To Be a Third Culture Kid...

author unknown

As I prepare to enter my senior year of high school, I find myself looking back on my life. Granted I’m only 16, but each year provides a lot more to reflect on and by spending my summer in Moscow, I have found the time. I was inspired by reading two articles concerning life overseas and being a Third Culture Kid (we affectionately call ourselves TCKs). There is a debate over the value of the particular lifestyle we lead, which is understandable, but personally I wouldn’t have it any other way. As far as I can tell, most TCKs are able to appreciate the unique experiences of their lives and handle challenges being thrown at them with ease. And many TCKs plan to spend their adult lives in the same way, traveling through the world and absorbing new cultures.

In life, everything is a compromise and growing up overseas is no exception. In the case of a TCK, one (or one’s parents) gives up the security of roots and a hometown in exchange for opportunities unequal to anywhere else. Read more... (in PDF format)