This 11th Annual KAAN Conference uniquely brings together all the member groups around Korean adoption. This year's conference will be held at the Sheraton Denver Hotel in Denver, Colorado from July 31st through August 2nd.  It promises the best sessions ever.

For example, Carissa Woodwyk, an adult Korean adoptee who is a licensed marriage and family therapist and has authored the book Before You Were Mine will talk in a keynote address about the impact of relinquishment on adoptees' psyches; an adult adoptee and a relative by family association will discuss Family Labels and Language and talk about what it means to have to explain one's family on a regular basis; and, in an adult-adoptees-only session, adult adoptees will discuss the face and body image issues that many experience in the session Why I Don't Like My Face. In Meeting a Korean Birthmother and Birthfather, attendees will hear the story of a Korean mother and father who placed their child, have been reunited, and now live in the U.S. Adult adoptees will also be able to come together on the evening of Friday July 31st for an adult-adoptees-and-their-guests-only dinner. Special tracks for kids and teens round out the schedule.
For more information and to register, go to the KAAN Conference website at http://www.kaanconference.com/.

Get together with fellow adoptive parents this summer for Conversation and Coffee at DC's excellent Korean bakeries.  These casual evenings or afternoons will be an opportunity to share experiences and insights, to ask questions, and to simply enjoy the company of others who are sharing your parenting journey.

Many of these great coffee houses are located near Korean shopping centers, where we can shop a little before settling back to chat.

If you'd like to join in, emailannouncements@koreanfocus.org.Dates and locations will be scheduled based on response.

The Committee of 100 (C-100) is pleased to announce the availability of its report on its 2009 survey, Still the "Other?" Public Attitudes Toward Chinese and Asian Americans. Visit the C-100 website at http://www.committee100.org/ to download a copy of the report.

Foreigners to Get Dual Citizenship
Mar 26, 2009
The Korean government plans to allow foreign nationals to have dual citizenship on a selective basis as early as later this year to attract ... More here.

Allowing Dual Citizenship
The Ministry of Justice plans to present a bill to the National Assembly by June in a move to offer dual citizenship to foreigners with ample potential to ...   More here.

The 2009 KAAN Conference in Denver is approaching fast:  in a few short weeks conference attendees will be in Denver enjoying the seminars, information, networking and camaraderie that are part of every KAAN Conference.

Early registration remains open through June 30th, after which fees will rise to full cost.  If you plan on attending, visit the KAAN Conference registration website to register.

For more information, visit http://www.kaanconference.com/

IKAA (Interational Korean Adoptee Associations) announces a call for papers for the Second International Symposium on Korean Adoption Studies, which will take place at the IKAA Gathering in Seoul, Korea in August 2010.  Click here for a printable copy of the call for paper requirements.

More information about the IKAA Gathering is available here: http://gathering.ikaa.info/en.

With a focus on practical language skills, plus added cultural context, the language program at the Korean Embassy's KORUS House offers a basic introduction to speaking, reading, listening, and writing Korean. Classes are of limited size, and led by native Korean-speaking instructors with university teaching experience. Classes primarily focus on language learning, but also introduce students to important aspects of the traditional and modern culture of Korea. These mini-lessons provide context as well as practical knowledge. Topics range from food and history to social customs and pop culture.
 
For complete details on the Spring 2009 session, visit the KORUS House website.
 
Summer 2009 Classes
 
The tuition for each class is $230, which includes a final class Korean dinner party, free parking, Korean snacks during breaks, and additional class and KORUS House materials. Purchase of an additional textbook (available from KORUS House) is required for each class. Each Summer 2009 class meets 12 times (24 hours), on Monday and Wednesday at the KORUS House from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., July 6 - August 12, 2009.
 
Registration and Inquiries
Contact Adam Wojciechowicz at awoj (at) koreaembassy (dot) org or (202) 587-6168.
 
Registration ends June 30, 2009
 
Beginner I - for those with no previous experience; this class covers basic sentences, introductions, and vocabulary, plus reading, writing, and pronunciation of the Korean alphabet, Hangul; includes cultural components
When: Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Instructor: Young A Jung
Textbook: Sogang Korean 1A ($30)

Beginner II - for novice Korean speakers with an understanding of the Korean alphabet, Hangul (reading, writing, speaking), and some grammar basics (informal vs. honorific verb forms, wh- questions, subject/object markers); this class covers various new conversational and grammar topics; includes cultural components
When: Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Instructor: Hei Sook Yoo
Textbook: Step by Step Korean 2 ($25)
 
KORUS House is the official culture and information center at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, located at 2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC, 20008. There is free parking for students in our lot, and the KORUS House is bus route-accessible or a 15-minute walk from the Dupont Circle metro station. For a map of the Embassy and the KORUS House (at location B) visit the KORUS House website.
 
KORUS House
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
http://www.Dynamic-Korea.com/

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, in cooperation with South Asian Americans Leading Together and the Korean American Coalition DC Chapter invite you to a special presentation of The Asian American Vote.

Just  a reminder that if you have not yet registered your child(ren) for camp, the deadline to do so is July 3, 2009.  
 
Camp will be held Thursday, August 6th - Saturday, August 8th at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in McLean, VA. Registration is already up and you can register your child(ren) by clicking HERE and following the link to Online Registration. On that page you can also find information about hotel accommodations, Parent's Classes, and other information.
 
Also, we are currently looking for parents that would be willing to be part of a focus group that would give us feedback and comments via e-mail on a bi-weekly basis. These e-mails would address issues regarding camp itinerary, curriculum, schedule and logistics. If you are interested, please let me know.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me (my information can be found below). We hope to see you this summer!

Best regards,
JJ Loving
Culture Camp Director
 
Direct Line: (301) 562-6513
Main Line: (301) 562-6500
Fax: (301) 587-3869
E-mail: Camp@chsfs.org
8555 16th Street, Suite 600
Silver Spring, MD 20910