Well it seems like every time I write in this blog I crying...well I crying again. After numerous sleepless nights last night I got zero because I knew today i would meet Marcelina. Susie and I tried to keep busy all day. I got my legs waxed, had lunch and we brough a bottle of whisky for Rodregous the policeman who helped me find Marcelina. He was a gem.
530pm came and I was silent and nervous as hell. The difference between Susie and I being nervous is I quiet and she is talkative.....Gloria drove us downtown were we arranged to meet them outside Santa Allende, a supermarket. Gloria called Norita on her mob and Norita told her what they were wearing etc and we pulled up alongside them. Again I cant remember much as it was a blur but I remember Marcelina and Norita got into the car and we held each other sobbing for 10 mins. We couldnt exchange words due to the language barrier so we just sat there holding each other. There wasnt a dry eye in the car. Marcelina and Norita are my whole life and having come this far to finally see them was too much for me I was a mess and so were they. Marcelina was very nervous and couldnt stop holding my hand, which I love to say are exactly like mine. Norita on the other hand was a gorgeous, beautiful, bubbly girl who was so excited and beautiful. We parked the car and went across the road to a park. Were Gloria helped us translate our converstion. I didnt talk much but had a MASSIVE smile on my face and kept holding onto Marcelina and Norita for dear life. I also kept staring at them as to see what they looked like in great detail. Marcelina and Norita were extremely happy with the outcome as I I and Marcelina NEVER thought she would see me again after she gave me up. The lanaguage barrier is a massive issue but I def going to learn spanish and come back. They so kindly invited us to their house tom for lunch. Gloria isnt coming as we have already asked too much from her so its Susie and I. Its going to be difficult but we will try. They live 1 hour away in Lampa so we are going to get a bus from the city and Norita is going to meet us and take us. I very excited to meet Teresa my other youngest sister and Marcelina husband. It certainly will be an experience. I took some photos and will take more tom. After talking for about 2 hours Marcelina and Norita had to leave. I hated saying good bye to them but will see them again tom. Wish me luck..
Friday, November 30, 2007
Marcelina calls back.
After that fantastic phone call I jumped onto the internet...it was around 9pm and Gloria was ready to go home but then the phone ran and it was Northa Marcelina`s Daughter she asked Gloria who she was because after Marcelina got off the phone to you she had been acting strange. Gloria asked to speak to Marcelina so as not to tell Northa anything. Marcelina was over the moon this time so happy, excited and please that I had found her. Gloria put me on the phone and I baled my heart out. Marcelina doesnt speak english and I dont speak spanish but hearing her voice was a saviour. I gave the phone back to Gloria and fell to the floor. Marcelina was so happy and told Gloria when she was 3 months pregnant with me she went to the priest and asked him what to do. The priest told her there are many couples looking for children so you should adopt. She gave me up immediatel after birth. She also told us she is 1 of 16 sisters and brothers and that I have 4 sisters. (half sisters but the are full blood to me) I`m not too sure on the spelling of their names but the youngest is 22 yrs Northa, then 24 rs Teresa, then me 26yrs, then 28yrs Fransico and then 30 yrs Carmen. I have always wanted sisters since I have 2 beautiful brothers back at home. I also have 4 nephews 3 boys and 1 girl so I am an Aunt!!! Can you believe it Can you!!!!! Marcelina wanted us to met tom and she wanted to meet Susie as well Gloria put Susie on the phone and Susie was bawling she kept on saying thankyou. When Susie got off she said she sounded exactly like me with my husky voice. Then I got on the phone to Northa who was so happy, loud, talkative and pleased to speak to me and wanted us to come to lunch on Sat to our house they both did. It was a complete dream and so surreal. Northa also gave me her mob to call her anytime, even though I dont speak spanish. Marcelina talked to Gloria for ages about her family etc she sounded like she had a lot to let out and was really happy we found her. We asked her if we could bring a video tape and she said great! she also said I`ll wear a big sign with my name on it ha ha she seemed really bright and happy.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Can you believe it I am in heaven absolute heaven I have never felt this happy before in my life. My life is complete now and I am at peace.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Can you believe it I am in heaven absolute heaven I have never felt this happy before in my life. My life is complete now and I am at peace.
