I’ve been up thinking about this number problem…

I’ve never been good at solving mysteries, and so this is keeping me awake.

Also, Kim Sook Ja’s name is written in different handwriting.

WHY would someone add another child to my document and then CHANGE my age to something older?  A whole year older?

The little square photo of me was taken at the same time as the photo of me and the nurse.  However, all the Koreans here and most people in general say that even if that was taken soon after I was found, there is no way I am 3 years (2 years American) Korean in that photo.  And if it was taken before I was found, then my family was one of the few rich families that could afford a camera. (Not likely.  That is a statue of Jesus in the background, btw… )

I asked Mrs. Seol how she could know Kim Sook Ja was younger than me by 6 months, and she told us that children’s ages were estimated by their physical examination and usually the number of teeth they have.

It says in my medical report documents that I had 16 teeth.  That would place me at 13 to 19 months age.

Clearly, with no Second Molar, I was probably not already two years old. So WHY would they list us as the same age?   Kim Sook Ja’s photo clearly shows she is at least a year older than me. (if not older)  A year’s difference between children at that time in development is HUGE.

It seems to me that the age discrepancy on the document was intentional.

In most cases I have heard of an orphan’s age being changed, it is changed to a younger date to make the child more desirable for adoption. So to change me to  a year older at such a young stage in development is bizarre, as more adoptive parents would rather have a 14-18 month old than a 24+ month old child.

Unless perhaps there was some child identity swapping going on?

Or maybe if I was stolen, or more likely – my abandonment might have been contested?  (I’m sorry Mrs. ____ there are no 2 yr. olds here, and no sisters either.  We only have two 3 yr. olds from that week)

This little document just gets weirder and weirder every time I look at it.

And what of my birth family appeals?  I was broadcasting my age as written, and whoever my family was/is would have dismissed it as me if it was a WHOLE YEAR OFF.

Last night I got to meet the principal people working on adoption reform in Korea, and they gave me a huge bouquet of roses & lillies for sacrificing my private life in the interests of educating others about adoption.

While there, I learned another tidbit that was revealed in the show:  the amount of money the S. Korean government has given Holt for Post Adoption Services adoptee search was 8 billion won.  That’s:

$6,277,217  US dollars.

Hardly a small amount.

Holt says the Korean government hasn’t given them enough.  The Korean government rightly says, we gave you plenty of money.

Those watching say they have spent the money on adoption day marketing.   (increasing domestic quotas = more international adoption = more profits)  This is hardly post adoption services.

The Korean government should audit Holt. In fact, the Korean government should seize all their files and handle adoptee records themselves, so there is no conflict of interest.

Every day I learn more about Holt, and every day I find them more and more misguided and incompetent.

The other day a Korean teacher was wearing a t-shirt that said the following:

Dear God

If you’re so important

Why aren’t you on tv?

OK.  So for the God forsaken western world, that might be funny in some circles.  But at a Christian missionary school in Korea?  I gasped and wondered how that t-shirt was okay, but my shoulder exposed was not.  I asked the others around me about this, and even though they know quite a bit of English, they quite obviously didn’t get the meaning:  they just saw God, important, tv.

I really wish I could get a job editing graphic design.

Everywhere Koreans and businesses are sporting English phrases they have no idea about.  And it hurts me to know other English readers might be snickering about them, myself included.  (like I did below)

Times like these I hate myself.

Fortunately for her, the Vice Principal and Principal have even lower English comprehension, so I guess we could all wear any shirt we wanted that talked about God in any way we wanted.

As for the English/Konglish, I don’t know if I should continue pointing it out as a study in language, or how to feel about my participation in highlighting mistakes which can be subject to ridicule.

That’s right, the way to a woman’s heart is through Pizza.

and don’t forget to add the corn…

There are so many signs such as these, and I really should whip out my camera more!

HH doesnt’ really exist in Korea, and neither does a yummy cocktail.

Undeterred, I was at Boemgye Station in Anyang, searching for a nice thank you card to send Nine Stones’ in-laws in Andong, when my ears were delighted with some nice Bossa Nova music.  I walked in circles in the area where I heard the music and finally determined its location, on the forth floor of a building.  Happilly, it was in a REAL COCKTAIL BAR.  I looked at the prices and my brain nearly exploded, but I figured it would be worth it, since I rarely ever drink or go out, and I haven’t had a real cocktail in about half a year. I walked in, the place was nice, yet I was the only customer there.  Of course, not ten minutes after I arrived the music was changed to some 80’s Korean pop covers…ugh…

Everything I ordered, something was missing and I had to go back to ground zero again.  Finally, I just ordered a cosmopolitan, thinking of course they would have all those ingredients.  Let me tell you, it was just a vodka cran with only about a half a shot of vodka.  Disappointed, I ordered a shot of Jaimeson, but they were out, so I had a shot of rum instead.  Much cheaper, and much better than the “cocktail.”

What the hell, too shy to scream out, “Yogio!” when the bartender was eating with three other workers, I finally had to get up and go to his table to order some food.  I ordered nachos, and this is what I got:

Not bad looking, if you like cheese whiz, and what’s that underneath all the sour cream?

Tuna.  Canned tuna.

It was surprisingly good, the combination of tuna and jalapeno, but hardly worth the price.

Sooo, my longing for a happy hour was sadly disappointing, and I spent the equivalent of three or four meals for the above.  So I guess I must just learn to like watery beer, stomach eating soju, or makoli (rice wine).  The rice wine’s not bad, though, so I think when and if I ever get the hankering for a beverage, that’s what it will be.

Student artwork

rooftop of Baekyoung high school