My Story
My parents wanted me to grow into a respectful person so they included the Chinese character for “respect” in my name. My name “Kyoko” which means “respectful child”. I didn’t change my name when I came to the US because I wanted to honor my parents and their loving thoughts towards me.
I was born in and raised in a northern, fairly rural area of Japan. I was raised by both my biological parents and grandparents. I am the oldest of their two children (I have a younger brother). As a young adult I loved talking with children. My parents wanted me to become a teacher so I studied education in Tokyo, which is a much bigger city than where I grew up. During my college years I realized how much I loved creating art in visual media such as painting and drawing. I found myself being drawn to some kind of profession related to visual art. After I graduated, I worked as a teacher for 3 years in Japan and then I came to the US to study graphic design. After graduating college in Massachusetts, I began my career as a graphic designer. I was married for about 10 years but about 2 years ago we got divorced. During our marriage we tried infertility treatments but they didn’t go well. It was after this that my now ex-husband told me honestly that he didn’t want to be a parent anymore. After much consideration we chose divorce. My ex-husband knows how much I want to have a child and he supports my desire to be a parent through adoption. We are still very close and I consider him to be a good friend. We are fortunate to still remain close even though we are not longer married. My friends are also very supportive of my decision to adopt and I am so grateful for their blessing. I have several other close male friends besides my ex-husband that would be good role models for my child as well. As I mentioned before, I love to dance Zumba and go to the gym to exercise after work. I practiced Hawaiian dancing for 9 years and Salsa for 3 years and still love to watch Hula and Salsa performances. I love to listen to Hawaiian music as well as Latin music (Zumba music and Latin pop). I enjoy growing vegetables and flowers in my backyard garden. I like watching Japanese TV shows at night to relax. Sometimes I go to get a massage or I will go to a Korean spa to relax even more. I have a love for cooking and eating out. Hiking and walking are my choice for weekend exercise. I enjoy the sights and sounds while taking pictures and this satisfies my curiosity and interest in people, nature, and the many exciting things happening in my neighborhood as well as in and around Los Angeles. I love other cultures and I am always interested in learning new things. When I have the opportunity to interact with other people from other cultures, I always try to learn about their culture, food, habits, etc. I am responsible, honest and carry through with things I’ve started until they’re completed. I understand the importance of respecting deadlines and keeping promises. |