G.O.A.L founding cut [link to GOAL's message, click to read]
Personally I as a Korean adoptee has never had to relay on your services although I know that many, many adoptees has been helped by them. It's obviously good that the Korean government is starting to realize that they need to change their approch for adoption in Korea.
Yet it seems like they are forgeting or neglecting to understand that it's not as easy to just move forward... What about the Korean adoptees that has been sent overseas already and what about the future adoptees ?
Shouldn't they be allowed some kind of help as well ? The government hopes that they will be able to discontinue their overseas adoption although I'm not convinced it will stop right away. That's why I still believe it is neccessary almost vital that G.O.A.L will be supported by the Korean state...
Other information says that this funding cut is seriously also affecting INKAS as well... Oh no, can't be. It just can't. What now ? What will happen (not only with thousands of Korean adoptees, but with the NGO organizations that so far has helped KADs?) And how will this new change of direction affect overseas Korean adoption? Will the already adopted KADs recieve no help starting from now, or what ?
I'm far from an activist, yet I'm a Korean adoptee...
Please don't read too much into this post, I'm very grateful and humble towards everything Korea and it's people has done for me so far (as an Korean adoptee).
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Future Plans
Perfect World
Korean Volunteering
Monday, 20 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Employee Benefits
This sort of employment benefits really makes me annoyed because you can't possibly compare a child to a fancy car, or let alone an increased salary can you ? A child is not something you can return if you might grow boored with it, regardless of explanation there's no excuse for putting a child into the world unless you love the other person. And have mentally prepared to become a parent. (But of course, there's children that aren't fortunate enough to grow up under such circumstances...)
It's actually true in 21th century Sweden a muncipality is offering their employees an extra benefit, they will be not only supported in their decision to become parents and start a family but also encouraged to do so because the population density is at a level that is very low...
At present the muncipality is enabling employees to start a family through both assisted pregnancy and adoption. (assisted pregnancy is a word I use to describe what I mean since I don't want to use such words in this blog). Should we really allow employers to make such a life changing decisions for us?
Shouldn't it be more important and best for all involved parts, if the employers didn't have to feel forced to use such carrots when they look for new employees? Isn't it almost like playing good?
I suppose you all heard about the woman's right to hear own body and right to chose abortion. Ultimately a life is always a life and the muncipality might feel like they've come up with a solution to ensure that they keep their staff while getting new at the same time as the population density is increasing...
But is it really morally correct ? I'm aware of the fact that both assisted pregnancy and adoption are hughly costly process to increase ones chances to become parents. And I do think it's good that we do have those options today. Yet, as far as I know the government is already supporting couples that decide they want to try these options... (the Swedish state supports assisted pregnancies that is, and you can get the montly child child support from state if you do adopt).
Is it really neccessary then to use such measures to ensure that your employees feel happy ? Isn't they forgeting something rather imortant, what about the child's right?
I'm not saying or implying that children born out of this solution are less loved than other children, what I'm saying is once more that people seems to consider it every person's right to become a parent. I'd say that is wrong, not all people are fit to become parents although a child does have a right to parents or at least economic security. (Which unfortunately isn't always met..)
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Discount Adoptee
Moral Dilemma
It's actually true in 21th century Sweden a muncipality is offering their employees an extra benefit, they will be not only supported in their decision to become parents and start a family but also encouraged to do so because the population density is at a level that is very low...
At present the muncipality is enabling employees to start a family through both assisted pregnancy and adoption. (assisted pregnancy is a word I use to describe what I mean since I don't want to use such words in this blog). Should we really allow employers to make such a life changing decisions for us?
Shouldn't it be more important and best for all involved parts, if the employers didn't have to feel forced to use such carrots when they look for new employees? Isn't it almost like playing good?
I suppose you all heard about the woman's right to hear own body and right to chose abortion. Ultimately a life is always a life and the muncipality might feel like they've come up with a solution to ensure that they keep their staff while getting new at the same time as the population density is increasing...
