Visit to the G.O.A.L. Office

By:

Austin Johnson

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G.O.A.’L (Global Overseas Adoptees’ Link) is an organization that helps Korean adoptees with the birth family search, applying for the F-4 visa and dual citizenship, and various other things that adoptees may need help with.Throughout the month they have various activities available for adoptees to participate in. They hold cooking classes, workshops, and they even have a soccer team that meets weekly.

Last week when I applied for my F-4 visa at the immigration office, I was told that I could not apply for dual citizenship. So I decided to make an appointment with G.O.A.’L to discuss my options regarding dual citizenship and to see what was going on. On Monday I visited the G.O.A.’L office and found out that it was a miscommunication, which is understandable considering the language barrier. I am eligible to apply for my dual citizenship. They walked me through what the process would be, and they went over the pros and cons of having dual citizenship. It would take roughly 10 months to a year for me to recover my citizenship. One of the disadvantages that were pointed out to me was that I could no longer be eligible for scholarships that are specifically for foreign nationals in Korea.

Once I left the office and started back toward the subway, it hit me. I could apply for dual citizenship and become a Korean citizen. This was something I had thought about for many years, and now it might become a reality. I started to think about the time I applied for U.S. Citizenship when I was younger. I waited in line at a government office in California. I remember a part of me was sad that I had to renounce my Korean citizenship. I felt like a part of me was disappearing and that I was no longer Korean. Now, I am many years older and a part of me feels that I can be made whole again. I know that if I apply to recover my Korean citizenship, I won’t be completely whole again, but it’s a start.

Austin Johnson

Hi! My name is Austin Thomas Hyun Sei Johnson. I am a junior at the University of New Mexico, pursuing a double major in History and Asian Studies. I am studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea at Dongguk University from spring 2015 to fall 2015. My goal is to finish up my Asian Studies major while over in Korea. I was adopted from South Korea when I was six months old. I grew up in California, later moving to Idaho and then to New Mexico. I chose to study in South Korea because it has always been a dream of mine to visit the place of my birth. I plan on visiting the orphanage where I was adopted from and the hospital where I was born. I am excited to experience the South Korean culture and history. I plan on going for my Masters in Korean History after I graduate the following year. My plan is to teach Korean History at a University. Studying abroad will help enhance my knowledge and give me great cultural experiences that I can use later in my academic career. I look forward to learning the Korean language in the intensive language course offered at Dongguk University. One of my other goals is to be proficient in the Korean language so I may teach it to my future children. Also, I am super excited about eating all the wonderful and delicious tasting Korean food!