Hi all, I just thought I would forward a few youtube videos along to all of you. I was looking at a few new films by Eric Byler, and well-known Asian American filmmaker and stumbled upon these videos of adoptee Stephanie Drenka. In one video she describes meeting her foster mother, and finding out information about her birth father. Pretty moving stuff, and it’s courageous of her to put her thoughts out to the world. Take a look-GS
Stephanie’s Blog —> CLICK HERE
Thanks to K@W for updating the list of KADS participating in this year’s olympics. It appears that there is a Korean Adoptee on Team USA’s Field Hockey Team. Take a look.
Hockey start
Bashore began playing field hockey at the age of 15, when the coach at Hamburg High School coach approached her about the possibility of playing the sport. Four years later, she had secured a scholarship to play at Indiana University. She is the only Hoosier on Team USA.
Go Hoosiers
Bashore led Indiana to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance in her senior season, 2005. The 2005 Big Ten Player of the Year, she was also a first team All-American and was a finalist for the Honda Award representing College Field Hockey’s top player. Bashore made her first appearance on the senior national team in August of that year.
A student athlete
Bashore graduated from Indiana with a degree in both biology and chemistry, no small feat for a Division I athlete, who spent time during her collegiate career on the junior national team and USA developmental squads.
Found this article while searching for adoptees in the Olympics. It’s a very short story on Chinese adoptees, their families and their views of the Olympics. I agree with the one parent who was careful in stating that while watching the Olympics in Beijing with her children was enlightening it isn’t necessarily something she can claim as helping them learn their culture. Which I think is a sentiment widely shared by several of the other parents in this article. I agree. It’s enlightening, but to say you are teaching your children Chinese culture by allowing them to stay up late and watch the Olympics is a bit of a stretch for me. But again it’s nice that these adoptees have someone to look up to in Corrie Lothrop. GS
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Parents who adopted children from China are turning the Olympics into a celebration — with parades, tree plantings and potluck Chinese dinners around big flat-screen televisions.
Since 1991, about 68,000 children from China have been adopted by U.S. families, according to the State Department’s count of required visas. Many families of the mostly girl adoptees already were taking great pride in their histories through Chinese language classes and the celebration of Chinese festivals.
The Games, they say, are a natural extension.
“The Olympics are serving as just another springboard for her to see firsthand her native country,” said Katie Golembeski of New Milford, Conn., who has an 11-year-old daughter.
“We will be glued to the TV watching all of the events and are looking forward to seeing some of the background stories about China — customs, food, living conditions.”
Deb Capone of Southampton, N.Y., who has an 8-year-old girl, is hosting a parade of children from China and elsewhere around the world.
“We aren’t using the Olympics as a way to teach Chinese culture per se,” Capone said. “That said, the positive images of China and its people is very important to her, and she is feeling quite proud of being Chinese.”Betsy Vonk of Lawrence ville, Ga., and her two daughters, ages 12 and 9, took her daughters back to China two years ago and is hoping they see things on television that they saw when they were there.
“I think it’s a really great opportunity for our children to see China is a very positive light and feel good about that connection and their heritage,” she said.
While seeing their country is pretty cool, many of the kids are more excited about certain sports, such as gymnastics, diving and soccer, finding kinship with athletes like Corrie Lothrop, who was adopted from China and is an alternate for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team.
“I asked my kids not too long ago who they were going to be rooting for,” Vonk said. “One of them said I’m rooting for the United States and China. Another one said, ‘Both, of course.’ “
It’s Olympics time, and I’m sure many of you saw the opening ceremony this past weekend. It’s been a great Olympics thus far, but I thought I’d take time to break down the adoptees who are competing in this year’s Beijing Olympics. A majority of this I found while cruising around online and from many of you. Thanks for your suggestions!
Some of these athletes may not actually make it through the trials or qualifying matches in the Olympics, but I wish them success in the future, and it is a testament to their commitment and passion for their sport. I’d like to acknowledge all their efforts and congratulate them on their successes. Great work! GS
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Lopez Lomong - USA, 1,500 meter
Eight years ago, Lopez Lomong didn’t even have a country. Now he’ll be carrying the flag for his adopted nation, leading the U.S. Olympic team at opening ceremonies Friday night.
Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, won a vote of team captains Wednesday to earn the honor of leading America’s contingent into the 90,000-seat Bird’s Nest Stadium.
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In 1977, Reese’s unmarried, teenage mother could barely make ends meet. Then, at the age of four, Reese burned down his family’s house while playing with a lighter. Not long after, his mother dropped Reese and his brother off at an orphanage.
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Mara Perscheid - Tae Kwon Do, USA
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Lothrop did ask her father, Don, during the week if he wanted anything special for Father’s Day, and he replied: “A hit meet would be nice.”
And last Saturday, Don received an early Father’s Day gift from Corrie, certainly the best yet.
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Jessica Long - Paralympic swimming.
Jessica was born in Russia in 1992 without the fibula bones in her lower legs. She was adopted from Irkutsk, Russia at 13 months. her parents realized that her legs would have to be removed below the knees (because there were misshapen feel protruding from the small portion of the leg below the knee).
I had heard about the movie Robot Stories for quite some time but have had trouble finding it until recently. I was finally able to get it on Netflix.
Robot Stories involves a virtually all Asian American cast and revolves around four stories of families and individuals’ interactions with robots. I enjoyed each story, but one in particular that I thought I’d share was the first.
The first story, starring Tamlyn Tomita, portrays a middle-aged Asian American couple’s quest to adopt a baby. The whole notion of an Asian American family adopting is a progressive one-yet increasing in popularity. CAUTION SPOILER AHEAD.
The couple is given a robot as a literal litmus test for whether they are ready for parenthood. The rotund little robot looks like a large egg and exhibits all the tendencies of a newborn. Tomita’s character cuts corners as she consults her dad on ways to hardwire the robot to receive programming code that will reflect that she has taken care of the baby while her partner is away on business. Yet it all backfires in the end and she is reminded of her own past as a child growing up. Although it’s a short story, I found it entertaining and was appreciative that Director Greg Pak added a new dimension to transracial Asian adoption.
I suggest you check it out if you can. GS
Hi all - Here’s some information about an organization that I have mentioned in the past. It’s called Doongji and means “nest” in Korean. It’s an org that supports KADs both visit Korea and attempt to track down birth parents. I can’t personally vouch for it since I haven’t used it, but I do think it’s a great service they provide and you should look into it if you’re interested in both visiting Korean and conducting a birth search. GS
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My name is John Kim and I work for agency call Doongji.
Doongji ( meaning a “nest” in Korean ) is an association of people to give a little support to our brothers and sisters who were adopted abroad, so they can visit their mother country.
About couple of month ago, one of our participants from France visited our agency asking for help to find his birth parents and got the chance to meet his birth mother. Doongji still keeps a good relationship with both participant and his mother through translating their exchanging letters. And again, this participant is coming to see his mother next month and Doongji also will be there for them. Like this story, Doongji knows the importance of keeping a good relationship with every participants who have visited our agency.
If anyone of you or your friends have interested in visiting Korea or finding birth parents, please contact us. Doongji will try our best to support your needs including airport pick-up and finding homestays. We won’t charge you anything for these services. For more information, please visit our website at www.nestkorea.com or contact us by e-mail nestkorea@hotmail.com
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
John gun-young Kim
Doongji (NestKorea)
Adoption officials said DNA tests indicated that a Guatemalan baby reported stolen from her mother was being adopted by an American couple. Jaime Tecu, director of a team of experts reviewing all pending Guatemalan adoptions, said the test results represented the first time officials had directly linked a baby reported stolen by its mother to the country’s fraud-plagued adoption system. The authorities have long said that children were stolen or bought before thousands of pending adoptions were frozen in May.
The child’s mother, Ana Escobar, said armed men locked her in a closet in March 2007 at the family’s shoe store north of Guatemala City and took the 6-month-old. She spent months searching hospitals and orphanages.
