Official mkPLANET Blog

We've Moved!

2008-10-24T14:52:00.008-04:00

Hello All!

Yes, even mkPLANET must pack up and move from time to time! mkPLANET's Official Blog has moved over to Wordpress. You can find our new blog at: http://mkplanet.wordpress.com.

Our main goal for the change was to make your access to important information about mkPLANET easier, faster, and more enjoyable.

Our new MK/TCK Resource Blog will stay at Blogger for now. This can be found at: http://mkplanet-resources.blogspot.com.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us at: administrator(at)mkplanet(dot)com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Joel & Dana,
mkPLANET Admin

Where In The World Is There Comfort For My Losses? (Free Teleconference for TCKs)

2008-08-03T21:35:00.001-04:00

The following is an announcement from Brice Royer, of TCKid.com:

Have you lived outside your Passport culture and then struggled trying to fit in with people that you have nothing in common with when you returned "home"?

Are you a parent, family member, counselor, international school teacher or administrator, relocation specialist or anyone interested in learning more about meeting the needs of the expatriate family and feel like you want to learn more about Third Culture Kids?

Join us for an informative Q & A discussion with Counselor, Therapist and Grief Expert, Tom Query, M.Div, LPC. Learn valuable tips and strategies to deal with unresolved grief issues, trauma and other emotional impacts connected to expatriate lifestyle.

In Tom Query's 75-mins interview, you will:

- Learn about Unresolved Grief and "Hidden" Losses

- Discover How to Develop a Sense of Self Without Place

- Learn About The Obstacles and Goals for Healthy Attachment

- Why "Attachment is the Hardest Thing To Do"

- Discover "Take-Away" Strategies and Helpful Suggestions… "The Only Way Through It Is Through It!".

About Tom Query

Tom Query is a psychotherapist practicing in Roswell, Georgia. He has extensive training and experience with individuals, couples, families and teens. He especially likes working with young adults trying to figure out life, their direction, relationships and how to be and individual.

"More and more our world is a global neighborhood and I believe that TCK's are our pioneers into this new order. What you are experiencing now is going to help others in the future. There are natural reactions to your experience that do not have to cause problems into your adult life." - Tom Query

When? Saturday, August 9, 2008.
What time? 6:00 PM Eastern Time.
Topic: Shedding light on unresolved grief, trauma and loss as an ATCK/ACCK. (Third Culture Kids/Adults / Cross Cultural Kids/Adults)
Where? From the comfort of your home or office.
Is it free? Yes, if you decide to listen online. There will be long distance charges if you call outside the U.S. (you can ask questions online or on the phone.)

What if you can't attend? Sign up to get the MP3 recording.

You can get it here:
http://tckacademy.com/class/005?pr1

For those of you who missed TCK Academy's previous teleconferences, here are what attendees have said:

- "I have tears just falling from my eyes. I hear tears from others too. It is powerful to hear so many others validate my experiences."

- "These past few weeks of the TCK Academy have been more help in tying so many threads of my life together than years of on & off therapy with a number of therapists."

- "It makes me feel like a bird happily flapping around in a bird bath. I felt so 'at home' with you all yesterday."

- "What a breath of fresh air to have at last some practical observations and advice on TCK issues."

- "I would STRONGLY recommend the teleclass to anyone thinking of joining in."

You can get all the details about this teleconference at this web page:

http://tckacademy.com/class/005?pr2

IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away.
This is a time limited AND space limited event to 200 people.

Kind Regards,

Brice Royer
TCK Academy

P.S: We are trying to spread the word so please forward this email to anyone who might be interested in the event.

Here is the link again to the event:

http://tckacademy.com/class/005?pr2

mkPLANET talks with Steve Green (part 2)

2008-07-26T11:49:00.004-04:00

Contemporary Christian artist and adult MK Steve Green passed through southern Ontario in June to perform at a local event, and we were very fortunate to have the chance to speak with him during this time. In this interview, Steve comments on some of the same topics we've been exploring as a community in our forums, including his experiences as a missionary kid and his reflections about the benefits and challenges of the TCK lifestyle. Thanks those of our members who sent us interview questions!

If you're on our blog's main page, click the "Read More" link below to view Part 2 of our interview!

Dana
You kind of touched on this regarding your experience in the public school [see Part I of our interview]: You said that because of your complexion you stood out, and you had mentioned in another interview that you were stared at and called names, and that living in Argentina helped you empathize with minorities in America. We were wondering in what ways your experience helped you empathize with others?

Steve
Well, anyone who has felt a minority and been a minority knows what it's like to walk down the street and you're constantly being stared at. You are an odd-ball. And then kids can be cruel and people can be cruel, so there wasn't a day that went by that someone didn't yell some derogatory comment about it. You kind of try to find a way to blend in. Your antenna is up and you're really aware of dangerous situations. You know what to stay away from. Suppose I'd be someone people are staring at because I'm different, well my heart goes out to them because I know what that feels like. So from that standpoint it's been helpful to at least experience a measure of racial prejudice and to be able to empathize with those that experience it.

Dana
Were you involved in your parents' ministry at all?

Steve
We were, and mostly it was in a musical bent. My brothers and I played guitar, my Mom played accordion, so while we were home we always provided music for the services. We wouldn't stand up and lead, but we'd sit in the front little pew and strum away at our guitars and we'd be the musicians. And then there were times when my Dad would do evangelistic campaigns and try to gather a crowd, and a good way to gather a crowd was to have all of his kids play instruments which was a real oddity (laughing). There was one occasion where he had a loudspeaker system on top of his Jeep and would drive through the streets announcing and then all five kids parading behind playing like a little band (laughing). Sometimes we were a part, and sometimes he used us (laughing) to help gather a crowd. And there were times when I think I resented it, didn't really want to because here we're trying to not stick out and he's using the fact that we do stick out to gather a crowd (laughing). Sometimes kids don't quite get the whole picture. But, yeah, we were a part and as a family we all did things together.

Joel
What was the transition like for you as you returned to the States? Did you face culture shock? What kinds of support did you find, or was there any support available for you at the time you came?

Steve
Well, the first time I came back for high school was I think the greatest culture shock. I was so out of it. I just didn't know any of the things they knew. I didn't know the TV shows- You know, every culture has its code language, and its little innuendos, and you could say something and everybody knows what you're saying because it's a reference to maybe a television show. Well, I was out of all of that and really felt it. I wanted to fit in so badly, and I worked really hard at fitting in, and maybe that's just a natural reaction. And ultimately I think I sort of did, but still didn't feel at home. And it wasn't until much later as an adult that I realized I'm a Third Culture Kid and I'm not going to really be at home anywhere. Home now is with my loved ones, my family, and ultimately what the heart longs for won't be satisfied until we get to heaven. That's where home is. The flip-side is I sort of can feel at home anywhere. You know, I can travel overseas and think, 'You know, I could live here.' I can kind of say it almost anywhere.

My parents had required that we go back [to Argentina after spending some time in the US] and I was in the middle of high school, I was just about to turn sixteen, just about to start driving, and I had a girlfriend—and we were not given the option to stay—we had to go back to South America. That was really tough. So I came back [to the US] at age eighteen, and there was some resentment, there was some wanting to distance myself from my missionary parents, and some hardness of heart. And I think that never having dealt with the issues of growing up in a boarding school, of having to learn independence at a very early age, of being sort of a close family but being in a strange situation where you haven't been at home since you were eight—all of those things, and no one to even talk to. I think back then no one even talked about that stuff. So [I was] fending for myself, and it hadn't been until as an adult that I spent some time talking to a counsellor and telling my story and putting some pieces of the puzzle together. And I think that's really a huge benefit today. There's more access to counsellors who can help give tools to understand what all of that means and how it affected us. When I was going through it there just wasn't anyone available to talk about it, no one said anything. So that's my story, and I'm thankful that today there's a lot more emphasis on good, Christian counselling to help kids deal with it.

Dana
How can churches help soften the impact on returning MKs?

Steve
Yes, and I think that's really a key thing that kids coming back need to be be welcomed, and not looked at as stars. Sometimes there's sort of an idealistic or romantic view of missionaries that they'll be unbelievably amazing people. They're not. They're just regular people who God uses in a foreign culture. Again it takes real sensitivity on the church's part to understand, 'Okay, now this is going to be a challenge, this is going to be difficult'. And typically kids aren't in tune to that with each other; I mean they're pretty self-absorbed and just trying to figure out their own stuff, their own life. So yeah, I think churches can really play a very significant part helping to welcome the person back from the mission field and helping them integrate, and finding families and homes that can help support them.

Dana
How do you think you've become a better person as a result of your MK upbringing?

Steve
Well, the great thing is that our stories are authored by God. This was God's design for me, and it's comforting to know that every step of our lives as God's children He is present. And He is doing something in writing our story that will ultimately be for His glory. So the whole of my experience—the good, the difficult, the shameful, the foolish—I mean, all of it is something that God uses to paint a picture of the Gospel through our lives. So, yes I'm embracing my life, my heritage, my parents. There is no perfect upbringing, there are no perfect parents, but to know that God is authoring our stories gives us a sense of hope. I've traveled to about 50 countries now, and I have recorded in Spanish, and I've been back to all of the places I grew up, and I've done concerts, so certainly I've seen many ways God has redeemed it and used it.

Dana
Are you a fan of drinking maté and watching Argentinian soccer? [We had to ask!]

Steve
You know, I have maté at home and I love it. And I'm a fan of Boca—Boca Juniors, which is one of the Argentine teams.

Dana
To end on a fun note, could you tell us about one of your adventures on the mission field?

Steve
We would hunt. My father would take us hunting up in the Chaco area, and that was up close to Paraguay. And, oh my goodness, it's wild. We're in the middle of nowhere, we're hunting wild chickens, and we didn't take any food so we'd have to hunt during the day so we'd have something to eat at night. Those were fun times. We had great hikes up in the Andes mountains, camping trips, great horseback riding trips. There was a lot of fun stuff in beautiful, beautiful places.

Dana
Sounds wonderful. Well, thank you so much for your time.

Steve
You're welcome. Thank you, and thanks for what you're doing.

mkPLANET talks with Steve Green (part 1)

2008-07-18T14:00:00.009-04:00

Contemporary Christian artist and adult MK Steve Green passed through southern Ontario in June to perform at a local event, and we were very fortunate to have the chance to speak with him during this time. In this interview, Steve comments on some of the same topics we've been exploring as a community in our forums, including his experiences as a missionary kid and his reflections about the benefits and challenges of the TCK lifestyle. Thanks those of our members who sent us interview questions!

If you're on our blog's main page, click the "Read More" link below to view Part 1 of our interview!

Dana
Could tell us a little bit about what led your parents to the mission field, and ultimately what led you to become an MK?

Steve
Well my father was a pastor in Portland, Oregon, and he had graduated from seminary and as happens with many seminary students he had four children while at seminary (laughing) and one before seminary. So he finished and started pastoring with five kids. They attended a missions conference, and at the missions conference heard about the need in northern Argentina. So they prayed and applied to the mission field. They were turned down because of the five kids. I think the mission had a policy of no more than four kids. So they were turned down and they replied saying that they really were convinced that this is what the Lord had for them and if this mission wouldn’t let them go under their auspices then they would find someone else. And so the mission board wrote back and said, “Well, ok, we’ll make an exception and you can go.” They raised their support and off they went to language school in Costa Rica and then three terms in Argentina.

Dana
How old were you when you moved to Argentina?

Steve
I was four years old when we moved to Costa Rica for language school, and five when we arrived in Argentina. We had several furloughs back and forth, but finally came back at age 18.

Dana
Do you remember experiencing any culture shock when you first hit Costa Rica?

Steve
Well, at four years of age, it’s kind of hard to – you know – I mean home is wherever your mother is really (laughing). Yes, I did recognize differences. Yes, I knew we were away from family. We had a live-in maid because both of my parents were studying Spanish and so of course there was some sense of being out of sorts. And then, I think going to a kindergarten at that early age, I think what I remember is the beginning of the feeling of being unsettled. You know, things were just not normal. Mom wasn’t at home anymore. She was in school, they were busy, the language was different, the smells were different, you know, just a little bit of uneasiness.

