ASIA (All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families)

2012 Spring ASIA Korean Culture School

2012-01-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

“I, too, want to learn about Korea.”

Date: February 4, March 3, April 7 and May 5, 2012 (4 Sessions)
Location: Trinity Presbyterian Church of Bethesda (7009 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD)
Hours: 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Saturday mornings once a month

ASIA invites all Korean adoptees and adoptive families to come and join our monthly Korean Culture School this semester. ASIA has been offering monthly culture classes since 2010. Our many returning students and their parents attest to the popularity of our programs. At our school you will learn about the culture of Korea through cooking, art, and music. You will also encounter a welcoming community of parents, adult adoptees, teens and children. It is not uncommon that non-adopted siblings to join classes as well. We serve a light Korean style lunch at the end of every class so most participants stay and socialize afterwards.

The children’s education program consists of storytelling, arts and crafts, paper folding and drumming classes. Children ages 3-12 are divided into four different age groups and rotate through the four classes. The groups are led by Korean American teens or adult adoptee mentors.

While the children are busy with their classes, parents have their own sessions. The schedule for the parents’ classes is:
February 4– Korean Cooking class with Chef Kiku Nam
March 3- TBD
April 7– Korean Cooking class with Chef Jinkyung Ko
May 5 – Adult adoptee panel discussion

How to sign up: Fill out the enclosed form and mail it to ASIA office along with a payment. If you can’t find the form, please contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com to request one. Thank you for your interests and we will look forward to having you at our Korean Culture School.

Can you give us 30 min. this semester? We are in need of a few volunteers who can arrive 30 min. early (9 am) to set up classrooms and stay longer about 30 min. after the lunch (until around 1 PM) to clean up afterwards. Either adoptive parents or adopted teenagers will be great candidates. Contact Grace Song for more information.
Contact Info:
Grace Song, Executive Director of ASIA, Inc.
www.asia-allservices.org
703-999-4206

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families (ASIA, Inc.) is a 501 c3 non-profit organization. ASIA was founded to meet the needs of international adoptees and their families through culturally enriching programs. www.asia-allservices.org

2011 Korean Frienship Night

2011-04-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

Mark you calendars and join us to celebrate Korean Friendship Night

Saturday, May 21, 2011
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Trinity Presbyterian Church
7009 Wilson Lane
Bethesda, MD 20817

This event will showcase the talents of Korean adoptees of any ages
and will include singing and musical performances. A light Korean
dinner will be served free of charge. During the event, a silent
auction will be held to benefit A.S.I.A.'s post-adoption programs
including Korean Culture School and Camp Rice. During the event, a
silent auction will be held to benefit A.S.I.A.’

If you would like to volunteer to help, perform at the event, or
donate to the silent auction*, please contact Grace Song at
hwakangsong@gmail.com

*Examples of silent auction items that we are seeking: Vacation home
weekends * Sporting event tickets * Lessons of all kinds--voice,
knitting, computers, cooking * Private building tours of TV/Radio
stations or government buildings * Three one-hour private Korean
language lessons for any level of learning * Tickets to a play or
musical performance * Gift certificate for a massage* Korean
restaurant gift certificate * Themed baskets (gardening, wine, food)*
etc. etc.

Baker's Teen Weekend

2011-03-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

7th Annual Teen Weekend
April 9th-10th, 2011
National 4-H Center
Chevy Chase, MD

Barker’s Family and Post-Adoption Department is pleased to present Barker’s 7th Annual Teen Weekend. Teens currently in Grades 9-12 are invited to spend a fun weekend at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, MD with other teens who were adopted.

Program includes both indoor and outdoor activities and discussion groups facilitated by adoption professionals who were also adopted
internationally and domestic.

Space is limited. Register early!
Registration Fee is $225 per teen

For more information please contact:
Abbe Levine, Director of Family & Post Adoption Services, at 301-664-9664 or email alevine@barkerfoundation.org

2011-02-06T19:46:00.000-08:00

2011 Camp Rice

2011-02-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

July 8-10, 2011 (Friday 5 p.m. through Sunday afternoon 2 p.m.)
Summit Lake Camp
7610 Hampton Valley Road
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families would like to invite you to our second annual family/teen camps. This year’s theme will be ‘festivals of Korea.’ We will be creating activities and classes to learn about Korean culture by exploring modern and traditional festivals in Korea.

Who should consider coming?
All adoptive families with Korean children of all ages and their siblings are welcome to participate. We are planning two separate camps –family camp and teen camp. There will be nursery programs for infants and toddlers, as well as programs for school-age children, and adults. Special attention will be given to birth children and children from countries other than Korea. Our Teen Camp will be operated in the same facility but in a different section of the retreat center. While adults and younger children stay in a room with a separate shower with their parents, teen campers will in cabins with adult adoptee counselors.

