Sotdae 2025: Generations
In 2020, G.O.A.'L. introduced Sotdae during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue offering adoptees a chance to return to Korea in search of their origins. Sotdae (솟대) were sacred wooden posts adorned with birds at the top. They were set up in front of villages to commemorate significant life events and were believed to connect the Earth and sky. As adoptees return to Korea, we hope that sotdae also represents connecting adoptees back to Korea.
What sets Sotdae apart from other motherland tours is that G.O.A.'L. focuses on connecting adoptees with Korea through assisting them with the search for their origins through a personalized birth family search. That being said, this program is specifically for adoptees who are interested in performing a search or continuing with their personal search efforts.
This year, we hope to deepen our commitment to centering the adoptee experience by introducing Sotdae 2025: Generations. This year our programming will consist of 5 total motherland tours, each consisting of 6 adoptees for a week-long, more individually-tailored experience. Each of these 5 motherland tours will, to the best of our ability and depending on applicant demographics, be grouped by age of the participants, acknowledging the diverse histories, experiences, and needs regarding birth search and culture for each generation of adoptee.
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PROGRAM DATES
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Group 1
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Sunday, June 22 ~ Saturday, Jun 28
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Group 2
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Sunday, July 20 ~ Saturday, July 26
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Group 3
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Sunday, August 17 ~ Saturday, August 23
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Group 4
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Sunday, September 14 ~ Saturday, September 20
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Group 5
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Sunday, September 21 ~ Saturday, September 27
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EXPENSES
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Programming Fee
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~550,000 won (Around $400 USD or €400 Euro)*
*Exact programming fee will be confirmed soon and will be due upon acceptance into the program.
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Lodging
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Covered: Single-person rooms
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Meals
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Covered: 6 Breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners (all meals for the duration of the program)
Not covered: Drinks, beverages, snacks
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Transportation
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Covered: Transportation to and from the airport on the program start and end date, as well as public/group transportation to programmed events and meals
Not covered: Personal transportation (taxis)
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Birth Search
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Covered: Meals, lodging and transportation for you and your volunteer
Not covered: Cultural or recreational activity expenses furing birth search, beverages, personal transportation (taxis), gifts
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Flight to/from Korea
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Not covered
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FUNDING SOURCES
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National Center for the Rights of the Child
(NCRC)
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Staffing and benefits, cultural programming, associated birth search costs, and basic food and lodging costs*
*In accordance with federal funding guidelines
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Programming Fee
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Enhanced dining experiences
Individual (single-person) rooms
Public transportation
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APPLICATION DEADLINE
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Sunday, April 20th, 2025 23:59 Koran Standard Time (KST)
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Things to consider before applying
- Airfare to and from Korea is not included, and the associated costs are the responsibility of the applicant.
- Sotdae is a group trip for adoptees returning to Korea over the course of 7 days. While there will be scheduled personal/free time throughout the trip, this experience follows a full itinerary, and participation in all activities is mandatory. We ask all adoptees applying for Sotdae to kindly consider this as they determine if this program is a good fit for the type of experience you are looking for and where you are at in your adoption journey.
- If you are able to arrive before or stay longer than the 7-day program period, it is recommended. However, expenses will not be covered during this period.
- Embarking on an origin search journey can be very overwhelming, especially if it is your first time back to Korea. It is important that you have a strong support system in place to help you cope with any emotions or feelings that might come up due to this program.
- Once the program starts, it will be fairly fast-paced and active. Adjusting well to the time difference to combat jet lag will be important as the itinerary will be rigorous.
- While not a requirement, we will prioritize adoptees who have never returned to Korea or did not stay long in Korea. Anyone is eligible to apply, but please note that this may affect your chances of selection.
- This program is for the individual adoptee only. Family, friends, partners, etc. are not included or allowed to accompany in the program.
- The family search aspect of Sotdae is for G.O.A.'L. members. If selected, we will ask that you become a member of G.O.A.'L. if you are not already. The program fee covers the associated costs with the Sotdae program only.
Application Contents
- 2025 Post Adoption Services: Consent to Collection and Use of Personal Information
- Registration Details
- Reason for Application Essay Prompts
- We suggest writing and saving your responses to the essay questions in a separate Word document, etc. in case something goes wrong with the submission process and your application does not go through.
Application Timeline
- Monday, April 7th, 2025, 17:00 KST: Application opens
- Sunday, April 20th, 2025, 23:59 KST: Application closes
- Applications will be reviewed, and applicants will be contacted about whether or not they will move to an interview round. If selected for an interview, a time will be scheduled, and interviews will take place once the application period opens until Friday, April 25th, 2025 17:00 KST.
- Final selections will be made, and applicants will be notified by the end of April/First week of May.
For questions, please email gcr@goal.or.kr