I was born in Xiamen, Fujian, China. At the time, China had a strict one-child policy that they strictly enforced for over 30 years in an attempt to slow the population growth rate and get a hold on its size. Families who abided were rewarded and those who did not were fined.
It's customary for sons of Chinese families to grow up, get married, and provide for their parents. The daughters are expected to move in with their in-laws and take care of them. Because of this policy, a lot of babies born females were put of for adoption, as well as any males born with special needs. I am one of those children.
My parents adopted me when I was eleven months old. I have lived in Indiana ever since. No one ever had to tell me I was adopted. It was never a secret. There were obvious differences in appearance, but they never bothered me. I've always been used to the fact that I'm adopted, but for some reason, it baffles others.
When I'm in public, working a job, or interacting with new people, one of my favorite things is the look of apprehension on their faces. Do I speak English? Will I understand them? It's a fun little game to play every once in awhile, but other times, it can actually be a struggle.
On a daily basis, someone addresses the fact that I'm Chinese. A lot of people who were adopted from China don't like being confronted about it. I've had so many people tiptoe around the subject, but if you ask me, it's best to put it all out in the open. Most people really aren't trying to be rude, they just find international adoption interesting. Some of my favorite questions would have to be:
"Do you know Chinese?"
"Do you remember anything from China?"
"Can you see the same as I can?"
If I didn't have a sense of humor, this might trigger some sort of emotional turmoil, but I choose to laugh at the questions because most of the time the intention isn't malicious. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to joke about my ethnicity from time to time; I even have a "Made in China" tattoo on my foot.
At the end of the day, I am so blessed to be here in the United States. My life has been one of privilege and love. I have amazing friends whom I hold close to my heart and a family that has always treated me as if I were biologically their own.
Sharing my story with others is something I do often, and I have even met others who have been adopted from China with similar mentalities and experiences as me.
