As a Third Culture Kid, my two worlds (Japan and the United States) tend to conflict. As I transition between these two vastly different cultures, I frequently receive mixed social messages on [...]
If I told you I had a split personality, you might look at me strangely and feel a little uncomfortable. But being a TCK feels like I live a double life. I have two locations I call “home.” I [...]
“A few weeks ago, I hit ten years of being in the US after moving back from Indonesia,” Elisabeth, a dear expat friend of mine, recently told me. Brown eyes pensive, she continued, “My time [...]
‘Freeze this moment.’ I’ve discovered a new phrase for TCKs. It first hit me when my family and I were running through the Tokyo airport last week to catch a connecting flight. Okay. Running [...]
My mother always likes to tell her friends about my first few days at school. When I was 5 years old, I started school in the Lycee Francais in Moscow, Russia. My family had already [...]
A confession… I just realized I have a completely screwed perspective on what it means to fit in as a Third Culture Kid. You see, I’m a TCK who likes logic. I like lists. I like to follow [...]
(Photo by ziora.de) ‘…oh, so do you play ‘Indian’ music’ ? ‘…hey, was wondering if you could play some tabla for me..or sitar..’ ‘..I really dig the [...]
When Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and expats are asked the question ‘where’s home?’ a similar answer, or lack of answer, typically follows: Silence. A noticeable gulp. A panicked sequence of “Umm…” [...]
The deathly silence. The heat that floods your face as you fumble to understand your latest cultural faux pas. The gaping jaws and wide eyes. Your overwhelming desire to instantly vanish. As [...]