We welcome, as equal partners, families with children adopted from all former Soviet Republics and ex- Soviet Bloc countries; all regions, minorities, and cultures including: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, & Uzbekistan; Roma (gypsy) , Pomak/Turkish, Siberian Native Peoples, …and many more.

Georgia adoptions Albania adoptions Armenia adoptions

We honor these cultures at our grand annual gatherings: WINTERFEST / PRE-SPRING FESTIVALS & our ANNUAL PICNIC. In addition, we take many opportunities to share the beauty of the music, dance, stories, arts & crafts, food, & language of these countries. FRUA, INC families have made LifeBook covers of Russian fabric, attended community ethnic celebrations, cooked & sampled dishes from our children's native lands, made crafts representative of these cultures, listened to Eastern European music performances, learned some of the language of our children’s birth countries, and danced some folk dances.

Ukraine adoptions Belarus adoptions Romania adoptions

Occasionally we have events specific to a particular cultural activity. These have included Ukrainian egg decorating, Georgian toasts , ethnic cooking classes, Russian Tea Parties, Balkan music & dance. Watch the E-Group & Newsletter for upcoming events.

Culture Corner at Winterfest

Azerbaijan adoptions Uzbekistan adoptions Poland adoptions

Cultural Celebrations

At our annual Winterfest / Pre-Spring Festivals we try to incorporate all of our cultures into one big celebration. We are likely to celebrate Nawruz from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan with traditional table decorations and candles. We have celebrated the Butter Festival, Maslenitsa from Russia and Ukraine, with pancakes galore. Baba Marta has come to celebrate Baba Marta Day from Bulgaria and hand out Martenitsa and we have made Martisor from Romania.

traditional ethnic dress is encouraged at our annual events

Kyrgyzstan adoptions Lithuania adoptions Latvia adoptions

Egg Decorating

Every couple of years or so we have had the grand opportunity to learn about Eastern European Egg Decorating. Pamela Gompf, a Master Pysanky Egg Artist, has guided us through the steps in creating traditional Ukraine Pysanky Eggs. You can see some of her beautiful works of art at www.pamspysanky.com

We also have patterns and information available to make traditional eggs from Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland... and even Kazakhstan and other south-central Asian countries.

Montenegro adoptions Serbia adoptions Turkmenistan adoptions

Pamela, who demonstrated at the 2007 FRUA, INC Conference in Redmond, has had some really fantastic news! She has been chosen to be the artist to represent Washington State for the 2008 White House Egg Display. She will be making an egg for the White house and go to Washington DC and be part of the ceremony to present the State Egg to Mrs. Bush. This has always been a dream of hers. The eggs will be kept at the White House, and then one artist out of the represented states from the 2008 display will be chosen to make a larger Easter Egg to be presented to the President and First Lady for the 2009 Easter Season.

This is a great honor. Congratulations Pamela Gompf!

Older kids get to try thier hands at traditional egg painting

Estonia adoptions Hungary adoptions Macedonia adoptions

Cultural Crafts: Flags, Masks, Martenitsa, Sourvaki, Martisor... and more

Usually at our annual events we have crafts for the kids, as well as adults. We have made flag windsocks and placemats, masks for Maslenitsa, and paper mosaic versions of Orthodox Churches. Baba Marta has come to teach us how to make Martenitsa (decorated tassle amulets) and New Year Sourvaki (decorated branches) from Bulgaria, as well as Martisor from Romania. We have had coloring activities that include maps and scenes from various countries.

Slovenian adoptions Slovakian adoptions

Moldova adoptions Croatia adoptions Czech Republic adoptions