National Adoption Month
November is National adoption month and I am telling more of my story, enjoy the installment.
Throughout my childhood my adoption was no big kept secret. My family would talk about age appropriate details and as I matured so did the conversations. I personally, did a lot or pushing away and denial of anything Chinese or making me ‘not white’.
At the time of my adoption my family lived in Alaska. However, a few years later we moved (back) to china with the intention of adopting a sister, Kelly. However, SARS hit and we left the country before the adoption was realized. Our family joke is now that my ‘sister, Kelly’ is the favorite- perfect child because she does no wrong.
While in China I attended a kindergarten like program. One of the highlights was the calisthenic time. A child was chosen to stand in front with the teachers to lead the stretches each day. I was so happy and proud when I was picked. Luckily, my parents even got the moment on film. Pictures included.
Today, adoption is definitely an open dialogue that I am glad isn’t sugar coated or over dramatized. It is simply facts and then I am able to form my own thoughts, opinions and ideas around said facts.
Here I use the term ‘fact’ lightly because honestly, we have no idea how much of my earlier story is true or even possibly fabricated for the sake of paperwork, monitory gains or other reasons.
I am learning about adoption, myself, my birth culture and I am even learning to love my most difficult questions that will likely never be answered.
I am speaking from my own life experiences and opinions as a transracial adoptee. Please recognise everyone is entitled to their own views and may have different experiences.
