oregonian touted the marketability of a person who is fluent understand that with a Czech name as common as Smith or in a second language. Things are different then they were for Jones would be here, why couldn’t I speak any Czech? Later, my grandfather, the on that same trip when I was passing through Paris, there blacksmith, in Kildeer, N.D. was a rude train ticket salesperson trying to tell me to go to He did not see much the North Station to catch the train to Hamburg. Who really value for his children in was the rude one? I was in his country expecting him to learning a second lan- Inside speak my language. The following year I bought a round the guage. In today’s global world plane ticket. I was on one of the Greek isles, the Island economy, your largest of Hydra. I can still remember that 8-year-old boy. He could New Arrivals . 3 customer could be in speak eight languages that he had picked up from all the Japan, China, or Europe. Upcoming Events . 4 tourists visiting his island. I was three times his age and I President’s Message . 5 could speak only one! Think of the community service you could Children’s Books . 7 Where did we go wrong? First of all, we were starting too provide knowing a late. Back in my school days you could not begin to take a Playgroups . 8 second language. There language until junior high. Recent studies in Canada show Family Focus-Books . 9 was a recent article in there is a window of opportunity as far as language goes. the Asian reporter Education . 10 The conclusion is that you should start before age ten. warning readers not to Volunteer Profile . 13 These studies also show it is easier to pick up additional get sick if they can’t languages if you already have a second one. I can remem- Continued on back page – 1 – FCC – Oregon and SW Washington PO Box 5642 • Portland, OR • 503-295-6322 B OARD OF DIRECTORS Sheri Campbell , President . 503-282-0593 . [email protected] Marjorie McRae , Vice President . 503-287-5579 . [email protected] Cindra Leonard . 503-650-8651 . [email protected] Tim Mitchell , Treasurer . 503-534-9184 . [email protected] Charlie Dolezal , Director . 503-246-9721 . [email protected] Vance Corum , Director . 360-693-5500 . [email protected] Lori Price , Director . 503-644-0476 . [email protected] Glen Robichaud , Director . 503-284-1123 . [email protected] Terry Rost , Director . 503-656-0989 . [email protected] COMMITTEES Membership Sarah Edwards . 503-697-7826 . [email protected] Advocacy & Public Policy Jamie Ross . 503-279-9184 . [email protected] Waiting Families Mina Bacigaluupi . 503-635-5382 . [email protected] Culture & Education/Speakers Karen Art . 503-655-4588 . [email protected] Outreach Programs Cathy Rowland . 503-635-5653 . [email protected] OTHER CONTACTS Database Amy Bullock . 503-252-4437 . [email protected] Newsletter Debra McIntyre, Editor . 503-292-0439 . [email protected] Claudia Wood . 503-292-3760 . [email protected] Single Parent Activities Terri Salvino . 503-335-8455 Play Group Coordinators Portland Katherine Zieman . 503-695-3494 . [email protected] Vancouver Suzanne Burke . 360-456-2995 . [email protected] Educational Resource Shellie Smith . 503-259-0467 . [email protected] Volunteer Coordinator Lisa Mitchell . 503-534-9184 . [email protected] Chinese New Year Chairperson Vicki Paulson . 503-289-8287 . [email protected] Web master Day Tooley . 503-246-8709 . [email protected] Book Sales Debra Hall . 503-246-9721 . [email protected] Website Local . www.fcc-oregon.org/ National . www.fwcc.org/ Purpose of FCC-Oregon and SW Washington The ideas and opinions ex- Families with Children from China is a nonprofit organization serving members in Oregon and SW pressed in this newsletter Washington by providing information, support, and activities for individuals interested in adoption are those of the individual from China. FCC is dedicated to promoting awareness of Chinese culture, and fostering ties between authors and do not neces- our children and their heritage. FCC also advocates for orphans in China. Membership includes a sarily reflect those of the newsletter published three times annually, and the support and friendship of others in the community other FCC members. and Chinese communitites. – 2 – From the Editor ... by Debra McIntyre In this issue, we introduce new pictures. Marti will be a regular contributor to the news- contributors to the newsletter. letter. For this issue, she covered our Chinese New Shellie Smith volunteered to take Celebration and wrote the article Traveling Light. Thank over as the Educational Resource you, Marti. Coordinator. We appreciate all of Diane Hoobler ’s Charlie Dolezal wrote a perspective article titled The tenacious research efforts to keep us all informed of Gift of Language. resources in our area. Thank you, Diane. And, thank you Shellie for volunteering. Nancy O’Hara volunteered to For families who participated in Patricia Scoggs survey, write New Arrival’s column. We are having a heck of a you can read more about her findings in this issue’s article time hearing from families. Any suggestions from our titled Building Cultural Bridges. readers? We want to provide a short announcement of A special thanks to Vicki Paulson (and her ever-patient any new arrival. We can also provide a picture. (Digital or family) for organizing this year’s Chinese New Year scanned images are the easiest.) Celebration. Her experience and calm demeanor has Marti Farris contacted me to offer her help on the been an inspiration to us all. Vicki, thank you so much for newsletter. She plans to cover our FCC events and take all of your hard work. New Arrivals by Nancy O’Hara ▲ Emily Breeden and big sister, Katherine (Katie) Xuzhang, joyfully an- nounce the arrival of Lucia (Lucy) Meiling Breeden . Lucy was born on September 1, 2000 in the city of Yangjiang, Guangdong Province. She was united with her family on July 2, 2001 and now lives in Salem, Or- egon. On being a big sister, Katie says, “I like changing her diaper and playing with her a lot.” Not so sure about the diapers, Emily remarks, “I feel incredibly lucky to have another beautiful, sweet, funny daughter.” ▲ Brian and Kim Felder welcomed home their daughter Grace Mei Lin Felder , born on November 18, 2000 in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province. They were united with Grace on November 19, 2001. Congratulations! ▲ Alicia, Brad and Adeline Fecker (three and 1/2 year-old big sister from Anhui Province) announce the arrival of Lydia Renee Fecker . Lydia was born on August 25, 2000 in Gaozhou City, Guangdong Province. Adeline proved to be a great help to her parents and little sister on the trip, who, according to Alicia, “looked to her older sister for guidance and reassurance.” Alicia writes, “We left for China as a family of three on August 11, 2001 and on August 12th we were, in the blink of a tear, a family of four.” The family returned to Portland on August 23rd. ▲ You Lian Sophia Weiner was born on August 14, 2000 and adopted by Ellen Goldsmith and Gary Weiner in the Hunan Province on September 18, 2001. The family returned to Portland on September 28, 2001. Welcome home! ▲ Michelle Braulick, Michael Armentrout and big sister, Molly (4 1/2, Nanning, Guangxi Province) celebrate the homecoming of Megan , born June 12, 2000, also from Nanning, Guangxi! Michelle remarks that having Molly on their journey really helped little sister Megan during the adjustment period. “She is a wonderful big sister and has certainly eased Megan’s transition to our family.” The family returned from China on September 21, 2001.