Homeland Tour to Colombia 2023

The Barker Adoption Foundation is pleased to announce that it will be planning a Homeland Tour to Colombia from July 31, 2023, to August 8, 2023!

Barker's Homeland Tour to Colombia offers a unique and life-changing experience for families who adopted children from Colombia.

If you have children between the ages of 11 and 25 who were adopted through FANA, the time may be right for your family to visit FANA and Bogotá. The Tour will include a visit to FANA and the Hogar (the home for pregnant women considering adoption). In addition, families will have an opportunity to experience Colombia’s rich culture, touring Bogotá, visiting galleries, open-air markets, a coffee plantation, and so much more.  The Tour is designed as a family trip, with parents accompanying their children led by Cynthia Cubbage, Barker's Director of Family & Post Adoption Services, and Emily Marshall Barker's Clinical Intake & Family Support Specialist.

What if we adopted our child from somewhere other than FANA?

Tours are open to all adoptive families regardless of whether Barker was your placing agency. In the past, families have visited their child’s orphanage after the official tour ends. 

What will we do on the tour?

The tour participants will visit FANA and meet with a FANA social worker to learn about their personal history. In addition, participants visit the Hogar (the home for birth mothers) and meet with women considering an adoption plan. Tour participants will also enjoy Colombia’s rich culture, with an itinerary to include:

  • A visit to FANA and meeting with a FANA social worker to learn about their personal history 
  • A visit to the Hogar (the home for expectant mothers)
  • A guided tour of the Gold Museum
  • A city tour of Bogotá
  • Visiting the Botero Art Gallery/Museum
  • Enjoying a cable car ride and magnificent views from the top of Monserrate
  • An adventurous  train ride to and tour of Zipaquirá (the Salt Cathedral)
  • Visits to local markets for shopping  

 “Returning to FANA, visiting the Hogar, and experiencing Colombia in the company of fellow adoptees was fabulous beyond words.” Adoptee, age 17

Tour Cost

The cost of the tour is $1,900 per person (excluding airfare) and includes:

  • Apartment accommodations for your family
  • Museum and tour fees for all scheduled excursions
  • Daily breakfast, most lunches, and a group dinner
  • Transfers between the airport and hotel in Bogotá
  • Formal and informal programming and services by accompanying adoption professionals
  • Pre-trip orientation session

To Apply

Please fill out and submit the Colombia homeland tour registration along with a $600 non-refundable deposit per person by January 1, 2023. 

To register and secure your space for Barker's Colombia Homeland Trip, please email ccubbage [at] barkerfoundation.org, and you will receive all of the necessary paperwork to complete your registration.  

Please note that spaces are limited, and applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Checks should be made payable to The Barker Adoption Foundation.

Please mail the registration form and deposit to:

The Barker Adoption Foundation
7979 Old Georgetown Road, First Floor
Bethesda, MD 20814

After Applying

After you have applied, please keep in mind:

Apply or Renew All of Your Passports - All passports should be valid through December 2023.  Please send copies of valid passports to postadopt [at] barkerfoundation.org.

What have others said about the tour?

  • “We had been looking forward to this trip for several years, and it was everything we hoped it would be and more. We can’t thank Barker enough for making this happen.” Adoptive Mom
  • “Our daughter is extremely happy for having had the experience for which she had waited for so long and says she now feels whole as a person. This was one of the greatest family experiences we have ever had, and we cherish every moment spent together.” Adoptive Dad

If you would like more information about Barker’s 2023 Colombia Homeland Tour, please contact Cynthia Cubbage at ccubbage [at] barkerfoundation.org or 301-664-9664.  

 

“This trip changed me and my family. It opened my eyes to so much and made my heart more complete.” Adoptee, age 15

2017 participants at a local market