I was skimming through some posts on the adoption.com forum site and I came across a post from Shawn. His story is a lesson in persistence and I wish him luck. I sent him a private message to get his permission to tell you his story on my blog and he has graciously given me his okay.

It all started when Shawn went to Korea to teach English at a Hagwon (language school) and he started volunteering at an orphanage in Seoul because he was looking for something to do on the week-end. Simply put, he fell in love with the children. In particular, he fell in love with two six year old boys, one of whom he describes as a Korean version of “Dennis the Menace” who tried to take a picture of him when he was in shower.

“I just couldn't give up on the boy I had visited for so long and who even asked me in his broken English "you. me. pather." (He meant father, but Koreans confuse p's and f's.) I never answered him and he never asked again, but I have been desperate ever since.” - Shawn

When he expressed his interest in adopting, he ran up against one challenge after another. Not only was he a United States citizen in Korea, but he was also a twenty-something single male. He tried several avenues, but he kept running up against roadblocks at every turn. Shawn didn’t give up and he finally found a Korean woman working at the U.S. embassy who helped him find a way to get it done.

Now, Shawn has two little boys who will be moving into his home when they turn eight and he is faced with the problems of parenthood (schools, daycare, etc…), but I get the impression that he wouldn’t trade it for anything. They will all stay in Korea for the two years that it will take to get visas for the boys and then they will all head back to the U.S. to settle in.

“I am sad that I missed so much of their earlier life, learning to crawl, walk, their first words, and all the other things, but it also means that I got to jump right into the rough housing and wrestling and the pranks that young boys can play. They are great! I also realize that by the time I get them back to America and can show them the life I promised them, I will only have 8 short years before the run off to college and then I will have to deal with the empty nest syndrome.” - Shawn

I am rather awed by Shawn’s courage and perseverance, but I can understand the bond. His family has embraced his decision and his mother is already waiting for her new grandchildren to come home. Adoption is a pretty normal thing in his family, as Shawn’s father is adopted from Korea too. Once again, I wish Shawn all the luck that the world can provide and I hope that he will be able to bring his boys home.

If you would like to comment about this post, but not on this site, please feel free to e-mail me directly at adoptkoreablog@adoptionmail.com.