Ajit Nayak is my brother-in-law and he is mentally and physically disabled. Since I’ve known Sasmita, I have heard stories about her brother who is two years older than me and his disability. One day this summer, my father-in-law Valentine and I were chatting about life in Village Alligonda. He began telling me about Ajit,… Continue reading My brother-in-Law Ajit: The Nayak’s Great Family Tragedy
Tag: narrative
We’re going back to India – to marry again.
Sasmita and I are traveling to Odisha, her birth state, in Eastern India, from late May to mid-June 2014. The reason: to be married in a Catholic Mass about 30 minutes away from the village Alligonda where she grew up. None of her family attended our August 2012 wedding in New Jersey. The plan has always been to return… Continue reading We’re going back to India – to marry again.
An awesome adoption conference is happening this November. Will you be there?
A group that I belong to, The Adoption Policy and Reform Collaborative (APRC) and the Minnesota Transracial Film Festival along with others, are organizing a two-day conference called “Reframing the Adoption Discourse,” in St. Paul, Minnesota this November. This is the APRC’s first conference and the line-up of presenters is impressive. There is also an… Continue reading An awesome adoption conference is happening this November. Will you be there?
My ‘fairy-tale’ narrative in voice: A podcast interview.
My ‘fairy tale’ story, through a podcast, in three 10 minute segments from the Land of Gazillion Adoptees blog.
Marrying an Immigrant – Part 1
As some of you know, I married the love of my life Sasmita in August of 2012. After a courtship conducted primarily over Skype for over a year….But this post is not about her background, but rather what it’s like to be married to someone who had never left India and came to the US for the first time in mid-July 2012.
“Joseph, No Last Name”
His birth certificate read ‘Joseph, no last name given’. An American couple adopted him; 32 years later, AJ Bryant returns to District Three Hospital in Kottayam where the mother he’s never met gave him birth…
Dear Readers,
Below is a re-post from Land of Gazillion Adoptees as promised.
I’m also in the midst of re-designing this blog.
One of the more surprising revelations after living in India in 2011, was learning that the Dalits, formerly the “untouchables,” are no fans of Mahatma Gandhi. Coming from the United States and Western society in general, the Mahatma is held up as a paragon of non-violence and civil disobedience. I would guess that most in the US consider his life and his work as one of the most selfless, incredibly beautiful and inspiring of the modern world. The belief is less in India.
From Indifference to Love: How my Affection for India Evolved –Part Two
The 2nd part of my personal journey from being ashamed about my Indian birth to fully embracing India as “mine.”
The Narrative Burden
Where are you from?
It’s a seemingly innocuous question, but for an international adoptee a complicated one…
Lucky is only half the story.
Throughout my life, when I discuss my adoption, people always seem to respond with -”A.J. you are so lucky.”
Why Did I Begin An Adoption Blog?
After much hand wringing and contemplation, I joined the blogosphere a few weeks ago. Many of you probably wonder why. There are numerous blogs about adoption, both domestic or international. Many people blog about identity issues, birthmother conundrums, and the list goes on. Some are cheery reads, while others barely hide deep pain, anger, and… Continue reading Why Did I Begin An Adoption Blog?