What to Pack for Your Heritage Tour

Look at us, planning a trip!
This is so exciting.
Can we take a moment? You’re about to travel back to China! That’s HUGE! A trip to China is a big deal, every time. You are amazing.
 
Okay, sentimentality over. Let’s get you packed!
 
Luggage:
 
No matter which tour you’ve booked, all of our Heritage Tours move at quite a clip, which means  your luggage should be ready to keep up. In most cases, the easiest luggage combination to travel around China with is a backpack + roller case (22″ x 14″ x 9″). But whether you’re a seasoned one-bag traveler or a three-large-suitcases-for-a-long-weekend type of gal, we trust you’ll make it work. It can be difficult to pack light for international trips, so just try your best. We won’t judge. 
 
Chinese luggage requirements: Generally speaking, most China airlines won’t let you carry on a bag that is more than 11 lbs (5 kg). For checked bags, it’s important to note that while the US usually allows you 50 lbs per bag, China limits you to 44 lbs.
 
Money:
 

For tourists in China, using the Alipay app or using cash are going to be the easiest way to pay for things. 98% of vendors and patrons will use Alipay (mobile wallet), but we understand that some travelers are not comfortable with mobile apps. 

Please refer to our Travel Resources page for more info on payment methods

Plan on bringing $400-$500USD/person with you to cover meals and personal spending for a 12-day trip. Always welcome to bring more than this, but $400 is a good minimum. 

If you’re looking for a good book to help you logistically prepare for your trip to China, we really enjoyed this one!

Suggested Packing List for China - Summer

Temperatures to pack for:

Summers in China are hot and humid, so consider packing light (think quick-dry, breathable items). China’s summer temperatures typically fall in the mid-70s to upper-90s. With humidity, this feels more like a constant sauna and AC is only used in commercial facilities in China.

Clothing: Keep in mind that you will need to be staying in a hotel for at least three days if you need professional laundry services. In most cases, you will likely be washing your clothes by hand in your hotel and air-drying them, if needed. With China’s humidity, things take longer to dry than some or accustomed to.

  • Quick-dry, sweat-wicking apparel
    • 1-2 nicer outfits in case of special occasions
    • T-shirts and tanks are acceptable
    • Shorts and capris
    • Socks (search for anti-blister, sweat-wicking socks)
    • Underwear
    • Light, hooded jacket in case of rain
  • 1-2 pairs comfortable walking shoes & 1 pair of comfortable sandals/flip-flops
  • Swimsuit & swim cap (most of China’s pools require that you wear a swim cap)
  • Baseball cap/sun hat/bucket hat
  • Sunglasses

Our Essentials:

  • Passport (+ additional photocopies of the photo page of your passport in case you lose your passport)
  • Money pouch/belt
  • ATM card
  • Travel insurance card
  • Toiletries
    • Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
    • Glasses/contact lenses & contact solution
    • Face wipes
    • Deodorant
    • Lotion, sunscreen
    • Shampoo & conditioner
    • *Note for us women* Feminine products are slightly different in China. Pads tend to be thicker, with no wings, and tampons are difficult to find, as are menstrual cups. Plan accordingly if you are particular about the products you use.
  • Body powder (for sweat-wicking, anti-chaffing purposes… Trust us.)
  • These super handy soap sheets (China’s public restrooms rarely have soap)
  • These super handy laundry detergent sheets (lightweight with no risk of bursting in your luggage)
  • Camera and charger(s) (150-240V capacity)
  • Cellphone and charger (150-240V capacity)
  • Headphones
    • Should bring a backup wired pair as well. Many China airlines do not allow bluetooth headphones.
  • Outlet adapter (although most everywhere will likely have Type A outlets) & power converter
  • Portable battery charger (Needs to have voltage label for TSA approval, must be below 100Wh)
  • First Aid kit
    • Any personal medication (for asthma, diabetes, heartburn, anxiety, etc.)
    • Variety of over-the-counter meds: Benadryl, Tums, DayQuil, NyQuil, throat lozenges, Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, Sudafed, Mucinex, Pepto Bismol, Immodium
    • Antibiotics for infections and traveler’s diarrhea
  • Kleenex (6 travel packets) (Many public restrooms do not provide toilet paper)
    • Alternatively, you can pack camping toilet paper rolls
  • Mosquito repellant (Those pesky mosquitos really love our Asian blood… This will be your best friend)
    • Also anti-itch/anti-histamine cream (Benadryl, Allegra, etc.) for mosquito bites
  • Antibacterial hand sanitizer/wipes
  • Face masks
  • Zip-lock bags (these are just always useful)
  • Water bottle
  • Snack foods in case you aren’t able to find enough food you like (Bring as much as you need, but don’t go overboard. Small snack bars, nuts, etc.)

