What to do on plane?

Generally speaking, the only time you can't use electronics is during takeoff (usually until the seatbelt sign is off) and landing (about 20 minutes out when you are putting your seats up and tray tables away). So you might want to also pack a puzzle book to fill in those times when the iPad has to be powered down

Well, on the longest leg of my trip the plane (United) had a great section of movies, games, tv show all on touch screen in the seat in front of you. It ended up working out really well.

On the way to Hong Kong, I either slept or read a mystery. I finished a whole book. The nice thing about paperbacks is that you can discard them or pass them on to others, when you are done, and you don't need to worry about someone stealing your expensive Kindle or Nook. You also can't read a Kindle or Nook in the bathtub. From Hong Kong to Xiamen, a few days later -- our group had decided to spend a few days relaxing in Hong Kong before we met our kids -- the flight was less than an hour. I drank pear juice and talked to my groupmates. From Xiamen to Guangzhou, a week later, I was holding my daughter and sitting next to a groupmate whose daughter was teething and screaming. I helped the Mom with her daughter, a bit, as Becca was pretty mellow except during the descent into Guangzhou, when her ears bothered her. The flight was about an hour. From Guangzhou to Hong Kong, the day after our Consulate appointment, it was a total zoo and I simply tried to keep myself aware of what was going on. First, we were caught up in traffic on the way to the airport, so when we got there our guides let us jump out , while they started throwing luggage from the luggage truck to us. Some people ran for luggage carts; others grabbed the baggage. We loaded as quickly as possible and started running for the ticket counter. Luckily we made it -- my asthma was really bothering me, though -- but then, after making our way to the gate, we found that our flight was delayed. We spent time listening for announcements and checking out the small concession stand for things our kids could eat and little souvenirs. Then, we finally boarded for the short flight. But we were delayed in takeoff and landing, too, so when we got to our Hong Kong hotel, it was 9 p.m. We had to be at the airport really early (this was the old airport), so I figured I would just bathe her, put her to bed, organize our luggage, and go to bed. Wrong. She had a tummyache and was awake all night, screaming, so I was awake, too. Then, having made it to the airport, we were walking to the plane when Becca threw up all over me. I had Becca on a lap ticket, and there was no way to read or do much of anything on the plane, even when she was in her bassinet or on the seat next to me (which was open until Seoul). I couldn't sleep, with Becca awake, and I was too tired to read, so I mostly just relaxed. In Los Angeles, we learned that our flight to DC had been canceled. (Thanks, United.) We were booked on one several hours later. One of the women from our group spent most of the time in the ladies' room, washing her dress and drying it with the hand dryer, because her daughter had a major poop explosion. She was not able to take turns with me, watching the kids. So I sat in a chair in the boarding area, trying to keep from falling asleep; I was scared that someone would kidnap Becca if I fell asleep. The plane was very crowded, when we finally headed out from LAX to DC. There was no way that I could read, with Becca on my lap or -- after a passenger moved to the only remaining seat on the plane, in any fare category -- when she was on the adjacent seat, where she could fall if not watched carefully. Also, by the time I got home, I'd been awake for 48 hours straight, and was absolutely wiped out; I couldn't have comprehended anything I read. Sharon

Sharon - I sure hope you got your sleep after arriving back home. I thought bringing a kindle or nook would be less bulky than bringing several books as hubby and I would be going the first trip to Bulgaria. One could be on the Ipad, while the other reads or vise versa. What should I bring for our son when we bring him home? He will be 7 and I'm not sure what would keep him occupied on the way home. If it were my 8 year old, I know the ipad would keep her busy for sure, when she's not sleeping or eating. I'd bring crayons and paper but what else for someone who's never been outside an orphanage? Thanks in advance again! I'm trying to research and be as prepared as we can possibly be.

My first visit trip to Bulgaria was 9 years ago! Seems like yesterday. I am a single mom, traveled alone. I actually wrote quite a bit. Which surprised me. Nook, Kindle and IPad didn't exisist then! I brought a couple books, but I really was so nervous and wired I couldn't focus much on reading. I listened to music and I enjoyed the inflight movies. I made the mistake of coming home from Bulgaria in one day with my child on the pick up trip. That was craziness. I ran to catch each flight - with my almost 3 year old, carry ons, my stroller was lost. Simple things for your child on the flight back - snacks, crayons, coloring book, marks/dry erase markers, chalk board/chalk, something to manipulate with the hands and fingers. My son dumped and picked up crayons, so barrel of monkey was a must have when we got home. Books might not be a good idea, unless you read Bulgarian and can discuss the reading. And at age 7, he may need help reading. My son is 11 and has always loved Hot Wheels. If you can stand the sound of the car being pushed back and forth across the tray table, that would be a good thing, and maybe the small lego sets. They have some that come in a little plastic canister, with picture instructions to build cars. Lego Racers. They are small and easy to pack.

