IBIR Segment 1, Domestic vs. International Adoption  Anyone considering adoption must first decide whether to adopt domestically or internationally.  Many factors influence this decision, but one predominant reason centers around the perceived risks of adopting within the United States.  The endeavor to adopt a child from another country requires an enormous investment of time, money, and travel; yet, each year more than 20,000 foreign born children are adopted in the U.S.  Listen — Transcript IBIR Segment 2, International Adoption in SW Indiana 1958-Present  From the Korean War to present day, thousands of internationally adopted children have called southwestern Indiana home.  In this segment, a Korean War orphan shares what it was like growing up as one of Evansville’s first international adoptees, an attorney explains how he helped dozens of families adopt from Brazil in the 1980s, and an Evansville family arrives home with a baby from China.  Listen — Transcript IBIR Segment 3, Questions of Culture in Int’l Adoptions  Many international adoption experts urge parents to teach their children about their birth culture by incorporating the culture’s holidays, cuisine, and customs into their homes.  Most families of international adoption agree that culture should play an important role in their lives, but access to cultural resources, busy schedules, and the child’s level of interest determine to what extent a family integrates birth culture in their routine.  Listen —Transcript IBIR Bonus Interview  In 2002, Tom and Angela Tippery of Odon, Indiana, heard about twin girls living in an orphanage in Mongu, Zambia.  Nearly four years later, they made the long journey with their son, Nate, to adopt the girls.  Listen to their story... IBIR Bonus Reading  Korean Baby Given New Home Here (Evansville Press, 7/29/58)  4th Korean Child Adopted Locally (Evansville Press, 2/28/60)  Cross-Cultural Adoptions Are Not (Evansville Press, 7/15/96) IBIR Links  Families Thru International Adoption  Holt International  U.S. State Department Resources