Calling Marcelina
After we left the police station it was 1pm and we werent calling Marcelina until 730pm. Those were the longest hours of my life and I didnt know what to do with them. I went up to the internet cafe and called Jimmy and told him the great news but also expressed my fear of her not wanting to see me. This is always a possiblity in finding your birth mother, she may not want to be found.
Kept myself busy talking to Susie over lunch. Then watching TV.
Gloria (god bless Gloria) was going to make the call. Around 740pm she made the call with Susie and me there. I was stressing, sweating, pacing, worring and crying. Gloria spoke to Tersea Marcelina`s daughter and she said Marcelina wouldnt be home for another half an hour because she was at her sister`s house. Waiting some more. This time I couldnt be there for the call so I stayed upstairs in my room pacing. I kept looking out the window seeing Gloria still on the phone. Finally Susie yelled up and told me to come down and gave me 2 thumbs up. I was over the moon and flew down the stairs into Susie`s arms. Susie told me yes she does want to see you. I think i held Susie bawling for 10 mins uncontrolably crying, she was too. Gloria came out eventually and told us she told Marcelina she has a special person here all the way from Australia looking for you. Gloria asked if Marcelina had had a baby in Talca in 1982 and confirmed her name and birthdate. Marcelina at first was alittle taken back and reserved and started to whisper to Gloria you know I am married and that no one knows about her. Gloria expressed that I mean no harm and that we can meet alone and that no one needs to know. Marcelina told Gloria that she was raped she also told her she had 2 daughters before me and then 2 after me. She married in 1985 and moved up to Santiago and she works in Los Condes which is right near our hotel. She said she could meet us tom after work around 6pm and Gloria gave her the hotel`s number to call us tom. After that I was a mess again with the crying, hugging, sobbing and feeling sick. I still couldn`t believe that this was happening and that we had found her. I had dreamed about this moment for as long as I can remember. It was a dream come true.
Kept myself busy talking to Susie over lunch. Then watching TV.
Gloria (god bless Gloria) was going to make the call. Around 740pm she made the call with Susie and me there. I was stressing, sweating, pacing, worring and crying. Gloria spoke to Tersea Marcelina`s daughter and she said Marcelina wouldnt be home for another half an hour because she was at her sister`s house. Waiting some more. This time I couldnt be there for the call so I stayed upstairs in my room pacing. I kept looking out the window seeing Gloria still on the phone. Finally Susie yelled up and told me to come down and gave me 2 thumbs up. I was over the moon and flew down the stairs into Susie`s arms. Susie told me yes she does want to see you. I think i held Susie bawling for 10 mins uncontrolably crying, she was too. Gloria came out eventually and told us she told Marcelina she has a special person here all the way from Australia looking for you. Gloria asked if Marcelina had had a baby in Talca in 1982 and confirmed her name and birthdate. Marcelina at first was alittle taken back and reserved and started to whisper to Gloria you know I am married and that no one knows about her. Gloria expressed that I mean no harm and that we can meet alone and that no one needs to know. Marcelina told Gloria that she was raped she also told her she had 2 daughters before me and then 2 after me. She married in 1985 and moved up to Santiago and she works in Los Condes which is right near our hotel. She said she could meet us tom after work around 6pm and Gloria gave her the hotel`s number to call us tom. After that I was a mess again with the crying, hugging, sobbing and feeling sick. I still couldn`t believe that this was happening and that we had found her. I had dreamed about this moment for as long as I can remember. It was a dream come true.
Searching for my birth mother.
Our main purpose for coming to Chile was to find my birth mother. We thought to search in Talca since I was born there. So we contacted SENAME which is an adoption agency in Chile. We spoke to Marcelo the contact in Talca and told him our story. He said he would try and find my birth mother. I was excited about this because 2 weeks ago my friend who is also adopted from Talca, Chile found and met his birth mother through Marcelo. So this was great news and hope for me.
In Santiago we stayed at the Vila Franca. This was run by Gloria a gorgeous, kind, happy woman who spoke english.
I asked her to call Marcelo again and ask him what day next week would be good to see him as that is when we would be in Talca.
Gloria told me he said he had been around Talca to the address my birth mother lived at at the time of my birth and that he had found nothing. He would look again though that weekend. This dissappointed me.
Gloria suggested calling the police and speaking to the missing person unit. She did that for us giving the police man all my birth mothers details. He said he would call back after he made a few enquiries. Five mins later he called back and told us 3 blocks from our hotel was a police station with a missing person unit. With no hestiation Gloria said lets go.
