Sarah Hallstrom is an adoptee from the Twin Cities in Minnesota, USA. She is on the board of directors for AdopteeBridge, who has a passion for facilitating personal growth in herself and others.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am Sarah Hallstrom and my Korean name is Jae Nee Kwon. My adoptive parents were not able to have children of their own so they chose to adopt and adoption from South Korea was popular at the time. My birth parents were not in a good place in their marriage when I was born so they chose to put me up for adoption and they later got divorced.
What do you do for fun?
I like to spend time with family and friends, run, read, travel, and spend time outdoors. I love trying new foods and I will eat pretty much anything.
At what age were you adopted? What was your childhood like?
I was adopted when I was about 4 months old. I grew up as an only child in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My parents both worked out of the home but we always had dinner together, when we would share about our days.
How did being adopted affect your childhood?
I grew up in a predominantly Caucasian suburb of Minneapolis so I was one of the few people of color in the school while growing up. I was not bullied because I was Korean American.
How connected were you to Korea as a child?
I was not connected much at all. The local adoption agency my parents went through offered a Korean culture camp during the summer, which I attended for a few years. We always celebrated the anniversary of my arrival to the United States. Those couple of things were about it though.
What are you doing professionally? How did you get into this field?
I work in Human Resources for a pediatric hospital system in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. I got into the field because I wanted to help people find work they are passionate about. I also like helping people improve so they can be successful in their jobs.
How has being adopted affected your professional life?
I think being adopted has been an asset to me in my professional life. It has allowed me to provide a different perspective when it comes to discussions and decision-making.
How has being adopted affected your personal life and relationships?
It can be difficult for me to trust people at times, specifically in romantic relationships. I have also noticed I struggle more so than others when someone close to me passes away.
When did you start getting involved with the adoptee community as an adult? How has it benefited you?
I became a mentor in an adoptee mentorship program about 10 years ago. I was a mentor for several years to an adoptee from China who was in elementary school at the time. I think it benefited me because I was able to share my experience as an adoptee in a way that helped her navigate certain situations she was encountering. She also became comfortable asking me questions that she did not want to ask of her parents.
I am currently a member of the Board of Directors for AdopteeBridge. AdopteeBridge is a non-profit organization based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. They offer education, resources and service to the transnational and transracial adoption community, which is available to everyone regardless of location. They also lead birthland tours back to Korea that offer experiences a person would not have if they traveled on their own, such as visiting a Korean school or childcare facility.
Have you been back to Korea? What was your first time back like?
I traveled back for the first and only time during the summer of 2017. I was there for two weeks and I loved every minute of it. The tour group I traveled with spent time in Seoul, Gyeongju, Daegu, and Busan. It was the perfect mix of city, country, and beach with delicious food. Everything there felt oddly comfortable and familiar, even though I had not been back since I was adopted. I loved trying all of the foods. I found it surprisingly easy to find my way around without knowing how to read or speak any Korean. I remember being impressed with how clean each city was that we traveled to. It is obvious the people who live there take great pride in their country.
What are your ambitions and dreams for the future?
I want to continue to learn and grow in my career. I want to be happy and be fulfilled in all aspects of my life.
How does Korea fit in your future plans?
Korea will always play a role in my future because it is where I am from and I am very proud of that. My adoptive parents and I were supposed to be traveling there with AdopteeBridge this fall but we have decided to delay to fall of 2021 because of COVID-19. I hope it works for us to be able to meet up with my birth mom and some of her extended family while we are there.
