I am a Korean adoptee, I was born with jaundice and treated in hospital and relinquished for adoption when I was only an infant. I spent a couple of months in an orphanage and was adopted to Sweden when I was 2,5 months old. I was raised with a younger (adoptive) brother , so we're not really really related. But if you ask my parents they can verify that we thought just as real siblings would and yes, I love him as he is my real brother. The place were I grew up was a Caucasian neighbourhood, so there weren't many other KADs or even adoptees around. It meant that I stock out a bit while growing up and I was occassionally teased.
I decided to look for my first family at age 15, I was interested in finding my first parents and to know who I resembled if any. Yet I knew there would be a slight chance that my parents wouldn't be alive back then. But they were and I soon established contact with my siblings.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Tears Time
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Monday, 19 March 2012
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Tears, Time And Thoughts
When I first started this blog I had already familiarized myself with blogging, so it wasn't something completely new.And already back then I HAD established contact with my Korean family BUT I had yet to meet them face to face...
My first year or so I was the steroetypical adoptee; angry,sad, and feeling betrayed. It's taken me a lot time and many, many tears and thoughts to come too the place where I am now. Metaphorically speaking that is, I used to have this friend another adoptee but not KAD and things started to go down hill once I decided I wanted met my birth family... I have done so twice now and while I discovered my goal in life, the same friend could no longer understand my thoughts, opinions or wishes.
Now when I think about it I think I reminded this person of their own thoughts and whishes, if not directly maybe unconciously if anything else. My own thoughts about identity and adoption became difficult for this friend to listen to, and more importantly I found something that this friend might never find (if they don't decide to do something to look for information ) anyways we're no longer friends. Who needs a friend who turn their back on you when you need them the most ?
I've realized that it's ok to feel love for my first family and the one I live with, it is even allright for me to have the goal of moving to Korea. It's doable - if there's a will there's way and there's definitely a will. What's so wrong about wanting to move Korea when other people move to Norway or settle down in Spain !?
Why should my dream be considered as unreachable when in fact I do have every reason to because I have family there. Yes I call them family - we share the same flesh and blood so that makes us family. And also I feel like I've been robbed of things with my sisters especially and I would like to get to know them all better and the only way that would be a real possibility is if I would move to Korea. I'm lucky because my mum and dad totally support me in this goal they even say they UNDERSTAND and are willing to help me realize my dream.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Reunion Reflection
Expectations
Frendships
My first year or so I was the steroetypical adoptee; angry,sad, and feeling betrayed. It's taken me a lot time and many, many tears and thoughts to come too the place where I am now. Metaphorically speaking that is, I used to have this friend another adoptee but not KAD and things started to go down hill once I decided I wanted met my birth family... I have done so twice now and while I discovered my goal in life, the same friend could no longer understand my thoughts, opinions or wishes.
Now when I think about it I think I reminded this person of their own thoughts and whishes, if not directly maybe unconciously if anything else. My own thoughts about identity and adoption became difficult for this friend to listen to, and more importantly I found something that this friend might never find (if they don't decide to do something to look for information ) anyways we're no longer friends. Who needs a friend who turn their back on you when you need them the most ?
I've realized that it's ok to feel love for my first family and the one I live with, it is even allright for me to have the goal of moving to Korea. It's doable - if there's a will there's way and there's definitely a will. What's so wrong about wanting to move Korea when other people move to Norway or settle down in Spain !?
Why should my dream be considered as unreachable when in fact I do have every reason to because I have family there. Yes I call them family - we share the same flesh and blood so that makes us family. And also I feel like I've been robbed of things with my sisters especially and I would like to get to know them all better and the only way that would be a real possibility is if I would move to Korea. I'm lucky because my mum and dad totally support me in this goal they even say they UNDERSTAND and are willing to help me realize my dream.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Reunion Reflection
Expectations
Frendships
Friday, 16 March 2012
Himalaya Poems
As I begun reading the Nobel Prize Literature I after a while discovered that I do in fact like to read poetry as well as writing my own poems. I don't do that as often as I used to though, but happens... I was positively surprised once I learned about Korean poet Ko Un.
