[ripples]

InionGrinn,
The reunion is progressing slowly but surely. I'm so glad that I brought an interpreter/social worker to the meeting in Nov 2006 (my second meeting with my birth siblings).
Luckily my Chinese language has really progressed so that now I can handle a whole afternoon with my birth siblings. However, it's still tricky trying to interpret the various levels of meaning going on. For example, is my sister's bossiness due to cultural aspects, socio-economic differences, her personality, language, reunion stress or a combo? Gradually, with the help of input from Taiwanese people, I've been able to discern that a lot of the dynamics are more her personality.

Still, it's a lot of work trying to read between the lines on so many levels even 'tho I've had many, many years of living in Asia (including China) as well as several years of language learning.

My main advice to other inter-country adoptees prior to their search/reunion: learn as much as you can about your birth culture and the language.

I have also found that mixing with other Asian-Caucasians, even 'tho they're not adoptees, in my adoptive country really helped too. Whether they were Asian immigrants living in a western country, or offspring of inter-country marriages, I could see the possibility of living with mixed ethnic identities. I've heard from my Asian-Caucasian friends of the challenges of not fitting fully into either culture, so I don't feel so 'abnormal' being a hybrid of sorts.