What age is considered as a teen camper?
Teen campers are students who have completed 5th grade through 11th grade by Summer of 2011. If you are 18 and older and have graduated from a high school by June, you can apply to become a volunteer camp counselor. Teen campers can be dropped off at camp alone for the weekend. If you are a family with three children with one child’s being 14 years old, your whole family can participate as family campers, but your 14 years old will be considered as a teen camper. It is recommended that your teen campers stay with other teens if your family will be staying overnight at the camp. We have had birth siblings who came to our camp in the past. It is their choice if they would like to join the teen program or family camp program.

Accommodations and location
Summit Lake is a year-round conference & retreat Center located near Emmitsburg, MD approximately 23 miles north of Fredericks, MD. There are many outdoor activities you’re your family can enjoy during your stay. Just to mention a few, you could enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, ball games (indoor and outdoor).
Accommodations for family campers are rooms which are located in four different lodges. Most of the lodges offer a private bathroom with a shower. There are a few rooms that have a joint bathroom between two rooms. We plan to give this kind of rooms to families who are related or close. Please indicate your preference in the registration form if you would like to be placed in rooms with one bathroom and a shower with another family. Each room can sleep up to 4 people and has 3-4 twin sized bunk beds. All campers will need to bring their own linens, pillows, blanket or sleeping bags. All lodges are air-conditioned.
Teen campers will be staying in cabins sharing their rooms with other teen campers. Although cabins are not air-conditioned, temperature during overnight is controlled by fans and it will be comfortable.
All meals will be served by the Summit Lake Camp this year. Summit Lake Camp serves delicious home-cooked meals, including homemade bread & cookies. For more information about our camp facility visit http://www.summitlake.org.

Tentative Schedule and Program
Check-in will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday. Check out will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Closing ceremony is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Sunday so plan to leave afterwards. During the daytime classes, children will be supervised by counselors. Parents will pick up their children for meals, free time, and performances at a large meeting space. Please notice that we will be selling Korean items at our camp store to benefit ASIA Culture Camp.

Tentative Family Camp Schedule

July 8 (Friday)
Check-in and dinner begins at 5 p.m.
Visit ongoing children craft booths /camp store opens
Welcome ceremony

July 9 (Saturday)
Breakfast
Classes begin at 9 a.m.
Lunch
Family activities
Free time (swimming pool and camp store open)
Dinner
Korean Musical Performance
Bon Fire

July 10 (Sunday)
Breakfast
Korean games
Lunch
Closing ceremony at 1 p.m.
Check out at 2 p.m.

Tentative Teen Camp schedule
July 8 (Friday)
Check-in begins at 5 p.m.
Meet your counselors /unpack your items
Welcome ceremony (Join family campers)
Watch a Korean movie

July 9 (Saturday)
Breakfast
Classes begin at 9 a.m.
Lunch
Classes
Outdoor activities
Sports
Dinner
Korean Musical Performance
Bon Fire

July 10 (Sunday)
Breakfast
Korean games
Lunch
Closing ceremony with parents at 1 p.m.
Check out at 2 p.m.

Camp counselors
Adult adoptees, if you would like to volunteer as a group leader for children or teens, you will have to be at least 18 or older and be able to pass a background check. Each applicant will need to submit an application by June 1, 2010. There is no compensation for the counselors and you will be responsible for your own transportation to and from the camp location. ASIA will provide free lodging and food during your stay at the camp. Camp counselors can be Korean adoptees, Korean Americans and non-adoptees or non-Koreans. Contact Grace Song for an application form at hwakangsong@gmail.com. If you are a returning counselor, we will waive one of the two references.

Registration Fee
The full camp registration fee includes accommodations, 6 meals, a camp t-shirt, snacks and camp programs.

*$225 per adult, child (3 and over) , or teen
We lowered the camp fee from $265 to $225 while shortening the camp days to make the camp more affordable so that more adoptive families can join this fabulous program. $50 discount per family will be applied if there are 4 or more campers. If your teenager is participating in the teen camp, you can still receive this discount. Child under 3 pays $100 to use the camp facility. If you need daycare for your child under 3, please let us know. We will plan to offer daycare for the time for toddlers when older family campers participant in cultural classes. Teen campers It is recommended that your teenager stay with their counselors for most of the time during the camp if your whole family participates in the family camp. Parents of teens will have a chance to be briefed about their achievements before the end of the camp. *$225 per camper is a discounted rate, ASIA plans to do significant fundraising activities to be able to offer this rate.

Financial assistance for teen campers
If your family recently experienced unemployment and financially cannot afford sending your teen ager to Camp Rice, please write to us. We will be doing some fundraisers and will be able to offer a few scholarships for teen campers.

Would you like to sponsor an adult adoptee counselor to come to the camp?
Camp Rice is a place where adult adoptees get together once a year to give their time and energy to mentor younger adoptees. They are a great asset to Camp Rice program. In order to host one counselor, it costs us $225. If you can make a donation of $225, we can bring more adult adoptees to join the camp. Help us continue this valuable tradition.