Dana
After moving to Argentina and settling in there, what were your favorite childhood past-times?

Steve
Well, let’s see. You know, I had a younger brother and younger sister at home. In fact, the very day we arrived in Argentina, they [my older brother and older sister] were put in a boarding school, so that was a surprise to the entire family. My parents had not expected that sudden of a separation, and so it was pretty traumatic. We landed at the airport, the missionaries showed up and said “We are going to put your kids right in school.” It was just sort of a tearing before we had any time to prepare for it.

So I had a younger brother and younger sister, and of course we played together. We learned to play soccer in the streets with neighbor kids. We had fun on bicycles eventually, and our back yard was our whole haven. So I think my earliest childhood memories were just playing in the back yard, making things, finding a few neighbor friends, and learning how to play football. [There was] no television, no nothing. If you wanted to play you had to make your toys and have fun being creative.

Joel
You started boarding school at age eight, and you've mentioned elsewhere that it was a difficult experience for you.

Steve
Yeah, it was. You know, it's interesting that for some kids—and I've talked to many MKs over the years, and some had a relatively good experience—I think it just depends on the kind of kid. I was a homebody. I did not want to go to boarding school. I would have preferred to stay home and go to a public school and just stay with my parents. And on the way to the boarding school—my older brother and sister were already there—I remember having to have them stop the car and vomit several times just from nerves and panic.

I think back then the prevailing attitude among missionaries was, 'If we serve God he'll take care of our kids'. And I think the parents were instructed not to show any emotion 'cause that might make it hard on the kids. So I mean it was a confusing time when you think 'This is tearing me apart, but my parents seem fine with it. So they're supposedly serving God, so maybe this is what God wants, but man I sure hate it.' And I remember standing at the window of the little boarding room and watching their tail lights go off in the distance, and just sobbing. And of course with time I adapted and survived, but not without, I think, a real sense of abandonment and loss, and having to begin at a real early age just fending for myself. You know, houseparents can't get around to everyone, so you have to figure out things for yourself and figure out ways to survive. So yeah, I think that there were some good memories. [We had] fun with horses, we had bicycles, we had camping trips. They tried to make it an enjoyable experience for us, and some of it was. But it doesn't erase the wounding of little hearts that long for home and can't be home.

Joel
One of the topics in our forums at mkPLANET is called 'What MKs wish dorm parents knew', and we were wondering what general suggestions you might have for dorm parents from an MK's perspective?

Steve
You know, every parent has a certain parenting style—their own personality. Let's see, how many dorm parents did I have? I might have had four or five different sets of dorm parents (laughing) in the time I was there. And some were, in my personal estimation, just crazy. You know, they were so unlike my parents or the housemother, so unlike my Mom that I just couldn't relate at all. My Mom was this tender-hearted, compassionate, take care of you, sit up with you when you're sick—and I think, if anything, I would want houseparents to just really take the time to get to know each kid and their personal needs. There was no interviewing, there was no sit down and really try to find out what makes this kid tick. Treating each kid exactly the same, having a set of rules that applies to every child doesn't work all the time—it doesn't even work in a real family. All of a sudden it feels like you're in a prison camp, or their style maybe fits some kids or their own kids, but just doesn't fit at all with other children. So I think that's part of it, and I would suggest now even having a counsellor on staff, someone who is in touch with the emotional needs of children. Back then everything was so spiritualized, you know, 'We're serving God, get over it.' (laughing) And that just doesn't work for little kids. I think just taking the time to really get to know them, and find out from the parents about their kids, so you just have an idea of how important it is to get to know that little heart and to be able to shepherd that kid through some difficult times.

Dana
Which of your educational experiences was most rewarding, and why? Also, which was most challenging, and what advice would you give to MKs facing similar challenges?

Steve
Public school was okay. It wasn't the easiest for me because we were stationed way up in northern Argentina, so it was a very indigenous area and I stood out like a sore thumb. I mean I was the only blond kid with fair skin in the whole school. So I spent a lot of time learning how to just avoid uncomfortable situations, how to find my way towards the school gate so that when it was time to leave I could bolt and then figure out which ways to walk home so that I could avoid the bullies. So that was kind of awkward. Homeschooling, boy I would have loved that. I did it for a while and I thought that was the best for me as a kid. In fact in high school I did two years, my last two years of high school, at home in Argentina by correspondence. While that had difficulties—you know, you're not in a social environment—still, I think it was probably the best thing. I think you have to just take into consideration where you are and your kid. I'm not a real boarding school fan now (laughing), so I would say either homeschooling, or if there is a day school with a good education, do that. But I still think it's just important for parents to raise their kids. I suppose in some places maybe that's not possible (laughing). That seems to be a pretty simple, basic principle. Someone's going to raise your kid. If you're having kids, it might as well be you.

Read Part 2 of our interview!

TCK Teleconference with Margie Ulsh

2008-07-18T13:49:00.000-04:00

The following is a message from TCKid.com:

Have you lived outside your Passport culture and then struggled trying to fit in with people that you have nothing in common with when you returned "home"?

Are you a parent, family member, counselor, international school teacher or administrator, relocation specialist or anyone interested in learning more about meeting the needs of the expatriate family and feel like you want to learn more
about Third Culture Kids?

Join TCK Academy for an engaging conversation "Helpful Tips for Living A Masterful TCK Life: An Engaging Conversation With Margie Ulsh Editor of Among Worlds Magazine".

In Margie Ulsh's 60-mins interview, you will learn about:

* Discover how Margie Ulsh handles restlessness and "itchy feet".

* Learn techniques to pass on your TCK legacy and instill a global perspective in your non-TCK children.

* How to come to terms with grief and loss in the TCK experience.

* Lessons Learned About this Global Life as an ATCK (Adult Third Culture Kid) and the editor of Among Worlds Magazine.

When? Saturday 19th July, 2008.
Where? From the comfort of your home or office.
Is it free? Yes, if you decide to listen online. There will be long distance charges if you call outside the U.S. (you can ask questions online or on the phone.)
What if you can't attend? Sign up to get the MP3 recording.

For those of you who missed TCK Academy's interview last week with Donna Musil, you are just a click away from tuning into her is insights and knowledge regarding growing up amongst worlds.

What attendees have said:

- "I have tears just falling from my eyes. I hear tears from others too. It is powerful to hear so many others validate my experiences."

- "These past few weeks of the TCK Academy have been more help in tying so many threads of my life together than years of on & off therapy with a number of therapists."

- "It makes me feel like a bird happily flapping around in a bird bath. I felt so 'at home' with you all yesterday."

- "What a breath of fresh air to have at last some practical observations and advice on TCK issues."

- "I would STRONGLY recommend the teleclass to anyone thinking of joining in."

You can get all the details about this teleconference at this web page:

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=60Hce&m=1dgyTjB89Ro2j1&b=Ow.xXUC42YjB2RxA9wxE2A

IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away. This is a time limited AND space limited event to 200 people.

Kind Regards,

Brice Royer
TCK Academy

Ultimate Sacrifice: Not too late to join!

2008-07-17T23:26:00.004-04:00

To everyone who's expressed interest or might be interested in joining our book club discussions about Ultimate sacrifice: An intimate look into missionary boarding schools and the ultimate sacrifice of the children:

It isn't too late to jump in!

Our question: What are your first impressions?

For those who don't have the book yet but want to join in the discussions, try these links to read Chapter 1 of the book. It's only two pages long.

Check out Page 6 and Page 7, and join the conversation!

If you're not yet a member at mkPLANET, create your free account today and meet us in the mkPLANET forums. We look forward to hearing from you!

Dana

"Ultimate Sacrifice" discussion NOW OPEN!

2008-07-14T19:22:00.003-04:00

From what I hear some people have already finished reading Ultimate Sacrifice, while others have just gotten their books in the mail. The book is divided into two parts, so here's my proposed plan for discussing it together (tell me if you think another plan would work better):

Part 1: July 14 - August 1
Part 2: August 2 - 16

As of now, our discussion thread at mkPLANET is officially open for questions, quotes, and topics from PART 1 of the book. I'm looking forward to it!

Jump into the discussion! (Remember to login at mkPLANET first!)

Missionary kids encouraged to build on multicultural strengths

2008-07-01T14:31:00.000-04:00

By Lynda Hollinger-Janzen

“The Bible is full of third-culture kids, people like Moses, Joseph and even Jesus,” said Alicia Horst, one of the leaders of the children’s ministry at this year's mission seminar jointly sponsored by Mennonite Church Canada and Witness Mennonite Mission Network.

...Horst co-founded Menno Kameleons with Susanna Gerber Lepley in 2000 to provide support for MKs and help them process re-entry issues when they return to their parents’ homeland, often a country that feels foreign to children who have grown up in another culture.

“We identify with the chameleon, a symbol of flexibility with great powers of observation, and the green color, a mixture of blue and yellow, yet, different from either blue or yellow,” Horst said.

Horst and Gerber Lepley, MKs themselves, met in Harrisonburg, Va., and discovered they had dealt with similar issues when they moved to North America as 13-year-olds. They began to establish a network connecting MKs with each other over meals and during mission worker retreats. Read more...

Free Teleconference with Donna Musil on Belonging

2008-07-01T14:16:00.003-04:00

The following is a notice from Brice of TCKid.com about an upcoming event for TCKs:

Are you a "Third Culture Kid" or adult? Have you lived outside your
Passport culture and then struggled trying to fit in with people that
you have nothing in common with when you returned "home"? Are you a
parent, family member or teacher and feel like you want to learn more
about this Third Culture way of life?

Join us for TCK Academy's free teleconference with Donna Musil – Army
Brat/ATCK, writer, director and producer of Brats: Our Journey Home.

In this interview, Donna will discuss the making of her seven-year
passion, Brats: Our Journey home. finding that place of belonging,
being comfortable with who you are in the mix of paradoxes, the
positive and the challenging legacies that "third culture kids"
experience around the globe, and how BRATs/TCKs can develop an ability
to "fully employ your strengths and have compassion for your
weaknesses."

In this 60-mins interview, you will learn about:

1. How to be comfortable with who you are – that completely opposing
ideas are valid and exist all at the same time.

2. How to fully employ your strengths and have compassion for your weaknesses.

3. How to look at "belonging" in a whole new light.

….and so much more.

What did attendees have to say about TCK Academy's teleconferences?

- "I have tears just falling from my eyes. I hear tears from others
too. It is powerful to hear so many others validate my experiences."

- "It makes me feel like a bird happily flapping around in a bird
bath. I felt so 'at home' with you all yesterday."

- "I would STRONGLY recommend the teleclass to anyone thinking of
joining in."

You can ask Donna Musil your questions "live" by email or on the
phone. It's like a conference but without any travel or
conference fees -- you can listen to it online or
on the phone.

And it's completely free!

You can get all the details about this teleconference at this
web page:

To get the full story click here:
http://tckacademy.com/class/003/?pr

IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away. This is
a time limited AND space limited event. Register if you can't attend
the event, and they will email you the MP3 recording when it's ready.

P.S: We are trying to spread the word so please forward this email
and invite your friends, colleagues, and anyone you know who
might be interested in the event.

Here is the link again to the event:

http://tckacademy.com/class/003/?pr

In the Spotlight

2008-06-21T17:44:00.009-04:00

It may interest us MKs to take a look at what others say about us! Years ago we, as MKs, didn't have a name and our lifestyle (along with its manifold challenges and benefits) didn't gain a lot of attention. So it's always a pleasant surprise to stumble upon references to MKs here and there. Take the following quote, for example.

It comes from the book Fresh ideas: 1,000 ways to grow a thriving and energetic church by Diana Davis:

MK Speakers
Some missionary kids (MK) would enjoy talking about the mission field with children or teens at your church. It could be set up in an interview style, with kids asking preplanned questions of interest to other kids. They might teach a game, song, or a few words of the foreign language. Conclude with a special time of prayer led by children.