But is it really morally correct ? I'm aware of the fact that both assisted pregnancy and adoption are hughly costly process to increase ones chances to become parents. And I do think it's good that we do have those options today. Yet, as far as I know the government is already supporting couples that decide they want to try these options... (the Swedish state supports assisted pregnancies that is, and you can get the montly child child support from state if you do adopt).
Is it really neccessary then to use such measures to ensure that your employees feel happy ? Isn't they forgeting something rather imortant, what about the child's right?
I'm not saying or implying that children born out of this solution are less loved than other children, what I'm saying is once more that people seems to consider it every person's right to become a parent. I'd say that is wrong, not all people are fit to become parents although a child does have a right to parents or at least economic security. (Which unfortunately isn't always met..)
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Discount Adoptee
Moral Dilemma
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Moral Dilemma
Exactly how should a court rule and who's rights should be followed? What's in the best interest of a child ?
Remember, when I told you about the Swedish couple that was forced to surrender their adoptive child back to its birth mum?
Would it have been better for the little one to stay with it's adoptive parents or was it really better to return to its rightful mother?
This is a though one, because the little child had most likely started to feel some sort of connection with it's adoptive parents and it's birth mother had agreed to give the child up for adoption. But it's not illegal for a birth mum to revoke such a decision she's entitled to change her mind.'
I suppose it was better for the birth mum to make such a change of heart, while the child was still pretty young and it's better she do something about it while she's still protected by the law than to wait until it might be to late.
I hope that the Swedish couple one day will be able to become parents, because losing a child in such a way most be like emotional torture. Sometimes things might not be meant to be, I know it may be little comfort in those words but still... What can you really say, it most be one of the worst nightmares for adoptive parents to experience.. Isn't that exactly what they all are fearing..!?
To be a parent your children doesn't have to be alive or live with you... But the loss is still the same...
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
What's Seoul
Regrets
Discount Adoptee
Remember, when I told you about the Swedish couple that was forced to surrender their adoptive child back to its birth mum?
Would it have been better for the little one to stay with it's adoptive parents or was it really better to return to its rightful mother?
This is a though one, because the little child had most likely started to feel some sort of connection with it's adoptive parents and it's birth mother had agreed to give the child up for adoption. But it's not illegal for a birth mum to revoke such a decision she's entitled to change her mind.'
I suppose it was better for the birth mum to make such a change of heart, while the child was still pretty young and it's better she do something about it while she's still protected by the law than to wait until it might be to late.
I hope that the Swedish couple one day will be able to become parents, because losing a child in such a way most be like emotional torture. Sometimes things might not be meant to be, I know it may be little comfort in those words but still... What can you really say, it most be one of the worst nightmares for adoptive parents to experience.. Isn't that exactly what they all are fearing..!?
To be a parent your children doesn't have to be alive or live with you... But the loss is still the same...
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
What's Seoul
Regrets
Discount Adoptee
Friday, 17 June 2011
Korea Here I Come
My itenerary is planned and the tickets are booked.. finally.
I'll be in Korea again after only a year.. ghess who would have thought that actually would happen...?
Maybe you wonder how I got the money to go on such a trip, well not that it matters but for the sake of it I'll tell you that it was a gift from a relative and I'm extremely grateful. But I'm still unemployed living on my parents that is... I'll deal with that after my trip...
I'm not exactly sure what I hope this second trip will bring that I wasn't able to experience the first time around... I might have to high expectations, maybe this trip will become more difficult and challenging than my first trip... But as of right now I'm not sure of what this trip will lead to....
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Happy Chuseok
Future Plans
Vivid Dreams
I'll be in Korea again after only a year.. ghess who would have thought that actually would happen...?
Maybe you wonder how I got the money to go on such a trip, well not that it matters but for the sake of it I'll tell you that it was a gift from a relative and I'm extremely grateful. But I'm still unemployed living on my parents that is... I'll deal with that after my trip...
I'm not exactly sure what I hope this second trip will bring that I wasn't able to experience the first time around... I might have to high expectations, maybe this trip will become more difficult and challenging than my first trip... But as of right now I'm not sure of what this trip will lead to....
