Busan--the city of Kari's birth

This sign greeted us at the hotel in Sorak.

We just left the beautiful area of Sorak Mountain--my personal favorite. It's so relaxing there--a little boring for the kids. The teens found the casino and had a ball there. Sadly, Koreans are not allowed to gamble so the sole purpose of the casino is for foreigners.

I took this picture for Mike, the GPS the
bus driver is using shows a red bus rather than
a car!! Hope it shows up for you.

Kari and I at the entrance to Sorak National Park

We rode the cable cars part way up the mountain. From there we could see the largest Buddha statue I have ever seen! It really is cool looking. We have some great pictures both from the cable cars and up close.

The view of the buddha from the cable cars.
The buddha up close and personal!!

While we were in Sorak we went down to the little town of Socho and Kari bought new glasses. They were only $40 and Kari is so excited because they are the first pair of glasses that ever fit her nose properly.

A menu from the Lotteria in Socho where
we ate lunch. Fast food menus that look
surprisingly similar!

Kari walking around the optometrist
shop making sure the prescription feel right.
I think she's styling!

Her new specs!

These two pictures are from
our balcony in Sorak. We woke up to
this view this morning.

We are now in Busan (formerly known as Pusan) where Kari was born. When the Olympics were here in 1988, there was a big push to change much of the pronunciation. So P's became B's...G's and K's were switched...so were T's and D's.
Very confusing!!

We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will be able to go to the Pusan Office of Holt tomorrow. That is where Kari's intake happened. If there was ever any activity from her birth family, this is where we would find that out. While I don't hold out much hope in finding activity--it will be interesting to see where she was brought to be relinquished.

Busan is in the southern most tip of the peninsula--a port city. Our hotel is on Hyundae Beach--similar to the beaches in Florida, yet very different. We are on the 13th floor of the Novotel Ambassador Hotel. We don't really have an ocean view--but you can see a little slice of it!

Well, more later! We have internet for the next 22 hours!!
Peg

Mostly Pics (Hopefully!!)

12:07 am Friday, June 27th --Korea
11:07 am Thursday, June 26th--MI

Earlier today I wrote about the maternity home. But there was so much else that we did also--it ended up being an extremely exhausting day! I am really looking forward to our two day retreat to the mountains tomorrow. (My personal favorite place in Korea.) No internet there so it may be a while before I have any more blogs up.

Anyway, the facility that houses the maternity home also has an orphanage. Here are some pics from the orphanage.

This little dolly kept taking my tag out of my nametag holder
and putting it back in. She was so intent, she wouldn't look up for a pic!

We couldn't get this little guy to smile for anything.
He just didn't seem to engage with anyone. Very sad.

This isn't the best picture, but the riot police were out in
full force today as we headed to GeyongBok Palace.
The whole deal with the importation of America beef
has cause many riots and demonstrations. It was really freaky.
About every 30 feet there were police/military standing behind
shields in groups of six.

Pictures of Kari at GeyongBok Palace.


Rows upon rows of hanboks, and hanbok fabric for custom
made hanboks in East Gate Open Market. Many of the adoptees
purchased beautiful ones.

Well, it's late and we are up at 6:00am tomorrow for our trip to the mountains. One favor, please pray for my back and leg (the disc is really bothering me) and for Kari as she has pretty bad motion sickness and the stop and go traffic of the bus has been tough on her.

If you have any questions, feel free to email!!
pjipping@gmail.com

Have a great weekend.

Another emotional day

Today was one of the most heart-wrenching days that I have ever experienced. We went to a maternity home and shared our hearts with these brave women considering an adoption plan for their babies. Sadly, most of them have no chance to parent, so it was either abortion (which is becoming more common) or adoption. They had questions for our adoptees and they answered with honesty and eloquence. The tears flowed as they shared that they thought about their birthmothers nearly every day, that they might feel anger once in a while, but mostly sadness that they couldn't meet them. One of the pregnant women asked, "If you could have one thing from your birthmother what would it be?" Several adoptees shared and each answer was the same...a letter and a photo. I cried as I knew that this was the desire of my children's hearts also.

