Adoptee Deportation/Citizenship Challenge

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Jun 062012
 

I’ve been following this blog for a while now. It’s one of the few blogs by adoptees that is more positive or should I say objective about both sides of the adoption issue.

One topic that has come up lately has been about citizenship for international adoptees. Mostly I haven’t participated or even read much of the dialog as I can barely keep up on my own life let alone get involved in politics – no matter what area it falls under. However, this challenge came up on Land of a Gazillion Adoptees and I figured if I am going to post on my blog anyway, I might as well take on the challenge. πŸ˜€

The whole issue of deportation and citizenship, especially in the US, is quite touchy as it also delves into the ongoing battle of migrants from Mexico or further south. Although I was lucky enough to get naturalized and have the privilege of owning a United States passport, I can’t imagine first how any adoptive parent(s) would not have their newly adopted international child naturalized and made a citizen of the country. What sort of argument is there against it other than sheer laziness? Perhaps that is unfair, as I readily admit, I am not up to speed on this issue at all.

With that said, it is strangely ignorant of any government to simply deport a person who has proof of having never lived anywhere else in the world to simply deport someone to their birth country without compassion, empathy or plain old common sense. How is it in the best interest of a country to send someone away to a place that is completely foreign to them? In what way are we saving or protecting a country’s interest or security?

Anyway…if I had more time, I would do some proper research and write with more authoritative indignation. For now, this will have to do. However, to ensure my feelings are clearly understood, I’ll sum up.

1. If you’ve gone through the process to internationally adopt a child, step up and get that child citizenship for the love of God. It’s not only part of your responsibility as the new guardian of the child, but your duty as a new parent to protect your new child from every possible danger, both in the present and the future.

2. Any government official considering deporting a person who has never lived or known another country than the one s/he is in, should have some freakin’ common sense for the love of God and for Pete’s sake have some compassion and empathy. What would you do if you were told you were to be sent to some foreign land just because your ancestors are from there? Use some reasonable discretion and your God given gift of a brain!

So, that’s my post.

-T

Monolids

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Aug 282011
 

This is a bit random, but this article on 8Asians (again) reminded me about struggling with issues of make-up.

I have long since given up on the idea of eye make-up and wear a minimal amount in general despite being told by a few older Asian ladies that I am beyond the age of needing to be wearing more make-up. πŸ˜› I wear enough, I think!

Anyway, something that has long bothered me (among a number of topics!) is the fact that all fashion magazines neglect showing the Asian face. From how clothes will look on me to how to wear make-up, I never had models that I could relate to. While magazines are starting to show more of the Asian face, they still use models who are more “white” than Asian.

Many Asians actually have monolids (if you don’t understand, check this site out), not the double-lids of the preferred models. Therefore, wearing eye make-up is a totally different experience. Not just eye shadow, but mascara as well. In my case, my lashes fold under rather than out, thus if I wear mascara it tends to rub on my cornea rather than flowering out nicely to flirtatiously flutter at a cute guy. πŸ˜‰

Lately, I have taken more effort to embellish my lashes (don’t know why), but still eye shadow remains unattainable. I just do the eyeliner and try to enhance other parts of my face that are flattering….

Anyway, a lot of dribble about this, but the article sort of re-surfaced some of my angst on this issue. πŸ˜€

More later,

-T

 

 

 Posted by at 11:34  Tagged with:

Third Culture Asian

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Jul 132011
 

I am trying to continue to catch up on posts in my ‘draft’ box that I set aside to write on later while mixing in posts about my current life adventures. So, forgive me if I seem a little more random than usual.

A while ago, I was catching up on the blogs/websites that I try to follow and came across thisΒ 8Asians article on Third Culture Asian-Americans. It was a perfect read for me as I often struggle with identity issues of not being really Asian in culture or life philosophy, but not being completely white as I have very little control over my outward appearance.

Also, it is often difficult to try to explain why I don’t like to be considered Asian-American or even refer any part of my Asian-ness aside from how I look because I have no other connection to being “Asian”. I grew up white. I have white values, white way of thinking and doing, white preferences for food and styles. Of course, this is stereotyping and boxing in the other direction, but I would be much more comfortable if people did that to me than what occurs.

In truth, the curiosity of others should not be offensive, but rather I should look at it as an opportunity to share a different point of view, to open eyes, to give a momentary experience that is unique – because my life experiences are unique. However, not being a true-people person and all that makes it hard to stay on the positive side of the scale….

Anyway, I liked this article.

I also began to think about the option of someday retiring or at least looking for property in Hawai’i somewhere. It is where I was most relaxed about my identity – most people thought I was Hawai’ian and didn’t think to ask me “Where are you from?”, but instead treated me like a ‘normal’ person. So, I am looking at options/opportunities and considering what can be done!

So, read the article, comment if you like and I will keep on a’posting!

Until next time,

-T

The Asian Perspective

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 232011
 

For some time I’ve been following this website called 8 Asians. I’ve long been interested in the perspective and perception of Asians in America, whether they are Asian-American (personally defined as those who are Asian with a mix of Asian culture and American culture), Asian-Asian (those living in America, but call an Asian country home), or Asian-Adoptees (which I separate from calling Asian-American).

When I was young, I used to joke about wanting to be President and then reminded myself it was a pointless dream since I was not born in the States and thus it would be an impossibility for me to take on any high-level White House position. Though disappointed, I would frequently throughout my life think how very few Asians are seen in the public eye.

Thus, when I found this site, I was quite happy and have been enjoying reading about the Asian presence in America and various Asian perspectives. As an Asian-Adoptee it is somewhat hard to relate to everything that is written, but at the same time I feel a connection to the voices.

This article “Do Asians Hate Asian Americans?” was quite interesting to me. After living in Japan and having people think I was Japanese and thus judging my language and behaviors on the Japanese scale, I related to this article well. Also, having visited Korea and not speaking a word of Korean despite looking as if I should, I can understand how it feels to be out of place and dismissed though we share similar genetic make-up. Though Koreans will tell me that a Korean is a Korean no matter what, I think there are still sentiments of superiority to those who do not have Korean culture and language as their identity. The only thing that gets me out of too much disdain is that I’m adopted and the shame of this in Korea makes them much more forgiving. πŸ˜‰

-T

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