The AMS Blog
Where adoptees share their personal stories boldly, honestly, and creatively. Dive into their real journeys, heartfelt moments, and fresh takes that shine a light on the adoptee experience.
My Uncle's a Sailor: A Journey of Reclaiming Birth and Belonging
Without knowledge of my mission, I assimilated into my adoptive family, unintentionally leaving behind my birth inheritance. It is now up to me to embrace this diplomatic task. As a representative of my biological home, I must announce to my host country—my adoptive family—“I am the half-Jewish ambassador to this white Protestant family. And just so you know, I don’t like golf. I like to swim.”
Love Over Blood
I wholeheartedly believe that one specific event altered my brain chemistry and entire sense of being.
Did He Really Just Ask How Much I Cost?
Navigating the adoptee experience in public discourse is like threading through a labyrinth of misconceptions and uninformed questions.
Parallel Loss
Adoptee losses are ambiguous, too. I’ve heard some adoptees state that they are told to “move on,” or “get over it,” if they are interested in excavating their adoption story. Just as my father suffered a loss so great that it could not be named or talked about, so too have we adoptees experienced loss. For some of us, this loss happened so early in our lives that we might not even realize its impact.
I Hate Paper Mâché
AMS was the first space in which I could talk about my adoption and myself. The conversations I was a part of brought up the complexity of birth parents as well as what our hobbies were. There, adoptees are validated as individuals who happen to share an aspect of their identity.
On Thriving
The phone rings. I sit anxiously awaiting an answer with sweaty, shaky hands. I am both relieved and disappointed when the call goes to voicemail. Abruptly losing my nerve, I hang up without leaving any message. My mind and my stomach wrestle with a mix of shame, relief, anxiety, and disappointment. Almost immediately my phone rings. Answering, the person on the phone says, “Hello?” I hesitate for what feels like hours. The caller says again, “Hello?!
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If you are an adoptee and part of our community (you’ve attended Lounges and/or 1:1’s) and want to share about your adoptee experience, Submit your writing today!