We walked straight into Rodrequize office and Gloria and him spoke in spanish telling him my story. At the beggining it didnt look to good. Gloria was telling me the law no longer allows police to look up people unless its offical but he did it for us anyway. He typed in my birth mothers name Marcelina del Carmen Sepulveda Diaz and her birthdate which turns out to be 1956 instead of 1957 which made her 26 when she had me. He seemed to be typing for ages and consutling Gloria and our paperwork. He then called Gloria around to his computer and I could tell she was looking at a photo and she had tears in her eyes. I cant really remember what happened next but Gloria told me we had found her and Rodrequize was shaking m hand. I was hysterical I couldnt stop crying, shaking and holding Susie. This is what I have been waiting for all my life just that moment in time changed me forever. I knew everything would be alright now. Rodrequize took down her details and told us she lives in Lampa 1 hour out of Santiago. He called her house and got her husband who told him she wouldn`t be home until 730pm. He suggested to us that we call her first and then arrange a meeting. I couldnt thank this man enough for his help I just gave him a hug and said thankyou. As we walked out I felt like I was walking on air. Since then this whole time has been a dream to me.
In Santiago we stayed at the Vila Franca. This was run by Gloria a gorgeous, kind, happy woman who spoke english.
I asked her to call Marcelo again and ask him what day next week would be good to see him as that is when we would be in Talca.
Gloria told me he said he had been around Talca to the address my birth mother lived at at the time of my birth and that he had found nothing. He would look again though that weekend. This dissappointed me.
Gloria suggested calling the police and speaking to the missing person unit. She did that for us giving the police man all my birth mothers details. He said he would call back after he made a few enquiries. Five mins later he called back and told us 3 blocks from our hotel was a police station with a missing person unit. With no hestiation Gloria said lets go.
We walked straight into Rodrequize office and Gloria and him spoke in spanish telling him my story. At the beggining it didnt look to good. Gloria was telling me the law no longer allows police to look up people unless its offical but he did it for us anyway. He typed in my birth mothers name Marcelina del Carmen Sepulveda Diaz and her birthdate which turns out to be 1956 instead of 1957 which made her 26 when she had me. He seemed to be typing for ages and consutling Gloria and our paperwork. He then called Gloria around to his computer and I could tell she was looking at a photo and she had tears in her eyes. I cant really remember what happened next but Gloria told me we had found her and Rodrequize was shaking m hand. I was hysterical I couldnt stop crying, shaking and holding Susie. This is what I have been waiting for all my life just that moment in time changed me forever. I knew everything would be alright now. Rodrequize took down her details and told us she lives in Lampa 1 hour out of Santiago. He called her house and got her husband who told him she wouldn`t be home until 730pm. He suggested to us that we call her first and then arrange a meeting. I couldnt thank this man enough for his help I just gave him a hug and said thankyou. As we walked out I felt like I was walking on air. Since then this whole time has been a dream to me.
Santiago Airport
Now this was probably the most horrible episode of my trip...it was horrendous.
I flew from Colombia to Santiago without any hick ups. I was a little nervous landing in Chile but very excited and happy to be there.
Lucy and I had our first stop off in Santiago Airport at the beggining of our trip and found the staff to be unfriendly and rude.
This time around was no different infact it was probably worse.
I didnt recall paying an entry fee last time we were here so when they told me at customs that i had to pay an entry fee i was confused.
It was 56 US which I did not have on me. I had maxed out m credit card, had NO money on my atm card and the cash I had on me was minimal. I was quite nervous with what to do. I made myself in that situation because I knew my mama - Susie was coming the next day to Santiago with my money.
I tried my credit card anyway hoping by miracle it would go through. After 3 attempts and 1 machine change the lady took me over to the customs manager who told me I needed to pay this fee otherwise I would be heading back to Australia or Peru. This absolutely threw me over the edge because I had waited so long to be here and was meeting Susie the next day it would just be horrible for that to happen.
So I told them about Susie coming the next day and how she could pay for my fee and they agreed on this. This would be 8 hours away so they let me sleep in this tiny office with a tiny mattress. I was so nervous and scared to be in this situation.
