[ 10 years away from home ]

My family moved to the UK in 1998 from Hong Kong. I was able to visit HK once since emigrating only a year after I moved in 1999. Since then I’ve completed a Photography Degree, a Media Arts Masters, a Skills Set video production course, become a freelance artist, done exhibitions nationally, got married, meet a whole load of great people…

… in that time I’ve never managed to have enough money to fly back. I have been longing to go back and over the past few years the urge to see my birthplace has become acute. But I’ve been given a fantastic opportunity to speak at the first Adoption Festival in Hong Kong in a few weeks.

I couldn’t think of a more perfect reason to go back. My thoughts of adoption has changed sooooo much since I lived in HK. Mainly I very much thought that adoption had nothing to do with me what so ever as a teen… I didn’t like the idea that something so far in my past should affect my future, a future that I shaped. Ironically I did volunteer for Mother’s Choice, I did the training, but only managed one day of volentreey work. At the time I made it out like I was just lazy, but in hindsight it was cos I was very effected by working with orphaned babies. It was only a few years later when I actually volunteered in Vietnam that I managed to bring myself to work with orphaned babies again. I always wanted to make up for bailing on Mother’s Choice all those years ago, so this is definitely my chance =).

Also cos I really believed I wanted nothing to do with adoption as a teen, I never took advantage of the resources there. I try not to be a “could have” or “what if” kindda person… but I do regret not visiting a Vietnamese refugee camp before they all closed, or talking to the organization that dealt with my adoption, or visit my sister’s orphanage with her… but I’d like to think that there is always still a chance I can do theses things =).

Thankfully my husband will be coming with me for part of my trip… he has never been and it will be lovely to share my life before the UK with someone. As a grown adoptee, I don’t always have my immediate family as a support system (in the sense that I’m an “adult” and havent been living at home for many years now, but my family are very supportive… I ment more on a day to day level)… so having my husband’s support is extremely important. Sometimes it’s easy to think you have to walk your adoption path alone… the truth is you don’t have to =).

I’m so excited… I have so much on my mind before my trip =D… I just feel like I’ll be going with my eyes wide open.