How to register
To reserve your spot, fill out the registration form and send it with a non-refundable pre-registration fee of $200. Checks should be made payable to ASIA, Inc. Though there is no deadline to receive registrations, it is likely to be fully booked soon due to the number of people who have expressed interest previously.
Contact us
If you have a question related to camp registration or medical forms, contact Mary Ann Wylie at walker.wylie@verizon.net.
All other questions such as financial assistance, counselor application form, camp curriculum, accommodation, volunteering, sponsorship, donation and etc, contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com or 703-999-4206.

Korean Government Scholarship Program for Graduate Students(KGSP) 2011

2011-02-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) for Graduate Students provides international students with the opportunities to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions in Korea in order to promote international exchange in education and mutual friendship between countries.

Quota for the Scholars :
- General: 5 persons(USA)(no restriction to majors)
- Overseas Korean Adoptee : 15 persons(Worldwide)(no restriction to majors)

Scholarship period:
- Master’s : 3 yrs. (09/01/2011 ~ 08/31/2014) - 1 yr. of Korean language + 2 yrs. of Master’s
- Doctoral : 4 yrs. (09/01/2011 ~ 08/31/2015) - 1 yr. of Korean language + 3 yrs of Doctoral

Benefits: Airfare, Monthly Allowance, Research Allowance, Settlement Allowance, Language Training Fee, Tuitions, Dissertation Printing Costs, Medical Insurance

Qualifications:
- Both applicant and his/her parents must be citizens of the foreign country.
* Persons with Korean citizenship are not eligible.
- Applicants should be in good health, both mentally and physically, to stay in Korea for a long period of time.
- Should be under 40 years of age as of September 1, 2011
- Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree as of September 1, 2011
* Applicants who are enrolling or have already enrolled in the same academic program in Korea as the one they are applying for will not be admitted.
* For Master’s program (or Integrated Master’s & Doctoral program): students who hold a Bachelor’s degree or a diploma that is equivalent to or higher than Bachelor’s degree
* For Doctoral program: students who hold a Master’s degree or a diploma that is equivalent to or higher than Master’s degree.
* Applicants who are expecting the adequate diploma should present their diploma by September 1, 2011 before entry.

- Should have a grade point average (G.P.A.) at least 2.64 on a 4.0 scale, 2.80 on a 4.3 scale, 2.91 on a 4.5 scale or grades/marks/score of 80% or higher from the previous attended institution
* If the grade is difficult to convert to percentage, official explanatory documents from the attended university are required.
- Applicants who have Korean proficiency or English proficiency may be given preference.
- Applicants who apply for natural science and technology program may be given preference.
Required Documents:
One original and three other copies of the following documents should be submitted.
Check List for Application Documents Master’s Doctoral
1. Personal Data (Attachment #1) ○ ○
2. Self-Introduction (Attachment #2) ○ ○
3. Study Plan (Attachment #3) ○ ○
4. Letter of Recommendation (Attachment #4) ○ ○
5. Pledge (Attachment #5) ○ ○
6. Personal Medical Assessment (Attachment #6) ○ ○
7. Copies of diploma(s) from previously attended undergraduate
institution(s) ○ ○
8. Official transcript of previously attended undergraduate institution(s) ○ ○
9. Copies of diploma(s) from previously attended graduate institution(s) - ○
10. Official transcript of previously attended graduate institution(s) - ○
11. Certificate of TOPIK score (original copy), if available △ △
12. Certificate of TOEFL or IELTS score (original copy), directly sent from ETS/IELTS, if available △ △
13. Published papers, if available (one or two) △ △
14. Awards, if available (one or two) △ △
15. Copy of passport (possible to submit after selection) ○ ○
16. Certificate of citizenship of parents of applicant : birth certificate, passport, etc. (* applicable only to overseas Korean immigrants) △ △
17. Adoption documents (*applicable only to overseas Korean adoptees) △ △

Place of submission : Korean Consulate General Office near the applicant’s current address

For DC, Virginia, Maryland, or West Virginia, documents must be submitted to the Korea Education Center in the Korean Embassy:
Korean Education Center
2320 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.
Washington DC 20008

Application Deadline:
- Submitting the Required Documents: February 28, 2011(To each Korean Consulate General Office)
- Selection by NIIED : by April 18, 2011(posted on NIIED and GKS websites)
- Official Physical Examination: April 18~May 13, 2011(completed by candidates themselves)
- University Admission Process: May 2~May 31, 2011
- Announcement for final grantees: June 10, 2011(NIIED and GKS websites)
- Entry to Korea : from August 29, 2011 to August 31, 2011
- Korean language course or graduate school : starting from September 1, 2011
- NIIED Orientation: September 23, 2011

Further information:
- www.niied.go.kr
‣ English version: Korean Government Scholarship Program → NOTICE
- www.gks.go.kr
‣ English version: Inbound → Korean Government Scholarship Program → Announcement

Contacts
If you are in DC, Virginia, Maryland, or West Virginia, please get in touch with Korean Education Center in Korean Embassy by calling 202-939-5681.