Around 4 hours later a stewdess from Taca Airlines came in and told me we were going to Peru. She grabbed my baggage and started heading out. I was mortified and started screaming, yelling, swearing, abusing and crying. Telling her that I couldnt leave and that I was meeting Susie in 4 hours and that she could pay. She said if you dont pay now you are leaving. I was desperate I told her I was here to find my birth mother and I have been waiting to do this for 15 years. She didnt even bat an eyelid and started to walk out repeating your going.
I was a complete mess and ran out to the queue of the entry fee like a mad woman. I asked if anyone was Australian and they all said no. I then ran up to a group of Americans and desperately pleading to them my story and if they could pay my fee. God bless Americans is all I can say. They paid for me and I got their email address to pay them back. I ran out of customs so fast and into a cab sobbing and headed to the hotel were i would meet Susie.
I know this experience was totally my fault and I could have avoided it so easily but just the way the Chilean Staff dealt with it upset me and dissapointed me greatly. I can laugh about it now but when it was happening it was like a nightmare.
I flew from Colombia to Santiago without any hick ups. I was a little nervous landing in Chile but very excited and happy to be there.
Lucy and I had our first stop off in Santiago Airport at the beggining of our trip and found the staff to be unfriendly and rude.
This time around was no different infact it was probably worse.
I didnt recall paying an entry fee last time we were here so when they told me at customs that i had to pay an entry fee i was confused.
It was 56 US which I did not have on me. I had maxed out m credit card, had NO money on my atm card and the cash I had on me was minimal. I was quite nervous with what to do. I made myself in that situation because I knew my mama - Susie was coming the next day to Santiago with my money.
I tried my credit card anyway hoping by miracle it would go through. After 3 attempts and 1 machine change the lady took me over to the customs manager who told me I needed to pay this fee otherwise I would be heading back to Australia or Peru. This absolutely threw me over the edge because I had waited so long to be here and was meeting Susie the next day it would just be horrible for that to happen.
So I told them about Susie coming the next day and how she could pay for my fee and they agreed on this. This would be 8 hours away so they let me sleep in this tiny office with a tiny mattress. I was so nervous and scared to be in this situation.
Around 4 hours later a stewdess from Taca Airlines came in and told me we were going to Peru. She grabbed my baggage and started heading out. I was mortified and started screaming, yelling, swearing, abusing and crying. Telling her that I couldnt leave and that I was meeting Susie in 4 hours and that she could pay. She said if you dont pay now you are leaving. I was desperate I told her I was here to find my birth mother and I have been waiting to do this for 15 years. She didnt even bat an eyelid and started to walk out repeating your going.
I was a complete mess and ran out to the queue of the entry fee like a mad woman. I asked if anyone was Australian and they all said no. I then ran up to a group of Americans and desperately pleading to them my story and if they could pay my fee. God bless Americans is all I can say. They paid for me and I got their email address to pay them back. I ran out of customs so fast and into a cab sobbing and headed to the hotel were i would meet Susie.
I know this experience was totally my fault and I could have avoided it so easily but just the way the Chilean Staff dealt with it upset me and dissapointed me greatly. I can laugh about it now but when it was happening it was like a nightmare.
South America
In 2007 I finally made it over to South America. This is something I have wanted to do for 15 years but put it off from being too scared.
I travelled all through Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Chile with my special friends Lucy, Eve, Briony, James and Dave and met some amazing people along the way including an Irish lad Paul who travelled with us for 2 months.
This trip has been the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. Every moment has been wonderful and every place has been fantastic. I honestly have had the time of my life.
I travelled all through Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Chile with my special friends Lucy, Eve, Briony, James and Dave and met some amazing people along the way including an Irish lad Paul who travelled with us for 2 months.
This trip has been the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. Every moment has been wonderful and every place has been fantastic. I honestly have had the time of my life.
First Up
I was adopted in Talca, Chile at 7 weeks old by Australian parents Susie and William Gladstone.
Susie came over and got me in 1982 during the Falkland War. She was by herself and didnt speak spanish.
I grew up in Sydney and I am 25 now.
I have always had issues with my adoption and struggled with identity for a long time.
My dream has always been to come over to Chile and to find out something about my past.
Susie came over and got me in 1982 during the Falkland War. She was by herself and didnt speak spanish.
I grew up in Sydney and I am 25 now.
I have always had issues with my adoption and struggled with identity for a long time.
My dream has always been to come over to Chile and to find out something about my past.
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