You are part of a unique, and growing, social group! There are many of us out there already, unsure as to where we fit in, not sure where 'home' might be, having lived (or still living) abroad for much of our lives. Does the question 'where are you from?' continue to make you pause and think? Welcome to an enormous 'club' where there are many of us who have had nomadic childhoods, or even adulthoods. These days there are an increasing number of organisations and people who are assisting us to understand this more.
YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE A TCK WHEN:
You can't answer the question, "Where are you from?"
You have a trunk for a coffee table
You flew before you could walk
Your life story included the phrase "and then we went to . . "
The National Geographic makes you homesick
You're aware you look different, but wear a sarong around the house anyway
You have best friends in 5 different countries
You had your own set of luggage before you were five
You have a list of 45 possibilities for retirement
.... and a whole bunch of other things too!
So what is a Third Culture Kid? A Third-Culture Kid (TCK) is "an individual who, having spent a significant part of the developmental years in a culture other than the parents' culture, develops a sense of relationship to all of the cultures while not having full ownership in any. Elements from each culture are incorporated into the life experience, but the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar experience." --David Pollock
I'm sure I don’t have to explain the details of being a TCK (or serial mover as I call myself) as many readers of this article will come from a similar background, many of you having moved far more times than I.
I am a TCK, and so is my husband. We both mainly grew up abroad, spent some time in the UK during latter teen years, University, and initial work experience, then left again for more excitement. We met while working in Asia, and after almost twenty years there we have relocated to England. Our children, aged 14 and 12, were born in Asia, and lived there until they were 10 and 8 respectively. According to my calculations, they are fourth generation serial movers! We have many stories to tell, and issues to discuss. However, then again, so have you, and that's the point of this blog. ALL TCKs have stories to share, whether complaining about their overseas schooling, lack of contact with the 'home country,' fantastic experiences on the move, ability to cope with extreme culture shock, not to mention how many times they have moved house (if not country). All of this adds up to the TCK culture, and makes fascinating reading. Share your experiences here. SOON!
