“... I was born in China but I live in Iceland, I'm adopted and I'm proud of it ...”: - The bicultural world of adopted children

Abstract

 Over 600 children have been adopted internationally to Iceland. They come from many different countries, but the largest groups are from India and China. What these children have in common is that they were abandoned by their biological parents and adopted from their country of birth. It is regarded valuable to keep some ties with the country of origin and considered important for the child's ability to understand the processs of adoption and to develop a positive identity rooted in two cultures. The article focuses on the bicultural socialization of adopted children by exploring research and theoretical perspectives to explain and define what we mean when dealing with these issues. The discussion regarding bicultural socialization and adopted children has not been significant in Iceland. Nevertheless, this is an issue that touches most of those who adopt children from other countries than Iceland. When the child seems to have a different racial background than its parents and even siblings, issues related to identity and identifying with others are of matter to the child’s wellbeing. Ethnic and cultural exploration is one path to develop an understanding of how and why these children are different from others, a way to build personal biographies that bring together adoption, race, and national origin (Tessler and Gamache, 2006). The aim of the study introduced in this article was to gain insight into the opinions and attitudes of girls adopted from China on the topic of their connection with China and their origins and their experience of being adoptees from China. The participants, ten girls, seven to nine years old, were sent an electronic questionnaire and asked about various details of their origin and relationship with China. They could also write comments if they liked and add more details to their answers. The results show that issues concerning their country of origin are of great interest to all the girls. Also they regard it as important to keep in touch with other adopted peers, specially other girls who came in the same group from China, defined as their Chinasisters. The connection with China seems to be a valuable part of the girls´ identity. The girls participate in various events which might be described as cultural experiences and entertainment. They express an interest in taking part in events and leisure activities which have to do with China or Chinese culture and say that it is very important to learn about the country. The majority of the girls claim that they are proud of being from China, despite being teased because they look different. Only one girl describes herself as “only Icelandic”; the other nine define themselves as both Icelandic and Chinese. Hence one can argue that the Chinese ethnicity is an important component in the girls’ life. The study indicates that the parents are active in maintaining contact with the country of origin, which harmonizes with a study among Icelandic parents of adopted Chinese children. According to another study (Jórunn Elídóttir, 2010) the parents of adopted Chinese children consider it important for the children to maintain a connection with their former homeland and the majority of the parents have the means to maintain this relationship. Adopted children are unique in that they do not themselves form a connection with their country of origin. It is the parents who choose and decide the connection, priorities and approaches. The conclusion drawn from the study and an examination of the issues and related research is that the debate about the origin, race and other allied issues is highly relevant for transracial adopted children (Juffer og van Ijzendoorn 2007; McGinnis, Smith, Ryan og Howard, 2009). Following that line of reasoning the author argues that parents must consider how much and in what way they want to maintain a connection with their adopted children’s country of origin. Parents must consider those matters and in what way they will support the child’s racial/ cultural identity. The bearing of bicultural socializations cannot be stated in such a small study. However, the study provides insight into the girls’ opinions and feelings and provides a notable picture of their interests regarding China and of being adopted. Bicultural socialization has been viewed as an issue which adoptive parents need and should take into account; nevertheless, each family must find the ways and stance to suit their needs. A route selected with care and by explicit thought will most likely help to strengthen the child’s identity and selfawareness.