2011 Camp Rice

2010-12-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

Dear families and friends of ASIA,

Hope your holiday season is filled with joy and happiness. ASIA is planning to host the second Korean Culture Camp during the weekend of July 8-10, 2011. Location is Summit Lake Camp in MD. Hope many of you can come and join us! Registration info will be available in February 2011.

Monthly Culture School, Chinese language classes, Sesame Korean School

2010-08-13T19:42:00.001-07:00

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families (ASIA) presents a monthly Culture School for Korean and Chinese adoptees and adoptive families. ASIA Monthly Culture School is designed to meet the needs of busy adoptive families’ life and yet to bring the richness of Korean and Chinese culture into adoptive families’ homes in fun and accessible ways. Please join us in this wonderful opportunity and feel free to contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com or call at 703-999-4206 for registration information.
The dates for the monthly culture schools are Saturdays (September 11, October 9, November 13, and December 4, 2010). Hours are 9:30-11:30 a.m. Children (at ages of 3 to 12) will be in three sessions such as Korean Rice Cake, Arts and Crafts and Korean games and other cultural activities. Tuition is $100 per child/teen. Parents pay $75 and either one or both parents come together.
Children’s program (9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.)
September 11- Science and Korean Food I –hands-on activities
October 9- Celebrating a Korean Thanksgiving “Chusok”
November 13- Science and Korean Food II - hands-on activities
December 4 –Science and Korean Food III –hands-on activities

Teens and Adults program (10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.)
September 11- Margie and Mara Perscheid "Becoming a Family, Becoming Myself"”
October 9- Chef Jinkyung Ko “How to make songypon (Rice cake cooking class)”
November 13- Jun Hee Kim “Reading Korean History in Korean art”
December 4 -Adult adoptee panel discussion

New!
Beginning Chinese Language Classes (9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:30 -11:30 a.m.)
Dates: 10 Saturdays (September 11- November 13)
Tuition per child is $160 (5 student min.)
Schedule is as follows:
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. 6-8 years old
10:40 a.m. 11:40 a.m. 4-6 years old

Korean Language Classes at Sesame Korean School (9:30 a.m.-12:00 noon)
Please notice that ASIA also offers a weekly Korean language school, Sesame Korean School, for ages 3 and up. This school is also for teens and adults who are interested in learning Korean language as a second language. The fall semester begins on August 21, 2010. There is still opening for more students. Learn how to speak Korean with us!

Contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com for registration info or contact at 703-999-4206 or visit our website at www.asia-allservices.org.

Sesame Korean School Registration Information 한국학교등록안내

2010-06-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families, Inc. proudly announces that we offer Korean language classes for all ages (adults, teens and children) and we invite all of you to come and learn Korean language with us. The classes are for students who are in English speaking environments at their homes. One of our missions for this school is to provide needed cultural resources for Korean adoptees and adoptive families so that it should not be too difficult for them to connect with Korean cultural resources and other Koreans. Please visit our website to learn more about ASIA at www.asia-allservices.org and contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com to receive a registration form. Please register early so that we can plan efficiently. Registrations are being accepted between June 21-August 21, 2010.

Students: 4 years old and up (including adults)
Dates: August 21, 2010-December 4, 2010 (No school on Thanksgiving weekend) and February 5, 2011—May 28, 2011 (No school on Easter weekend) *The last day of school may change if there are snow days.

Number of Classes: 32 Weeks
Time: 9:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Saturdays
School location: Trinity Presbyterian Church of Bethesda
7009 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817
Class and tuition
1st student: $420/ 2nd student: $400/ 3rd student: $380
Tuition must be paid by (August 21, 2010 and can be in 2 installments.)
School detailed schedule
9:30 -9:40 Preparation
9:40 -10:25 Korean Language
10:30-11:15 Korean Language
11:15-11:40 Snacks
11:40-12:10 Crafts, Children’s Songs, Games, or Korean History

Registration form and full payment should be mailed to
ASIA, Inc. (check should be payable to ASIA, Inc.)
18536 Perdido Bay Terrace
Leesburg, VA 20176

Tuition Refund and Credit Policy

Credit Policy: When cancellation is made before October 1, 2010, full tuition can be credited to the following school year (2011-2012).
Refund Policy: No refund after the first day of the school

2010-05-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Korean language classes for Korean adoptees and adoptive families

2010-05-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families will offer Korean language classes this summer on a weekly basis June through August. We will be meeting on Tuesday evenings for an hour out in Bethesda. Our instructor, Ms. Seung Hee Yoo, has years of experiences in teaching Korean. She has graduated from E-Hwa Univeristy in Seoul with a degree in Korean Literature. She has also obtained a license to teach Korean. She has taught Korean in Japan, Philippine and USA for the past 14 years. The goal of this class is to master Korean alphabets. Tuition for 10 sessions is $160 per person. Contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com for more information.