MK Gifts
If a guest missionary speaker has a child, invite children in the same age group to a big picnic in the missionary kid's (MK) honor. Purchase a new book for the appropriate age, and allow the children to write notes in the front cover. (p. 113)

Personally, I find it humbling to hear that others might want to hear about our lives as MKs. But at mkPLANET's forums I've heard differing opinions.

If you're an MK, what's your take on these ideas? How do you feel about being in the 'spotlight'? What kinds of attention do you like and what kinds do you avoid?

Summer '08 Book Club: Ultimate Sacrifice

2008-06-11T12:27:00.007-04:00

Thanks to everyone who voted in our poll! mkPLANET's first official Book Club will be taking a look at: Ultimate Sacrifice: An Intimate Look into Missionary Boarding Schools and the Ultimate Sacrifice of the Children
By Paul R. Friesen

Description: Cross-generational pain, drive to serve, the fear of failure, and chronic systematic problems will grip your heart as the truth unfolds. The story of one Missionary family caught in a cycle of unresolved grief leading to a seemingly fateful ending of a marriage. But was it fateful or a reprieve to break the cycle?

Paul is a missionary child who exposes the truth about the Missionary family during the 60's and 70's. His personal experience will make you laugh and weep. The ignorance of the sending community to his plight can make you angry. He is not alone. There are many who do not have the energy to tell their story. Healing is a long road for those who have suffered abuse resulting in broken relationships. Break the cycle. Become informed.

Get your copy (by July 1st if possible): Ultimate Sacrifice is available new and used from Amazon*:

*As of June 11, 2008

If you know of another place that offers this book at a good price for your country, please let us know in the comments section for this post. Thanks! :)

Growing Up Abroad Offers Advantages

2008-06-07T09:01:00.002-04:00

By Rebecca Glicksberg Skipper

Many parents who want to pursue an international career assignment or educational opportunity may feel that they cannot or should not because moving abroad may be detrimental to their children. However, research suggests that such fears are unfounded. In fact, international exposure at an early age appears to have an enduring impact that positively shapes both children and adults.

Emily Doherty, 23, was born and lived in the U.S. until she was 11 years old, at which time her family moved to a suburb of London. Doherty remembers an air of excitement when her family was preparing to move. “Even though it was hard not knowing anyone at first, and I know I went through culture shock, from the perspective of a child I couldn’t wait to see all the new and exciting things,” she said. Read more...

mkPLANET Newsletter: June '08

2008-06-01T19:44:00.019-04:00

Hello mkPLANET Members! Here's a look at the topics in your June '08 newsletter:

OVERVIEW:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Book Club: It's decision time - Vote by June 10!
- MKs: We have one chance to be heard. What will we say?
- MK Anthology: Submissions Call
- News from MuKappa: Call for MK Devotional Submissions
- mkPLANET Needs Volunteers

2. FORUM CONVERSATIONS
- Check below for the latest active topics

3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG
- The Care and Feeding of Missionary Kids
- Egypt: A Whole New Light
- From Tree Forts to Castles: One MK's Transition Experience

4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS
- Albania: MK Retreat (grades 9-12)
- United States: MK Reentry Camp
- United States: Interaction's Transition Seminar

5. SUPPORT mkPLANET
- New ways to support mkPLANET
- Learn more about Joel & Dana, mkPLANET Administrators

6. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!

Click 'Read More...' for the full newsletter:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

mkPLANET Book Club
• Our Top 5 books have been posted!
• VOTE by June 10 for your first choice.
• Click here to see our Top 5 books and to learn how to vote!

MKs: We have one chance to be heard. What will we say?
Some of you may be familiar with our What MKs Wish series in mkPLANET's forums:

- What MKs Wish Churches Knew
- What MKs Wish Dorm Parents Knew
- What MKs Wish Schools Knew

These threads were recently published in mkPLANET's May Newsletter. We're highlighting them again because a Desiring God Blog writer has expressed an interest in hearing MKs' voices - YOUR voices - on these issues. This is a unique opportunity for the MK community to be heard by the larger Christian community.

If this were your one chance to speak your mind, what would you say? Here's How to Get Involved

MK Anthology: Submissions Call
• Are you an MK bursting to get your story heard? Well then, we want to hear from you. We are currently working to publish an anthology of quality non-fiction MK stories that honestly examine the MK experience from multiple perspectives. We want people to be challenged and encouraged, to be laughing and crying after reading this book. We want MKs to be able to find themselves in this anthology, and for non-MKs to understand the heights and depths that MKs wrestle with. If this sounds like your kind of book, send us your stories.
• Get involved!

News from MuKappa: Call for MK Devotional Submissions
• MuKappa is hoping to compile a devotional for MKs, by MKs. This 365 day devotional aims to encourage MKs during their first year "back" from the mission field.
• The deadline has been extended
• For more info check out: www.mukappa.org and http://mkdevotional.googlepages.com/home

mkPLANET Needs Volunteers
• We are looking for volunteers to work with us on a variety of projects in our community, including forum moderators, tech support, chefs, and more.
• We're hoping to build a truly international team. View available volunteer positions!

2. FORUM CONVERSATIONS

Active Topics
• TCK Picture Books
• Culture
• By request: Furlough stories!
• Missionary-Themed music! ( YouTube videos -if possible ! :D)
• I'm going to college!
• How Savage are YOU?
• the things that live in our yard.
• Monasteries

• Feel free to browse our Forum Index and jump into any of our discussions!

3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG

• The Care and Feeding of Missionary Kids - by World Venture

This brief article mentions five practical ways to support MKs. It's especially targeted at supporting churches and others with connections to MKs living overseas.

• Egypt: A Whole New Light - Author Unknown

My "journey," if you will, began in Nevada. California, my "home" of 9 years, was gone. Turns out, Nevada was not in the "crystal blood." To put it mildly, Nevada and I just did not "mesh." I wanted to retreat back to California, back to my protective bubble of complacency and familiarity.

One year later exactly, my true journey commenced as I would be leaving [for] Egypt, and I was ecstatic. My world as I knew it would be altered, turned inside out, and completely flipped around. I would like to say that I immediately took to Egypt, but the truth is, I didn't. It has taken me 5 years to embrace Egypt and all it has to offer in its entirety.

• From Tree Forts to Castles - One MK's Transition Experience - by Kathleen Johnson

One brisk October evening in 2005, my 12 year old son and I made a visit to our soon-to-be home in the Netherlands. As is the norm in Holland, our rental house had been stripped bare, leaving behind only dingy walls, cold cement floors and bare windows. Loose wires hung from the ceilings where light fixtures once were. I became aware of an eerie familiarity between the emptiness of this house and the state of my soul. (...) As we walked into what was soon to be Kenny’s bedroom, he stomped his feet and slumped to the floor informing me that he was “never moving again”, unless it was back to our home in Minnesota . I had to ask myself, as I had many times in the past four weeks, “What in the world was I thinking in agreeing to leave my home, family, friends, and country to make a difference for Christ here?”

• These articles and lots more may be found at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com
• Now it's easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Are you a writer?"

4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS

Albania: MK Retreat (grades 9-12)
• Dates: June 2 - 6, 2008
• Location: Udhekryq facility, Erseke, Albania
• Organized by: Rebekka Neigh of OM and Jeremy Spaugh of Christar
• Cost: About 2000 lek plus transportation
• Contact: neighcef@yahoo.com

United States: MK Reentry Camp
• Dates: July 5 - 12, 2008
• Location: Bethel Christian Camp in Gaston, South Carolina, United States
• Organized by: Liz Stuart
• Cost: $350 US
• Contact: By email at ADMIN@mresourcesconnection.org or by telephone at 803-254-3313

United States: Interaction's Transition Seminar
• Dates: July 19 - 25, 2008
• Location: Olcott, New York, United States
• Website: http://www.interactionintl.org/transition.asp
• Deadline: Register by June 15, 2008 (registration after this date includes a $25 late fee)
• Cost: $350 US
• Organized by: Donna Sisk
• Contact: By email at donnasisk@interactionintl.org or by telephone at 630-653-8780

• Browse other MK/TCK events on mkPLANET Events Calendar
• Add your event to our calendar: Contact us today!

5. SUPPORT mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership (1400+), but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise.

• mkPLANET is not for profit, and is made possible by the time and financial commitments of Joel & Dana Crawford (Suo & Dana), so support is always welcome. There are three ways you can support the work and leaders of mkPLANET:

1) Donate to the work of mkPLANET - Donations will be used to cover web hosting fees, updates, and upgrades as needed.

2) Donate a personal gift to Joel & Dana Crawford (a.k.a. Suo & Dana), the administrators of mkPLANET. Learn more about Joel & Dana.

3) Volunteer your time to help us out with a project. View available volunteer positions here.

• Your help is such a great resource for the development and continuation of mkPLANET, and your gifts are received with much gratitude. Thank you.

6. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com!
• Questions? If you have any questions about mkPLANET (e.g. how to post in the forums) please contact us at: administrator@mkplanet.com.
• Updates: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates by email, send an email message to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time. Thanks!

mkPLANET Book Club: Announcing our Top 5

2008-06-01T17:56:00.022-04:00

Here are our TOP 5 book selections, listed in alphabetical order. (Click "Read more..." below for descriptions of each book.)

Burn-up or Splash Down: Surviving the Culture Shock of Re-entry
by Marion Knell

A Frances Hodgson Burnett book (see below for a note on these books)
'Little Lord Fauntleroy', 'A Little Princess', or 'The Secret Garden'

Gods of Noonday: A White Girl's African Life
by Elaine Neil Orr

Minor Heresies, Major Departures: A China Mission Boyhood
by John Jenkins Espey

Ultimate Sacrifice: An Intimate Look into Missionary Boarding Schools and the Ultimate Sacrifice of the Children
by Paul R. Friesen

Members: don't forget to place your vote in our poll!
Not a member? Create an account today, and vote for your first choice.
Last day to vote: June 10

1) Burn-up or Splash Down: Surviving the Culture Shock of Re-entry
By Marion Knell

Description: Just like a space shuttle struggles and strains to reenter the earth's atmosphere, so those returning from living overseas can find themselves confused and in a state of panic at coming “home.” While people anticipate that going overseas will require major changes in their lifestyles and thinking, few anticipate the difficulties they will face upon return.

Intended to aid the reentry process, this encouraging, and insightful book deals with these important subjects

* adapting to the passport culture
* identifying areas of potential struggle
* dealing with the emotional challenges
* relocation—finding a new job, a new place to live, learning the social mores
* teenagers—returning is not coming home it is leaving home
* facilitating a smooth transition for those on the receiving end

Expatriates, missionaries, mission executives, mission pastors, mission communities, and supporters interested in easing the reentry experience will benefit greatly from this book.

2) A Frances Hodgson Burnett book (If one of Burnett's three books wins the most votes by June 10th we'll decide which one to read at that time.)

Little Lord Fauntleroy
Description: Young Cedric Errol doesn't know much about Earls, and he certainly never dreamt of becoming one. But when an unexpected visitor arrives to tell him he is to inherit a title and a fortune, he learns quickly what his new position entails. Whisked from the bustling streets of New York to an English country estate, the new Lord Fauntleroy must contend with his grumpy old grandfather and separation from his mother. Yet, despite the challenges of his new life, the little lord proves he has many lessons to teach those around him.

A Little Princess
Description: Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl's fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories in all of children's literature.

The Secret Garden
Description: Frightened orphan Mary discovers the joyful wonders of life on the Yorkshire Moors with the help of two local boys and a mysterious, abandoned garden...where all things seem possible.

3) Gods of Noonday: A White Girl's African Life
By Elaine Neil Orr

Description: The daughter of medical missionaries, Elaine Neil Orr was born in Nigeria in 1954, in the midst of the national movement that would lead to independence from Great Britain. But as she tells it in her captivating new memoir, Orr did not grow up as a stranger abroad; she was a girl at home--only half American, the other half Nigerian. When she was sent alone to the United States for high school, she didn't realize how much leaving Africa would cost her.

