Tag: Ana

Interview with Martha

My Roots has managed to trace Martha Chen. Meanwhile, Ana has added me to a chatgroup on Facebook for adoptees who came to the Netherlands via Martha Chen like me. All born in 1977. One of the other adoptees turns out to have been in contact with Martha through al these years! I never knew Martha was still alive. There has also been a conversation with Martha. Ana has arranged one of her Indonesian contacts, Eko, to visit Martha. Eko has tried to figure out what Martha remembers of that time in the 70’s. The adoptions and…

Read More

The day I left Indonesia

I was born in Indonesia. Raised in the Netherlands. Every year I celebrated August 24, the day I flew to the Netherlands when I was a baby, in 1977. It seemed clear to me I had something to celebrate. Since I had excaped the hopeless slums of my hometown in exchange for a house in one of the richest countries in the world. Frankly, I celebrated my life here, in the country I grew up to be the person I am now. The warm family in which I was raised, the all the chances I’ve gotten,…

Read More

Money makes the world go ’round

Today I received a mail from my sister. And though I knew beforehand this could happen, her question took me off guard anyway. Money. In Indonesian families is the most normal thing in the world to support each other financially. There is no social safety net, so within your family you just support each other. That’s nice, so I think. But why do I feel so much resistance then? I’m totally not enthusiastic about transferring money to Indonesia. The amount my sister asks is considerable. Even if I wanted to help…

Read More

Message from Ana

Surabaya, February 15 Hi Wendy, I am contacting you with a latest update. Unfortunately we have not received any reactions to your ad via social media and from organisations which are involved with your search. The next step is that someone is going to search a whole day in Magelang for more information. I would prefer to do this myself, but since I am 38 weeks pregnant, the baby is due any time now. It would only be around May until I can search for you, which is on voluntary…

Read More