Most people know the backstories of their lives.  They know where they were born, why they were born in a certain location or the entire story of their parents.  These are facts that most people never think twice about.

Though we didn’t know each other before our freshman year at Trinity, the backstories for me and fellow senior Andrew Prichett turned out to be very connected and very different from most.

Both of us had questions about our early past that could not really be answered. We both were curious about why we existed and how we came to exist.

It turned out that Andrew and I were adopted from the same orphanage in Perm, Russia.  We didn’t realize this until our freshman year when we were in the same class and something came up in a conversation about where I was born.

We realized that we are both from the same city, and we went home that night and asked our parents which orphanage we were from.  Our parents gave us the same answer.

Andrew and I grew up just like any other kids.  We never let being adopted affect our lives positively or negatively.  It’s almost like we had no idea what being adopted meant.

However, when we got older and smarter, we started to ask ourselves more abstract and complex questions.  We slowly began to wonder what life would be like if we had not been adopted by our parents.  

Andrew and I agree that living in modern-day Russia would not be as good as our current lives.  If we had not been adopted, life would probably not be as enjoyable.  We do not have a deep anger against our biological parents because of how good our lives are now.

There is no equal to the freedom we have here — no place with celebrated rights, no individualism or simple things like fantasy football — or Trinity High School.

Even though there is not very much information, Andrew knows more than I do about why he was given to an orphanage.  His biological mother did not have enough money to pay for college. So, to help with her education, she gave Andrew to an orphanage.

Andrew’s biological father is a mystery — who he is and where he went. Andrew’s given name was Saleymonav Vasiliy Nikolieviech.  He still uses his first middle name, Vasiliy, today.

For my side of the story, my biological mother’s name was Natalia Vasilienva. I do not know any information about her at all.  All I know is that my biological father’s name is listed as Nikolai Nikolayevich.

Andrew’s and my original last names are very similar.  When the biological father is unknown, a name as common as Smith is in America is often used.

Andrew has two siblings also adopted from different cities in Russia.  He and his brother want to return to their hometowns within the next few years and maybe try to find their biological parents.  Even if they do not find them, the two brothers want to see the locations of the earliest time of their lives.

I am interested in returning to Russia eventually.  But if I never get an opportunity to return, I will be able to live my life without having an empty feeling.  I am not entirely desperate to find out facts for myself.

I have lived my life like I was born just like any other child.  I usually do not tell people that I am adopted because I do not want their first thoughts about me to be that I am adopted.  I would rather people think of my personality first.

As far as normal American citizens go, Andrew and I both have a pretty sweet life.  Our families both send us to one of the best high schools in the country.  We both live in a great city with parents that love us and have plenty of friends that make our lives even better.

We are very lucky that we were brought into our current lives with my parents, Axel and Carolyn, and Andrew’s parents, Walter and Shannon. We do not know where we would be if we had not been adopted, but we are both sure that nothing could beat the lives we have now.

Some things happen for a reason. For almost anything in life, it is hard to explain the meaning or history of an event, but Andrew and I are both glad that things ended up the way they did.