Everybody makes mistakes

I've written on here in the past about my family life and problems that have ensued with my first trip back to Korea. Well I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last few months since the last trip home from Korea. As frustrated as I was with my mom about how she handled certain situations, I have to remember, there are two sides to every story. I don't want viewers to judge my mom about her actions, everyone makes mistakes, and old habits die hard. And I'm sure I didn't make the situation any easier for her. She handled the situation as best as she could at the time, and so did I. If we could go back in time and change things, I'm sure that both of us would. But since we can't, we just have to move forwards. Forgive and forget....well maybe not forget, but forgive and learn from our mistakes and experiences.

I feel like I've spent the majority of my life trying to figure out who I was, what I wanted, and where I wanted to go. Well, I'm 26, and after this second trip back from Korea, I feel like I finally have a clue. I spent too much time thinking about what I missed out on, the life I could have had, the language I should have grown up learning...instead I should be thinking about the life I can have with the opportunities that were given to me.

I think about my life, how I grew up in a Caucasian environment, not learning my language or culture, growing up wishing I was white just so I could fit in with the other kids so I wouldn't be teased anymore....but in reality, I should have been thinking about what my life could have been like if I wasn't adopted. I should be grateful. Grateful for the opportunities that I was given, that my parents gave me, because without them who knows where I would be. So in reality, overseas adoption should continue for the time being, because one must remember, it wasn't the children's fault, so don't make them suffer. At least if they are adopted to other countries, most likely they'll lead a better life. I did.

Watch this video. Listen to his story. It made me open my eyes and be thankful that I was adopted. Orphaned boy on Korean Talent Show

1st AAFF (Adoptee Art & Film Festival) in Seoul

The theme is 'Connect with Korea'. Adoptees from around the world submitted work through Goal and InKas to take part in this art and film festival. I believe it focuses primarily on short films, but artists were able to submit work in other mediums as well as long as they stayed with the theme. Artists are then compensated for their works and some even get half of their plane ticket compensated and free accommodations during the event.

They have an invitation event on facebook through InKas and here's a link to their main website. If you view the invitation event on facebook (English version), you'll see the event profile image, you'll also see my name on it towards the top! I submitted work and it will be displayed during the event! Wish I could go to it!

"Single Mothers are Ignorant Whores" - Ministry of Health and Welfare

http://thegrandnarrative.com/2011/11/10/korea-single-mothers/?mid=525

'I Am Unicorn'

anyone watch last weeks episode of Glee? 'I Am Unicorn'. It talks about adoption. Ya....not how adoption really works people. But good effort on trying....?

Not all Adoptees are created equal

Over the past 3 years, I've met a lot of nice Korean adoptees from all over the world. We all have similar yet different stories. But when it boils down to it, some Kads are just effing crazy. Lately I feel like a lot of adoptees hide behind their adoption and use it as an excuse as to why they act out, or don't fit in, or have identity problems...I know I do. But in reality, adopted or not, we all have our problems, and we're all in our own way....crazy. 

But it's not about why we're crazy, why we have these problems/issues. It's about what we are or aren't doing about them. Yes, I have a lot of identity problems resulting from my adoption because I don't feel like I fit in either in Korea or back in Minnesota. But rather than just keep playing the same record, I'm involving myself in the birth family search, because whether or not I actually find my family, I, in the end, will have hopefully found myself. 

KBS I miss that person

So my sis and I went on KBS show live this past Friday Aug 19, 2011. The link is online, but you need a log-in to watch it.

If I would have known exactly what it was like, I wouldn't have gone on it. Only because I would never want to meet my birth family for the first time live on tv....It was really awkward to watch two brothers reuniting on live television....

The show is completely scripted. We first had to fill out detailed paperwork along with an array of pictures of our life from our adoption to our current age (all pictures need specific ages too). The pre-interview was easy enough. We had to film a quick 30 second clip to advertise our story, then we just went over the script in detail to see how we answered every question. That was it. It took about 3 hours.

The day of the show, we arrived at 9am (we got lost...they gave us bad directions), then rehearsed after we met our translator. Then the show aired live from 11am-12pm. I got bored during the actual filming of the show since I didn't understand anything else that was going on. We went last, we were told that sometimes they run out of time, so they want short answers, and will also not ask as many questions either. They cut out some questions.

After the show, backstage, an older guy approaches us and tells us (thru translator) that he wants to help us by putting an ad about our search/story in a Korean newspaper. Then proceeds to tell us how we could possibly go about finding more information (which my genius friend already had told us about), he also made some calls and said he would check with some of his connections as well! How nice of him!

Later that evening, at KoRoot, I received a phone call from MBC, Korean broadcasting network. They said something about putting together a documentary about our search and how they had seen my sister and I on the KBS show earlier that morning. We haven't decided yet...

But KBS is a great way to get your story heard. I just wouldn't actually want to find my family through them, because remember, they are first and foremost a TV show that is looking for ratings....not your family.

Korea pictures #2

this time around I'm trying to take more artistic pictures. I'm also color correcting photos in photoshop before posting them online as well.

Korea Pictures #2