When I was about eleven, my parents bundled me into the car one summer day and we drove to Akron, Ohio to attend a Korean-American picnic. We went with another family who had just adopted a little girl from Korea. They also had their two biological children with them.

We arrived at the picnic area and we could see the festivities from the car. Everyone piled out of the cars and my parents unbuckled my sister from her carseat. There was the usual mass chaos as strollers are unfolded and picnic baskets are unloaded from trunks, so it was a few minutes before my parents noticed I wasn’t there.

My mother stuck her head back into the car and asked me why I hadn’t gotten out of the car. “I’m not getting out,” I told her. “Everyone is Korean.”

Okay, so it’s very funny that the Korean adoptee was the one refusing to get out the car, but it brings me back to my earlier blog (go to link) about teaching adoptees about Korean culture. You can only do so much. In this particular case, I did end up enjoying myself (after I got over the shock).

Here are some ideas on how to find Korean culture events for your adoptee:

1. Museums – Look to see if there are any Korean exhibits at your local museums. There might be a Korean painter, sculpture, artifact…you never know. There could also be traveling exhibits that come to your area.

2. Korean-American Organizations – Depending on the size of your community, there might be a local Korean-American group. The ones near where I grew up always had an open door to adoptees.

3. Korean Churches – You can attend a Korean church in your area.

*** Korean-American Organizations and Korean Churches often have classes (language, culture, etc…) for descendents of Korean immigrants who want to learn more about their family culture. They are usually open to Korean adoptees joining the lessons.***

4. Universities – Don’t forget the universities in your area. If they are large enough, they probably have Korean student organizations. My university had a Korean student organization and they also hosted an international festival each year. Plus, if you are interested in learning to speak a little Korean, you may find a Korean graduate student who is interested in making a little extra money.

5. Libraries – From someone who spent at least half of my youth with my nose in a book, libraries are a very important source of information. Books can take you anywhere and teach you just about anything. For the less social, this is a great way to learn about Korea.

Have fun!