Not Made In China
Welcome to Not Made In China, the podcast where we talk all things adoption and the beautiful madness that comes with it. Shaosheen was adopted from China when she was 9 months old and has lived in the UK ever since. On this podcast she chats to people whose lives have been touched by adoption, discussing their experiences as well as sharing a few of her own stories. Thank you so much for joining us, we hope you enjoy eavesdropping on our conversations! Follow us on Instagram & TikTok @notmadeinchinapodcast
Episodes
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Korean adoptee and writer Jonathan, to talk about growing up as one of the only Asian children in a white Southern New Jersey suburb, and how his writing — from fiction, to poetry, to nonfiction — has mirrored his changing relationship with his own identity.
We talk about the "class clown" persona he built to control how others saw him, a trip back to Korea that changed what ...
We're taking a short break and will be back on the 6th of October with new episodes, new guests and new stories.
Thank you so much for listening, we can't wait to be back soon!
Shaosheen x
Follow us on Instagram & TikTok @notmadeinchinapodcast
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Eva, a Chinese adoptee and creator of BBC Sounds' Made In China, to talk identity, assumptions, and growing up as one of the only Asian faces in a predominantly white area.
We cover the microaggressions and stereotypes she faced growing up, how "being the joke" felt like survival, and the therapy work behind unlearning it. We also explore nature vs. nurture as an adoptee, and why she's p...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Addy, a fellow Chinese adoptee and friend, raised by her mother in the US. Addy opens up about growing up between cultures, from her early years in Beijing to moving to New York, and what it's really meant to navigate her Chinese identity alongside her American upbringing. She shares her honest take on questions many adoptees ask themselves: am I Chinese enough? Do I have to choose? And...
Sophie found her birth family in just a few weeks, and still isn't sure she'd search again.
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Sophie, a Chinese adoptee raised in the US, for a raw and honest conversation about birth family reunion. Sophie shares an often-unspoken side of adoption search stories, along with real, thoughtful advice for anyone considering searching for their own birth family.
Although her search didn't go th...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Stefany, acclaimed author and Taiwanese kinship adoptee. Stefany shares her extraordinary journey of reuniting with her birth mother and later moving to Taiwan to live with her while learning Mandarin.
We talk about the emotional reality of birth family reunion, navigating identity across cultures, and what it's really like building a relationship with a birth parent after years apart. S...
Trigger Warning: We briefly mention suicidal thoughts. If you or anyone you know is struggling with something similar, please visit Help for suicidal thoughts - NHS.
Many adoptees grapple with questions of identity — but what if understanding your roots could heal decades of pain? Lifang, a Chinese adoptee and founder of Adoptopedia, shares her extraordinary journey from feeling like an outsider to embracing he...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Brooke, a domestic adoptee from the UK. Brooke challenges adoption stereotypes by sharing her journey from a troubled background to a life of purpose. This episode explores her complex relationship with her birth family, the impact of trauma, and the power of resilience and love in defining family. Discover:
- How therapy and support systems foster self-growth
- The importance of honest c...
Today, Shaosheen sits down with Ming, a Chinese adoptee who recently returned to China. Together, they discuss what led her to make the decision to go back, how she felt in the lead-up to the trip, and the emotions and reflections she’s carried with her since returning home.
Ming shares what it was like revisiting her hometown, visiting her orphanage, and reconnecting with parts of her story and identity in a c...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Mariane, a Chinese adoptee raised by Quebecois parents. Mariane shares some of the challenges she faced as one of the only Chinese people in her area including her experiences of microaggressions and subtle racism, and how these experienced were often dismissed and not considered real racism. Mariane chats about how she has reconnected with her Chinese culture as she got older, through ...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Emma, a Chinese American adoptee who grew up in Marin County, California. Emma shares what it was like growing up in a predominantly white community, where she largely felt “normal” and didn’t think adoption had a significant impact on her identity, often (and understandably) feeling more aligned with the world around her than with her Chinese heritage.
As she got older...
Today Shaosheen is joined by Anna, a Chinese adoptee raised in a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints family in Salt Lake City. They explore what it means to grow up as a transracial adoptee, from early messages about “gratitude” to the often-overlooked realities of loss, identity conflict, and cultural disconnection.
Anna shares her experience reconnecting with her Chinese heritage through l...
In this episode, Shaosheen is joined by Mackenzie, who became pregnant at 17 and made the decision to make an adoption plan for her daughter.
Mackenzie shares the story behind that decision, the challenges she faced as a young birth mother, and the importance of the language we use when talking about adoption. She also reflects on the adoption process itself and what it looks like to navigate an open adoption relatio...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Cat, a British Chinese adoptee who has just completed her PhD exploring the British Chinese adoptee experience. In this episode, they dive into Cat’s research and her personal journey, discussing what it feels like to question if you’re “Chinese enough,” navigating cultural identity in predominantly white spaces, and the ways connecting with other Chinese adoptee...
Today, Shaosheen is joined by Rick, a Black, Korean adoptee who grew up in the US. Rick talks about finding out he was adopted — and half Korean — at 16, how that shaped his identity, and what it’s been like reconnecting with his Korean heritage through food, language, and culture since. He also shares why confirming who his birth mother is feels so important to him.
Follow Rick on Instagram: ...
In today's episode, Shaosheen sits down with Sophie, a UK adoptee. Sophie discusses the positive experiences she had with her adoptive family and the supportive environment they created. She reflects on the complexities of being adopted, including feelings about her birth parents and the misconceptions surrounding adoption.
In today's episode, Shaosheen reconnects with her old friend and fellow Chinese adoptee, Hannah. They share their stories of growing up in (relatively) white communities and navigating identity, belonging, and family. They talk honestly about experiences with racism, reconnecting with their culture, and the surprising journey of finding Hannah's birth family entirely by accident!
In today's episode, I sit down with Cerrita Smith, a therapist with over a decade of experience supporting adoptees and their families across the NHS, children’s services, and private practice. We explore what she’s learned about identity, attachment, and complex trauma, how therapy can support adoptees and their families, the role social workers play throughout the adoption journey, and so much more.&nb...
In this deeply personal episode, Shaosheen talks with Kellan, a queer transracial adoptee and somatic therapist, about their journey of healing, identity, and growing up adopted from China in the UK. Kellan shares how somatic therapy can help adoptees process trauma through the body and explores the complexities of transracial adoption, belonging, and self-discovery. Shaosheen and Kellan were both adopted from the s...
In today's episode, Shaosheen catches up with an old friend and fellow Chinese adoptee, Shaofan. They chat about growing up adopted in the UK, navigating identity, and what being British Chinese means to them, with plenty of laughs along the way.
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