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 and 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.

Georgian adoptions Albanian adoptions Armenian adoptions

We honor these cultures at our ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL / WINTERFEST and at our HERITAGE CAMP. 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.

Ukrainian adoptions Belarusian adoptions Romanian 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

Azerbaijani adoptions Uzbekistani adoptions Polish 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 Nauryz 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

Kyrgyzstani adoptions Lithuanian adoptions Latvian 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.

Montenegrin adoptions Serbian adoptions Turkmenistani adoptions

Pamela, who demonstrated at the 2007 FRUA, INC Conference in Redmond, was chosen to be the artist to represent Washington State for the 2008 White House Egg Display. She made an egg for the White house and went to Washington DC and presented the State Egg to Mrs. Bush. This has always been a dream of hers. The eggs were kept at the White House.

This was a great honor. Congratulations Pamela Gompf!

Older kids get to try thier hands at traditional egg painting

Estonian adoptions Hungarian adoptions Macedonian 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 Bosnia and Herzegovinian adoptions

Moldovan adoptions Croatian adoptions Czech adoptions