Adoption Awareness Week - Brazil
17.11.2023
Today we will meet Magnus Helio Holen
After not knowing much about my biological family and origins my entire life, my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to find the place and the people that I once belonged to and to learn more about my biological family and where my life began
After applying to numerous TV shows that help adoptees find their biological origins, I took matters into my own hands. I had to contact the Justice Ministry in São Paulo, Brazil, and request access to my adoption files. It was a long wait; I sent the request in February 2021 and got the answer in February 2022.
I was so happy! I didn't think I would find them, but when I went back to Brazil to meet my biological family, my life was changed forever!
It was like finding a piece of me I didn't know was missing. I've always known that I was adopted and where I was adopted from but seeing it with my own two eyes and experiencing it firsthand moved me in ways, I didn't think were possible. When I went back to Brazil it felt like I met an old friend, and I embraced the country, culture, and the people like it already was a part of me.
I'm incredibly grateful to have grown up here in Norway with parents I love, and I'm equally lucky to have been able to go back to Brazil and meet my biological family. After this epic journey I have taken back parts of my Brazilian identity and now I have a dual citizenship. Now I got a Brazilian and a Norwegian passport!
I think a certain amount of maturity is needed to be fully capable of taking in this BIG life change, and being fully aware that not every story has a happy ending. You can get overwhelmed, scared, happy, angry, sad all at once and just letting those emotions run free can be a difficult task. I don’t think I would have been ready for this lifechanging experience 10 years ago, when I was 22!
Returning from Brazil, I felt out of place. It's essential to not be afraid to feel and to confide in the people close to you. Seek help from a healthcare professional who can guide you through the maze of emotions and equip you with tools for daily life. Despite the challenges, searching for my roots was well worth it.
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