It was only in her forties, in the crisis of kidney failure, that she began to recover her African life. In writing Gods of Noonday she came to understand her double-rootedness: in the Christian church and the Yoruba shrine, the piano and the talking drum. Memory took her back from Duke Medical Center in North Carolina to the shores of West Africa and her hometown of Ogbomosho in the land of the Yoruba people. Hers was not the dysfunctional American family whose tensions are brought into high relief by the equatorial sun, but a mission girlhood is haunted nonetheless--by spiritual atmospheres and the limits of good intentions.

Orr's father, Lloyd Neil, formerly a high school athlete and World War II pilot, and her mother, Anne, found in Nigeria the adventure that would have escaped them in 1950s America. Elaine identified with her strong, fun-loving father more than her reserved mother, but she herself was as introspective and solitary as her sister Becky was pretty and social. Lloyd acquired a Chevrolet station wagon which carried Elaine and her friends to the Ethiope River, where they swam much as they might have in the United States. But at night the roads were becoming dangerous, and soon the days were clouded by smoke from the coming Biafran War.

Interweaving the lush mission compounds with Nigerian culture, furloughs in the American South with boarding school in Nigeria, and eventually Orr's failing health, the narrative builds in intensity as she recognizes that only through recovering her homeland can she find the strength to survive. Taking its place with classics such as Out of Africa and more recent works like The Poisonwood Bible and Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, Gods of Noonday is a deeply felt, courageous portrait of a woman's life.

4) Minor Heresies, Major Departures: A China Mission Boyhood
By John Jenkins Espey

Description: An American boy, son of Presbyterian missionaries, was born in Shanghai early in this century. The boy lived two lives, one within the pious church compound, the other along the canal and in the alleys of a traditional Chinese city. There he faced the alley brats' Lady Bandit, heard the shrill screams of a child's foot-binding, learned rank obscenities from passing boatmen, and, while still in short pants, chewed Sen-Sen and ogled snake-charmers in the old Native City. He sailed up the Yangtze to attend boarding school, and along with his Boy Scout patrol, met Chiang Kai-shek. And when John Espey grew up, he wrote about his years in China.

This memoir is the story of those years, and while it is a wry, affectionate account, it also conveys an often overlooked picture of China in the years before communism. Seen through the eyes of a child, the interplay of religion, commerce, and American colonialism that took place during this period is revealed more tellingly--and more lightheartedly--than in many an analysis by an "old China hand."

Espey's bent is to use a "Chinese" approach to his subject, that is, to hide a second meaning within his words, to speak in parables. This he learned from both his single-minded missionary father and the family's Chinese cook. The result is that the reader of Minor Heresies, Major Departures will learn a great deal about the Pacific Rim while having a rollicking good time.

5) Ultimate Sacrifice: An Intimate Look into Missionary Boarding Schools and the Ultimate Sacrifice of the Children
By Paul R. Friesen

Description: Cross-generational pain, drive to serve, the fear of failure, and chronic systematic problems will grip your heart as the truth unfolds. The story of one Missionary family caught in a cycle of unresolved grief leading to a seemingly fateful ending of a marriage. But was it fateful or a reprieve to break the cycle?

Paul is a missionary child who exposes the truth about the Missionary family during the 60's and 70's. His personal experience will make you laugh and weep. The ignorance of the sending community to his plight can make you angry. He is not alone. There are many who do not have the energy to tell their story. Healing is a long road for those who have suffered abuse resulting in broken relationships. Break the cycle. Become informed.

Just a few comments...
* All of these books are available to buy at Amazon.com for under $10US and at Amazon.co.uk for under £5 (before tax + shipping).

* A Growing Plant: Reflections of an MK was among our top 5, but we haven't found a store that sells it yet. We've sent a couple emails, one to a pastor and another to a church who have this book in their libraries, asking where they found their copies. We'll see what this turns up. In the meantime, we've taken A Growing Plant out of the running this time around; once we find a place that sells this book we would like to re-introduce it for a future Book Club choice.

* It was a little difficult at first figuring out how to squeeze the three Frances Hodgson Burnett books into the list in a fair way, so they have been listed as one entry in the poll. Hopefully that's okay with everyone. If Burnett's books get the most votes we'll decide which one of the three to read at that time.

If MKs had one chance to speak to the world, what would they say?

2008-05-31T17:18:00.018-04:00

Some of you may be familiar with our What MKs Wish series in mkPLANET's forums:

- What MKs Wish Churches Knew
- What MKs Wish Dorm Parents Knew
- What MKs Wish Schools Knew

These threads were recently highlighted in mkPLANET's May Newsletter, where we also invited other suggestions for our series (e.g. What MKs Wish Mission Agencies Knew or What MKs Wish TCK Workers Knew).

We're highlighting them again because a Desiring God Blog writer has expressed an interest in hearing the voices of MKs - YOUR voices - on these issues. This is a unique opportunity for the MK community to be heard by the larger Christian community.

If this were your one chance to speak your mind, what would you say?

Here's How to Get Involved

If you're a member click the links above to reach each of the three topics.
If you're not a member, you can create an account today, and add your voice to the issues.

Have something to add?
If you can fill in the blank: What MKs Wish _______ Knew with a new topic, then please feel free to start a new thread for it. (For instance, if someone out there thinks What MKs Wish Relatives Knew is a good discussion to have, then start that thread in the "Family Issues" forum.)

As our responses grow we'll be asking for help in drafting an article for DesiringGod. We look forward to hearing from you!

The Care and Feeding of Missionary Kids

2008-05-31T17:10:00.004-04:00

By World Venture

This brief article mentions five practical ways to support MKs. It's especially targeted at supporting churches and others with connections to MKs living overseas. Read more... (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Summer '08 Book Club - Reminder!

2008-05-30T12:40:00.007-04:00

Just a reminder that we will be posting everyone's TOP 5 book selections in our forum poll June 1st!

So if you haven't let us know your book suggestions yet (find out how), please do so quickly!

Then get ready to vote for your first choice starting Sunday! Our winning selection will be the subject of mkPLANET's first Book Club event. Please join us!

Event Notice: Free TCK Teleclass from TCKid.com

2008-05-28T13:09:00.003-04:00

Event Notice from TCKid.com:

Hi Everyone, for those of you who may be interested, there is a free teleclass for TCK's. The info is below. Please forward to those who you think will be interested.

Are you a "Third Culture Kid" or adult? Are you a parent, family member or teacher and feel like you want to learn more about this Third Culture way of life?

Just about every TCK we talk to has occasional questions and some frustration when it comes to belonging, their relationships, and the Third Culture way of life.

What do you think Ruth Van Reken, co-author of Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds, and Paulette Bethel, an international transition coach, have discovered over their careers serving expatriate communities through various forms of trainings, on-site workshops, and writing, that can help you?

Plenty. And they're ready to teach you the "7 Things Every TCK Should Know" in the first teleclass ever held for TCKs.

In fact, they have so much material, they will have 90-minute classes to ensure you learn all these important life skills. In addition, there is a free mini-course by Ruth Van Reken to answer ALL of your top questions.

In this teleclass, you will learn:

1. How do I sort out who I am and where I belong when I can't get past the feeling of belonging "everywhere and nowhere?"

2. How can I make and maintain friendships with non-TCKs and TCKs?

3. How do I deal with the grief I still feel from long ago losses of country and friends?

4. How do I stop restlessness, and the cycles of separation and loss I continue to create for myself because I can't seem to stay in one place more than 2-3 years?

5. How do I learn to recognize and develop fully the gifts I received from this TCK experience?

...and there is more on the site.

This is an exciting event because it's the first teleclass held for TCKs. It has never been done before.

You can ask Ruth and Paulette your questions live by email or on the phone. It's like a conference but without any travel or conference fees -- you can listen to it online or on the phone.

And it's completely free!

You can get all the details about this teleclass (and a list of some of the questions they are going to be answering) at this web page:

http://tckacademy.com/class

IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away. This is a time limited AND space limited event. There is a free mini-course after you sign-up by email - EVEN if you can't attend the event!

Egypt: A Whole New Light

2008-05-24T08:53:00.002-04:00

Author Unknown

My "journey," if you will, began in Nevada. California, my "home" of 9 years, was gone. Turns out, Nevada was not in the "crystal blood." To put it mildly, Nevada and I just did not "mesh." I wanted to retreat back to California, back to my protective bubble of complacency and familiarity.

One year later exactly, my true journey commenced as I would be leaving [for] Egypt, and I was ecstatic. My world as I knew it would be altered, turned inside out, and completely flipped around. I would like to say that I immediately took to Egypt, but the truth is, I didn't. It has taken me 5 years to embrace Egypt and all it has to offer in its entirety. Read more...

From Tree Forts to Castles - One MK's Transition Experience

2008-05-18T15:24:00.000-04:00

By Kathleen Johnson

One brisk October evening in 2005, my 12 year old son and I made a visit to our soon-to-be home in the Netherlands. As is the norm in Holland, our rental house had been stripped bare, leaving behind only dingy walls, cold cement floors and bare windows. Loose wires hung from the ceilings where light fixtures once were. I became aware of an eerie familiarity between the emptiness of this house and the state of my soul. (...) As we walked into what was soon to be Kenny’s bedroom, he stomped his feet and slumped to the floor informing me that he was “never moving again”, unless it was back to our home in Minnesota . I had to ask myself, as I had many times in the past four weeks, “What in the world was I thinking in agreeing to leave my home, family, friends, and country to make a difference for Christ here?” Read more...

Submissions Call - MK Anthology

2008-05-09T07:34:00.003-04:00

What: Are you an MK bursting to get your story heard? Well then, we want to hear from you. We are currently working to publish an anthology of quality non-fiction MK stories that honestly examine the MK experience from multiple perspectives. We want people to be challenged and encouraged, to be laughing and crying after reading this book. We want MKs to be able to find themselves in this anthology, and for non-MKs to understand the heights and depths that MKs wrestle with. If this sounds like your kind of book, send us your stories.

The Issues: Stories can be told in any style ranging from heart-warming anecdotes to the edgy and philosophical. Stories can be from any stage in an MKs life. Possible topics can include, but not be limited to, issues of faith and God, the Mission, transitions, schooling, family, passports, joy, language, and life after transitions. Stories should also be honest in depicting the different realities of the contemporary MK experience. As such, preference will be given to authors under the age of thirty. This book will also have a primary focus on the experiences of MKs who’s passport and/or field countries are in Asia. If you are an MK not fitting these parameters who wishes to submit a story, you should contact the editors with your idea. We may still be interested. If you want to write, but you having trouble settling on a particular story or topic, please contact us and we can help you discern the right story to tell.

Who: Stephen Ullstrom, an adult OMF MK from Taiwan, and OMF International are working together to compile and publish this book.

Format: Submissions should be between 3,000-10,000 words, and be double spaced, in Times New Roman, 12 pt font. Multiple submissions accepted. Submissions must also include a one page cover letter that states the following: full name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, age, mission organization(s), countries lived in, and length of stay in each country. The cover letter must also include a brief description of your submission and its themes, and why you wrote that particular story. If submitting multiple stories, please include one cover letter per story.

Submission Due Date: August 31, 2008

Queries and Submissions to: mkanthology@gmail.com

FAQs: www.stephenullstrom.wordpress.com/mk-anthology/

mkPLANET Newsletter: May '08

2008-05-01T16:58:00.001-04:00

Hello mkPLANET Members! Here's a look at the topics in your May '08 newsletter:

OVERVIEW:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
- mkPLANET needs volunteers
- Book Club - Still time to join!
- New Ways to Donate to mkPLANET
- News from MuKappa: Call for Submissions
2. FORUM CONVERSATIONS
- "What MKs Wish" Series
What MKs Wish Churches Knew
What MKs Wish Dorm Parents Knew
What MKs Wish Schools Knew
- Other Popular Topics
3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG
4. mkPLANET LIBRARY: LATEST ADDITIONS
5. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS
6. SUPPORT mkPLANET
- New ways to support mkPLANET
- Learn more about Joel & Dana, mkPLANET Administrators
7. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!