What brave and honorable young women they are. They told us that seeing families happy together gave them "much relief". I wished that I could have spoken to each woman individually and told her how brave and special she was. Many of them shared their shame at being in this situation.

Grief and loss is the reason we could build our family; I was reminded today that what was the happiest and most joyful time in our life, was a very difficult and sad time in another mother's life. I felt a connection with my children's birthmother that I can't adequately express.

As we left the maternity home the young women lined up and gave each of us a hand made bookmark. I plan to keep it in a visible place to remind me each day to pray for Bethany, Kari, and Austin's birthmother.

A picture is better than a thousand words.

Wednesday, June 25, 6:42 am--Korea
Tuesday, June 24, 5:43 am--Michigan

I am going to try to upload a bunch of pictures for you. Kari and I both brought our cameras, but I haven't taken one picture on mine yet. Kari has been snapping left and right! (Besides, her camera is a bit better than mine, as I didn't take the big one!)

Kari playing with the babies.

Kari under the sign that says Post Adoption Services

On the way to the Folk Village today we stopped at park and our Korean guide told us we must go see the toilet. "Very beautiful!" She was serious. The Korean government has agency called the Korean Toilet Association. They held a summit meeting in Seoul last year to figure out ways to make the highway rest areas more attractive! These are some pictures from that toilet!

Mommy and Toddler toilets!!


The outside of the toilet lets you know if it is
vacant or occupied.

A little scene in the restroom to keep
you occupied while you are waiting.

Each stall also had an "etiquette bell". I will try to explain it in our guides words--when you are in the bathroom and need to "drop" and it might be particularly noisy, push the etiquette bell. Pretty music or fake flushing sounds with play so you have no need to feel embarrassed! Our bus was rolling on the floor laughing as she turned beet red trying to explain it! She was laughing so hard she could hardly get the words out!

Emotional highs and lows

Yesterday was a very emotional day with some high and lows. In the morning Kari had the privilege of a private file review because we will be assisting the families with their reviews tomorrow. A file review is a time where a Korean case worker who speaks English goes over what is in an adoptee's file. What she shares all depends on her perspective. If she believes a child should know everything possible--she will share whatever she is allowed. If she believes that information does not belong with the child she will not share any information.

We had the most wonderful case worker who shared more than she probably should have. Kari recieved some news that was a bit difficult to hear. While the case worker was sharing, Kari kept such poise and would answer, "I understand". After we were finished, the caseworker told Kari that it was an honor to work with her and that she took her news with such dignity and honor. That's when Kari and I both started to cry. The case worker started to cry also and promised to never stop trying. She was so impressed with Kari's maturity and dignity--as a mom I was able to see my daughter from her perspective and was so proud!

Kari and Mrs. Ma, her caseworker.
We will never forget her gentle spirit and concern for Kari.

Kari was able to see her birth mother's thumbprint and then the caseworker brought in a post-it-note with an ink pad and suggested that Kari put her thumbprint on it and sign and date it. We were all in tears as we thought about her thumb print next to her mother's in the file.

The top of the Holt offices

Afterward, we needed a little loving so we went to snuggle babies. That always relieves a little pressure! There were five babies in the room we visited--all of them already assigned to their "forever families". Kari and I wished that we could contact their families and tell them what adorable children that are going to be getting.

Kari snuggling a baby who will be going to the states
in July to join his forever family

Then we came back and changed clothing and went to the airport to greet the families. Kari didn't think she would enjoy it as much as she did. She really got into greeting the families as they got off the plane and saying, "An-yon-ha-say-o, Welcome to Korea!" She is definitely seen by the participants as part of the staff.

I gotta say...Kari makes a great traveling companion!

Kari's first full day in Korea

5:45 pm -- Korea

4:45 am -- USA


Today, after finally falling back to sleep for a couple of hours...me and mom got ready and went down to eat breakfast with the rest of the group. After that i got a chance to use the subway, and hail a taxi around Seoul. Amy, Kelly, Beth and myself took the subway (which took us forever to figure out) to Itaewon to get a feel where everything was. We walked up and down the streets a couple blocks looking for the Mcdonalds, Hard Rock Cafe, exchange booths etc.


