Portions of this article contributed by Jamie Dalgleish '13.

Maria Myung-Ok Lee, author of the critically-acclaimed novel Somebody's Daughter, recently visited D-E for Upper and Middle School assemblies. She spoke about the process of writing her book and her own personal experience of being Korean-American. 

Ms. Lee talked of the parts of her book that were inspired by her own childhood, which was spent growing up in Minnesota as a distinct minority. Sarah Thorson, the book's main character, is an adopted Korean girl who is dealing with learning that she has two mothers: the one who gave her away and the one who adopted her. She begins a yearlong exchange program at Chosun University in Seoul to learn Korean and discover her roots. In alternating chapters, readers learn about her birth mother, and about the circumstances surrounding Sarah's birth and adoption. 

Ms. Lee spoke of the arduous process of writing, and gave the D-E Upper School writing tips, including not using a computer for a first draft, because in her opinion hand writing is much more conducive to "hearing one's inner creative voice."  Something else Ms. Lee urged students to do was that if they enjoy doing something, just do every day, even if (they) are not great at it: "If you do that, you'll get infinitesimally better at it."

While she was on-campus, Ms. Lee also met with Korean students with the School's Korean Culture Club.  These students include first generation Korean Americans, second generation Korean Americans, and visiting students from Korea who stay with guardians while studying here.  She also met with parents with the School's Korean Parents Association.  These same parents helped to sponsor a summer educational immersion trip to Korea for MultiCultural Director Clinton Carbon and Science faculty member Jane Park, facilitated by Sejong Korean American Cultural Education, Inc.