Celebrate Romania!

By Jack W

It's late afternoon on a sunny Friday in June and there is an electric anticipation in the air! As families arrive from hundreds of miles away in the U.S. and Canada, you'll hear shouts of pure joy in greetings across the campus of this conference center just south of Minneapolis, MN. It's our annual retreat called Celebrate Romania! established in 1992 for families with children adopted from Romania.

Those hollered greetings you hear are the "kids" reuniting with others they've grown up with, some of them since infancy. For a moment, their voices quiet to hugs, hand slaps and laughter, only to rise again as others arrive. Often there are new families and the "new kids" are greeted and warmly welcomed after the initial chaos subsides. They all have one thing in common; they are all adopted Romanian-Americans, who, as one eight year old boy said "They're all like me!"

Regardless of age, there exists a bond between these young people that is rarely seen in our lives. To many of them, there are few friendships as strong. An eighteen year old young woman told her parents, "As soon as you told me the dates of Celebrate Romania, I told my boss I couldn't work that weekend." Not asked. Told.

A fifteen year old boy, when given an option of a different fun weekend activity said "No! You guys can do what you want, but I won't go!"

Are there geeks and nerds and those with learning disabilities and other issues? Sure. But they are a family. A support group like no other. Someone to talk to about being adopted, or being Romanian, or being special, which is how these kids treat each other. "These guys will always be my friends."

"I liked the cultural stuff like the folk dancing and the music and stuff (though you guys singing was pathetic!), but now, since I've been to Romania and danced and sung over there, I just want to come here to be with my friends."

"Can we stay later next year?"

"I've learned that adoption is special."

"I've learned where I come from and it is part of me."

"I'm lucky."

"It gives me a chance to tell my story."

What about the parents? Geeks and nerds? Right wing politics and left? Religious evangelicals and progressives? Sure. It doesn't matter, because the bonding we share transcends all else. They are, in a very real sense, our family too. We share our stories, along with pictures and memories, but we are really the side show.

Are we proud of what we've been able to create for our kids? Duh!

What about the future of Celebrate Romania? All of the kids have grown. A couple are married. Some are working. A lot of them are in school. When they all scatter to new lives, what then?

"I suppose we'll be doing all the planning. Will we all come back? I hope so. I will."

There's one story that illustrates what's going on here — on Saturday evenings we have what we call "Talent - No Talent." It's a variety show of musical performances, stupid skits, whatever. One eight year old girl, in her first year at the retreat, got up to sing a song by herself. She was very nervous, started badly, and began to cry. It was horrible for her, and we were all frozen in our seats, unable to react. Suddenly, all the other kids spontaneously ran to her side, threw their arms around her and each other, and finished the song with her.

Are we proud of who our children have become? Duh!