Blog post by Kate Gordon:
This was our first meet up after the HK reunion. It was held at Chung Ying, one of Birmingham’s foremost Chinese restaurants. There were some new faces, including Jessica Emmett, Sue J. and Claire M., plus some partners and family members. As a ‘reunion’ it was somewhat chaotic as we had three tables (two round + one square) shoved together in the middle of an already crowded and noisy place. The Birmingham meet up and the one that followed in London made us decide that private meeting space was essential for successful adoptee gatherings, not just for the noise factor, but the need to provide privacy for those who don’t want to disclose their life story to the entire world. One of the husbands had brought a laptop to show photos from the HK trip, but it was difficult to really appreciate it; and it was very difficult to talk properly and to get to know more about each other.
On the subject of ‘reunion’; my older son was very scathing when I told them I was going to the HK Adult Adoptee Worldwide Reunion (CAAWR) in 2010 – ‘how is it a “reunion” when you didn’t grow up together and you don’t know each other?’ – I honestly don’t know where that boy gets his sarkyness from! There’s no explaining or convincing him, but I have felt at ease from the first time I met Debbie, Diana, Jill, Linda and Maria and her friend in Manchester in June 2010. I had only just made the firm decision to go to HK, and it was fantastic to meet other people first, before flying out such a long distance into a known unknown. It was equally great to be able to meet up so quickly afterwards, to share photos and experiences. As we had only met for the first time just before the trip in September, we were still at the stage of sharing general information, so I think that those who were taking part for the first time and who hadn’t gone to HK didn’t feel left out.
One of the big stories from Hong Kong was our group trip to the HK Immigration Department to apply for ID cards. That is a story in itself, but think ‘In Epic Battle with Faceless Bureaucrats – Faceless Bureaucrats won the day’!
Thanks for contributing a post Kate =). This was not my first adoptee reunion but my first reunion of HK adoptees. Lolz, it was rather hard to talk in the restaurant, but that whole noisy atmosphere is just classically Chinese =P Plus the food was good =D. I remember sitting next to you and your sister, it’s nice to see adoptees family and support networks as well. I liked it when we went walking for coffee and photos after, it was a little less hectic. Though saying that there was that huge gang fight that randomly broken out in the street… i don’t think that was a normal thing to happen lolz.