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Happy Chuseok
Future Plans
Vivid Dreams
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Discount Adoptee
This might be a beautiful thought I'm not sure, but my adoptive parents were able to have a second child some years after my arrival. The government stepped in and offered some kind of adoptee discount or adoptee state funding for a second adoptive child. Which would ensure that adoptive children didn't have to grow up as single children, if the adoptive parents would like to have more than one child regardless of economic status that is...
I can understand the purpose of it, but personally I know that the notion of my adoptive brother never can replace the loss from my birth family. Yet I also know that my adoptive brother feels more like my real brother and in a way we are because we were both raised by the same (adoptive) parents.
But somehow this makes me feel like an item for sale, but the only difference is that it's not items it's human beings, innocent children, in some cases even orphans. Buy three get, the third one for free or buy two for one. Those kind of deals, which I think most of you are more familar with...
Of course adoptive parents might be able to help two unfortunate children instead of only one, although some might argue that doing that only would make them responsible for separating two families or alienating two children instead of one.
I'd say everything is relative, there's benefits and negatives to every aspect in life. Some might have benefited from adoption more than others, while some feel might feel the opposite.. No, there's no easy answer just follow your heart and stay true to yourself and the things that you believe in...
I'm not against a state funding per see but I'm afraid that such a knowledge to be known by the adoptees might cause a permanent feeling of inferiority complex. Sort of like knowing that yes I was adopted, so was my younger sibling/siblings but they are worth less then me.
Is the eldest child's life more valuable than the life of a younger child? How are the agencies and adoptive parents supposed to handle this dilemma ? Should they tell their children about this or not?
If the agencies and state's insists of keeping this wouldn't it be better if such information was made sealed (as to not harm the adoptees)? Should adoptive children be allowed access of such information?
Isn't it like putting a prize tag on love ?
Please be aware that I'm not against people that wants to adopt, not even those who might consider adopting more than once. I'm only asking what good such knowledge could be to the ones involved; the adoptees.
I almost forgot that yes, I generally suppport people's rights to become parents, but it's more important to safeguard the right of the adoptee instead of the prospective adoptive parents. Just a day or so ago I learned that a Swedish couple had adopted a little boy and they were overjoyed with happiness. But the final documents which would have abolished the birth mother's parental right wasn't signed yet and the time for the birth mother to retake her child had not passed. So it just so happened that the birth mother in fact did ask to regain her child, the one she recently had given up.
This might not be related to my main message of this post but I still think it is just as important. Yet I'm not familiar with particular case, neither do I know this couple. This last piece might add nothing of importance to the actual post other than reminding me of what's important for future posts...
(Which of course again, could be discussed... what's important to me might not be important to you)...
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Adoption Swedish Style
Word Of Advice
Swedish Agencies
Pain And Greif
Return To Sender
I can understand the purpose of it, but personally I know that the notion of my adoptive brother never can replace the loss from my birth family. Yet I also know that my adoptive brother feels more like my real brother and in a way we are because we were both raised by the same (adoptive) parents.
But somehow this makes me feel like an item for sale, but the only difference is that it's not items it's human beings, innocent children, in some cases even orphans. Buy three get, the third one for free or buy two for one. Those kind of deals, which I think most of you are more familar with...
Of course adoptive parents might be able to help two unfortunate children instead of only one, although some might argue that doing that only would make them responsible for separating two families or alienating two children instead of one.
I'd say everything is relative, there's benefits and negatives to every aspect in life. Some might have benefited from adoption more than others, while some feel might feel the opposite.. No, there's no easy answer just follow your heart and stay true to yourself and the things that you believe in...
I'm not against a state funding per see but I'm afraid that such a knowledge to be known by the adoptees might cause a permanent feeling of inferiority complex. Sort of like knowing that yes I was adopted, so was my younger sibling/siblings but they are worth less then me.
Is the eldest child's life more valuable than the life of a younger child? How are the agencies and adoptive parents supposed to handle this dilemma ? Should they tell their children about this or not?
If the agencies and state's insists of keeping this wouldn't it be better if such information was made sealed (as to not harm the adoptees)? Should adoptive children be allowed access of such information?
Isn't it like putting a prize tag on love ?
Please be aware that I'm not against people that wants to adopt, not even those who might consider adopting more than once. I'm only asking what good such knowledge could be to the ones involved; the adoptees.