I really enjoy reading any kind of poetry but so far Stories and The Pilgrimage by Ko Un have become two of my favorites.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Nothing To Envy
Somewhere Inside
Nobel Books
A Slower pace, a somewhat slower pace will do.Of a sudden should it start to rain, let yourself get soaked.An old friend the rain. One thing alone is beautiful; setting off.The world's to a waste, to live in a single place, or three or four.Walk on and on, until the sun sets, with your old accomplice, shadow, late as ever.If the day clouds over go on anyways, regardless.The Pilgrimage, Ko Un.
There are stories. There are people telling stories and people listening to them. The room is full of the breath of the stories . That is enough.Stories, Ko Un.
I really enjoy reading any kind of poetry but so far Stories and The Pilgrimage by Ko Un have become two of my favorites.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Nothing To Envy
Somewhere Inside
Nobel Books
Thursday, 15 March 2012
SOS
Where are those happy days, they seem to hard to find
I try to reach for you but you have closed your mind
Whatever happened to our love ? I wish I understood
It used to feel so nice, it used to be so good
So when you're near, darling can't yoyu hear me SOS
The love you gave me, nothing else can save me SOS
When you're gone how can I even try to go on?
When you're gone, well I try, how can I carry on ?
You seem so far but you are standing near
You make me feel alive but something died I fear
I really tried to make it out I wish I understood
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/sos-lyrics-abba/5457bc980fc4f27648256bc6001f701b
해피호이트데이^^
안녕히계세요!
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
I Have A Dream
I try to reach for you but you have closed your mind
Whatever happened to our love ? I wish I understood
It used to feel so nice, it used to be so good
So when you're near, darling can't yoyu hear me SOS
The love you gave me, nothing else can save me SOS
When you're gone how can I even try to go on?
When you're gone, well I try, how can I carry on ?
You seem so far but you are standing near
You make me feel alive but something died I fear
I really tried to make it out I wish I understood
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/sos-lyrics-abba/5457bc980fc4f27648256bc6001f701b
해피호이트데이^^
안녕히계세요!
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
I Have A Dream
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
안녕하세요!
Being adopted from another country is complicated enough , but add the fact that you've managed to find and reunite with your first family might make people question you. It's true that I have family relation in Korea and a larger one at that, and it's also true that -I'd like to move there in the future like for real not just as a tourist or on holidays. No, I want the real thing.
And I'm certain that my family shares that feeling of wanting to get to know me, because we're family and share the same parents by blood. But I would never take advantage of their love and hospitality. Once I did that for like a month, but to ask them to take me in for a longer period is not something I'd do because even though I'm their younger sibling they have no legal responsibility to care for me for one and I'm an adult and have been one for many years now. I don't expect them to support me economically, I have my own mum and dad who I know will help me in times of need.
But I love my mother, father older sisters and younger brother more than any words ever could say. But I guess this sort of relationship might not be so common, at least I've never heard of one... Maybe it's natural and not what the first adoptive parents imagined that life would become. Having two of everything is a blessing, but it doesn't seem to be that common among people in the real world. And it's complicated because you are family, but you might not speak the same lanuage or share the same costums and traditions and more importantly there are no legally binding ties that makes your first family responsible for you. But even so this relationship is just as important and real as my other ones.
And I'm certain that my family shares that feeling of wanting to get to know me, because we're family and share the same parents by blood. But I would never take advantage of their love and hospitality. Once I did that for like a month, but to ask them to take me in for a longer period is not something I'd do because even though I'm their younger sibling they have no legal responsibility to care for me for one and I'm an adult and have been one for many years now. I don't expect them to support me economically, I have my own mum and dad who I know will help me in times of need.
But I love my mother, father older sisters and younger brother more than any words ever could say. But I guess this sort of relationship might not be so common, at least I've never heard of one... Maybe it's natural and not what the first adoptive parents imagined that life would become. Having two of everything is a blessing, but it doesn't seem to be that common among people in the real world. And it's complicated because you are family, but you might not speak the same lanuage or share the same costums and traditions and more importantly there are no legally binding ties that makes your first family responsible for you. But even so this relationship is just as important and real as my other ones.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Banana
Banana - G.NA
This song seems to be more of a commerical for food rather then a pop song but maybe I'm wrong..
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Monday, 12 March 2012
Female Nobel Writers
Selma Lagerlof , Gösta Berlings Saga, 1909. It's a story about the deposed minister Gösta Berling who is offered refugee at Ekeby and saved by the mistress of Ekeby.