An adoptive family retreat/Korean Culture Camp

2010-05-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Dear ASIA friends and families,

Come and join us this whole family event and meet fabulous Korean American role models!
There are 50 campers registered for Camp Rice. There is still space.
Here are some of the updates about the camp.
Some of our camp presenters are flying from Korea to share their expertise.
Our campers are from MD, DC, VA, WV and NY states and include birth siblings and children from other Asian countries.
Young adult counselors consist of Korean American adoptees, Koreans from Korea, and a birth sibling of a Korean adoptee.
If you signed up for the camp already, feel free to forward this announcement to other families.

Grace Song
http://www.facebook.com/l/b6a64;www.asia-allservices.org

ASIA, Inc. would like to invite you to our 1st annual family/teen camps. This year’s theme will be ‘rice.’ Rice is a food item that is loved by both Koreans and Americans on a daily basis and it is served with almost every single meal in Korea. Rice can be a source of many creative Korean dishes –bibimbop, kimbop, bokeumbop, etc. We will be learning about the wonderful Korean culture by exploring around rice.

Who should consider coming?
All adoptive families with Korean children of all ages and their siblings are welcome to participate. We are planning two separate camps –family camp and teen camp, in the same camp site. There will be enough space to accommodate the first 26 families at the ASIA Family Camp and 35 or more teen campers at the teen camp. There will be nursery programs for infants and toddlers, as well as programs for school-age children, and adults. Special attention will be given to birth children and children from countries other than Korea. Our Teen Camp will be operated in the same facility but in a different section of the retreat center. While adults and younger children stay in a hotel style room with their parents, teen campers will stay one night outdoors in tents and two nights in a cottage with counselors.

Accommodations and location
The Meadowkirk Camp and Retreat Center is a beautiful facility which attracts private parties and wedding ceremonies throughout the year. It is located in Middleburg, VA approximately 40 miles west of Washington DC. All accommodations are newly built hotel style rooms with a full bed, an extended length twin bed, and a private bath. One or two small people can sleep in their sleeping bags in the same room with their parents. Teen campers will be sharing rooms with other teen campers. Please notice that during the first night teen campers will be sleeping outdoors in tents. They will move into cottages and sleep on bunk beds for the second and third nights. Families who live close by Middleburg could commute to the camp. For more information about our camp facility visit http://www.facebook.com/l/b6a64;www.meadowkirk.org .

The town of Middleburg is known for fox hunting and steeple chasing. The charming village has earned a reputation as the "Nation's Horse and Hunt Capital," attracting prominent visitors from across the United States. Serving as a host community for more than 250 years, it is no surprise that Middleburg has developed such a high concentration of fine inns, shops and restaurants. Middleburg was recognized in 2008 for its historic preservation efforts by being designated a Preserve America Community by then-First Lady Laura Bush. Read more about Middleburg at http://www.facebook.com/l/b6a64;www.middleburg.org/about.htm

Camp counselors

If you would like to volunteer as a group leader for children or teens, you will have to be at least 18 or older and be able to pass a background check. Each applicant will need to submit an application by June 15th, 2010. There is no compensation for the counselors and you will be responsible for your own transportation to and from the camp location. ASIA will provide free lodging and food during your stay at the camp. Camp counselors can be Korean adoptees, Korean Americans and non-adoptees or non-Koreans. Contact Grace Song for an application form at hwakangsong@gmail.com.

Registration Fee

The full camp registration fee includes all hotel style accommodations, three continental breakfasts, two Korean lunches, one sandwich dinner for Thursday evening, two buffet style dinners, camp t-shirt, snacks and camp programs.

*$265 per adult, child (3 and over) , or teen
*$50 discount per 4th, 5th or 6th camper who is older than 3.
*$100 fee per camp baby who is using daycare
*$200 per daycamper who does not require lodging.

For more information, contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com or check out our website at http://www.facebook.com/l/b6a64;www.asia-allservices.org

2010 Homecoming for Overseas Korean Adoptees

2010-04-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

2010 Homecoming Program for Overseas Korean Adoptees

Korean government proudly presents you with 2010 Homecoming Program for Overseas Korean adoptees. We would like to provide you an opportunity to experience Korean culture and the modern progress of Korea. This program helps you to be proud of yourself as an ethnic Korean and to establish your national identity. Our goal is to take a leading role in international education exchange, and ultimately to develop Korean global human resource.

1. The Quota for Participants by Korean Consulate General Offices
- The Korean Embassy: 5 Korean adoptees
(Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia)
- LA Office: 8 Korean adoptees
- New York Office: 2 Korean adoptees
- Boston Office: 2 Korean adoptees
- San Francisco Office: 2 Korean adoptees
- Seattle Office: 2 Korean adoptees
- Chicago Office: 5 Korean adoptees
- Atlanta Office: 2 Korean adoptees
- Houston Office: 3 Korean adoptees
2. Program Period: June 28(Mon) ~ July 5(Mon)
3. Eligibility
1) Korean adoptees who are currently college students in the USA
2) Those who have never visited Korea by invitation of Korean government or other affiliated agencies.
3) Those who do not have any physical or mental issues in participating in group camp / orientation (including lectures and field trip).
4) Those who have not violated any laws that might hinder his/her departure from the country.
5) Those who have their parent’s agreement

