Caroline, now 17, continues the story of her first year in America, after being adopted from Russia at age 11 with her two younger sisters.

When you were at home with your family (off and on during this first year), how did you get along with your parents? Okay, I guess. We did fight – they accused me of things that I didn’t do. They would say I peed my pants sometimes on purpose (it was only one time and it was an accident), but they also said I peed my pants other times when I really didn’t. I didn’t hide a towel in the toilet or steal the brother’s skateboard. I didn’t hide my mom’s wallet or other things either. A lot of times, it’s what the two boys did. (note: the boys were birth children. That info seems to matter in Caroline’s story.) Instead of them getting in trouble, they would blame it on me and then I would get in trouble. The older brother even told us he was going to keep doing that and that he didn’t want us in his house.

Did the mom always believe them, then? Sort of. Usually, at least with the older brother. When I told the mom that she always took their side over ours, she said it wasn’t true and that she loved us girls the same as the boys. I said ok, I understand that – but you don’t LISTEN to me the same as the boys. Then I got into trouble for backtalk.

At home, we weren’t allowed to speak Russian. We were supposed to be learning English, so we weren’t allowed to use Russian, not even with each other. The littlest sister lost her Russian very quickly. Galina and I still spoke Russian to each other in our room sometimes. (note: the girls have been in the US 5yrs now. The littlest knows no Russian. Galina can understand some, but speaks nearly none. Caroline can speak some and understand quite a lot, but not read Russian. Galina doesn’t seem to care either way. Caroline truly wishes for Russian fluency. As far as English acquisition after this long, Caroline is very proficient. Galina does ok, struggles with comprehension.)

At this point, you were having troubles learning English in school. You were spending lots of time in other families’ homes. At home, you didn’t get along with the boys and you spent a lot of time in trouble. What did you think now about having come to America and being adopted? I wasn’t happy. I would think that it wasn’t fair that I came here to be blamed for things I didn’t do. Plus, the family doesn’t even want me. And, I hate that I don’t get to be with my littlest sister all the time when we stayed at other houses. I did get to be with Galina though.


Part I - An International Adoptee's Story
Part II - In Russia Waiting for the Adoption to be Final
Part III - An Adoptee's Introduction to America
Part IV - Adoption Story - First Year in America
Still to come: Disruption, Readoption, Caroline's feelings on current adoption issues (this last one is enlightening!)