Personal Reflection: Mastering Forks Instead of Chopsticks
by James K. Noble, Special Contributor

The Nobles hail from a long history of half-Irish, half-Scottish generations. I think I remember my Dad saying there was an official kilt and family crest for the name, as if it did not already sound elitist enough. Almost two decades ago, however, my parents made a decision that would change the meaning of the Noble name forever.

My full name is James Kwon Suk Noble and I am an adopted child. It sounds so weird to me as I write "adopted child," because it is like a second nature that I do not actively think about. To others though, I guess they see it as something different; I find it humorous when a teacher reads my name off an attendance list, only to be surprised by a response from a Korean.

It really is not that different though. My parents decided to adopt a child and went through a long, arduous process, just as parents who wait nine months for labor do. My parents rushed to the airport instead of the hospital-big deal right? Our blood may be different, but adoption is still a question of having a child, with or without pregnancy; love is all that counts.

And boy, did they love me. I remember my Mom giving me a kiss on my left cheek when I first arrived; the lipstick remained for the whole day. My Dad had practiced Korean phrases for months in preparation for my arrival; I think he spoke more Korean that day than I did. So, in this way, my parents quickly set me on a new path in life.

And what of my life since then? I am Asian, but I grew up with non-Asian parenting. Forks mastered instead of chopsticks. Pasta, steak, and potatoes often overruled rice. English used and Korean forgotten. The family I grew up with was a mixture of Italian, Irish, German, and Scottish. Sometimes I feel at a loss with my Korean blood; I only know hints and tidbits of its culture and its meaning. Yet, I like to think I have gained a wide spectrum of perspectives and outlooks on life because of cross cultures. I guess being adopted has started me on a search in life that takes me everywhere.

But we are all on some search, adopted or not, right? I just started from a different point from you, with a different situation, with different tools to work with. Part of my search is my plan to go back to Korea one day, to visit the orphanage in which I stayed. As for trying to find my biological parents, I have no interest. I already have parents and there is nothing more I could want from them. When I tell someone that I am adopted, they usually say, "That's cool." Deep down inside, I really do believe it is cool, because I am comfortable with who I am.