Who doesn't dream about winning the lottery? In the United States 47 states have a Lottery. States make billions of dollars of revenue for their state just from Lottery sales. It's become a very popular thing to do and there are so many different kinds of cards that you can purchase. The thrill of getting your ticket, pulling out a coin and scratching off that magic silvery stuff that will reveal some numbers that have the potential to change your life!
This year I entered a different kind of Lottery. For the second time in my life I will be attending an Adopteen conference in California. Adopteen is a wonderful organization that gives you a chance to get together with a group of teenagers that all have one thing in common, being adopted from China. Some kids are really lucky and they live in diverse communities that are made of many different races, I wasn't so lucky in this department. There are a handful of people in my school that are Chinese and I can count on one hand the ones that are adopted. So the first time I went to Adopteen it was like I had finally found my people! Over 100 kids all around you that look like you and that understand without even talking about it how you feel about everything. It was a time to bond, to be silly, to have some serious talks and to just let loose. I can't wait to see all of my friends again this July.
No matter how wonderful your parents and siblings are, there usually comes a time in an adoptee's life where they wonder about their birth parents and their birth country. Looking at the pictures that my parents took of me, in my birth city of Hangzhou seems so unreal. Beautiful big Buddha statues carved into mountains, mysterious misty lakes with temples all around and pictures of all the children in classrooms, on playground equipment and in little beds lined up in rooms. When I heard Adopteen had a giving back trip to China and found out that they were going to my home province of Zhejiang I KNEW I had to go!! With so many kids wanting to go on this wonderful trip I knew I had to get busy and get my application in. I also had to tell why I wanted to go and I had to have some important adults in my life give me a recommendation. When my Mom told me that I had been accepted into this year's program it was truly better than winning the lottery. Money can be spent on clothes, food, etc. but the experience of going to China and seeing where I came from is worth more than any regular lottery I could ever win. The giving back trip is all about the kids! I will be volunteering at an orphanage, holding and feeding the babies, teaching older kids English, playing games with kids with special needs, decorating nursery rooms and more! Each experience I have with Adopteen changes me and helps me grow and mature.
My Mom is helping me to raise the money to go to China. With the travel and lodging and experiences I will have I do need to make some more money to be able to pay for everything. We are having a garage sale this summer and I am starting my own child/dog sitting/dog walking business. I've done all three for a neighbor and I think I'm pretty good at it. Dogs and rescuing animals is my passion.
Thank you for listening to my story of what I think the lottery really is. If you'd like to donate to my fundraiser, here is the link: http://www.youcaring.com/project-fundraiser/emily-s-china-service-trip/328037