Adopted at Birth- help me reconnect with my family

**UPDATE** (December)

I have officially booked my flight from February 11-20th!!! I’m excited and overwhelmed by the next steps. I’m now working to secure housing and transportation. I’ve adjusted the goal to reflect what’s needed now that I have better idea. I am so thankful for every donation that has helped me get this far.

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Hi! I’m Jamie, an adopted Puerto Rican-American currently living in Philly. I was adopted at birth as part of a closed adoption in 1990.

In 2018, I decided to try ancestry.com to learn more about myself and my history. With no success, I booked a trip to Puerto Rico in March of 2020. Guided only by knowledge of my birth mother's name and the city which she was from, I intended to knock on doors with hopes of uncovering something, anything. Unfortunately, the trip was cancelled the day before due to the pandemic. I was devasted.

Several months into the pandemic, I received an unexptected ancestry.com message from an assumed cousin, who worked dilligently to try to uncover the mystery of how I fit into the family tree. Pieces began to come together, and throughout the year I was able to make contact with more and more biological family members, including my birth mother.

It's been 3 very long years since my trip was cancelled, and I'm seeking support to finally make this trip possible. The hurricane that has recently ravaged Puerto Rico has left me with the added pressure and fear of losing time, worried I may never get the chance to immerse myself in a cultural home and meet those who share my face.

Your financial support will allow me to go on this trip and make sure my base needs are met for safety, housing, and transportion, and to grant me the time to give this experience the full emotional capacity it deserves. The major expenses will include flights, housing (likely both hotel and Airbnb given the location), car rental/gas, and food for 8-10 days.

Thank you for your support<3 Jamie