Molly Hawkins // snikwaH ylloM

Wow, can’t believe im almost a week into the trip!  Again this morning i rise promptly @ 6a with the rising sun, the sweet serenade of the passing trains and the morning commute probably no more than 200 yards out my window… aaaaaah, breath it in, i couldn’t be more spry or happy to wake in Korea!  The routine seems to be waking around 6a, then dozing in and out of a lucid state for another hour or so.  Its nice to not have to wake to an alarm, nor do i feel any pressure or stress due to the world beckoning with its deadlines, the burning sensation for a morning yog (aka jog) or looming due dates….man i hope the rest of my trip goes a little more slowly!!!

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So i did the tourist thing today… did Namsan Park and the Seoul Tower, more getting lost on the subway system (so much fun!), and meandered Gyeongbukgung Palace! Today actually also was the first day that i really started to feel a little homesick, lonely even. Not sure what it was….thank goodness for over stimulation and culture shock!!! SO much to see and so much to do, hardly time to think about anything else! However, the other weird thing coming in to play was looking at all of the middle aged women, wondering…is that my mom? Its really strange, but i definitely need to start pursuing MOM. Anyhow, aside from the expected awkwardness, i had a great day sightseeing, tripding, and meeting up w/ Alex (Korean American) who showed me Soju = good deliciousness!!!  Its like vodka but WAY smoother.

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Today i was on a mission to find myself a cheap tripod…and hopefully put it to use!  Since im traveling alone and have nothing but my cameras, and a couple of books, i figure i better put all of those things to use!  SO, today i found a tripod, finished my current book Deep Economy, and….

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Today was adventurous.  Roamed a few neighbors, learned how to write in Korean (Hangul) and checked some To-Do list items off and closed the day with some more delicious Korean food.

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Its crazy to finally be in Korea! All of the anticipation and preparation have finally come to a head and im almost not sure what to do with myself now!! You know that saying about being “a kid in a candy store”, its totally like that, i want to do everything!!

So today (Monday) is technically my first day here in Seoul and have been running around with Amanda, who is so graciously letting me stay at her place.   We got me setup with a pre-paid phone on the US Military base (Yongsan) and we did some banking, checked out the electronics district where i got a charger for my phone (they dont come with the phone, wierd), and got some food with her husband Justin on base where he is contracting with the military. The base is like an enclosed community, “Little America” as some call it, complete with Popeye’s Chicken, Starbucks, Subway, hotels, an American school, US banks, and all the other typical base stuff, but its crazy, its like being at home.  Not what i came here for, but handy for getting some stuff taken care of.  Its been a good chill day for adjusting to the time difference and local scene.  Tomorrow will be my first day being an Asian Tourist!

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I am leaving for Korea in 60hrs… 60hrs!!!!!?? I guess its just starting to set in and i am not sure if im ready…am i ready? I could be meeting my birth mom within the next couple weeks? Ive been so driven and focused on the goal of just getting out there, tracing leads, emailing people, researching Buddhist temples and Farmstays, purchasing books off of Amazon… oh dang, the list just goes on.  The other night im sitting there watching a Youtube video about a Korean American Adoptee who is reunited w/ her family, the waterworks fire up and im instantly crying.  I guess im happy for the girl, but i think part of me is imaginging myself in those shoes…wondering what i would say? I want to tell her thank you, i want to let her know im alive and well and that i dont resent her.  Will she apologzie profusouly, shower me in embrace, extend a hand? If no, how will i feel? I just got done telling my brother that if that is to be the outcome than ill be fine with that, but i wonder what it will really be like?

Anyhow, another email came in.  This one even more surreal.  I have a name and address now. Check it out:

Hi. Because the Star of the Sea orphanage does not accept visitors in the protection of their children from swine flu, they faxed me the information about the adoptee. It contains limited information about her birth mother, but I thought I should share it with her.

According to the fax, the name of the birthmother was “Lee, Kil Ja”. She was unwed at that time. Her “then-current” address was Seoul, Dobong-gu, Beon-dong, 460-58.

Just in case the adoptee is curious, the first part (No.1) is about the adotpee; the second part (No.2) is about her birth mother, and the third part (No.3) is about the reason for the relinquishment (Unwed).

A local police station has done extensive search for the birth mother by sending out letters to people with the same name as the birth mother, but their attempts were unsuccessful due to lack of information.

We do not disclose birth parents’ (identifying) information to adoptees without their consent, but we make exceptions when there is little chance for us or adoptees to locate birth parents.

Sincerely and with respect,
Kyunghee “Toni” Ma

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Oh my god Mel almost died watching this, please take 30 secs to watch this!

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