As with many of these stories, this one is just as tragic and as graphic. A baby was found dead in a plastic bag in a garbage bin in Fontana California. It was November of 2006 that another baby was found dead and abandoned-a crime that finds the mother of this most recent death facing murder charges if she is found.
California however, is a state like many others, with safe surrender laws allowing for birth mother’s to relinquish their children 72 hours after birth at either a hospital or fire station. Since the bill’s passing, state social workers have found it to be effective. However, abandonments and deaths of babies are still prevalent in this particular county.
While the Governor seems unmoved by this sort of legislation, 50 states in the country have adopted safe surrender laws, with another 31 states allowing for up to seven days for birth mother’s to relinquish their children.
It’s a case that reminds us of the ongoing discussions in Asia regarding Public Baby Cradles. Countries continue to debate the pros and cons associated with having not just safe surrender legislation, but anonymous wards to relinquish their children to.
Take a look at the article. GS
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Republican nominee John McCain spoke out against same-sex families adopting children.
As many of you know, Senator McCain’s daughter is an adoptee from Bangladesh. I first noticed a short article in the Metro just today with Senator McCain’s remarks about adoption being reserved for “Traditional” families such as his own. Campaign staff clarified after the fact that McCain should have mentioned he believed the right of same-sex couples to adopt should not be in the national spotlight, and that it should be a state’s right to decide.
The Metro article was prompted by a recent interview in the NY Times where Senator McCain said “we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.”
McCain was later asked if he was presented with the option of a same-sex couple as parents or for abandoned children to remain in orphanages that his “concern” would be for a child to be placed only with a “traditional couple.” It is a remark that has sparked wide concern about his stance on adoption considering his own situation as an adoptive father.
Since then, various news sources such as the Boston Globe and many glbtq adoption advocates have criticized the senator for his callous and insensitive remarks.
I can’t say I’m surprised by Senator McCain’s remarks on adoption. I am incredibly shamed that a senator and presidential nominee would be so callous with his remarks, ESPECIALLY as an adoptive parent. I would love to see what his adopted daughter would have to say about this. I’m going to search and see if she has a blog in the meantime.
Here is the transcript blurb where McCain refers to adoption.
“Q: President Bush believes that gay couples should not be permitted to adopt children. Do you agree with that?
Mr. McCain: I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.
Q: Even if the alternative is the kid staying in an orphanage, or not having parents.
Mr. McCain: I encourage adoption and I encourage the opportunities for people to adopt children I encourage the process being less complicated so they can adopt as quickly as possible. And Cindy and I are proud of being adoptive parents.
Q: But your concern would be that the couple should a traditional couple
Mr. McCain: Yes.”
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As some of you may be aware of, Korean cinema is beginning to take note of the growing numbers of Korean Adoptees searching for their roots. Daniel Henney’s new movie (which I have yet to see) recently starred in the Korean film “My Father” (2007) as a Korean adoptee returning to Korea in search of his birth father.
Last night I saw “Please Teach Me English,” another Korean movie about a young government clerk who meets a man in her English class who is searching for his sister who was put up for adoption and lives in NY. (POTENTIAL MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD)
While the movie is cute in the usual Korean cinema sort of way, the adoption concept and casting I found to be a bit poor. The girl who plays the adoptee is almost expressionless when she first meets her birth mother in the film. In fact she almost casually introduces herself to her birth mother without any emotion, “Mother? Hi my name is Victoria it’s good to see you.” (or something to that extent). The actress who plays the mother however seemed to get the role a little better.
I think in many ways the interactions in this family embodies the shame that some Koreans have felt about adoptees who now call their home in countries such as the US. It’s an attitude that we all know is slowly changing, as domestic adoption becomes more socially acceptable, but is still fairly common today.
Although the adoption theme doesn’t necessarily consume the entire movie, it is proof that the stories of Korean adoptees are not absent in the mind of the Korean general public. It’s around two hours, and carries the same themes, and plot as most Korean lovestories, but it’s nice to see one more film giving adoptees a nod of legitimacy. I’d give it three and a half to four stars as a whole.
If you know of another Korean movie with an adoptee character or theme to it let me know, I’d be interested to know what you think. GS
