I take it not only a day at a time, but a moment at a time, and keep it at that pace. If you can be happy right now, then you'll always be happy, because it's always in the now. — Willie Nelson
Saturday, November 21, 2015 (DAY 1,355)
After completing a long day of English tutoring, I made my way through the weekend crowds in my custom-tailored suit I purchased in Vietnam nearly a year and a half ago. Arriving late, due to a miscommunication of directions from the hotel lobby, I walked into the downstairs restaurant of the posh Aventree Hotel in Jongno-gu that was entirely reserved for our group of 20 adoptees from around the world mixed in with business professionals and owners of companies in Seoul for InKAS Mentoring Day event. Tonight the Korean adoptees (#KADs) were represented by; the United States, Canada, Belgium, Holland (the Netherlands), France, Denmark, Sweden, and I think an Aussie snuck in there also. The night began with a plethora of Korean cuisines served buffet style before formal introductions from each of the attendees with the assistance of Andrew an adoptee from the U.S. that served as the MC Translator for the night. Many people do not realize that more than 200,000 children were adopted internationally since the Korean War ended in 1953, and nearly 5,000-6,000 adoptees return to Korea each year, either for short-term or long-term visits.
After completing a long day of English tutoring, I made my way through the weekend crowds in my custom-tailored suit I purchased in Vietnam nearly a year and a half ago. Arriving late, due to a miscommunication of directions from the hotel lobby, I walked into the downstairs restaurant of the posh Aventree Hotel in Jongno-gu that was entirely reserved for our group of 20 adoptees from around the world mixed in with business professionals and owners of companies in Seoul for InKAS Mentoring Day event. Tonight the Korean adoptees (#KADs) were represented by; the United States, Canada, Belgium, Holland (the Netherlands), France, Denmark, Sweden, and I think an Aussie snuck in there also. The night began with a plethora of Korean cuisines served buffet style before formal introductions from each of the attendees with the assistance of Andrew an adoptee from the U.S. that served as the MC Translator for the night. Many people do not realize that more than 200,000 children were adopted internationally since the Korean War ended in 1953, and nearly 5,000-6,000 adoptees return to Korea each year, either for short-term or long-term visits.
Tonight, however, was specifically set up for those of us that have chosen to come back to Korea for more indefinite stays, whether that be to continue searching for our birth families, reconnecting with our heritage, or a mixture of the various reasons that cannot be explained nor understood except by the adotpees themselves. While, this event was wonderful, it also allows us to shed light on the truthful fact that while we are all Korean, we are often overlooked from our physical appearance and lack of understanding the cultural etiquette and language of our Motherland, and jobs are often given to those that are Caucasian. While, practically all of the KADs I have met in the two-years of living in and out of Korea throughout my travels, most have all grown up in predominantly white families, neighborhoods, and schools. The term 'gyopo' (교포) is often referred to us, and this word can conjure up no emotion to very heated and sensitive wording-based upon whom you speak with. Tonight, however, was an evening that allowed us to make new friends, reconnect with some I haven't seen since leaving for Alaska and Colorado this past summer as well as making new professional relationships. Below is an *unedited short video of the President of InKAS as she thanks everyone for attending, especially those from the Sunfull organization, whose goal is to stop cyber-bullying both in Korea and around the globe, as well as other business owners that we got a chance to share in fantastic food, unlimited drinks, and exchanging of business cards and contact information.
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