Bonus Items:

Suggested Packing List for China - Winter

Temperatures to pack for:

Winters in China are cold and snowy up north and wet and chilly down south. In northern China, temperatures typically fall in the mid-20s to upper-40s. Further south, temperatures are closer to low-40s to mid-60s. If you make it down to Guangdong or Hong Kong, you may even catch some balmy 70s!

Clothing: Keep in mind that you will need to be staying in a hotel for at least three days if you need professional laundry services. In most cases, you will likely be washing your clothes by hand in your hotel and air-drying them, if needed. With China’s humidity, things take longer to dry than some or accustomed to.

  • Quick-dry, sweat-wicking apparel
    • 1-2 nicer outfits in case of special occasions
    • 2-3 long-sleeve shirts that you can layer if needed
    • 1-2 sweaters/sweatshirts/hoodies
    • 1-2 comfortable pants that make walking many miles painless
    • Thermals for extra cold days
    • Wool socks 
    • Underwear
    • Warm winter coat
  • 1 pair of comfortable walking shoes & 1 pair of boots
  • Beanie or earmuffs
  • Scarf
  • Gloves/mittens
  • Sunglasses

Our Essentials:

  • Passport (+ additional photocopies of the photo page of your passport in case you lose your passport)
  • Money pouch/belt
  • ATM card
  • Travel insurance card
  • Toiletries
    • Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
    • Glasses/contact lenses & contact solution
    • Face wipes
    • Deodorant
    • Lotion
    • Chapstick
    • Shampoo & conditioner
    • *Note for us women* Feminine products are slightly different in China. Pads tend to be thicker, with no wings, and tampons are difficult to find, as are menstrual cups. Plan accordingly if you are particular about the products you use.
  • Body powder (for sweat-wicking, anti-chaffing purposes… Trust us.)
  • These super handy soap sheets (China’s public restrooms rarely have soap)
  • These super handy laundry detergent sheets (lightweight with no risk of bursting in your luggage)
  • Camera and charger(s) (150-240V capacity)
  • Cellphone and charger (150-240V capacity)
  • Headphones
    • Should bring a backup wired pair as well. Many China airlines do not allow bluetooth headphones.
  • Outlet adapter (although most everywhere will likely have Type A outlets) & power converter
  • Portable battery charger (Needs to have voltage label for TSA approval, must be below 100Wh)
  • First Aid kit
    • Any personal medication (for asthma, diabetes, heartburn, anxiety, etc.)
    • Variety of over-the-counter meds: Benadryl, Tums, DayQuil, NyQuil, throat lozenges, Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, Sudafed, Mucinex, Pepto Bismol, Immodium
    • Antibiotics for infections and traveler’s diarrhea
  • Kleenex (6 travel packets) (Many public restrooms do not provide toilet paper)
    • Alternatively, you can pack camping toilet paper rolls
  • Antibacterial hand sanitizer/wipes
  • Face masks
  • Zip-lock bags (these are just always useful)
  • Water bottle/thermos
  • Snack foods in case you aren’t able to find enough food you like (Bring as much as you need, but don’t go overboard. Small snack bars, nuts, etc.)

Bonus Items:

Embracing Every Identity
Cathleen Daly

Adoption is not the most important fact about me, but it has been one of the most impactful aspects of my identity journey. 

I was adopted from Zhejiang Province, China at 18 months old by my amazing family – my mom, older brother, two older sisters, and little sister – in New Mexico! 

Growing up, as a Chinese adoptee in my hometown of Rio Rancho, New Mexico meant I was pretty much the only Chinese adoptee in my community. I didn’t feel that I fit in anywhere because I looked different than everyone around me including my own family, and I despised it at the time. That mixed with being extremely shy as a kid made me want so badly to just blend in with the crowd and not do anything to draw attention to myself. It also made me want to have nothing to do with my cultural heritage. 

However, as I entered my teenage years, for the first time my heart actually began to open up to learning more about where I came from. I got curious, and that curiosity led me to discovering Adopteen. My mom had told me about it growing up, but due to my lack of interest in learning about my past, my lack of pursuing the organization any further also waned.  

