As an adoptee, we all have that scenario in our head that the search and reunion will have the perfect outcome, where all of those questions will be answered, the feelings will be mutually happy, internal wounds healed and our culture reconnected with us. We imagine it will be like those years spent apart never happened. For some that’s not so much the case. For me, I’ve found many obstacles and roadblocks in my search and I’m still awaiting the reunion. 

What I’ve learnt or gathered throughout this journey from speaking with other adoptees and just from other people’s support in my life, is to prepare for any and every outcome. Which I am. Someone who I believe has had an incredibly successful and wonderful journey, searching and reuniting with his family is Alex Gilbert (I'm Adopted).

Alex was born in Russia (Arkhangelsk) and was placed in the local orphanage for the first two years of his life until he was adopted by his New Zealand parents in 1994. In high school, he wanted to start search for his family at the basic level, 2009. Again, in March 2013 he started searching for his Russian birth parents, with whom he had no connection with growing up. He found his birth mother and then his biological father, who did not know about Alex’s existence until he contacted him in 2013 whilst in Russia meeting his mum for the first time. The story of his search for his birth parents first aired on New Zealand television in 2014 and he has since launched the I’m Adopted project, filmed ongoing vlogs on his YouTube channel, released two books and a documentary.

Subscribe and stick around, because by the end of every episode, we will be one step closer to connecting with my birth family. You will also have a first-hand insight on the psyche of an adoptee and other issues surrounding adoption in Australia.

Find this project easily on socials @LedByAHeartstring on Instagram, @HeartstringPod on Twitter and you can easily find the page on Facebook for other live updates as they happen.

Led By A Heartstring is recorded in Brisbane, Australia. New episodes of the podcast are released weekly on a Monday. Send questions and other correspondence to: [email protected]

Original Music by Jonah Bobongie

Episode produced by Jonah Bobongie & Lauren Pollock for Long Way Entertainment.