Some people are born investigators. They ask for information without batting an eye and are cool, calm, and collected in every situation. Many searchers are hyper, unsure, and revealing in their dealings with sources. Here are a few suggestions for you to consider as you begin your search.

Fact: The people you are seeking have their names in print somewhere. All you have to do is find them through a process of elimination.

Whether in phone books, newspapers, directories, class lists, or drivers’ licenses, everybody appears somewhere on paper. As you move forward in your search, try to zero in on a specific person, cross-referencing clues to piece your puzzle together.

To me, the key to being a successful searcher is to ask the right questions. Asking, “How am I ever going to find anyone? Or “Where on earth do I begin?’ is never going to move you forward. Set small goals and objectives, and ask questions that will help you solve them. The ultimate destination may seem impossible, but each little task you accomplish will get you closer. Empower yourself. Focus on one step at a time.

You can begin your search by asking, “What was the town where I was born like in the year of my birth?” What is it like today? What about the area where your birthmother or your birthfather was from?

Profiling a town or region won’t necessarily give you specific clues—although it can. It will definitely give you a sense of time, place, and circumstance. Use it to broaden your knowledge of your past and an understanding of the people to whom you’re biologically related. Use the many resources available in libraries and elsewhere to develop profiles of those regions where you and your birthparents originated. The internet has made searching so much easier. Try using a search engine like www.google.com and learn everything you can about the area you were born.

Remember that people in Vietnam do not move around that often. The neighbors all know each other. If you are persistent and get to know your neighborhood like your own you will find a lot about your past. You can find the answers to these questions. Knowing more about where you’re looking serves two purposes: it enhances your knowledge of your own roots and provides insight into where to look. Being able get a feel for the area helps you gain knowledge of your birth town. In the beginning of my search I looked for maps on the internet with anything that would bring me closer to areas associated with my past. The airport was a location where my mother worked before giving me up for adoption. Again, there are tons of search engines out there to pour through and learn about your past. Type in key words about a specific topic and you’ll get hundreds of listings.

Getting a feel for the orphanage you stayed can be emotional but it also gives you a sense of where to start even if you don’t have your mother’s address. Reading about the people who helped during the war can be very healing.

Attach a list of Orphanages (add pictures if possible, follow up with the artist who specializes in orphanages and check out the studio in Long Beach) Ask anyone who has pictures to send them to me

Being able to visualize the area you’re looking in can also be extremely helpful. Get maps of the town where you were born, the places where your birthparents were born, and the place where you believe they might be today.

If you are lucky enough to have old addresses or places of employment, locate the street your birthmother lived on. Are former neighbors still living there who might remember her? Could they know where she moved? If she married, do they know her new name?

When divers do an underwater search, they begin where they expect to find an object and anchor a rope in that spot. Then they slowly and meticulously swim a spiral out from the center until they locate the object of their search. This saves time and energy and keeps them from missing what they seek.

Searching for people can be done in a similar fashion. Begin where you started, and in the regions that your birthparents were from, and spiral out, checking surrounding towns and counties for contacts and records.