But in summer 2012, I was finally ready to open that door. I found out Adopteen was hosting a Camp-Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The night before registration closed, I, very much on a whim, filled out my registration and bought my plane ticket to Hotlanta! 

I arrived at my first Adopteen event that summer of 2012 with really no idea what I was getting myself into, and I quickly realized it was everything I needed and more. The energy was so open and positive. It was a community where I did feel that I fit in and where I didn’t feel like I had to explain, not even once, the complicated reasons of “Why I am adopted” or “Why I didn’t look like my family.”

Along with the experience, surprisingly a new challenge that I had never been faced with before in understanding my identity emerged; suddenly, I didn’t stand out anymore solely because of how I looked or because I was an international adoptee. I was so used to standing out that fitting in almost felt more foreign to me. However, there was something so special about this community; there was so much acceptance and embracement of everyone’s individual personalities, strengths, and stories that I knew that these were my people…and it didn’t matter what we looked like, it just mattered who we were as people and the connections we made with each other. 

So, I got involved. I attended every Adopteen Camp, Midpoint, Adoptees Giving Back Service Trip, and Committee I could throughout the rest of my high school experience.

In being immersed in this community, I learned how to develop and celebrate my identity beyond just my adoption. I grew in my faith, my relationships, my interests, and later on my professional career. I learned that my identity story was more than just my adoption story.

Now, as an adult adoptee attending programming like Beyond Adopteen and staying connected with the community has been instrumental in building my confidence as both an adoptee and as a person. The community, regardless of the age group and the seasons I am able to be involved in, remains the same: acceptance and celebration are at the core of everyone’s unique story and it has taught me to embrace others in the same way. Today, I am proud to embrace every identity that makes me, me (and all of the future identities I have yet to discover too): A daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, a friend, a cat mom, a young professional, a creative type, and yes of course, a Chinese adoptee who now honors her past and all of the curiosities that come with it. 

Grounding Work
Julia Miracle

Julia and her mother

Fall 2020: If you had asked me how I felt about adoption, I would have said that I was all good — that I felt pretty solid in my identity. Fast forward to Spring 2021, the Stop Asian Hate movement was quickly sweeping across the US and Canada. I felt so detached and ungrounded, with no one else to share these feelings with. It was shortly after this that I was sent the application to apply for The Park as a Digital Marketing Intern.

I had visited The Park in 2019 on a family trip and was in awe of the programs that were offered for kids and teens like me. It was comforting knowing that adoptees had a space to gather and it was something I wish existed closer to where I grew up in Ohio. I realized this internship would be the perfect chance to connect with adoptees and gain work experience: an opportunity I wouldn’t find anywhere else.

I remember being asked, “how are you connected to adoption?” It seemed like such a straightforward answer: I am adopted. Then I realized, that was about as much of a connection that I had. I began to doubt my ability to work in an adoption support organization. After all, I barely identified myself as Chinese; I was raised around white people and white culture; and I grew up knowing only two other adoptees and rarely engaged in anything related to my culture or adoption.

Despite my doubts, I received an acceptance email. I was thrilled! Little did I know how transformative this internship would be. I understood very little about the adoption process: how I got here, what my mom went through to get me, and all of the politics and international relations at play. Moreover, I did not realize how incredibly powerful and grounding it would be to be surrounded by a team of adopted and Asian women.

I loved my work and creating content for The Park, but the moments in between were by far my favorite. Learning everyone’s stories, sharing feelings and thoughts I had never been able to completely articulate before, and learning how to intertwine Chinese culture with my own upbringing was gratifying. I came in with so many preconceived notions about who I was, how I could feel, and what I believed in that were turned completely on their head.

The Park staff and interns helped me connect with my truest, most honest self, and we did it together. I connected with the interns and staff in a way I have never connected with anyone else. Coming from a lifetime surrounded by white people (sorry Mom), I was conditioned to give the short and sweet version of my background. Suddenly, I was graced with the beauty of not having to explain myself and, even better, my unknowns and my feelings were not only understood, but relatable. Never have I been able to relate to so many people at the same time in my life. This in itself was worth doing the internship. I know my fellow interns and Amy, Ali, and Claire will forever be in my corner, as I will be in theirs: always supporting each other, laughing together, and eating boba.

