Name/Korean name: Tarah Kadzielawski (Oh, Eun Ah 오은아)

First KAtCH event:
Ttowa Korean Bistro July 24, 2021. (I had to look it up. I can’t really remember when anything happened since the beginning of the pandemic though I’m not sure if it’s my age that makes it hard for me to remember when things happened – ha!) It was the first in-person event since the pandemic. I had the time wrong and was the first to arrive. Thankfully Joe arrived early, and he made me feel really welcome.

Where did you grow up/Where do you live now?
I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. I know there are a lot of people from Michigan in this group, so I’ll be a little more specific—I was in Mt. Clemens when I was brought to the U.S. and then I moved a little bit west to Rochester Hills when I was about 7 years old. Now I live in Chicago, IL—specifically in Jefferson Park.

Tell us about yourself:
I’m a work in progress. Looking at my past to inform who I am today and whom I want to be going forward. I am working on being a light in the world, doing life well, and being a great mom and friend. Some facts about me. I was born in Seoul, South Korea. I was adopted by my parents when I was 5 months old. I arrived at O’Hare on St Patrick’s Day where my parents (Irish mom and German dad) picked me up. So, in my family, I’m a little bit Irish too. As a kid, we always celebrated that day and called it my “half birthday”. I never really knew why it was a “half birthday” but I didn’t question it too much because I got presents  I moved to Chicago in 2001. I have a son, Kyle, who is 10 years old. I have not been back to Korea yet, but I have thought about it for as long as I can remember. I’ve recently decided to attend the IKAA Gathering in Seoul this year. 

You’ll likely KAtCH me doing the following:
When I’m not working on building eLearning for early childhood educators, I enjoy spending time with my son, friends, and time to myself. I listen to a lot of podcasts, some favorites are Ten Percent Happier, Unlocking Us, Where Should We Begin, Smartless, The Daily, and Adapted. Since the pandemic, I’ve become an amateur mixologist. I’m a city girl at heart who wants to be a nature girl, but I don’t love bugs – ha! A little over a year ago I decided to take my first backpacking trip. It was amazing. I plan to do it again—just not sure when yet. I started practicing with Ajumma Rising this past fall and have now performed in a couple of flash mobs. I am proud to be a part of this amazing group of women.

Why do you enjoy being involved with the KAtCH community?"
Before KAtCH I had not been involved with any adoptee group. I never knew what it was like to be a part of a community like this. I know each person’s life experience is unique. There is something comforting in knowing that people in this group can relate to my KAD experience while having their own unique stories. I enjoy being a witness to other people’s lived experiences and appreciate them being a witness to mine. I also enjoy connecting with people in this group on non-KAD-related life experiences as well. I’ve met some amazing people and started some wonderful friendships.

Favorite restaurant(s) in Chicagoland:
I took Kyle to his first Korean BBQ at Chicago Kalbi back when he didn’t eat meat. He ate all the chicken and it’s been a favorite of ours ever since then. I recently rediscovered Cho Sun Ok. I will be going back again soon  Choong Man Chicken in Glenview is my favorite Korean fried chicken place. A local favorite is Community Tavern, they have great cocktails and delicious food. This winter I was able to go to The Aviary. Their cocktails were AMAZING! For me, it’s definitely a special occasion kind of place, but it makes me want to have lots of special occasions. 

Find me/Social Media:
Facebook: Tarah Kadzielawski