Click 'Read More...' for the full newsletter:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

mkPLANET Needs Volunteers
• We are looking for volunteers to work with us on a variety of projects in our community, including forum moderators, tech support, chefs, and more.
• We're hoping to build a truly international team. View available volunteer positions!

mkPLANET Book Club
We're starting a book club at mkPLANET for all of our members who love to read! We'll choose one book together, and gather to discuss it in our forums beginning July 1, 2008. Click here to learn more!

New Ways to Support to mkPLANET
• There new ways to donate to mkPLANET. Check out our new info page!

News from MuKappa: Call for Submissions - MK Devotional
• MuKappa is hoping to compile a devotional for MKs, by MKs. This 365 day devotional aims to encourage MKs during their first year "back" from the mission field.

• We are looking for journal-entry style submissions from your lives about how God met you during that year. Attached to a Bible verse, these journal-entries should include a story that addresses one or more of the common issues that MKs deal with during this year of transition, including, but not limited to: loneliness, depression, grief, loss, identity, relationships, transition, re-entry, cross-culture, acceptance. The aim of this journal-entry story is to encourage someone else who is wrestling with these same issues.

• Entries should be approximately 300 words, and signed with your name and respective country or countries. Example: Jim, Zambia & Ireland. Multiple submissions are accepted.

• E-mail submissions to: mkdevotional@gmail.com
• The deadline has been extended
• For more info check out: www.mukappa.org and http://mkdevotional.googlepages.com/home

2. FORUM CONVERSATIONS

Add your voice to a special series: "What MKs Wish..."
• What MKs wish Churches knew
• What MKs wish Dorm Parents knew
• What MKs wish Schools knew
• Know of other categories we should add to this series? Let us know!

Other Popular Topics
• raising monocultural kids
• Headed to College
• Vervet monkeys, anyone have one before?
• Is guy politeness a given, or do you earn it?
• Europe and Multiculturalism
• Ongoing Games: Endless Story & Balderdash
(Note: Instructions for these games are on the first page of each thread)

• Feel free to browse our Forum Index and jump into any of our discussions!

3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG

• Global Nomads: Cultural Bridges for the New Millenium - by Alice Wu

Alice Wu gives us an overview of a video she filmed on six college campuses, in which she interviewed Global Nomads/TCKs on key TCK topics including...

- cultural identity
- being a cultural chameleon
- sense of home
- reentry
- friendship
- commitments and roots
- decision making
- global nomads as cultural bridges

• Children in International Mission - by Ana Gobledale
Three MKs - from El Salvadore, Indonesia, and Australia - talk about church, "compulsory furlough", racism, re-entry, and more:

[Global Nomads] are part of an ever growing group of Missionary Kids (MKs), who have not grown up on mission stations on which the "home" culture is preserved and cranberry sauce is opened on Thanksgiving, but rather have been integrated into the local life of the host country where cranberry sauce may be unheard of and the fourth Thursday in November may be merely another warmer day as summer approaches.

• Laos: Where are You From? - by Tamara

"Where are you from?"

The teacher's words sent my heart racing. We were all crowded into a tiny white classroom on the first day of fifth grade in a French lycee in Vientiane, Laos. I was feeling alone and different. I was the odd apple in a sea of Laotian faces with almond shaped eyes and pitch-black hair. One by one, the children stood up and introduced themselves with ease. As my turn grew nearer my mind raced: I didn't understand what the teacher wanted to know. My legs felt like spaghetti and could barely support me as I struggled to stand up. "My name is Tamara and..."

• These articles and lots more may be found at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com
• Now it's easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Are you a writer?"

4. mkPLANET LIBRARY: LATEST ADDITIONS

• Of Many Lands: Journal of a Travelling Childhood - by Sara Mansfield Taber (1997)

From the Author:
My aim in creating this journal for mobile young and not-so-young people has been to provide people raised as I was, in several countries, with an opportunity to gather together into one place the many aspects of themselves. I want to offer them a chance to assemble the places they have lived, the many odd life experiences they have had, and the personal tastes and perspectives they have developed and to see them united as a whole. At best, my hope is that the journal will help a person raised on the wing to put together his or her personal story, to record, in written form, perhaps in fragments, who he or she is.

• mk.cam: Tales from the Life of an Urban Missionary Kid - by David B. Lloret (2005)

Description from Amazon.com:
You will sympathize, laugh, cry, or simply be amazed at what growing up in a foreign country is like for a missionary's child. Most "MKs" have exotic adventures in faraway lands and remote jungles. These, however, are the unique tales of growing pains, told first-hand, of an MK living in the capital city of Guatemala and other towns of Central America. mk.cam tells the stories of one child's life in the variety of settings encountered by MKs around the world. Parents will empathize with the usual child-rearing challenges made more complicated by life in a foreign culture. Anyone who has spent time in another culture will relate to the often humorous accounts and experiences this author faced while growing up in Central America. Here, then, are the memories of one MK's early childhood and teen years during the 1960s and '70s. "Pura Vida!"

• Our library currently lists over 100 books on MK/TCK life, re-entry, MK biographies, how to support missionary families, and more. Visit the mkPLANET Library today!

5. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS

Albania: MK Retreat (grades 9-12)
• June 2 - 6, 2008
• At Udhekryq facility, Erseke, Albania
• Organized by Rebekka Neigh of OM and Jeremy Spaugh of Christar
• Cost is about 2000 lek plus transportation
• Contact neighcef@yahoo.com

United States: MK Reentry Camp
• July 5 - 12, 2008
• At Bethel Christian Camp in Gaston, South Carolina, United States
• Register by May 1, 2008
• Organized by Liz Stuart
• Cost is $350 US
• Contact by email at ADMIN@mresourcesconnection.org or by telephone at 803-254-3313

United States: Interaction's Transition Seminar
• July 19 - 25, 2008
• At Olcott, New York, United States
• Website: http://www.interactionintl.org/transition.asp
• Register by June 15, 2008 (registration after this date includes a $25 late fee)
• Cost is $350 US
• Organized by Donna Sisk
• Contact by email at donnasisk@interactionintl.org or by telephone at 630-653-8780

• Browse other MK/TCK events at the mkPLANET Events Calendar
• Want to add your event to our calendar? Contact us today!

6. SUPPORT mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership (1400+), but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise.

• mkPLANET is not for profit, and is made possible by the time and financial commitments of Joel & Dana Crawford (Suo & Dana), so support is always welcome. There are three ways you can support the work and leaders of mkPLANET:

1) Donate to the work of mkPLANET - Donations will be used to cover web hosting fees, updates, and upgrades as needed.

2) Donate a personal gift to Joel & Dana Crawford (a.k.a. Suo & Dana), the administrators of mkPLANET. Learn more about Joel & Dana.

3) Volunteer your time to help us out with a project. View available volunteer positions here.

• Your help is such a great resource for the development and continuation of mkPLANET, and your gifts are received with much gratitude. Thank you.

7. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com!
• Questions? If you have any questions about mkPLANET (e.g. how to post in the forums) please contact us at: administrator@mkplanet.com.
• Updates: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates by email, send an email message to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time. Thanks!

Available Volunteer Positions at mkPLANET

2008-04-26T15:04:00.008-04:00

We're not in a position to hire people here at mkPLANET quite yet, but we do need volunteers because we have a lot of projects and ideas that could use some of your energy, inspiration, and creativity!!

Since the traffic has been increasing here quite a bit we've realized a couple things, namely that Joel and Dana are not quite able to keep up with the work/activity without help (we're only human, after all!), and that more momentum means even more potential for our community!

Volunteering is a great way to put your skills, interests, and experiences to work for the benefit of MKs, young and old. If you're a younger member this is also a great way to build your resume - both Joel and Dana will be happy to be a reference for all of our volunteers for future volunteer/job positions.

Please see the end of this post to learn how to apply.

Available Volunteer Positions:

- Blog Editor: Locates articles on the internet related to MK/TCK life and posts them on mkPLANET's blog; also communicates with our members regarding opportunities for them to submit their own stories and articles.

- Chefs: Yes, that's right, we're looking for members who are serious about baking, cooking, and especially trying out new recipes. We need you to make the recipes in our Community Cookbook, and to send us a personal review along with a photograph for each recipe you try. We'd like at least one new review/photo per month.

- Events Manager: Communicates and builds ongoing relationships with coordinators of MK and TCK events around the world, routinely searches the internet for MK and TCK events (including those in languages other than English, e.g. Korean), and keeps the mkPLANET Events Calendar up to date.

- Forum Moderators: Moderators maintain smooth operations in the forums, enforce the guidelines where necessary, help new members feel welcome, and answer members' forum-related questions.

- Librarian: Remains informed about new books related to MK/TCK life and adds them to the library; the librarian will also enter descriptions and topical tags for each book, write regular summaries (two books per month) for the mkPLANET Blog and Newsletters, and locate reviews for the books in our library by searching the internet and by being in contact with our members who have read these books.

- Merchandise Coordinator: Organizes members' design submissions for mkPLANET merchandise (e.g. t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc.), and works with administrators to set up an online store.

- Poll Manager: Posts a new question in our public poll each month.

- Special Events Coordinator: Works with members to organize and promote special community events, such as contests, scavenger hunts, member birthday parties in our chat room, etc.

- Tech Support: Helps members with tech-related questions about the forums and the rest of the website, and may work together with the administrators on update/upgrade issues.

- WebLinks Manager: Searches the internet for new websites to add to our WebLinks section, regularly checks the WebLinks for broken links, and updates links or website descriptions as needed.

In order to volunteer you need to...
- be an active member in our forums for at least three months before taking the position
- read and agree to our Mission & Vision and our Community Guidelines

Note: If you're a new member, don't worry - just let us know that you're interested, and stay involved in our forums. We will do our best to make sure you can be involved in the projects that interest you!

What's involved...
- a one year commitment
- a three month probation period - the first three months give you time to decide whether the volunteer position you've chosen is a good fit for you
- a new profile status (e.g. our librarian will have the status 'mkPLANET Librarian' on his/her forum profile and Member Bio)

If you're interested please send us by email:
- your resume
- three references
- a cover letter telling us a bit about yourself, the volunteer position for which you're applying, and what interests you about that position

Note: The Chef and Poll Manager positions don't require a resume or references.

Questions?
If you have any questions about these volunteer positions please get in touch with Joel or Dana (see the 'Contact Us' link in the sidebar above). Thanks!

Global Nomads Have Group of Their Own To Belong To

2008-04-26T07:48:00.002-04:00

By Gary Edwards

Please don't ask Elizabeth Kehrig where's she's from.

She'll probably answer your question with one of her own: Where am I from when?

The 18-year-old Kempsville High School senior was born in Portsmouth Naval Hospital to an American father from Detroit, Mich., and an English mother. She has lived in Virginia Beach and London, has traveled widely throughout Europe and holds an American passport.

Her maternal grandfather was a British subject born in Burma; her maternal grandmother was also British, but born in Uganda. Her mother, Catherine Kehrig, was born in Windsor, England, though she spent much of her life on her parents' rubber plantations in Burma, Pakistan and Uganda. Read more...

I've been hiding for seven years now...

2008-04-13T11:01:00.003-04:00

By Dan Plate

I've been hiding for seven years now, and moving into my eighth. This isn't my uncovering. This isn't my break-out, let-go, be-free. These are words. These are somehow not even guaranteed to be my words, but they come from my mouth, and maybe from inside.

I've been hiding for seven years; and half of that, not knowing. I became a person living here, in America, in June of 89, the summer before high-school started. I stood with bare feet on the not-yet carpeted floor of our first house in this country. I was bare-footed, but the blisters starting were on the inside.

