Twenty-three years ago, I was born in Nanjing China. For the first 6 months of my life, I was living in an orphanage waiting to find a family. 23 years later, I'm sitting at my computer reflecting on how being adopted has changed my life.

Being adopted is something that will always be part of me and who I am. When I look back on my life and think about what could have happened if I had stayed in China, it makes me realize how lucky I am.

How lucky I am to have found parents who traveled across the world to invite me to be part of their lives.

How lucky I am to live in America where I have my freedom and the opportunity to receive a great education.

But mostly, how lucky I am to have found a forever family to be a part of!

There are many unique and positive things about adopted from China, and one of them is it always makes for a great conversation. Not in a conceded way, but in a unique way which has introduced me to some great people! Because my mom works with people who are interested in adopting from China, I'm used to regularly meeting people who are similar to me. I often forget to mention it other people, and it's not something you hear about too often. So when it comes up in conversation, people find it to be unique and interesting, which is really cool! I get to talk to them a little bit about how it works and then it flows into a conversation about someone they might know who's adopted or just linger into talking more in depth about it.

Another really fun thing about being adopted from a different country is the unique and diverse family background we have. My sister and I are both Chinese, our mom is Irish, and our dad is Norwegian. If that doesn't scream, "Diversity" I don't know what does! We celebrate a lot of different holiday's in my household due to our wide background, and I absolutely love it! I love learning about the different traditions my parents grew up with and incorporating new traditions for my sister and I. Every year for St. Patrick's Day my mom makes corn beef and cabbage, and sometimes my dad would surprise us with Norwegian pancakes for breakfast. Now every year for Chinese New Year we throw a party. Having a variety of backgrounds makes our family traditions fun and I'm so grateful to be apart of it!

While there are many upsides to being adopted, there are also a few downsides as well. Growing up, I remember getting picked on at times for being adopted and in the moment, it really hurt and made me upset. But looking back on it now, it was absolutely ridiculous. I'm part of a generation where it's okay for families to be different; I'm part of a generation where we accept one another no matter where they come from. So getting picked on for simply being adopted just seems ridiculous now. When in reality, being adopted is cool and unique. I have a story to tell which should never be silenced by anyone who thinks differently.

Being adopted is a big part of my life and who I am, and I wouldn't change it for the world! I'm surrounded by wonderful, good-hearted people who I love and none of that would have been possible if it weren't for my parents.

So thank you mom and dad, for giving me a better life and everything you do.