I almost forgot that yes, I generally suppport people's rights to become parents, but it's more important to safeguard the right of the adoptee instead of the prospective adoptive parents. Just a day or so ago I learned that a Swedish couple had adopted a little boy and they were overjoyed with happiness. But the final documents which would have abolished the birth mother's parental right wasn't signed yet and the time for the birth mother to retake her child had not passed. So it just so happened that the birth mother in fact did ask to regain her child, the one she recently had given up.
This might not be related to my main message of this post but I still think it is just as important. Yet I'm not familiar with particular case, neither do I know this couple. This last piece might add nothing of importance to the actual post other than reminding me of what's important for future posts...
(Which of course again, could be discussed... what's important to me might not be important to you)...
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Adoption Swedish Style
Word Of Advice
Swedish Agencies
Pain And Greif
Return To Sender
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Korean Volunteering
Just a thought and a likely possibility...
And since GOAL has been forced to close down due to lack of government funding this leaves KOROOT and TRACK.
Although I suspect that KOROOT also might be somewhat affected of this funding cut...
I'm only interested in trying to help the (Korean) adoption community somehow... And since it seems very likely that I'll be spending an extended holiday there I thought I could make myself useful there while I try to look for a job.
Life's pretty funny (don't get my wrong for using that expression) I know some (Korean) people that never had the possibility that I had, but I still do say that I suffered an emotional scare from that. A permanent one, although I never would try to compare my loss and pain to someone else's.
To live as an orphan and homeless most be such a challenge I acknowledge that, and I will hopefully never know what that feels like. Or to live as a single mother trying to raise your child while trying to earn a living, another challenge one that to me seems just as distant as the first one...
Sweden might not be able to offer me the thing I'm desperately searching for, the thing I still havn't successfully found.. I might be able to find exactly that in Korea. I'm still searching for a place to call my own, to call my home. A place where I belong, where people will not judge me but kind to me.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Pain And Greif
Perfect World
And since GOAL has been forced to close down due to lack of government funding this leaves KOROOT and TRACK.
Although I suspect that KOROOT also might be somewhat affected of this funding cut...
I'm only interested in trying to help the (Korean) adoption community somehow... And since it seems very likely that I'll be spending an extended holiday there I thought I could make myself useful there while I try to look for a job.
Life's pretty funny (don't get my wrong for using that expression) I know some (Korean) people that never had the possibility that I had, but I still do say that I suffered an emotional scare from that. A permanent one, although I never would try to compare my loss and pain to someone else's.
To live as an orphan and homeless most be such a challenge I acknowledge that, and I will hopefully never know what that feels like. Or to live as a single mother trying to raise your child while trying to earn a living, another challenge one that to me seems just as distant as the first one...
Sweden might not be able to offer me the thing I'm desperately searching for, the thing I still havn't successfully found.. I might be able to find exactly that in Korea. I'm still searching for a place to call my own, to call my home. A place where I belong, where people will not judge me but kind to me.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Pain And Greif
Perfect World
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are not store bought, but home made from scratch.
Related posts:
Monday, 13 June 2011
The Maze
If I was to describe my opinion or standpoint of international adoption it for sure would be maze. Because that is honestly how I feel, the world isn't just black and white anymore. Some things are simply to complicated to be easilly dismissed.
And while there are certain aspects in adoption that generally makes people believe it truely would be better compared to if things was unchanged. That is mostly true since there are a lot of adoptees that benefits somewhat from adoption. But they also seems to lose out on other things at the expense of adoption.
Sometimes adoption does make me think that adoption is a market and the items for sale are innocent children and infants. I would consider myself lucky but I'm still very much aware of what I've lost because of someone's decision to place me up for adoption.
And thing that really hurts is that it wasn't anyone of my birth parents that made that decision, someone else made that decision for them acting as my birth father. How am I to get over that ? Yes, adoption can be seen as a sacrifice or unwanted gift but what if it never was considered a gift to begin with? Instead of a promised future that new life was yet another burden.. What then?
