hey y'all! (i live in TN now, remember?)

long time, no see. have you been well? i hope that you're surviving this scorching summer. the nashville heat has been absolutely relentless the past couple of months and left me wondering - "what in the world was i thinking moving back here?" you know it's been a rough summer when you're relieved to see temperatures back down to double digits.

i just wanted to touch base with my readers (if i still have any of those?) to let you know what the past couple of months have looked like for me. besides the "growing pains" i've experienced moving, starting a new job, and establishing myself as a young professional, i've definitely felt the effects of culture shock/re-entry to "normal" american life much longer and much more acutely than i'd ever care to admit. it's been a tough journey, but i can feel things getting better and for that, i am thankful.

one resource i've found recently that has been of great help to me is a wonderful organization called KAAN, or the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network. i happened upon them, believe it or not, through a facebook friend just a few weeks ago -- and only 2 days before their annual conference. i took a last-minute leap of faith and drove all night after work to atlanta to participate in the weekend's offerings. i had no idea what to expect going into it, but i was pleasantly surprised. one thing that many participants expressed, which i can completely relate to, was a sense of "whoa. for the first time in my life, everyone here is just like me." i'm really encouraged by the sense of community i've found as i've dipped my toes into the "korean adoptee world" and i've been pleasantly surprised by how welcoming everyone has been. if you're interested in more information about KAAN, their website can be found here: http://www.kaanet.com/. they also have an active facebook page.

as a heads up, i'd also like to introduce you to a great blog called my second mama that can be found here: http://mysecondmama.com/ the blogger, jane ballback and i have been in contact on and off for the past several months, and i'm excited about a project that is currently in the works. i can't tell you too much now, but hope to have more information to share within the next few months. jane is a wonderful lady with a big heart for the adoption story, and i'm anxious to see what the future will bring for her. for now, just get yourself acquainted with her & her story, because this will not be the last you hear of her here.

i'll wrap this up by saying that, while this blog started as a way to document my "year in korea," i'm foreseeing an evolution that will follow my personal growth & development. while i am definitely no scholar on the topic of adoption, i have seen & felt its effects very strongly (maybe for the first time) on my life this past year and that has given me a lot of experiences to share. i have no idea what exactly this will turn into, but i am willing and anxious to be a part of the adoption discourse and see where this will take me & you & this blog.

i hope that you will be willing to take this journey with me. i think that there will be a lot for all of us to learn.