Archive


Name	ASK

Subject	Aeranwon Group Discussions

First published in the GOA'L Newsletter Spring 2007

Aeranwon Group Discussions

For the last few months, Adoptee Solidarity Korea (ASK) has been organizing meetings between adoptees and single mothers at Aeranwon (애란원), a home for single mothers.

These meetings, or Big Group Discussions, are mandatory for all single mothers staying at Aeranwon. Most of the women are in the decision making stage about whether they are going to keep their baby, or give them up for adoption, domestic or international, though some have already made their decision prior to attending the discussion.

The main purpose is to facilitate dialog between adoptees and single mothers in a safe environment. Adoptees are encouraged to share their stories about growing up in their respective countries. Single mothers ask many questions about adoptees’ experiences, and the adoptees are also encouraged to ask the single mothers questions.

Su-Yoon Ko from ASK is currently the point person coordinating schedules between adoptees, Aeranwon and volunteer translators. She encourages anyone who wants to speak, to come and do so. She thinks it is extremely important for single mothers to hear a variety of adoptee experiences, not just the extremes. Some adoptees feel they don’t have anything to say, or that their story is “typical”. Su-Yoon asks you to reconsider. “Typical” or not, your story is still unique because it’s yours, and it deserves the chance to be heard.

Su-Yoon has put together a “training” packet (for lack of a better word) for adoptees. It describes the general format of the discussions, and questions birthmothers have asked in the past. This is to help adoptees prepare since the questions can be intimate, complex and candid. But it also is an opportunity for adoptees to give complex, unedited answers- which is often not possible because if time restraints, media portrayal choices beyond our control, or (for a variety of reasons) unsafe environments. This is also an opportunity for adoptees to ask the single mothers questions. For some, this may be the closest thing we get to speaking to our own birthmothers.

Typically, two or three adoptees will speak at each discussion, which are simultaneously interpreted by an ASK volunteer. They are held every month or every other month, depending on the number of new single mothers entering Aeranwon. The meetings are usually held on Mondays from 3-5pm, or Fridays from 10am-Noon, though the dates are subject to change depending on schedules. The discussions are two hours, however, two hours goes rather quickly, so there may be a follow up meeting, if the birthmothers and adoptees are interested and able.

Another option is leading a Small Group Discussion. If you have a specific topic in mind that you’d like to discuss with birthmothers, you could also lead a Small Group Discussion. This would not be a required meeting, but birthmothers would sign up for the topics they are interested in. You could schedule the discussion for whenever it fits into your schedule and those birthmothers that are interested.

If you have any questions or are interested in speaking, please contact Su-Yoon at suyoon.

[email protected]. If you would be more comfortable observing a discussion before committing to speaking, that is an option.

suyoon.

[email protected] (suyoon dot

ask@gmail dot com)
www.adopteesolidarity.org
www.arewanwon.org

DATE: 2007.10.03 - 13:44

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