getting back to Arman

 

I leave from Newark Airport on Sunday, August 19th (Virgin Atlantic flight at 9:25 pm), arrive at Heathrow at 9:05 am on Monday, leave London on British Airways flight 6641 at 2:30 pm and arrive in Almaty at 4:40 am on August 21st. (Note the long lay-over in Terminal 4 at Heathrow – excellent duty free shopping!)

I will be reunited with Arman on Tuesday morning (he will have been escorted from Karaganda to Almaty via train or plane) and from then on, he will live with me full-time. We will be staying at the Hotel Alma-Ata (also known as the Hotel Almaty). See http://hotel-alma-ata.com/ for details if you are planning to vacation in Almaty in the near future.

By the end of the day Friday, we will have gotten Arman's medical exam and HIV test results, filed paperwork with the US consulate, been interviewed at the embassy, and received a visa for Arman to travel to the United States (and a big packet of papers for immigration to open when we get to Newark). We also plan to see Bob McMullin (who has been very helpful with hotel reservations and other advice about Almaty) and a few other adoptive parents/children during our free time in Almaty.

Together, Arman and I will be leaving Almaty on Sunday, August 26th at 9:05 am on British Airways flight 6642 arriving Heathrow at 2:00 pm. We leave London at 4:00 pm on Virgin Atlantic Flight 1, arriving Newark Airport at 6:40 pm (still on Sunday, August 26th). Upon landing, Arman becomes a citizen of the United States!

The current plan is that Annie and Peter will meet us at the airport, help us get to my car (which will be parked in long-term parking), and then drive us to their place where we will rest and allow ourselves to be taken care of at the very posh Hotel Lionni Guss on Manhattan's Upper East Side. On Monday, Arman has an appointment with a pediatrician (the one Annie uses). Eventually, we will drive home to Ithaca. I’m planning to take Arman to the Sustainability Happy Hour on Friday evening at Korova and have already lined up Sharon to babysit while I go to my hair appointment on Saturday, September 1st. It is part of my special way of celebrating Arman’s 9-month birthday!

Please note that I will NOT be traveling with my laptop to Almaty, but will have my blackberry with me. I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to post to the blog, but rest assured that I will be storing up photos for you to view at some point.

Can't wait for you all to meet Arman soon in Manhattan or Ithaca!