As I sit here in my office on Saturday morning, free from loud and constant phone rings, co-workers yapping and gossiping, blackberry beeping with email and facebook notifications, I'm working on new travel arrangements for two sisters who are both Korean adoptees.
Since I started working for this company 5 years ago, I've made many different arrangements for hundreds of Korean adoptees living in the U.S, many of which involved making arrangements for their first time trip to Korea. But, since I mostly only deal directly with travel agencies or organizations, not with individual travelers, it's very rare that I come face to face with them in person, not to mention the fact that I barely have an opportunity to interact with them, even by phone, email, or by any other means for that matter. I did, however, had my very first direct encounter with a Korean adoptee about 4 years ago, when a girl name Elizabeth actually had emailed me to inquire about her first trip to Korea, subsequently paying a visit to our company to meet with me in person, to consult about her trip in more detail. I still remember Elizabeth so vividly, mainly because she was the first Korean adoptee I've ever met in person, and coincidently she was exactly the same age as I was, and our birthday was only within a couple of weeks apart from each other, both being a Scorpio.
When Elizabeth came to our company to meet with me, I was first shocked by her strikingly gorgeous appearance.^^ I greeted her as she came in to the office, shook her hand, then we both sat down to go over all the arrangements I've made for her, and answer all the questions she brought with her, written down on a piece of yellow note paper. It was little strange at first, sitting down with a person who I knew to be a Korean adoptee, trying to imagine what her life was like growing up with American parents and relatives around. I always had this not so good tendency of asking any questions to anyone I wish, if something made me curious, totally disregarding the possibilities of negative impact it may have on me, or the other person I'm asking such questions to. However, while I was sitting down with Elizabeth, I was being ever so patient, and suppressed the temptation of wanting to ask her about what it was like, being raised by American parents as their adopted daughter. I never did ask her that question...
Well, a few days after our meeting, Elizabeth ended up booking her first ever trip to Korea through our company. I had arranged her to join-in on one of the longest Korea tour programs, which pretty much covers almost all major cities and provinces in South Korea. It was also my first time arranging for a Korean adoptee to visit "Holt Children's Services" based in Korea, which is one of the largest social welfare organizations in the world today. Since then, I've worked closely with Holt Children's Services through our office in Seoul, and helped many Korean adoptees to locate, both their own, and their birth mother's record, as well as helping them actually meet with their birth mothers(if both sides agreed). Too bad I was never there to witness what I can only imagine to be something "magical"? Probably much more complicated than that, and no words will ever properly be able to describe the situation.
Sometimes I wish I can accompany Korean adoptees on their first trip to Korea, so that they don't only get to do a simple tour, but to hang out with me for a while longer, and together immerse ourselves deeply into such a fascinating and unique culture, tradition, and history, especially since I, myself, am not that much familiar with the things I just mentioned, compare to those who were born and raised, and living in Korea ever since.
Two Korean adoptee sisters I've worked on today, will be departing to Korea in the middle of August. I hope they both have a trip of their life time, and enjoy every minute of it. I shall do my best, to help these young teenage sisters to have THE most memorable trip ever.
I love sending people to Korea, regardless of who they are, or what they are. I need to send myself soon, too.
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