Korean Job Discussion Forums

[susmin]

I have heard that you can volunteer to help transport a Korean baby to be adpoted to the states. Does anyone know how this works, or how you can volunteer?

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

This is a good question!

I would be interested in doing this to get a free ticket home and get paid cash instead of my ticket once I finish my contract in one year's time.

I would contact some orphanages...

[Len8]

Have done it 3 times, and each experience was different. The babies are raised in Korean foster homes for 6 months before being adopted out. It's quite traumatic for the foster family to give up the adopted child, because they have grown attached to it, and it's like they are giving up one of their own. The first time I took a baby the poor foster mother hung on to the car that took me to the airport and was crying her heart out. They had to pry her loose, so that we could leave. I was a little startled (maybe a little traumatised too) after that. At the airport I was booked onto Northwest, along with 3 other escorts. They were prepared for us, and provided us with baby food, spare diapers and a seat near a cot. I was told by the stewardess that sometimes they have up to 17 babies on a flight.
The babies I took went to New York, and in the bag of douments they gave me was the babies U.S. passport, and other material for immigration.
You have to change the babies diapers, feed it, and sometimes walk it up and down the aisles. You will probably run into other escorts doing the same thing. When you get to your point of destination you will get to meet the new parents, and they will be as anxious as ever to see their new son or daughter, and to know you, because you will be seen as the last and only connection that they will have with the babies home country. To them having nursed the baby for the last twelve hour, you will be very special.

There are three agencies in Seoul. telephone numbers 3323941, 3228193,3327501 and 552 6227. Two of the numbers are for the same agency. I do't know which. You have to plan way in advance. When you ring they might not have any babies right away, so you have to keep checking.

[some waygug-in]

Can Koreans do this as well? I am just curious, it might make an interesting conversation topic for my next adult class.
Cheers

[Len8]

Koreans can do it. On one of my trips one of the other escorts was an older Korean man. As long as your passport has a visa to allow you into the country with the baby you are qualified to be an escort. This whole thing of Korean babies being adopted overseas is not something the people here are proud of. I've discussed it many times with adult groups, and they always get a little uncomfortable. Korea has the reputation of being a baby exporter, and as one of myclass members said "it's our shame". I guess they're to much into preserving their blood lines.

[Harpeau]

Just to augment what Len8 said. A Korean MUST be able to speak good English in case an emergency were to take place. (At least the one that I went on SWS- that was one of their rules.) Also, the tickets are not free. They may range from 350,000 to 400,000 won per carrier (returned). You can also pay more and it will get you to your final destination (if the place is out of the way). Have fun and get lots of sleep before take off. I've done it twice before. The number for SWS is 552-6227 ext. 7440.

Cheers,
Harpeau

P.S. BTW Eastern Child Welfare Agency goes to the USA. Don't know much about them, but their number is 332-3941.

[Len8]

To continue my previous post: The Koreans have a thing about keeping their blood lines pure and untainted. It's partly superstition, and partly adherence to some rigid neo-confucian ethical concept. It's some sort of wrenching cultural orientation that binds them to something which they feel isn't particularly right, but which at the same time they can't seem to shed. Many Koreans have said that the people who adopt their infants are so wonderful, but they get a little shocked when I tell them that it's really no big deal in other parts of the world.
Now on a darker note I had heard from another expat teacher that many of the adopted babies were voluntarily given up by young married couples who decided they wanted to have freer lifestyle. I ignored this when I first heard it, because it didn't seem possible. However I taught another adult class not so long ago, and one of the students confirmed that the practice was actually taking place.

[jurassic5]

as a korean adoptee myself, i think it's great that some of you would like to be a baby escort. the largest adoption agency in korea is Holt International, so probably contact them to see what you can do. i know that when i was adopted, the main reason babies were put up for adoption was because of either unwed mothers and/or financial problems. I know that this is still a big reason why they are placed up for adoption today. If you ever have a chance, volunteer at one of the orphanages. i have before and is a great experience.

[Medic]

Have voluntered to work at an orphanage, and I enjoyed it very much. I and another teacher helped teach 9 yearolds, who inspite of the circumstances were still your basic ordinary kids. They shared a huge complex with kids of all ages from infant babies up to highschoolers. Some of the kids had fathers who would come and pick them up on weekends, others were real tough. You could tell from the expressions they used to come up with. I thought one young girl we were teaching grew up in a soju bang, because she sure knew the appropriate words. I laughed my head off everytime she oppened her mouth.

[meatball]

Here is the adoption agency info. The first is the Eastern Child Welfare agency. Directions: Catch green (#2) subway line to Hongik Univ #39 stop. Exit the subway through the #4 exit, down a long hallway. Keep going in the same direction to the street crosswalk. There is a gas station straight ahead, across the street. Cross the street to the gas station & turn left. Go about 1 block ( I think it was further) You will see a 4-story, red tiled building with the name (Eastern Child Welfare) in English on a small sign. The office is on the first floor through a door on the left. Their hours are 9-11 on Saturday. I couldn't find their # this morning but if you need it let me know and I'll get it for you.
The other adoption agency and the one I used is Social Welfare Society, Inc.
Directions:
Take green (#2) subway to Yoksam station (#221). I believe you exit on the north west side. It is on the same side of the street as a Burger King. However, go away from the Burger king across a big intersection
and you should see a LG mart a little ways up the street. At the LG mart take a right, two blocks down on the left is a small hospital (Hanso Hospital). Turn left, go in the main entrance to the hospital. There is a small waiting area. To the left is an elevator take it to the seventh floor and then their is an office down the hall to the left. This is Social Welfare Society. The person to contact is Paek Kyong-Hwa. Her phone #
is 82-2-552-6227 ext 7440. The address is 718-35 Youk-Sam Dong Kang-Nam Gu.
At each place tell them you are there to register as an escort.

[Len8]

It's interesting, but the Eastern adoption agency sends babies to Australia. I remember seeing the list on the blackboard when I was there.
I don't know if they have an escort service to Australia, but you could check it out.

Holt which is the biggest agency sends babies to Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Luxembourg. They use escorts to those countries as well. Tried to get a baby to go to Paris, because I wanted to go on to Egypt, and it wouldn't have cost any extra.I didn't have any luck

[matesol]

How does one go about volunteering at orphanages anyway? I would be interested in doing that. I am in Cheong Ju, Choong Buk. My preferance, would be to do it with another foreigner so that I would feel more comfortable.

Any ideas?
mastesol

[Len8]

Check this out for orphanage work

Orphanages http://www.yheesun.com

[The Lemon]