When I lived in Nigeria, where I lived for the fourteen years before I came here, my friends, the boys who played soccer with me, were bare-footed. They weren't good friends, I didn't even know them. They came off the road in front of my house to play soccer with the buturdis, the white boys, and left afterwards to go back to their shacks, and me into our house to eat. They were bare-foot because the only shoes they could find (hard rubber soles), gave them worse blisters than going without. I wasn't barefoot. My parents said, "Wear shoes, or you'll get hook-worms." Read more...

Third culture kids: expatriate children

2008-04-12T22:05:00.002-04:00

by John and Diane Larsen

For the greater part of my life I (John) have lived with an inner sense of being different. On the outside I might look like an ordinary guy. Internally, I have felt "out of sync" with my peers. Since I had no explanation for this feeling, I attributed it to some sort of personal flaw. When I was in my mid-40s, my wife Diane's research introduced me to the concept of the "Third Culture Kid" (TCK). At that point, pieces of a lifelong puzzle finally fell into place.

"Third culture experience" put a name to what I had lived -- but did not understand -- as the son of missionaries. As I read descriptions of this phenomenon, I resonated from the very core of my being.

TCKs experiences bring into play psycho-dynamic factors not present in their monocultural counterparts. Accordingly, TCKs deserve special consideration in the counseling context. Our ethical mandate to practice within an area of competence requires counselors who work with Third Culture Kids to familiarize themselves with issues peculiar to these clients. Read more...

Parenting Principles for Preachers and Other Church Leaders

2008-04-05T11:44:00.005-04:00

By Truitt Adair

This article focuses on the ministry aspect of missionary parenting, as opposed to the cultural side of things. While the author mainly addresses parents of pastors' kids, these issues are just as relevant to missionary families too.

One preacher confessed, "Before I had children, I had a number of theories on child-rearing. Later, I had several children and quickly ran out of theories." C.W. (Abe) Lincoln, long-time instructor at Sunset International Bible Institute, used to say, "My kids would be better if they didn't have to associate with the brethren's kids."

Where theories fail, perhaps some tried and true principles can help. The following are a few that Kay and I have learned in 37 years of marriage, having raised four children in ministry: Read more...

Support the Growth of mkPLANET

2008-04-01T17:05:00.007-04:00

Support the Growth of mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership (1400+), but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise.

• mkPLANET is not for profit, and is made possible by the time and financial commitments of Joel & Dana Crawford (Suo & Dana), so support is always welcome. There are three ways you can support the work and leaders of mkPLANET:

1) Donate to the work of mkPLANET - Donations will be used to cover web hosting fees, updates, and upgrades as needed.

2) Donate a personal gift to Joel & Dana Crawford (a.k.a. Suo & Dana), the administrators of mkPLANET. Please see below for more info on Joel and Dana.

3) Volunteer your time to help us out with a project. Click here to find out more.

• Your help is such a great resource for the development and continuation of mkPLANET, and your gifts are received with much gratitude. Thank you.

Dana
Administrator, Moderator

In October 2004 Dana founded mkPLANET with the hope of bringing together MKs of all ages from around the world for fun, friendship, and support. Spending her childhood as an MK in Germany and Austria, Dana returned to Canada at the age of nine. Here she and her family continued the nomadic lifestyle, moving to several locations in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. She and her husband, Joel, currently live in Ontario where she is completing her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Future hopes and plans include a career in community-based social work or social policy, cross-cultural development or humanitarian work, having a family, and continuing to serve MKs through mkPLANET. Bio. Profile. (Note: You must be logged into mkPLANET to view Bio and Profile.)

Joel
Administrator, Moderator, Tech Guy

Joel was born into the life of an MK in 1973, while his parents were still in missions training in Missouri, and at the age of 11 months he arrived in Indonesia where he grew up. The language and culture became second nature to him and often took precedence over his native born background of the US. In 1993 he attended Bible School, and it was there that he first learned what being a TCK is all about. Over the years Joel has realized more and more that he has a passion for working overseas and being involved in the lives of other MKs and TCKs. Bio. Profile. (Note: Must be logged into mkPLANET to view Bio and Profile.)

Global Nomads: Cultural Bridges for the New Millenium

2008-03-29T20:35:00.004-04:00

By Alice Wu

Alice Wu gives us an overview of a video she filmed on six college campuses, in which she interviewed Global Nomads/TCKs on key TCK topics including...

- cultural identity
- being a cultural chameleon
- sense of home
- reentry
- friendship
- commitments and roots
- decision making
- global nomads as cultural bridges

Read more...

Children in International Mission

2008-03-22T15:27:00.006-04:00

By Ana Gobledale

Three MKs - from El Salvadore, Indonesia, and Australia - talk about church, "compulsory furlough", racism, re-entry, and more:

"[Global Nomads] are part of an ever growing group of Missionary Kids (MKs), who have not grown up on mission stations on which the “home” culture is preserved and cranberry sauce is opened on Thanksgiving, but rather have been integrated into the local life of the host country where cranberry sauce may be unheard of and the fourth Thursday in November may be merely another warmer day as summer approaches." Read more...

Laos: Where Are You From?

2008-03-15T13:46:00.004-04:00

By Tamara

"Where are you from?"

The teacher's words sent my heart racing. We were all crowded into a tiny white classroom on the first day of fifth grade in a French lycee in Vientiane, Laos. I was feeling alone and different. I was the odd apple in a sea of Laotian faces with almond shaped eyes and pitch-black hair. One by one, the children stood up and introduced themselves with ease. As my turn grew nearer my mind raced: I didn't understand what the teacher wanted to know. My legs felt like spaghetti and could barely support me as I struggled to stand up. "My name is Tamara and..." Read more...

EMPLACING OUR LIVES: Executive Summary

2008-03-15T13:33:00.002-04:00

By John Benson, PhD.

This paper is based on an essay I wrote on the meaning of place for missionaries and missionary kids, and then adds additional material on the impact of place on military brats and diplomats' kids.

• Participants were asked to write about a childhood place, an adult place, and where they would describe home.

• I discussed Yi-Fu Tuan's ideas of being a cosmopolite: someone who has been influenced by many different places and sees the strength of both the "cosmos" (the outside world) and the "hearth" (our home places).

• I shared William Casey's idea of place: "'Place,' on the other hand, is the immediate ambiance of my lived body and its history, including the whole sedimented history of cultural and social influences and personal interests that compose my life-history."1

• I discussed the memoirs of six authors who had discussed the importance of place in their lives and how they tried to make those places important in their lives: Read more...

15 Ways to Serve Third Culture Kids

2008-03-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

By Tia

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are children who grow up in a culture other than their parents’. Their “home” culture is the first culture; their “host” culture, the second. And they live in the middle, the “third” culture. TCKs include children of missionaries or other international workers. They face unique struggles in their lives of transition. It’s our privilege as the body of Christ to provide care for them as they join with their parents in God’s call on their lives to be overseas.

Here are 15 ideas from the TCK Advocate at Frontiers on how to love TCKs:

1. Begin a relationship with one—or with a whole family of TCKs. Commit to keeping in touch with them. Many people are in TCK’s lives for only a short time. The long-term people are few and greatly appreciated. Be one of those long-term people. Read more...

Changing Points of View

2008-03-01T07:53:00.003-05:00

Author Unknown

I remember January 1995 clearly. The streets outside our house were covered with ice, and the schools were closed for 5 consecutive days. That year was my family's fifth in the United States, and we were getting cabin fever because we were confined both in our house for that week and in one country for much longer than we liked. We used the extra time to sit around the diningroom table and consider our options for the future. Without much debate, we decided that it was time to begin plans for a move overseas in the next 2 years. Read more...

Global and Domestic Nomads or Third Culture Kids: Who Are They and What the University Needs to Know

2008-03-01T07:24:00.000-05:00

By Wendy Stultz

This article, based on a professional paper of the same name, attempts to provide an overview of the needs and advantages of Global Nomads or Third Culture Kids, as well as applying these needs and advantages to the university setting. Student Affairs professionals, professors, and other support personnel can use a knowledge of this growing group to better support and utilize these individuals in their collegiate experience. Current practices and societal trends are briefly discussed as well as some general recommendations for implementing minor changes to university procedures to better identify and understand this often hidden population. Read more...

TCKs Come of Age

2008-02-23T12:32:00.000-05:00

By Vicki Lambiri

With the increase in number of “third culture kids,” the need for further study in this area demands our attention. To that end, this paper explores the emerging trends and research needs of TCKs for the benefit of the intercultural community of academics, practitioners and consultants as they serve the expatriate community.

For a glimpse of what the future of TCK research may hold, six intercultural professionals recognized in the TCK arena were interviewed about the state of research and current trends. Their interests and needs form the basis for this article.

Among those interviewed were: Ruth Van Reken, Ann Baker Cottrell, Barbara Schaetti, Gary Wederspahn, Matthew Neigh, and Hilly van Swol-Ulbrich. Their insights provide an overview of the key issues that are having a significant impact on the changing realities of these children. Read full article... (in PDF format)

Whatever becomes of international school students?

2008-02-23T12:31:00.000-05:00

By Helen Fail

There has been an increased interest and focus on the nature and qualities of the international school student. The term "Third Culture Kid" or "TCK" first coined by Ruth Hill Useem in 1962, in relation to her studies of expatriate families in India, was copyrighted by Dave Pollock of Interaction in 1988, to describe

"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."

Surely this description applies to the international school student and the profile of this TCK or global nomad as he or she is often called is of growing interest to the international school educator. Read more... (in PDF format)

The Work of a Lifetime: Dr. Ruth Hill Useem (1915-2003)

2008-02-18T14:18:00.004-05:00

By Ann Cottrell (click here for original publication)

Dr. Ruth Hill Useem was born on May 31, 1915 in Hamilton, Ohio. She received her BA in Sociology, Geology and English from Miami University in 1936 and her Ph.D. in Sociology, Anthropology, Social Psychology, and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1947. She married Dr. John Useem in June of 1940; they have three grown TCK sons and seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Dr. Useem first lived outside the U.S. in 1952-53 while conducting research with John Useem in India on persons who had received a higher education in a Western country (a project sponsored by The Edward W. Hazen Foundation). The Useems returned to India a second time in 1958, again sponsored by The Hazen Foundation, to study overseas Americans in India; they took their boys with them to live abroad on both visits. It was these experiences which led to John and Ruth Useem's coining of the term "Third Culture" and, by extrapolation, "Third Culture Kids." Dr. Ruth Hill Useem began publishing on Third Culture Kids in the 1960s. She is widely regarded as the founder of TCK research.

In the years 1952-1985, while supported by the Institute of International Studies in Education and the Center for International Studies and Programs of Michigan State University, Dr. Useem made field observations on expatriate communities, overseas schools, and third culture children in: EAST ASIA (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong); SOUTHEAST ASIA (Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia); SOUTH ASIA (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan); MIDDLE EAST (Afghanistan, Iran, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon); AFRICA (Egypt, Morocco, Canary Islands, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Senegal, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Togo); EUROPE (Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Austria); UNITED STATES (Washington, D.C., New York, East Lansing, Michigan). In all, Dr. Useem traveled to 76 countries to complete her field research on Third Culture Kids.

With respect to the education of Third Culture Children, Dr. Useem has acted as a consultant, keynote speaker, and workshop presenter at schools and regional organizations assisted by the Office of Overseas Schools of the U.S. Department of State. She has acted as a consultant to, and given special presentations to, personnel and students of U.S. Department of Defense Dependents' Schools as well as the boards and administrators of Protestant- and Catholic-related overseas schools, and schools provided by multinational corporations for the children of their employees. Dr. Useem worked directly with students, parents and teachers at these schools.

Between the years 1952 and 1985, Dr. Useem also taught at the university level in the U.S. The central emphasis in her teaching has been combining sociological, cultural anthropological and social psychological perspectives for understanding individuals in their social/cultural/economic settings, particularly when those settings are undergoing rapid change and conflict. She taught courses on the education of TCKs both in the U.S. and abroad. During her tenure as an educator, Dr. Useem directed or made substantive contributions to more than thirty doctoral dissertations. Many of these consisted of ground-breaking work in the field of TCK research.

