Third Culture Kids - Becoming A Citizen Of The World
Author: Helen Maffini from Family Travel Scoop
What are third culture kids or TCKs? The definition is a person who has spent a significant time (usually defined as 2 years) in a culture other than their own during their developmental years. The term third culture kid originated from the late Prof. Ruth Unseem of Michigan State University in a 1973 article entitled "Third Cultural Factors in Education Change". The term comes from the fact that children who are living abroad build relationships to not only their home culture but also the cultures they are living in. Third culture children often feel they do not have complete ownership of any particular culture but are an amalgamation of two or more cultures, hence the “third culture’. For myself, my husband and our two children, aged eight and fifteen, moving about the globe has become a way of life. In fact our eight year old was born in Hong Kong and had already lived in Bali, Canada, Bahrain, UAE and Italy before we arrived in the Australia earlier this year. Our kids are what are known as "Third Culture Kids" or global nomads. Check out this video about a TCK from the book Sammy's Next Move by Helen Maffini. In this time of globalization, more and more children are living abroad and moving around. Moving to a country with many third culture children is easier in some ways as there are so many other children in similar situations, making it easier to make friends, empathize with each other’s feeling and settle in to the country. However even children moving to relatively settled lands will be able to experience a new way of life that can enrich their current experience. As companies expand and borders are easier to penetrate, the world is opening up in a way never seen before. Although some people may not see the benefits, in my opinion there is nothing more inspiring or rewarding than moving abroad and traveling. Of course there are precautions to be taken to ensure smooth settling in and leavings but if you plan carefully, living aboard can be one of the most worthwhile experiences your child will ever have. In fact, third culture children are recognized as having experienced life changing times while living abroad. If and when they return home things are never quite the same again. I myself was a third culture kid, moving to Japan when I was 15 years old and staying for two years. Indeed, this move changed my life drastically and from that point forward. I went on to study abroad, live and work in over nine countries. I also married an Italian man (in Singapore) who has also traveled the globe for work several times over. We both cannot imagine settling down in our home countries long term for many years to come, if at all! In fact, I feel the longer you are away the harder it would be to return "home". Education tends to be a major concern for many parents in that they worry excessively before moving abroad about the options that will be available. Indeed it is prudent to explore all the possibilities and to try to accommodate and carry through on the best solution for your child so they can move seamlessly into different schools; however this is not always an option. In most cases, the best learning will take place from exploring the local area, culture and traditions. Are there any
downsides to expatriate life as a kid?
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