Buy a small backpack that your son can wear. Expect him to act a little younger than his age -- more like a five year old -- but recognize that there's no predicting what his experiences and exposures will have been. Bring some toys and snacks that you buy in the U.S., but also buy a few toys and snacks overseas, once you get to know your son's preferences. Give him a small photo album with pictures of you, your spouse, any other children at home, family pets, his bedroom, etc. He may consult it repeatedly on the way home. A small toy airplane (NOT one suitable for tossing around) might help him feel more comfortable about his flight. Some kids like Magna-Doodles. Some 7 year olds can master Nintendo DS easy games and play them for hours; get the headphones, so you don't hear the Mario background music for twelve hours straight. Some boys may have seen cartoons and other TV, so they may be familiar with toy action figures, if you are not opposed to the cartoon violence they display on TV. Even though he is a rough-tough little man, your seven year old may want to sleep with a stuffed animal. I've known 12 year old boys who took them on school overnights. You may want to get something traditional, like a stuffed dog, or go with something a little more masculine, like a stuffed dinosaur or friendly dragon. Since many orphans don't go to school, or start school after age six (when other kids in those countries typically start), it is quite likely that your son will not be reading, though he may surprise you. As a result, anything with a keyboard may not be a good idea. However, once he is home, you may want to teach him to use a mouse and to play easy toddler and preschool computer games, then move on to those for slightly older kids. Depending on the airline you use, you may find that if you ask the flight attendant, he/she may be able to find a set of wings, such as those worn on their uniforms by pilots, for your son to wear. He may also get a chance to go up and look into the cockpit and see the pilot and copilot, if he wishes. Some 7 year olds can play simple card games. Put a deck of playing cards and a deck of UNO in the bag and see if he seems familiar with them. UNO is nice because it does not require reading or math, and is pretty simple. It's great for bonding when a parent and child play games together. Try to get a night flight home, to minimize "awake" time. It's often best if your child boards the plane at night, in pajamas or very comfortable clothes, has a light snack, and then falls asleep because it has been a long and stressful few days. He might actually get several hours of sleep, letting you sleep as well. Sharon

Mama to 5 Girls: Thanks for your comments about sleep. The first few days were brutal. Becca would fall asleep after midnight and awaken at 5 a.m., cheery as a bird and ready to play. But there came a night when we both went to bed at 7 p.m. and slept through to 7 a.m. After that, Becca went right back to the schedule she'd had during our first days in China -- 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. plus a two hour nap. She was a great sleeper, though a terrible eater. Sharon

Sharon - you are a wealth of information! I so appreciate you giving me all these ideas. I have read stuff you have said on the board and you really know your stuff!! We can't wait to meet our son - the hardest part is having to leave him for 2-3 months before going back to pick him up!! I don't know how everyone else does it - I thought the paperwork wait was awful, but I think waiting to go pick him up is going to be even worse :( Thanks again Sharon!!

Don't be surprised if you develop doubts and fears during the wait for pickup, like, "What the heck am I doing, adopting another child at my age?" or "What am I doing? I don't know a darn thing about raising boys." They are very normal, and do not usually mean that you should put your adoption on hold. They are the result of stress, related to the wait for pickup and all that you have been through in the process. Good luck to you, and keep us informed. Sharon

Haha! I'm already saying I don't know anything about boys as I have 5 girls!! I'm just so glad I have this forum to read, learn and get emotional support from all of you!!

I'm wondering if those tv shows or anything would have captions/subtitles? I'm pretty sure you didn't need to use that but was wondering if you happened to notice anyone else using theirs?

I think they might have. Check with the airlines you might use. I would guess that they try to accommodate their passengers....specifically any airlines out of the US I think would have to b/c of ADA.

I totally understand, you must be nervous and need to kill time while the long trip which seems the longest one in your life. If I were you I'd bring iPad or an ereader as it is likely to be impossible to fall asleep. As Reo stated before, using electronics on board is okay except for the period of take-off and landing which you will be informed of several minutes before. [URL=http://easyphotoeditor.org]Free photo editor[/URL]