Dr. Useem's most recent research is the exploratory study of nearly 700 American Adult TCKs (ATCK), ages 25-90, living in the U.S. This research, done with Ann Baker Cottrell and the help of John Useem and Kathleen Finn Jordan is the largest study of ATCKs who were abroad with all the predominant sponsors (Government, Military, Mission, Business and other--e.g., education, media, international organizations) in most of the countries on the planet.

Over the past half century Dr. Useem collected what is probably the most extensive collection of materials by and about TCKs, including some of the earliest research on TCKs done by her graduate students. Much of this material, especially that concerning Missions and Missionary kids has been donated to the Yale Theological Library.

(Parts of the above bibliography written by Ruth Hill Useem for TCKworld)

*Republished at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com with permission

Missionary kids adjust to AU (Anderson University)

2008-02-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

By Maryann Koopman

Outside an old house in downtown Anderson, Ind., a South African flag flies proudly, an indication of a particular senior music business student who lives there during the school year. Josh Collins was born in Michigan, but because of his parents and their work with Youth for Christ in Durban, South Africa, he calls Africa his home.

Although he and his family are missionaries, Collins says they don’t fit the typical ideal. Read more...

Reminder: Submit your book choices!

2008-02-13T21:44:00.006-05:00

We've received some great book suggestions in our forum for this spring's book club, and you're invited to submit your suggestions. CLICK HERE to learn how you can be involved!

Children's question time

2008-02-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

Parts of your culture may seem alien to a repatriated child, warns Amanda Carter...

I felt rather shocked; my daughter didn't know what a conker was. She had never tramped through the autumn leaves searching for a beautiful shiny conker fresh from its case.

How could I have forgotten to tell her? Five years in south-east Asia had allowed my three daughters to grow up in a tropical environment; an environment that had fascinated and intrigued me, yet had quickly become the norm for them. Read more...

Are Cross-Cultural Kids the prototype citizens of the future?

2008-02-08T09:08:00.000-05:00

By Ruth Rusby

It is with delight that we learn that our children are "the prototype citizen of the future", as declared by Ted Ward in 1984.

Yet now is it becoming apparent that much of our understanding of TCKs can be used to describe a much broader group of kids - namely the hidden diversity of what [Ruth] van Reken and Paulette Bethel have recently termed cross-cultural kids (CCKs). Read more...

TCK Research

2008-02-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

I (Dana) recently heard from a student looking for statistics on TCK re-entry experiences, specifically on topics including: "Dating/relationships, shopping/groceries/food, vocabulary, world view/viewpoints (ethnocentrism), driving, banking/money and values, and job experience (or lack of it)." My answer (below) may be of interest to others looking for research in this area.

If you know of any helpful resources not mentioned below, please leave them in a comment to this post, or if you prefer email, click the "Contact Us" link in the sidebar to the right and email Dana. Thanks! =)

My own undergraduate research was qualitative in nature, so my data consisted of participants' personal stories rather than statistics. There's a great blog out there along the same lines, The Urban Explorer, which deals with the practical aspects of TCK's re-entry experiences and culture shock, some of the same issues you're covering in your paper. It also doesn't include statistics, but I thought you might still be interested in it. You can find it at: http://theurbanexplorer.wordpress.com

I don't know of a single/central resource focusing on all of the stats you're looking for, but I think you may be able to find some of that information on the websites I've mentioned below. There are many resources out there that talk about re-entry. One website I'm thinking about is Missionary Care. Their resource-by-topic page can be found at: http://www.missionarycare.com/dbTopics.asp. Their articles on re-entry are here: http://www.missionarycare.com/dbListArticles.asp?TOPICID=84, and their articles on research studies are here: http://www.missionarycare.com/dbListArticles.asp?TOPICID=81.

Some other websites you may find useful are:

The International Schools Services page on TCK research: http://www.iss.edu/pages/kids.html
Ruth Van Reken's page on TCKs and CCKs: http://www.crossculturalkid.org/cck.htm
The US Department of State's webpage on TCKs: http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21995.htm

Hope this helps! =)

mkPLANET Newsletter: February '08

2008-02-02T11:25:00.003-05:00

Hello mkPLANET Members! This month's update is a little early, but we have some time-sensitive announcements that may interest you. So here's a look at the topics in your February '08 newsletter:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
- mkPLANET Book Club: This Summer!
- News from MuKappa: Call for Submissions - MK Devotional
2. IN FOCUS: FORUM CONVERSATIONS
- Latest MK/TCK Topics
- Other Popular Topics
3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG
4. mkPLANET LIBRARY: LATEST ADDITIONS
5. DONATE TO mkPLANET
6. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

mkPlanet Book Club

We're starting a book club at mkPLANET for all of our members who love to read! The mkPLANET Library lists over 100 books representing a variety of genres including autobiography, fiction, youth/children's books, as well as informational works on MKs/TCKs, cross-cultural adjustment, parenting abroad, and more. We'll choose one book together, and gather to discuss it in our forums beginning July 1, 2008.

If you're interested in joining us...
1. Create an account at mkPLANET if you're not yet a member.
2. Please browse mkPLANET's LIBRARY.
3. Find the top 5 books (max) you'd like to read and discuss. Please choose only books in the youth/adult age range.
4. Post your top 5 in our forums, or send them to Dana in an email or by PM at mkPLANET by June 1, 2008.

• The overall top 5 will be listed in a poll at mkPLANET's forums where you can vote for your first choice. This will give us enough time to locate a copy before meeting to discuss it together.
• Note: If anyone is interested in leading the group discussion, please contact Dana. Thanks!

News from MuKappa: Call for Submissions - MK Devotional
• MuKappa is hoping to compile a devotional for MKs, by MKs. This 365 day devotional aims to encourage MKs during their first year “back” from the mission field.

• We are looking for journal-entry style submissions from your lives about how God met you during that year. Attached to a Bible verse, these journal-entries should include a story that addresses one or more of the common issues that MKs deal with during this year of transition, including, but not limited to: loneliness, depression, grief, loss, identity, relationships, transition, re-entry, cross-culture, acceptance. The aim of this journal-entry story is to encourage someone else who is wrestling with these same issues.

• Entries should be approximately 300 words, and signed with your name and respective country or countries. Example: Jim, Zambia & Ireland. Multiple submissions are accepted.

• E-mail submissions to: mkdevotional@gmail.com
• Deadline: April 15, 2008.
• www.mukappa.org

2. IN FOCUS: FORUM CONVERSATIONS

Latest MK/TCK Topics
• That fateful re-entry day
• multiple nationalities and paperwork
• Losing Faith - The Identity of some MKs/TCKs

Other Popular Topics
• African history
• Quiz: How many obscure cultural facts do YOU know?
• Restlessness on the Job
• tropical diseases
• Jane Austen, anybody?
• Mythbusters
• Ongoing Games: Balderdash & Mafia
(Note: Instructions for these games are on the first page of each thread)

• Feel free to browse our Forum Index or jump right into the discussion!

3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG

• How Anthropologists Raise Children Overseas: What Missionary Parents Can Learn - by Miriam Adeney

Like missionaries, anthropologists who take their children overseas face a number of challenges. Joal Cassell's Children in the Field (1987) presents essays by nearly a dozen such anthropologists. Schooling; health care; local babysitters with different childrearing customs; siblings who adapt differently; the birth of a child; the death of a child; children as bridges; children as impediments--all are explored, along with many useful logistical strategies.

• Interview with Dr. David Pollock - by Beverly D. Roman
In this interview the late Dr. David Pollock, founder of Interaction International, and Beverly D. Roman address pointed questions about the TCK experience, including Dr. Pollock's views on:

• The biggest challenges for teens moving to a different country
• The best assistance parents can provide their children during times of transition
• The most overlooked aspect of relocation preparation
• The most gratifying aspects of working with TCKs, and more...

• 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...

• These articles and more may be found at the Official mkPLANET Blog at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com
• Now it's easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Interested in Posting Here?"

4. mkPLANET LIBRARY: LATEST ADDITIONS

When I Was a Child: MKs Share - by Emily Bushey Moody (1989)
• If you have a description, cover image, or review of this book, we'd like to hear from you!

My Family is Moving - by Beverly D. Roman (2006)

• description from Amazon.com:
• A book that offers an exciting moving adventure with a story line, games, safety tips and Internet resources to help children learn about a new city anywhere in the world.
• Beverly D. Roman is recognized and quoted as an expert in the field of relocation. She has authored 26 books with moving advice and has been featured on several major television programs, including CNN's "Parenting Today" with advice for families who are moving. She also writes for many industry magazines and is a regular contributor to The Weekly Telegraph, London.

Rugendo Rhinos and the Legend of Captain Kidd's Island - by Shel Arensen (2000)

• description from Amazon.com:
• An action-packed adventure where the Rugendo Rhinos Club searches for Captain Kidd's Treasure on Pemba Island off the coast of East Africa.
• The Rugendo Rhinos are at it again. This time the boys go snorkeling near Zanzibar and stumble on the legend of an island where Captain Kidd is supposed to have left a treasure. As they search for treasure they find themselves involved in a battle to save the coral reefs.

• Our library currently lists 103 books on MK/TCK life, re-entry, MK biographies, how to support missionary families, and more. Check them out HERE!

5. DONATE TO mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership (1300+), but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise. We want to redesign our website to reflect our mission and vision, just as we have done with our mkPLANET forums, and we need your support. Click HERE to donate using PayPal!
• Fore more specific updates about mkPLANET's upgrade, check out our "Site redesign" thread in the forums, or feel free to contact me at any time; I would be glad to speak with you!

6. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com!
• Questions? If you have any questions about mkPLANET (e.g. how to post in the forums) please contact us at: administrator@mkplanet.com.
• Updates: If you do not wish to receive mkPLANET updates, send an email message to Dana with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them there at any time. Thanks!

How Anthropologists Raise Children Overseas: What Missionary Parents Can Learn

2008-02-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

By Miriam Adeney

Like missionaries, anthropologists who take their children overseas face a number of challenges. Joal Cassell's Children in the Field (1987) presents essays by nearly a dozen such anthropologists. Schooling; health care; local babysitters with different childrearing customs; siblings who adapt differently; the birth of a child; the death of a child; children as bridges; children as impediments--all are explored, along with many useful logistical strategies. A particularly intriguing finding is that several children criticize their parents for too much cultural adaptation. Might missionary children raise the same cry? How could parents respond? Read more... (in PDF format)

Interview with Dr. David Pollock

2008-02-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

By Beverly D. Roman

In this interview the late Dr. David Pollock, founder of Interaction International, and Beverly D. Roman address pointed questions about the TCK experience, including Dr. Pollock's views on:

* The biggest challenges for teens moving to a different country
* The best assistance parents can provide their children during times of transition
* The most overlooked aspect of relocation preparation
* The most gratifying aspects of working with TCKs, and more...

Read the full article here...

Summer '08 Book Club

2008-01-28T07:37:00.004-05:00

We're starting a book club at mkPLANET for all of our members who love to read! The mkPLANET Library lists over 100 books representing a variety of genres including autobiography, fiction, youth/children's books, as well as informational works on MKs/TCKs, cross-cultural adjustment, parenting abroad, and more. We'll choose one book together, and gather to discuss it in our forums beginning July 1, 2008.

If you're interested in joining us...
1. Create an account at mkPLANET if you're not yet a member.
2. Please browse mkPLANET's LIBRARY.
3. Find the top 5 books (max) you'd like to read and discuss. Please choose only books in the youth/adult age range.
4. Post your top 5 in our forums, or send them to Dana in an email or by Private Message at mkPLANET by June 1, 2008.

The group's top 5 will be listed in a poll at mkPLANET's forums where you can vote for your first choice. This will give us enough time to locate a copy before meeting to discuss it together.

Note: If you're interested in leading one (or more) of our group discussions, please contact Dana. Thanks!

To Be a Third Culture Kid...

