Question about adoption outside of U.S.

[horseshowmom]

We have friends who were on a waiting list for 4 years. He's a state representative, and that "pull" didn't get them anywhere (I'm not saying they tried - just making a point).

They finally went to Russia and got their first child. A year or so later, they got their daughter from the American adoption agency that they had been waiting on for so long. They later went to Russia and got another little boy.

 

[Chereya]

40 years ago when I was adopted I was chosen because I am Chinese. I was born in the US to a Chinese mother. My adoptive father was in the Korean War and came home wanting to adopt an oriental child. I was the only one in the orphanage that fit that description. My adoptive Mom is 100% Italian and looks it. My adoptive Dad is 100% German. Needless to say I looked like neither of them nor their 2 biological daughters. While there were occasions that someone would make a comment, I never felt that I didn't fit because of being Chinese. My adoptive parents took in several children through the years and adopted another girl after me. Your family is what you make of it not what other people think. My adoptive Mom claims that she can't remember which of us are adopted anyhow!

I hope I am not being rude by asking but I am curious and have never had the opportunity to ask before... Do you feel any cultural disconnect with your Chinese heritage? Did you ever experience discrimination from Chinese people? Is your father also Chinese or are you hapa (mixed)?

I'm not adopted but I have ocassionally wondered about the Asian children I see with their caucasian families. I have read that the Chinese gov't now requires that the adoptive US parents teach their children about Chinese culture.

I had the great fortune to be born and grow up in Hawaii which is multicultural. It has seemed to me that it matters much less to be a family of different ethnicities in Hawaii because children end up absorbing all kinds of different cultures as the norm. I've been exposed to lots of different Asian cultural traditions (and food!) as well as Protuguese but I have little exposure to Jewish holidays and traditions.

I've been on the receiving end of discrimination from Chinese people who feel that I am too "american". Mostly because I don't speak Chinese fluently and I guess I felt that I was somehow inferior in their eyes.

How did you and your parents deal with any rude people or situations?

Chereya

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One of my closest friends adopted a beautiful little boy from Russia. The following year she hadn't even started the process of adopting a second child yet when she got a call from her agency saying a newborn girl had become available here the next day and did they want her? They said yes and within 24 hours she was in their home. There were a few problems legally which were eventually resolved, but this little beauty is my Godchild and my friend has a beautiful family created through both international and domestic adoption. This situation is probably unusual but it worked out very well for them thankfully.

Best wishes to everyone in their quests to fulfill their dreams.