The reason behind why I went to Korea this summer was to learn about the place where I was born. Not only was I born there, but somewhere amidst the millions of people at least two people hold a secret about me, that I may never know. I tried IVF, and it was not successful. It not only is a lot less expensive there in Korea, but I thought it would be a pretty neat story to share with our child, that they were conceived in the same country that I was born in. Reagan's dad used to have a business called, TOM. It stands for Try Once More. That is what my motto is going to be. If it doesn't work out, then at least we can say that we tried. Also, who knows what will happen. That's the great thing about life, there are surprises, pitfalls, and priceless moments that can all be stepping stones to what lies ahead.
My goal was not to find my birth parents, but to gain a better understanding of the culture and its people. I feel that I did attain my goal. I didn't come back with a baby or babies, but I did come back with a wealth of knowledge and friends that will last a lifetime. I have never made so many connections with people in such a short time. The friends that I made, are not people just passing by, but friends I know I will have for a very long time.
Below are some amazing stories that I will leave you with. Part of the time in Korea, of living the true Korean lifestyle, is watching television shows in Korean each night and having no idea what they are saying. But relying heavily on body language and looking to the Hong's for translations. The other night, we watched a movie, all in Korean. It was about an American Olympic Skier from Vail, Colorado. Junggi said I would connect with the movie. I didn't understand until I watched further. The man in the movie is a Korean adoptee, just like me. Like me, he was adopted when he was three. He was said to have been abandoned in a market, like I was, but instead he found out thirty years later that he was actually lost in the busy streets of Busan. His goal was to find his birth parents. By becoming a star, he thought he would have a better chance of finding them. Because of his fame, hundreds of people came forward, all claiming to be his birth parents. In the end, he finally found his birth parents, due to a DNA search. His mother lost him in the market and his dad looked endlessly around all of the orphanages. It was a sad story, with a very good ending.
Here is a quick link to a trailer for his movie, Lost and Found.
This story is pretty amazing as well. This guy not only found his birth parents, but found out he had a twin. Here is the link to watch a quick segment of his.
Finally, here is a link to my first day here in America. Some people refer to it as the, "Gotcha Day." It is the year 1985, in Portland, Oregon, with my forever family.
Picture taken at the orphanage.
The only reason why I would ever want to meet my birth parents is to of course, see what they look like and act like, but to relieve them of any stress they may have involving giving me up for adoption. I can't say whether they are upset or not, but they need to rest in peace knowing that I have had a good life here in America. By giving me up, I have had the chance to be loved and love family and friends, that I could not have had in Korea.
Thank you for all of your emails, texts, phone calls, and post responses! This is the end of this chapter in my life, but the story still goes on. I will keep you updated on my next trip to Korea or hopefully good news in the making! I love you and hope to see you all soon!
Kom Bei (Cheers) to family and friends!
I adore the video of your plane coming in!!! Love you so much!!
ReplyDeleteThis is great Julie! Thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteYour blog is very interesting and heart warming. Please don't stop.
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