In 2003 I went to the Philippines on an academic summer exchange program. 30 other Filipino Americans and a Mexican American took part in the 2 month language, culture and history program at the University of the Philippines - Dilman in Quezon City.

I desperately wanted to learn Filipino and also do some self exploration. Our daily schedule consisted of language class, workshops on culture and lectures on history, economy and other subjects of interest.

Another aspect of the exchange program was to complete a research paper and I chose to write about international adoption. This allowed be to do some soul searching about my own adoption and had the surprise of my life.

The Inter Country Adoption Board (ICAB) oversees all Filipino children placed with families internationally. After a couple meetings with the director and socialworkers they arranged to have me to visit the orphanage I lived in for the first 5 years before going to the US.

We met with the director who remembered me once I showed her my Philippines passport. I look back now and realize that I was not necessarily prepared to hear anything about my time at the orphanage. This explains why I allowed them to speak in Filipino. I did record the conversation but will have to find someone to translate it.

One of the questions I did ask was the origin of my name. I believed that my biological chose my name but it turned out that the former director, a missionary from Seattle, WA had a niece named Lorelei and wanted to name the next girl of the orhapange Lorial. I was a little disappointed but realized that some of my unknown past was a fabrication of my own thoughts.

Another question I asked was what they recall about my biological mother. This led into more details about my birth. She told me that I was born during a typhoon, which explains my fascination with thunderstorms - my mom can attest to this. She also said that because of the storm they had to wait three days before they could go outside and pick me up. The roads were not paved back then and my biological mother lived further out from the airforce base. Apparently my biological mother did visit a couple times but afterwards the orphanage never heard from her again.

When I tell people I am adopted one of the questions they ask is if I want to meet my biological mother. As far back as I can remember I have always replied no because of the language barrier but especially because she made her decision and I respect it.

I will always be curious about her and how much I may look like her. If I did meet her I would assure her that my life has been absolutely wonderful. She gave me life and also gave me a chance for a better life.

Below I am pointing out a picture of myself I found along the wall of the orphanage. It was taken the day I left for Manila in September of 1980. They have kept it up all these years, which was pretty amazing. I finally felt a connection to the orphanage and has been memorialized on the board.