Grazia Deledda, 1926, writes about life on her childhood's island.
Sigrid Undset, 1928, mostly known for her novel about the Heroine Kristine Lavransdottir, who lived during the Middle Ages in Norway.
Pearl Buck, 1938, author of The Good Earth is a story about family life in a Chinese family prior to the WW2. It revolves around the Chinese man called Wang Lung.
Gabriela Mistral, 1945, Los Sonetas de La Muerta, writes poetry in Spanish. Supposedly the most gifted poet in whole of South America.
Nelly Sachs, German Jewish poet aworded the Prize in 1966 for her poetry.
Nadine Gordimer, South African writer, influenced by Apartheid in her writings, aworded the Prize in 1991.
Toni Morrison, 1993,African American writer, writes about African American peoples lives. Mostly known for her book Bluest Eye.
Wislawa Symborska,1996, Polish poet. Szukum slowa.
Elfriede Jelinek, 2004, Austrian writer who is influenced by Feminism in her writings one of her books is The Land Of The Green Plums.
Doris Lessing, 2007, The Grass Is Singing, about racisism social stigmas, class society, power, marriage and female awakening.
Herta Müller, 2009, Roman German writer influenced by her own life writes about German minorities lifes in Communism Rumania. Niederungen & Drückunder Tango, portrays life in the village during the German occupation.
Out of all these female authors so far my favorites have been ; Pearl Buck, Gabriela Mistral, Elfriede Jelinek, Doris Lessing and Herta Müller.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Nobel Books
Grazia Deledda, 1926, writes about life on her childhood's island.
Sigrid Undset, 1928, mostly known for her novel about the Heroine Kristine Lavransdottir, who lived during the Middle Ages in Norway.
Pearl Buck, 1938, author of The Good Earth is a story about family life in a Chinese family prior to the WW2. It revolves around the Chinese man called Wang Lung.
Gabriela Mistral, 1945, Los Sonetas de La Muerta, writes poetry in Spanish. Supposedly the most gifted poet in whole of South America.
Nelly Sachs, German Jewish poet aworded the Prize in 1966 for her poetry.
Nadine Gordimer, South African writer, influenced by Apartheid in her writings, aworded the Prize in 1991.
Toni Morrison, 1993,African American writer, writes about African American peoples lives. Mostly known for her book Bluest Eye.
Wislawa Symborska,1996, Polish poet. Szukum slowa.
Elfriede Jelinek, 2004, Austrian writer who is influenced by Feminism in her writings one of her books is The Land Of The Green Plums.
Doris Lessing, 2007, The Grass Is Singing, about racisism social stigmas, class society, power, marriage and female awakening.
Herta Müller, 2009, Roman German writer influenced by her own life writes about German minorities lifes in Communism Rumania. Niederungen & Drückunder Tango, portrays life in the village during the German occupation.
Out of all these female authors so far my favorites have been ; Pearl Buck, Gabriela Mistral, Elfriede Jelinek, Doris Lessing and Herta Müller.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Nobel Books
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Wrestling
씨금, is known as a national sport in Korea. It became widely known and practiced during Joseon Dynasty. In the olden days it was a popular entertainment around Dano and the typical prize for the winner was supposeldy an ox.
The first modern competion was held in 1912 at Dangsu theater in Seoul, the Pan Chuson Ssierum Federation was founded in 1947, and weight classes was incorportated in 1967. These days there are two different styles of wrestling known as right side and left side wrestling. (Right side wrestling style is more popular in Gyunggi and Honam province while the left side wrestling style is predominent in Hamgyung, Gyungsang and Choonchong province).
Korean traditional wrestling takes place in a sandcovered ring and the contestants wear a belt.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Martial Arts
Kite Flying
The first modern competion was held in 1912 at Dangsu theater in Seoul, the Pan Chuson Ssierum Federation was founded in 1947, and weight classes was incorportated in 1967. These days there are two different styles of wrestling known as right side and left side wrestling. (Right side wrestling style is more popular in Gyunggi and Honam province while the left side wrestling style is predominent in Hamgyung, Gyungsang and Choonchong province).
Korean traditional wrestling takes place in a sandcovered ring and the contestants wear a belt.
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Martial Arts
Kite Flying
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