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YOUR TRUE STORIES
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Adoptee Embraces Both Sides of Identity
y name is Kristen and I am a 22 year old college student that is also a Korean adoptee. Though I've had many confusing times and a hard search for cultural identity I feel that I've learned the balance and answer to my troubles and issues. I've basically educated myself on all the issues I've had where I was not educated regarding my culture and issues with being adopted. I've also realized that I live in America and I am American, therefore I am part of many cultures whether I like it or not, not just one. However I was also very lucky early on to have parents who taught me what they could about my culture and the beauty of it and who I was. Still, growing up in American society did not confirm what they told me. I was considered ugly and always compared myself to white girls and wanted to be like them. I was discriminated against not only by whites but every other race including my own, but it taught me never to want to make others feel that way. It taught me to read more and learn why people felt the way they did and how to defend myself and others through education of what I did not know. To address my own issues and others issues with me people, I basically read and talked with others because essentially the mind is power and can fight back. I read studies on Koreans who felt they were inferior and I decided that that would not be me, that I would be proud of every part of my heritage, American and Korean. That I would have friends of all races and find out whatever it was I did not know instead of feeling empty. I realize that to many Koreans (not all) I am considered white, well to all of them they are ignorant and just as judgemental as everyone they despise. I know just as much if not more about my culture as them and I am Korean, it is who I am, not something I try to be. I will not let others define me.
Yes my parents are white and I am proud that they taught me to be proud of who I am and who they are so i got the best of both worlds. Not to mention I have siblings of every race. I decided long ago if I let the world define me in terms of being adopted, less than, or race it would destroy me. So I've learned where I came from, how lucky I was to be adopted, where I am going, and that there is a lot more out there that I need to worry about than what others define me as or think. I am aware it is out there, I just choose to not let it affect me. I am currently doing a search on my birth parents because it is something very important and interesting for me to do for my personal, health, and educational goals. By the way I study anthropology and International studies. All of the issues and feelings of inadequacy have been finally addressed and dealt with and I feel great to say finally that I know I am just as good if not better than everyone else and that I wont compare myself to others in terms of race or inferiority. That's my story, I'm back to studying for finals wish me luck.!
Kristen
woloszy1@msu.edu
Sunday, December 01, 2002 at 15:51:43 (PST)
[35.8.218.217]
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