4. Expenditure supported by Korean government:
1) Airfare for round trip (economy class)
2) Covers all expenses for whole program (including fees for field trips and accommodation)
3) Traveler’s Insurance

5. Details for Application(the Washington DC area only)
1) Application Office for Washington DC area:
Korean Education Center
2320 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20008
* In the other areas, applicants should apply through the Korean Consulate General Office near their residence.
2) Application Deadline: May 4th, 2010
3) Required Documents:
① Application form
② Certificate of Enrollment or transcript
③ Proof of Korean adoptee
④ Personal essay (self introduction on an Letter paper)
⑤ Copy of passport
4) Attention: Documents submitted during the application process will not be returned regardless of the final outcome of the selection process
5) Contacts: Korean Education Center in Washington DC(www.kecdc.org)
Tel: 202-939-5681; FAX 202-265-2127

2010 Korea Friendship Night needs your talents-all ages welcome

2010-04-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families (ASIA) is planning a benefit event called Korea Friendship Night in Bethesda, MD on June 19, 2010 (Saturday evening) and we are inviting some Korean American adoptees and Korean Americans to share their talents in music, dance, martial art, comedy, poetry reading or etc. It is a cultural exchange opportunity between Korean adoption communities and Korean American communities. If you know any artist at any age, please send recommendations to Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com or info@asia-allservices.org.

Location: Trinity Church of Bethesda (http://www.trinitybethesda.org/ 7009 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD)
Date & Time: June 19 (Saturday) at 4 p.m.
RSVP by June 1, 2010 if you would like to attend.

Silent Auction will begin 30 min. before the event. Light refreshments will be served right after the event.
No tickets will be sold but RSVP is required to attend this event. We will set up a donation box in the event hall and welcome tax deductible donations. All proceeds will benefit ASIA’s ongoing programs such as Culture Camp and Culture School.

Grace Song
www.asia-allservices.org

Visit ASIA's new website!

2010-03-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

ASIA has a new website.
Come and visit us at www.asia-allservices.org for future events and programs.

2010-03-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

ASIA Korea Culture School invites adoptive families to celebrate Korean Children's Day (5/5) and Parent's Day (5/8).

On May 8 (Saturday), 2010, we are going to open the school program to other adoptive families.
There will be children's classes such as cooking, music and arts and crafts. Adult education includes a cooking class and lecture.
Once a year Koreans honor their parents with red carnation flowers. During our program, children will make carnation flowers and present them to their parents which is one of wonderful Korean traditions to honor parental love on Parents' Day. Our guest speaker for adult program is Dr. Young-Key Kim-Renaud, an outstanding speaker and professor from the George Washington University and the topic of her talk will be "Linguistic fit between the Korean language and the Korean writing system."

Prospective adoptive parents are welcome!

Classes are scheduled between 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Ages of our school children are 3 and 11 years old. After a short school closing ceremony, we will be enjoying Korean lunch together until noon. The location of the school is 7009 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD at the Trinity Presbyterian Church. Fee per person is $10. Contact Grace Song at info@asia-allservices.org to RSVP by April 30, 2010. This semester we have 41 students (children and adults) who have been learning about Korean heritage at our school. We hope to serve many of you at our school in the future. Check more info about ASIA Korean Culture School at www.asia-allservices.org .

News from ASIA Korean Culture School

2010-02-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

We proudly announce that ASIA Korean Culture School was selected as one of the recipients for an educational grant from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea this year. We appreciate this wonderful support from the Korean Embassy. Thank you so much for all of your support and enthusiasm which made this school program possible.

2010 InKAS Summer Camp for adult adoptees

2010-01-12T20:24:00.001-08:00

All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive Families (ASIA, Inc.) can recruit 5 Korean adult adoptees (18 and older) to go on this special trip to Korea. It costs only $150 and includes a roundtrip airfare and most of the expenses during the program. It is first come first serve base. Please contact me if you are interested in at hwakangsong@gmail.com. Click the picture to the left for more detail info.

Grace Song
ASIA
www.asia-allservices.blogspot.com

2010 Family/Teen Korean Culture Camp accepting registrations

2010-01-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

2010 ASIA Korean Culture Family/Teen Camp
July 8-11, 2010 (Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning)

‘쌀캠프’
ASIA, Inc. would like to invite you to our 1st annual family/teen camps. This year’s theme will be ‘rice.’ Rice is a food item that is loved by both Koreans and Americans on a daily basis and it is served with almost every single meal in Korea. Rice can be a source of many creative Korean dishes –bibimbop, kimbop, bokeumbop, etc. We will be learning about the wonderful Korean culture by exploring around rice.

