Episode 3: Letters, Files, and Family: A Search for Self

There is so much that goes into a birth search, and I'm not talking about the paperwork or the information you need to collect. I'm talking about the personal accounting one must do before approaching such a heavy task.

There are so many things to consider, and it's important to separate the reality from the dream we hope for. How do you know what to expect when you aren't supposed to have expectations? How do you get to know family who are essentially strangers?

And if that isn't enough, we must now face the compounded challenge of our already redacted, fraudulent, or incomplete files being transferred from one entity to another without some of us ever seeing them in the first place. However, we cannot let this discourage us. There are tons of sources out there, and we are creating our own resources as we forge our own paths.

This week, I discuss the details of the NCRC file transfer and how it might affect us moving forward. I wish that I would have been able to get this out in a more timely fashion, but there is still time for those who are interested. Paperslip is doing a fantastic job at staying on top of the information as well as providing resources. They would definitely be a good resource for anyone in need of stating a birth search. Especially those who were adopted through Korean Social Services. Non-KSS Adoptees might still be able to use them for assistance, but it might be limited.