I was born in Seoul, South Korea where I lived with a foster family for the first few months of my life.
I then grew up in Pennsylvania with my adoptive family.
I was adopted at five months old.
I still daydream about searching for and finding my biological mother, but haven’t made any steps toward that just yet.
When I was younger, kids used to make fun of my features. Their jokes made me feel out of place and made it challenging to feel like I fit in anywhere.
I used to compare myself to celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston, and get so frustrated that I couldn’t morph myself into the “ideal” Caucasian build.
I have been trying to overcome some of these challenges by connecting with other adoptees, joining Facebook groups, getting involved with projects to raise awareness of adoption-related issues.
I've always felt that there is more to it than, "You're so lucky to have been adopted, you could have had a terrible life."
The first few years with my adoptive family were a bit rocky.
My parents divorced, and I lived with my grandparents for a few months so my mom could figure out important stuff like where we’d live. Eventually, things got better, and I have a great stepdad. I also have developed a strong relationship with my first adoptive dad.
This is the life I have always known, but I often wonder what life in Seoul would have been like. Would it have been as terrible as people say it would have been, growing up as a child to a young, unwed biological mother?
I went to college at Penn State, lived at home after graduation for about a year and then moved out so I could get a cat. I chose to stay nearby my adoptive family. We are a close family so I bought a house in the same town about 10 years ago where I live with my husband and two cats.
I am really proud of graduating from Penn State, having a good work ethic and not totally messing up this whole adulting thing.
I have ups and downs, but so does everybody else.
Just making it work, and working on myself is something to be proud of.
Prior to being adopted, I wish someone had captured a photo of my biological mother for me to have so I could actually know who I look like.
As far as plans for the future, in ten years I want to be a Licensed Professional Counselor working with children and adolescent adoptees and their families, specializing in overcoming adoption trauma, attachment problems and helping adoptees overcome those issues.