For APIDA Heritage Month (Asian-, Pacific Islander-, Desi- American Heritage Month), The Park will be hosting a panel conversation with transracial, transnational, Asian adoptees to discuss how navigating home culture and birth culture has impacted their ideas of home and identity. Before the panel, we asked the panelists to share their thoughts on what APIDA/AAPI heritage celebration means to them. This blog series is a collection of their thoughts.

Jade Wexler

What does APIDA Heritage Month mean to you? Does this month bring any challenges for you as an adoptee?

As a transnational, transracial adoptee, I didn’t grow up with Vietnamese or Asian culture, any Asian American role models/mirrors, or any sense of connection to my heritage. For 20 years, I felt confused, ashamed, and inauthentic. I made jokes about being “basically white” to put my mostly white peers at ease. I was embarrassed to introduce myself since I often felt obligated to explain my mismatched name and transracial adoption story. I used to feel like an alien — that I’d simply plopped, out of nothing and no one, into existence and that nobody could ever relate to me or the issues that burdened me (read: grief of mother and culture loss, love for my adoptive family, confused racial identification, and etc.)

When I went to college, I joined Asian heritage clubs seeking to find a community and/or learn more about “my real culture” outside of the watch of my adoptive family. I was simultaneously frightened of “being found out” and desperate for acceptance as an Asian adoptee. Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of work to be done to increase awareness of adoption and so these experiences left me feeling more alienated and confused since I lacked experiences growing up in the culture. I’m thankful to have since found friends who, as non-adopted Asian Americans, also held space for my feelings and made me realize that, while different, many Asian Americans also wrestle with the same feelings of shame, in-betweenness, and fears of inauthenticity.

Finding the adoptee community changed my life. I can’t describe the joy in finding this community. Researching for my honors thesis helped me understand the history, tension, and political potential of Asian adoptees in America. It helped me frame adoptees in Asian America, and who I was, and empowered me to assert my identity and validity as an Asian American and as a transnational, transracial adoptee. There are at least 300,000 Asian adoptees in the US (reach out if you want resources — knowledge is power!). Asian adoptees encounter the same racism, xenophobia, and hypersexualization as non-adopted Asian Americans, and we have unique experiences that make us different too. For example, transracial Asian American adoptees often do not grow up with access to their biological family, racial mirrors, medical histories, or culture (all privileges), yet we often have access to other privileges (financial stability, greater educational opportunities, socialization in white spaces) through proximity to our (predominantly) white families. We are Asian American, too, and we matter.

For me, Asian-, Pacific Islander-, and Desi- American Heritage (APIDA) Month is about learning about, celebrating the beauty of, and recognizing the real diversity and differences in APIDA communities and cultures. It’s a beautiful idea — and at the same time, there’s also a lot of trauma, loss, and grief in our identities (for adoptees, and for APIDA communities more broadly) that are often unacknowledged by the broader public. So as we celebrate APIDA communities, I think we also need to hold space for the tensions, conflicts, and sadness that can emerge alongside joy in connection to these identities too. May also brings spring and blossoming flowers, and it always reminds me that we are always in the process of “growing through what we go through.” I like to think that, however long it may take, or whatever path we find ourselves on, we all have the capacity to bloom in our own way. As I explore, learn, and connect with my cultures — Vietnamese, Asian American, adoptee— I can now recognize myself as an Asian American adoptee and what an honor each of these identities brings.  🌸🌺✨

Kate Mayne

What aspect of your culture do you admire?

What I admire about Korean culture is their endurance and creativity. Even though it is a tiny country, the amount of innovation that has come from the people who have suffered so much so recently, is truly admirable. Of the US culture, I love that it is a country full of so many beautiful minds and perspectives.

What does APIDA heritage mean to you?

APIDA heritage to me is something I have struggled with only within my adult years. As a kid, I never really thought of being Asian as part of my identity, but as an adult, I’m constantly questioned about my identity.

Does this month bring any challenges for you as an adoptee?

As an adoptee, I struggle with being able to fully understand what many of my fellow AIPDA are feeling since I never faced the same types of issues that they might have. Since my family was part of the majority in the country I grew up in, I didn’t have to navigate the same issues as many other immigrant families had to, but as an adult, I’m realizing that personally, I have been faced with so much discrimination and problems due to my physical appearance.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?

My heritage was always something I was taught to be proud of. My American family was very careful to make sure they explained as much as they could and helped me understand to the best of their ability. I would say they tried their best, and I am so grateful to that, but I think there was obviously much that I just didn’t even realize was different. I am now very proud and even find beautiful, the shape of our eyes, the sound of the language, the taste of the food, etc, but it was definitely something I had to learn.