Who should consider coming?
All adoptive families with Korean children of all ages and their siblings are welcome to participate. We are planning two separate camps –family camp and teen camp, in the same camp site. There will be enough space to accommodate the first 26 families at the ASIA Family Camp and 35 or more teen campers at the teen camp. There will be nursery programs for infants and toddlers, as well as programs for school-age children, and adults. Special attention will be given to birth children and children from countries other than Korea. Our Teen Camp will be operated in the same facility but in a different section of the retreat center.

Accommodations and location
The Meadowkirk Camp and Retreat Center is a beautiful facility which attracts private parties and wedding ceremonies throughout the year. It is located in Middleburg, VA approximately 40 miles west of Washington DC. All accommodations are newly built hotel style rooms with a full bed, an extended length twin bed, and a private bath. One or two small people can sleep in their sleeping bags in the same room with their parents. Teen campers will be sharing rooms with other teen campers. Please notice that during the first night teen campers will be sleeping outdoors in tents. They will move into cottages and sleep on bunk beds for the second and third nights. Families who live close by Middleburg could commute to the camp. For more information about our camp facility visit http://www.meadowkirk.org .

The town of Middleburg is known for fox hunting and steeple chasing. The charming village has earned a reputation as the "Nation's Horse and Hunt Capital," attracting prominent visitors from across the United States. Serving as a host community for more than 250 years, it is no surprise that Middleburg has developed such a high concentration of fine inns, shops and restaurants. Middleburg was recognized in 2008 for its historic preservation efforts by being designated a Preserve America Community by then-First Lady Laura Bush. Read more about Middleburg at http://www.middleburg.org/about.htm

Schedule and Program
Check-in will begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday. Check out will begin at 12:00 noon on Sunday. We will be selling Korean items at our camp store to benefit ASIA Culture Camp. We will be asking each family to give one hour of their time to serve a camp program. Once we have final list of campers, we will be providing you with a signup sheet with a list of areas where we need parent volunteers. More details about the camp program will be available in the future.

Camp counselors
If you would like to volunteer as a group leader for children or teens, you will have to be at least 18 or older and be able to pass a background check. Each applicant will need to submit an application by June 15th, 2010. There is no compensation for the counselors and you will be responsible for your own transportation to and from the camp location. ASIA will provide free lodging and food during your stay at the camp. Camp counselors can be Korean adoptees, Korean Americans and non-adoptees or non-Koreans. Contact Grace Song for an application form at hwakangsong@gmail.com.

Registration Fee
The full camp registration fee includes all hotel style accommodations, three continental breakfasts, two Korean lunches, one sandwich dinner for Thursday evening, two buffet style dinners, camp t-shirt, snacks and camp programs.

*$265 per adult, child (3 and over) , or teen
*$50 discount per 4th, 5th or 6th camper who is older than 3.
*$100 fee per camp baby who is using daycare
*$200 per daycamper who does not require lodging.
It is recommended that your teenager stay with their counselors for most of the time during the camp if your whole family participates in the family camp. Parents of teens will have a chance to be briefed about their achievements before the end of the camp. *$265 per camper is a discounted rate, ASIA plans to do significant fundraising activities to be able to offer this rate.

For registration information, contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com.

Free tickets available to the Korean traditional music/dance performance on Jan. 13, 2009 in DC.

2009-12-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

Free tickets available to the Korean traditional music/dance performance on Jan. 13, 2009 in DC.

ASIA, Inc. received some free tickets for adoptive families with Korean adoptees to this musical event in honor of the Korean-American Day. Location of the event is Carmichael Auditorium, National Museum of American History in Washington DC. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:00 p.m.
If you would like to attend, please email me to confirm your attendance. Thank you.

Grace Song
hwakangsong@gmail.com
http://www.asia-allservices.blogspot.com

Click here for location information.
http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/help/locations/carmichael.htm

Click here for directions
http://americanhistory.si.edu/visiting/gettinghere.cfm

1. Sal-pu-ri
(Solo by Junglan Bae)

2. Pan-so-ri, “Song from you”
(Solo by Eunsu Kim)

3. Youngnam nongak
(By Washington Sa-mul-no-ri: Sebastian Wang (Director), Justin Park, Sarah Lee, John Lee, Dahjin Kim, and Greta Park)

4. Gayagum, “Chunsul”
(Solo by Soyeon Jung)

5. Janggo-Chum (By Washington Korean Dance Company: Soonhee Ahn, Jisun Bae, Inyoung Park,
Kyunghwa Lee, Junglan Bae, Wonyong Chung, and Sebastian Wang)

6. Geomungo, “Sanjo”
(Solo By Jaesook Park)

7. Pan-So-Ri, “Chunhyangga”
(By Washington So-ri-chung: MInji Kim, Taegyu Lim, Lauren Ashmorgan, Albert Kim, Insoon Shin, Hyunjung Kim, Minjung Kim)

8. Ohbuk-chum
(By Washington Korean Dance Company: Soonhee Ahn, Jungae Kwon, Jisun Bae, Inyoung Park, Kyunghwa Lee, Junglan Bae and Sebastian Wang)