Please note that the last part including my personal family history shouldn't be seen as criticism to neither of my birth parents. They did their best, they were never bad people. As for my adoptive parents, they were just as innocent as my birth parents. I love all four of them and I blame neither. I just want to throw in another perspective into the mix.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
The Wall
The Weil
Adoption Circle
And while there are certain aspects in adoption that generally makes people believe it truely would be better compared to if things was unchanged. That is mostly true since there are a lot of adoptees that benefits somewhat from adoption. But they also seems to lose out on other things at the expense of adoption.
Sometimes adoption does make me think that adoption is a market and the items for sale are innocent children and infants. I would consider myself lucky but I'm still very much aware of what I've lost because of someone's decision to place me up for adoption.
And thing that really hurts is that it wasn't anyone of my birth parents that made that decision, someone else made that decision for them acting as my birth father. How am I to get over that ? Yes, adoption can be seen as a sacrifice or unwanted gift but what if it never was considered a gift to begin with? Instead of a promised future that new life was yet another burden.. What then?
Please note that the last part including my personal family history shouldn't be seen as criticism to neither of my birth parents. They did their best, they were never bad people. As for my adoptive parents, they were just as innocent as my birth parents. I love all four of them and I blame neither. I just want to throw in another perspective into the mix.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
The Wall
The Weil
Adoption Circle
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Perfect World
What's a perfect world to you ? Is it a world without international adoption? See my posts Society's Pressure
and Unconditional Love from my other blog. (Yes, it's still going strong. )
Ask yourself if it really would be better, I'm not convinced myself...
Contrary to with you may believe there are quiet a few children in Sweden that are poor, they seem to be found in single parents households. Imagine not being able to eat til you're full and the one meal you have are the school lunch. Going the entire weekend with no food, not being able to go on school activities because of that extra added cost. Never being able to go at a friend's birthday party because you know you never can repay them or being forced to stay at home while all your friends go on overseas vacations. What if you weren't even able to visit your closest family because they lived to far away ?
As I'm writing this post just minutes ago I learned that GOAL has been forced to close down due to lack of funding...
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Korean
Unpatriotic Swede
Dual Citizenship
Swedish Agencies
Swedish Politics
Adoption Swedish Style
and Unconditional Love from my other blog. (Yes, it's still going strong. )
Ask yourself if it really would be better, I'm not convinced myself...
Contrary to with you may believe there are quiet a few children in Sweden that are poor, they seem to be found in single parents households. Imagine not being able to eat til you're full and the one meal you have are the school lunch. Going the entire weekend with no food, not being able to go on school activities because of that extra added cost. Never being able to go at a friend's birthday party because you know you never can repay them or being forced to stay at home while all your friends go on overseas vacations. What if you weren't even able to visit your closest family because they lived to far away ?
As I'm writing this post just minutes ago I learned that GOAL has been forced to close down due to lack of funding...
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Korean
Unpatriotic Swede
Dual Citizenship
Swedish Agencies
Swedish Politics
Adoption Swedish Style
Saturday, 11 June 2011
시조
Since learning Korean the thought of writing a poem in Korean has been a thought that has entered my mind more then once. And since others (not me) has told me that I'm talanted in writing (Swedish) poems as well as painting I might want to try that one day.
Apparently a Korean poem is called Sijo or 시조 and after some research I've discovered that there are a few rules that you basically needs to follow.
I think my Sijo would start with something like ...
Related posts:
Korean Writers
Famous Koreans
Apparently a Korean poem is called Sijo or 시조 and after some research I've discovered that there are a few rules that you basically needs to follow.
I think my Sijo would start with something like ...
엄마 미안해.아버지가 날 용서하십시오.난 더 이상 귀하의 언어를 말할 수 없다는 걸.너도 내 모국어를 이해할 수있다.저는 한국어 배울 아니라 항상 우리 사이에는 큰 차이가있을 것입니다.난 나이 형제 자매가 모두 젊은 세.그러나 그들은 내 형제처럼 느끼지 않는다.미안 해요, 용서하세요.나는 한국 알았다면 널 향한 내 사랑과 헌신을 선포 것이다.당신을 사랑합니다.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Korean Writers
Famous Koreans
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