After we went to Itaewon, we took a taxi to Insadong. Every sunday the streets of Insadong are blocked off and there are hundreds of different sellers, trying to sell their different kinds of goods. The streets were packed full of people...and after we had been walking for a while, we decided to stop at a starbucks and sit in the second level lounge to people watch for a bit.











Then took a taxi back to MyongDong and walked around for a bit and went back to our rooms to report back our findings. Me and mom started to get a little hungry so we headed down to MyongDong to find something to eat. And we were also on a mission to find wrapping paper for the gifts we needed to wrap. After we had been looking for quite a while, we decided to ask a guy if he knew where we could go. And i wish that i would have taked a picture of him...he was so funny, because he was so proud of himself for speaking english, and when he was done telling us how to get there, he wanted to give us high fives because that's the American thing to do! :)

Now me and mom are back in the hotel room, very tired...so we're just going to wrap some gifts and hit the sack! Good night!

--Kari

Wide awake at 4:30AM!!

Good morning!

Korea --5:29 AM

Michigan--4:29 PM




We THOUGHT we'd sleep forever--but nope, didn't happen quite like that. Kari was out by 9:30 last night and then woke up at 11:00 ready to go! Our bodies were so used to sleeping in little catnaps that she was so confused! So back to bed she went and we were both wide awake at 4:30am! So what do you do at 4:30 am??? You call all your friends on SKYPE. Only 2 1/2 cents a minute means you can call them all. She only got through to two of them but it was fun to surprise them with call.



Our day today is relatively free--so we will have some fun exploring the city. I have a couple of staff meeting and administrative things to take care of. (One of them being how to use my Korean cell phone and getting all the appropriate numbers plugged in! In the past I never had to carry one, now with different responsibilities I do. I often don't hear my phone so I will have to be aware of this all the time!)

Kari talking with Lindsey at 4:45 am!
(Thanks to the miracles of technology
and having a Dad who gets us set up to use them!)

Right now Kari is enthralled watching Korean MTV--this sure going to be a different trip than my trips before! I don't think I turned the TV on once the last two years. I am loving it!
More later...
Peg

We made it!!!

Kari and I at GR airport just before we left

Well, we made it. I am sittingin my jammies in the hotel so very ready to go to bed! We had no trouble getting here, with the minor problem of Kari getting sick on the plane. But....she's doing much better now.

We hung out in the food court during our 4 hour layover in Chicago!

We have had dinner in Myong Dong market and Kari purchased some Hello Kitty phone charms, and we are ready for bed.

Kari took this picture of the Seoul skyline as we entered the city

As I type this it is 8:31 am on Saturday morning in MI and 9:31 pm Saturday evening in Korea. We are thirteen hours ahead of MI time.

Another pic from the van as we enter the city.

Not much else to tell...Just a quick note to say "hi" and "we made it". As I write this Kari is out cold!! We traveled for 24 hours with about 3 hours of sleep. I think I'll join her.

Tomorrow's the Day!!

Well, tomorrow is the day! This is my third time back to Korea as staff for the Ties program and I am just as excited as I was the first time. My reason...this time I have a travel companion. :) Kari is traveling with me this year. We have been so planning and giggling about all the fun we are going to have. We wish the whole family could go along...but that's just not possible at this time.

My travel companion--Kari as she graduates.

Just a quick preview of our schedule.
Saturday early evening--arrive in Korea
Sunday--free day
Monday morning--Kari and I will visit Holt and meet with a caseworker, to see if there is any more information on her birthmother/family. Now that she is eighteen, they may share more.
Monday early evening--the participants of the tour arrive!

The tour last 12 days--hopefully we can keep everyone updated about that.

Then Kari and I have 3 free days with which to bum around and have fun and buy out the country of knock off purses, watches, sunglasses, etc.!!!
We will be home Monday, 7th. We will sleep for 2 days...see our family for two days and then Mike and Austin are off for Mexico on July 11th.

Busy--but happy! That's our family motto!

Thank you for all your thoughts, well wishes, and prayers.
We really appreciate them.
Peg and Kari