Adoptees who grew up in countries where adoption is rare...?

Question

In the U.S. adoption is not unusual, everyone knows somebody who was adopted. So I wonder, what is it like to grow up in a country where there are only a few hundred adoptions per year? A place where your family is very unique.

Thanks.

Answer 1

I was born, adopted, and grew up in the USA.  I moved to Europe as an adult, specifically to a country where adoption is not so common nor as well accepted as in the USA.  My adoption has never been a secret, so occasionally when I would mention something about it or the topic somehow came up, people always asked:  "You are adopted?!"  and their mouths would fall open, and the room would go quiet.  You'd think I had just announced that I was an alien!

Answer 2

Wonderful!   I was born and adopted in the USA and raised in the UK

Adoption here is operated as a social service for children, finding  homes for children who need them, this is as it should be!

In the USA the practice of finding kids for needy families is absolutely disgusting, the methods of going about it and the business aspect also is just so deplorable, and yet people normalize it

In the UK I volunteer for a charity supporting families to enable them to stay together, it is rewarding work.

We also support children from Belarus, not by adopting them but by helping them and opening our homes for them to visit to have a break from the toxic environment they live in and so extend their life expectancy

I believe in family preservation and adoption for children who need to be adopted.  In this States, you say this and you are automatically labelled 'anti-adoption' LOL  so be it!