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| My Ulsan Family |
This is what Da Bin's dad texted me right when I sitting next to him and just gave him my phone number. It almost brought tears to my eyes.
Because even when I know I have the most wonderful family and my whole adoption situation is sticky, a girl can't help but feel some sort of rejection when her own blood relative won't meet her.
I've been to Ulsan 3 times now to meet my friend Da Bin (she goes to UW Lax) and her family and friends. They always make me feel so welcome, even though I am a complete stranger. Right away, her family told me I am welcome anytime to stay at their place in Ulsan, even after Da Bin goes back to Wisconsin. Da Bin's aunt has cooked some wonderful home made Korean meals for me. Her grandma cannot speak English so she simply says "선미, 사랑해" - which translates to Seon Mee (my Korean name), I love you. They invited me for their Korean thanksgiving in 2 weeks. And in Da Bin's dad's broken English that I can strangely understand, he tells me I'm a new family member, welcome.
After my saddening week and disappointment and missing my family in the Midwest so much, it was the most beautiful thing - to have a family that I have no blood relation to, open me with welcome arms. And I can erase my view that Koreans have so much Confucianism roots that they only believe in blood and dna family bonds. No, I am simply a friend of their daughter and it is enough for them to welcome me into their family.
In the absence of being with MY family and losing the chance to meet biological family, God sent these wonderful people to my life and I am so, so thankful.
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