2010 Winter/Spring ASIA Korean Culture School

2009-11-18T19:42:00.001-08:00

2010 Winter/Spring ASIA Monthly Culture School for Adoptive Families
The ASIA Korean Culture School is established to provide learning opportunities for Korean adoptees and their adoptive families so that they can learn about the culture of their birth country. It is a place where children can interact with other adoptees and feel pride in being who they are through fun and creative classroom activities. We believe it is important for Korean adoptees to have a connection with their county of birth while growing up and having a place that provides cultural learning opportunities on a regular basis. Our goal is to provide regularly scheduled events so that adoptive families will not lack cultural education and support that will potentially help their children build sound identities from a young age.
The monthly Korean Culture School will be offered throughout Winter/Spring 2010 for children and parents. The school is open for everyone who is interested in learning about Korean culture including birth siblings. The target age groups are preschoolers (3-5 yrs old) and elementary school students (1st through 6th graders). While children are engaged in their classes, parents will have the option to participate in adult lectures and cooking classes. Children’s programs will consist of arts and crafts, music, play time and cooking lessons. Adult programs will be a combination of cultural lectures and Korean cooking lessons. Language classes will be offered in the future.
Location: Trinity Presbyterian Church of Bethesda
7009 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817, http://www.trinitybethesda.org
Time: 9 a.m. -11 a.m. /Registration Fee: $100 per child/$75 per parent for five sessions
Children’s program sample
January 23 (4th Sat.)
Korean food
February 13 (2nd Sat.)
Ancient and modern Korean culture
March 13 (2nd Sat.)
Korean etiquettes
April 10 (2nd Sat.)
Korean games
May 8 (2nd Sat.) Korean Children’s and Parent’s Day celebration
(This session will be open to non-registered families and children)

*Program content is subject to be changed by ASIA without an advance notice.
Contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com or 703-999-4206 for registration information.

Pictures from Chusoek (Korean Thanksgiving)

2009-10-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of you who showed up through the stromy weather!

Save the date! 2010 ASIA Family/Teen Camps

2009-10-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Save the date!
-The First Annual ASIA Family Culture Camp and Teen Camp-
Meadowkirk Camp and Retreat Center
Middleburg, VA
July 8-July 11, 2010 (Thursday –Sunday)
Calling for volunteers for the camp planning committee!
Contact Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com
Dear all,
My name is Grace Song and I am the president of ASIA (All Services for International Adoptees and Adoptive families). I am a former adoption professional who used to organize culture camps, culture schools and birthland tours for adoptive families with Korean and Chinese children. ASIA is a new organization in DC areas. We are planning a sleep-over style family camp and separate teen camp at the Meadowkirk Camp and Retreat Center in Middleburg, VA next summer for adoptive families with Korean/Chinese children.
There will be enough space to accommodate the first 26 families during the ASIA Family Camp and 35 or more teen campers. All adoptive families with children of all ages are welcome to participate. There will be programs for nursery, preschool and lower /upper grades schools and adults. Special attention will be given to children by birth and children from another country other than Korea. Our Teen Camp will be operated in the same facility but in the different section of the retreat center. While adults and younger children stay in a hotel style room with their parents, teen campers will stay in a cottage with adult counselors.
All rooms are newly built hotel style room with modern showers. The Meadowkirk retreat center is a beautiful facility which attracts private parties and wedding ceremonies throughout the year. Each room has one full sized bed and one twin sized bed. One or two people can sleep in their sleeping bags in a room. We will be recruiting adult adoptees or Korean Americans and Chinese Americans as counselors to teen campers. If you are an adoptive parent, Korean or Chinese American, or adult adoptee and if you are interested in volunteering as a planning committee member, counselor or volunteers at the camp sites, contact us at hwakangsong@gmail.com. Look for further registration updates in the near future.

Korean Thanksgiving Event on Oct. 24, 2009

2009-10-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

Korean Thanksgiving “Chusok” on October 24, 2009 (Saturday 4-6 p.m.) in Arlington, VA (near Falls Church)
Korean Heritage Foundation and All Services for International Adoptees and adoptive families (ASIA, Inc.) invite you to Chusok (Korean Mid Autumn Festival) celebration. Typically Chusok is celebrated based on the lunar calendar. This year Chusok is actually on October 3. We are just celebrating it this year between Korean and American Thanksgiving. It is a free event. We would like to offer this special event annually starting from this year. If you have preschoolers or school aged children, it will be fun for them to come and enjoy how to make songpyon (rice cake) and sampling it. But all age groups, birth siblings and grandparents are welcome as well as waiting parents!
Programs will also include learning how to play a Korean traditional game “yoot.” RSVP required because we need to prepare enough materials. Korean dinner will be served at the end.
Date: October 24, 2009 (Saturday)
Time: 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Fee: Free
Number of participants: First 50 people who RSVP
Location: Korean Heritage Foundation, Arlington, VA (Near Falls Church)
Attire: Bring your hanbok if you have one.
RSVP with Grace Song at hwakangsong@gmail.com or 703-999-4206 by October 20, 2009.