Upon Landing....

Saturday, my birth parents, Eunkyung, Eunsun, paternal birth grandmother (90 years old), and paternal aunt greeted me at the airport. They had a woman who spoke English so well that I could barely tell that English is her second language. Of course my birth mother held me in a tearful embrace with Eunkyung and Eunsun gently trying to pry her off after a few minutes. Then I gave my birth father a hug and, while he seemed shy, he smiled the entire time. We then went out to eat where my birth father took part of his food and put it on my plate before snagging a piece of my food. This is something I have always done with anyone I have ever dined with and others have always thought it pretty presumptuous and strange. Not the case that day apparently.

One harrowing moment came when we were leaving the airport. My birth father pushed his mother in her wheelchair (she had been run over by a truck years ago when Eunsun was a baby and Eunkyung was a young child, causing the loss of her leg). In the parking lot my birth father was having trouble pushing the luggage cart over a curb, so I went to help as did Eunkyung, abandoning poor Grandmother in her wheelchair. Next thing we knew, the wheelchair started to roll off the curb and into the street. It seemed to happen in slow motion like a dramatic movie event, but at the same time happened in the blink of an eye. The force propelled her forward, launching her out of her chair and into a face dive into the street! No cars were coming at the time and everyone snapped into action, scooping her out of the street and back into her chair. We tried to attend to her and show our concern, but by the look on her face, she was pretty pissed off. My birth father clucked apologetically, looking like a contrite young boy who knew he was about to get in trouble. He touched her arm gently and she promptly shrugged it off angrily. Fortunately there was no serious damage and no cars ran over her. Updated note (2014): I did not, at the time of this blog entry, know the tale of how she lost her leg, but it certainly puts her anger into perspective.

They tried to convince me to stay with them that night, but I, as politely as I could, declined citing jet lag as my reason. So with their help I made my way to my hotel room where I found another CDI teacher who was to be my roommate. She is also adopted (her name is Cara) and has a twin sister (also adopted). I noticed her watching our interactions with the wistful expression of someone who had never met their biological parents. Later, the envy was mine as she described her relationship with her sister, having grown up with at least one blood relative.
Eunkyung eventually coaxed my birth parents out the door and I went to sleep immediately.

More on my other birth family encounters later....
And note: I will not post pictures in which I look overly obese. Please be aware.