How does your culture influence your perception of identity and home?

“My culture” is a term I am still adjusting to. I now have dual citizenship of the country I was born in and the country I was raised in, so it’s hard to say which is my full nationality. It would be simple to just say I’m American, because I had that citizenship for so long and am more comfortable in that language, but most of my adult life has been in the country that I was born in. So I would say I am still being influenced and learning about my identity and what I call “home”.

How has your upbringing influenced notions of identity and home?

My upbringing was very open and honest. My family is Christian and raised me to be very understanding and accepting of anyone and everyone. I really appreciate that they were never close minded and always encouraged us kids to research for ourselves about what we believed in and supported that exploration. Without that support, I could never have gone to the places I’ve been or done the things I’ve done.

How does adoption tie into APIDA Heritage Month?

There are so many of us Asian adoptees that struggle with being between Asian and whatever culture we were raised in, if we were adopted into a different culture than what we were born into. I think it’s important to open the door for understanding amongst us because we do share so much in common, and also give us adoptees the opportunity to learn and understand what was different. So often, I think people just close the door on what they can’t understand or what they think others won’t understand. The world is hurting already, we don’t need to add to it by keeping people out who are needing the support and community.

What message would you give to Asian adoptees who find it difficult to navigate this month?

I would like to tell Asian adoptees that it is okay to struggle and that it is okay to ask questions. We’re all still learning who we are and what our place is in this world. I am what most would consider “adult-enough” of an age to have things figured out, but I can assure you that no matter what country I’ve been to or what age I’ve met, people have lived such different lives and gone down such different paths, there’s no way anyone can predict when you’ll have it “figured out”.

Matt Delatour is a Korean American transnational adoptee based in Philly with a passion for connecting the adoptee community with the joys of cooking. We got our pans and spatulas out to learn how to make some delicious kimchi pajeon at 2020 Adopteen Virtual Camp and Matt gave his hot takes on some hot topics.

Food can be an amazing way to explore and connect with birth culture. Have you tried cooking any dishes from your birth country cuisine? Or maybe you just have a favorite dish you like to eat? We get it. We prefer the eating part too!

“It takes courage to grow and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings

Leah Garlock, a Korean-American transnational adoptee, is an experience designer and illustrator and is the Communications Manager for Asian Womxn in the Arts (AWA). Leah sat down with our 2020 Adopteen Virtual Camp campers to explore how creativity and artistic expression can be used to process and celebrate our diverse and ever-evolving identities.

Identity is ever-evolving, but whatever that identity is right now, we hope you are able to own it and feel proud of it! What are some ways you have found help you to express and explore your identities?

“Looking towards the positive is an act of bravery. Dare to hope. Dare to believe in good.”

Sam Futerman joined our Adopteen Virtual Camp with a moving keynote conversation about her inspiring journey navigating home and family and rootedness. Sam is a passionate adoption advocate. She is also an actress, director, and producer, known best for her documentary, Twinsters, which follows the incredible journey of identical twin sisters Sam and Anise, adopted into families an ocean apart and brought together by fate.

Have you watched Twinsters? Home and family can be both a joyful and painful conversation. How have you navigated the ideas of home and family in your own life? If you attended Sam’s keynote (woo, Adopteen Virtual Camp!), what were your takeaways? Did what she shares resonate with you?

For Black History Month, The Park sat down with Asiah, Fikirte, and Mercedes to discuss their experiences navigating race and culture in America as transracial, Black adoptees and reflected on the importance of self-preservation and community when it comes to mental health.
You can watch their livestream conversation below. What conversation points did you resonate with the most? Are there any other questions you wish we would have found time to discuss?

“I had to stop trying to make everyone else feel comfortable and get comfortable with myself. Live your loud life exactly who you are and how you are. You being you is all you need to do in order to show up for the world and show up for yourself.”

Kristen Kish is a Korean American transnational adoptee and the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Season 10, author of “Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques,” and the Executive Chef at Arlo Grey in Austin, Texas. Kristen sat down with our Adopteen Virtual Camp 2020 campers for a heartfelt and beautiful conversation on owning your superpowers, embracing the unknown, and giving yourself grace on this wild journey called life.

What do you think about what Kristen had to say about the importance of giving yourself grace to explore and grow and change your identity in whatever ways make you happy? Do the stories of her childhood or birth culture estrangement resonate with you?

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