Harlow's Monkey

Racism and adoption

Grown In My Heart blog has a new adoption carnival going on, called The Racism Rainbow.

In addition to that, read Addie's post about this carnival.

Social media networks

Hey everyone, I'm joining the social media world. I have a facebook page here and Twitter (harlowmonkey).

The expectations of Korean adoptees who return to their country

From the LA Times comes this story of the difficulties Korean adoptees face when trying to make connections with their Korean culture. What I think is most interesting about this article is that it isn't focused much on the adoption aspect, rather, that adoptees as well as other gyopos, face some of the same barriers in South Korea when we attempt to return and connect with the culture and people.

South Korea's complicated embrace of gyopo

People welcome the many ethnic Koreans raised abroad who come each year to reconnect with their roots, but they also judge these gyopo by very high standards, expecting them to fit in seamlessly.

Ann Babe, who was abandoned as an infant and adopted by an American couple, has returned to South Korea to reconnect with her cultural roots. (January 29, 2010)

In South Korea, returnees such as Babe are known as gyopo.

The term connotes "our Koreans who happen to be living overseas in another country," said David Kang, a second-generation Korean American and director of Korean studies at USC.

He emphasized the tribal focus of the word: "It's this very atavistic view of Koreans as our blood overseas, almost."

For some ethnic Koreans who come here, the term gyopo has carried a negative connotation, singling them out. But most accept it as a practical label.

About 7.5 million ethnic Koreans live outside Korea, 2.5 million of them in the United States, Kang said.

You can read the entire story here.

Interesting...

Mia Farrow criticizes illegal Haiti adoptions

From the AP

GENEVA – UNICEF goodwill ambassador Mia Farrow has criticized as "deplorable" attempts to take children out of Haiti illegally after last month's devastating earthquake.

The U.S. actress says groups or individuals who want to help Haiti's children should rather support orphanages or their families inside the country.

Farrow, who herself has adopted 11 children, says offering parents a better life for their children elsewhere is "completely unacceptable and immoral."

Read the story here.