Post lunchtime in the rose garden at school, Seven Star, Y and I are talking about the Hankyoreh article.
Turns out he once escorted five adoptees to Germany for Holt, as a cheap way to get a flight. And, my article made him think about another adoptee who had contacted him in the past, because someone in his family had relinquished a child. But he wasn’t at liberty to tell the adoptee anything, because the mom wanted it to remain a secret.
Y, who is always feisty about people’s rights being violated, told him that the children have rights too. And I chimed in that I don’t need to mess up anyone’s life. For me, even a small letter with no forwarding address from them would be SOMETHING. If I could just know my own name…Seven Star sort of agreed, but said he felt helpless because it was someone in his family and had to respect their wishes. He said that my family all knows I’m looking for them and is doing the same thing. “Korea is a very small country…”
Today a senior passed me in the hallway and said, “I saw you on YTN!” Yup, that was me…And half the adjummas in Korea watch that show, “I miss that Person” on KBS. And Hankyoreh21 has a distribution of 200,000. So I guess he’s probably right. Whoever my family is, if any of them are still alive, they’re too ashamed to come forward. I asked a few people prior to going on KBS whether I should reveal my abuse or not, and the consensus was that it would have no impact and probably make them want to contact me more. But now I’m not so sure.
I’m tired. Y had to yell at a student today and the former president of Korea committed suicide this weekend. I guess he was a righteous guy and the new guy is the equivalent of Bush, so the mood at school is not a happy one. I stayed up too late last night writing the last two posts, and preparing this week’s lesson plan. I hope when SBS comes tonight I do not have big bags under my eyes and no ability to speak anything intelligible. I hope I am not just an abuse case to sensationalize, and that they actually want to know my opinion. I do these things to save the children, as I don’t see any personal benefit from it. But I must try and milk this moment for all its worth, since tomorrow I will just be another bug amongst the dust under the rug. Then, what will my purpose here be? To learn Korean?
Hello Korea ! 
While I admit that the combined outlets of KBS and Hankyoreh21 reach a lot of people, there is that slim chance that your birth parents missed your appearance in both outlets. I hope that you’ll be able to find more answers, with or without your parents’ help.
I don’t know that I’d put 2MB (the current president) in the same league as Bush. Part of it is that the Korean left has a history of protests while the right is more entrenched in the business world — which means they vote/protest with their dollars and not their mouths. Connected to that is the fact that the Korean Teacher’s Union – from everything I’ve read – is a VERY left-leaning organization. This is not to say that 2MB is a saint, but I did want to add a little extra perspective.
thanks for the comment –
I really just want an explanation is all – it can be from anybody
Someone told me, but I forgot why the president was called 2MB. (I heard he was called “mouse”) I did get the impression the teacher’s union was very left leaning. Since they’re my only perspective on politics, I’ve not got a very balanced view on things. But I’ve always been a little left anyway!
The president’s name is Lee Myung Bak (이명박), and his family name is pronounced – and spelled – the same as the number 2 in Korean. Someone thought it made a good play on words to twist that into a new nickname, thus creating the nickname 2MB. (I have no idea if it was meant as an actual dig at his intelligence at the time.)
I thought dool was the number 2 in Korean.
Do you mean the number 2 in Chinese?
Or are you referring to bathroom talk?