2008-01-26T12:54:00.000-05:00

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)

All Over the World

2008-01-26T12:50:00.000-05:00

author unknown

Why is this such a big deal? Well, for one thing, I have never lived in the United States until now. Well, okay, I did live in Washington, DC my first two years ever on this planet, but that doesn't count. I can't even remember it! Anyway, I have been in Washington since August 1997. For the 13 years before that, my address was (it seemed to me) some unknown country in the middle of nowhere. Now, seven months later, I think enough time has passed since my return for me to reflect on the change.

Where have I spent most of my life? Well, I have lived in Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and Sri Lanka. My parents worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), helping to develop countries that were very different from the United States. Read more...

From the Bookshelf... 'Child of the Jungle' & 'Global Baby'

2008-01-21T08:31:00.000-05:00

Child of the Jungle: The True Story of a Girl Caught Between Two Worlds by Sabine Kuegler (2007)

Synopsis from Amazon:

Sabine Kuegler's childhood was far from typical. The child of German linguists and missionaries, she spent her youth living among the Fayu tribe in the most remote jungles of West Papua, Indonesia. There, as her family struggled for acceptance among the tightly knit and fiercely loyal community, Sabine spent her time swimming with crocodiles, shooting poisonous spiders with arrows, and chewing on pieces of bat-wing in place of gum. And she was happy. It wasn't until the age of 17 when her world was upended that Sabine experienced true fear for the first time. She was sent off to a boarding school in Switzerland and forced to confront the culture clash of modern Western society--giving her plenty of reason to be afraid. This is her remarkable true story.

Global Baby: Tips to Keep You and Your Infant Smiling Before, During, and After Your International Move by Anne P. Copeland (2004)

Synopsis from Amazon:

This practical guide will help you make an international move with your infant with confidence. You'll find:

- tips for surviving a long airplane ride and the early days of jet lag
- suggestions for planning and finding medical care in a new country, starting before you leave home
- steps you can take to ease your baby into new surroundings
- expert insights into understanding why babies don't all react the same to an international move
- advice about finding child care
- tips for raising a bilingual and bicultural child
- why it's important (for your baby) for you to take care of yourself

Have you read one of these books or another book from mkPLANET's Library? We want to post your book reviews! Please see the "Contact Us" link in the sidebar to send us a review.

TCK College Prep Handbook

2008-01-19T13:53:00.000-05:00

We have just added a new resource to our Downloads section at mkPLANET, the College Prep Handbook by SIL. This booklet is PACKED with all kinds of information for high school students preparing to enter college, but contains many resources of use to MKs/TCKs at other stages of life as well. Focusing on TCKs returning to Canada, this 44-page PDF booklet also gives info on US and other international school systems and opportunities.

Visit our Downloads page and click on "MK/TCK Resources" to access this great resource.

Call for Submissions: MK Devotional

2008-01-17T21:22:00.004-05:00

News from MuKappa: Call for Submissions - MK Devotional

• MuKappa is hoping to compile a devotional for MKs, by MKs. This 365 day devotional aims to encourage MKs during their first year "back" from the mission field.

• We are looking for journal-entry style submissions from your lives about how God met you during that year. Attached to a Bible verse, these journal-entries should include a story that addresses one or more of the common issues that MKs deal with during this year of transition, including, but not limited to: loneliness, depression, grief, loss, identity, relationships, transition, re-entry, cross-culture, acceptance. The aim of this journal-entry story is to encourage someone else who is wrestling with these same issues.

• Entries should be approximately 300 words, and signed with your name and respective country or countries. Example: Jim, Zambia & Ireland. Multiple submissions are accepted.

• E-mail submissions to: mkdevotional@gmail.com
• Good News: The April '08 deadline has been extended so there's still time!
• For more info check out: www.mukappa.org and http://mkdevotional.googlepages.com/home

mkPLANET - January '08 Update

2008-01-16T10:33:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year mkPLANET Members! We want to share with you some of the latest news and activity in our community, so here's a look at the topics in your January '08 newsletter:

1. IN FOCUS: CURRENT CONVERSATIONS
- Latest MK/TCK Topics
- Featured Forum: "On the Field"
2. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG
3. mkPLANET LIBRARY: LATEST ADDITIONS
4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS
5. FROM OUR COMMUNITY COOKBOOK: MAMALIGA
6. DONATE TO mkPLANET
7. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!

1. IN FOCUS: CURRENT CONVERSATIONS

Latest MK/TCK Topics
• Developing Intimacy in Relationships: How do MKs develop intimacy in relationships differently than others?
• On being "polite": What do your cultures consider to be 'polite' behavior?

• Food: social event or physical necessity?: How do your cultures think of meal times?
• Those funny questions you are asked when you get back: What are some of the questions you've been asked about your host country?

Featured Forum: "On the Field"
• MKs through time: What has changed in the MK's experience from 50+ years ago to today?
• Funny Translations and / or language gaffes: Read members' stories or share your own!
• Most exciting adventures...: What's the most interesting/adventurous/exciting/scary experience you've had on the field?
• Play time: What kind of play time did you have as a young MK?

• Feel free to browse our Forum Index or jump into the discussion!

2. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG

• According to My Passport, I'm Coming Home - by Kay Branaman Eakin
This is a valuable 117 page booklet (in PDF format) examining the transition process from overseas to the United States, including a special focus on re-entry into US culture for children and teenagers.

• Third Culture Kids: Focus of Major Study
This resource has been around for a while, however we decided to highlight it on our Blog due to a recent request for info on MK/TCK research. From the article:

This is the first of several reports on a study of adult Third Culture Kids being undertaken by three sociologists/anthropologists: Dr. Ann Baker Cottrell of San Diego State University and Drs. John Useem and Ruth Hill Useem, emeritus professors of Michigan State University; and by a counseling/guidance expert, Dr. Kathleen A. Finn Jordan, currently a Consulting Educational Counselor in Washington, D.C. All of these articles were originally printed in NewsLinks, the newspaper of International Schools Services.

• Hearth to Heart - by Kay Branaman Eakin

There I was, a newcomer to the world of missions, sitting around the family table of a missionary family with two teenagers about to go to college together. They invited me to be with them in this "family consultation", because of the next big step they were taking in their lives, sending their children off to college. Waiting for the delicious duck stew to be cooked and surrounded by wonderful smell of food being prepared for lunch, I listened...

• These articles and more may be found at the Official mkPLANET Blog at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com
• Now it's easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Interested in Posting Here?"

3. mkPLANET LIBRARY: LATEST ADDITIONS

• Re-Entry: Making the Transition from Missions to Life at Home - by Peter Jordan
• Jennifer of the Jungle and Jennifer of the City - by Corbin Hillam
• The Art of Coming Home - by Craig Sorti

• Our library currently lists 101 books on MK/TCK life, re-entry, MK biographies, how to support missionary families, and more. Check them out HERE!

4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS

North Central Mu Kappa Winter Retreat
• January 25 - 27, 2008 at Westboro, Wisconsin, United States
• Register online - Space is limited!
• Contact Perry Bradford at mukappa@barnabas.org or by phone at: 815-395-1335, ext. 203
• Website: http://www.mukappa.org/adata/mkevents.asp#15

Northeast Regional Mu Kappa Retreat
• February 8 - 10, 2008 at Harmony Heart Camp, Jermyn, Pennsylvania, United States
• Registration Deadline: January 31, 2008
• Contact Perry Bradford at mukappa@barnabas.org or by phone at: 815-395-1335, ext. 203
• Website: http://www.mukappa.org/adata/mkevents.asp#1

MK-CARE: Re-entry Freizeit
• February 22 - 24, 2008 at Michelbach / Odenwald, Germany
• Website: http://www.mk-care.org/aktuelles.html

• Details available at the MK/TCK Events Calendar!

• Do you know of any MK or TCK-related events that are missing from our calendar? Please contact Dana with the details, and we'll advertize it for you!

5. FROM OUR COMMUNITY COOKBOOK: MAMALIGA

• Mamaliga: "This is a dish we used to eat when we were kids in Romania. It's a very traditional dish. There are many different ways to prepare it. We used to eat it with milk or topped with cottage cheese and sour cream or yogurt." - Submitted by Eunika
• Take a look at our Community Cookbook for more international recipes or to submit your own!

6. DONATE TO mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership (1300+), but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise. We want to redesign our website to reflect our mission and vision, just as we have done with our mkPLANET forums, and we need your support. Click HERE to donate using PayPal!
• Fore more specific updates about mkPLANET's upgrade, check out our "Site redesign" thread in the forums, or feel free to contact me at any time; I would be glad to speak with you!

7. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!
• Questions? If you have any questions about mkPLANET (e.g. how to post in the forums) please contact us at: administrator@mkplanet.com.
• Updates: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates by email, please send an email to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time.

According to my Passport, I'm Coming Home

2008-01-14T16:44:00.000-05:00

By Kay Branaman Eakin

This is a valuable resource examining the transition process from overseas to the United States, including a special focus on re-entry into US culture for children and teenagers. This 117 page PDF document includes the following chapters:

1. IF I'M HOME, WHY AM I FEELING SO LOUSY?
2. THE TEEN SCENE IN THE U.S.
3. ENCOUNTERING DIFFERENCES AT SCHOOL
4. COMMENTS FROM TEENAGERS
5. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN?
6. HELPING TO EASE THE TRANSITION
7. ORGANIZING THE TRANSITION HOME
8. WHAT CAN WE DO ONCE WE GET HOME?
9. COMING HOME TO COLLEGE
10. WHEN I'M ASKED HOW I CAN STAND TO MOVE AROUND SO MUCH, I REPLY I COULDN'T IMAGINE LIFE ANY OTHER WAY
11. SPECIAL ISSUES WITHIN THE FOREIGN SERVICE
APPENDIX I - USEFUL RESOURCES
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Access it HERE.

Third Culture Kids: Focus of Major Study

2008-01-14T16:20:00.000-05:00

TCK "mother" pens history of field

This is the first of several reports on a study of adult Third Culture Kids being undertaken by three sociologists/anthropologists: Dr. Ann Baker Cottrell of San Diego State University and Drs. John Useem and Ruth Hill Useem, emeritus professors of Michigan State University; and by a counseling/guidance expert, Dr. Kathleen A. Finn Jordan, currently a Consulting Educational Counselor in Washington, D.C. All of these articles were originally printed in NewsLinks, the newspaper of International Schools Services.

Read more...

Survey: Leaving mkPLANET? Tell Us Why

2008-01-12T15:57:00.006-05:00

For members who've left mkPLANET for a specific reason
Let us know:
• What made you decide to leave
• How we can improve mkPLANET for future members

Take the survey

LEAVING mkPLANET? Tell Us Why
approx. 5-10 minutes to complete
open to members only.

Thanks,

Joel & Dana
mkPLANET Administrators

Hearth to Heart

2008-01-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

By Meg A.

There I was, a newcomer to the world of missions, sitting around the family table of a missionary family with two teenagers about to go to college together. They invited me to be with them in this “family consultation”, because of the next big step they were taking in their lives, sending their children off to college. Waiting for the delicious duck stew to be cooked and surrounded by wonderful smell of food being prepared for lunch, I listened. Read more...

Cultural Chameleon

2008-01-03T08:08:00.000-05:00

By Jocelyn Liipfert

For me, being late to school meant chasing down taxis at 7:15 am and hurriedly telling the driver, in broken Cantonese, to please hurry. A day of shopping meant searching the Hong Kong market streets for a pair of shoes larger than a size 7 and bargaining for thirty minutes with the shopkeeper to bring the price down to fewer than ten dollars. Lunch with a friend was being the only white girl in a small noodle house tainted by the smell of the ducks and chickens hanging in the window, my voice drowned out by music blaring through Cantonese speakers. Sometime in the five years I had lived in Hong Kong, between speaking a little Cantonese and knowing the downtown streets like the back of my hand, I was promoted from my status as a typical American blonde to a true Hong Kong kid. When I moved away the summer after my sophomore year in high school, I was leaving home and going somewhere completely foreign.

Texas.

Read more...

A TCK Christmas

2007-12-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

By Janet Blomberg
Executive Director, Interaction International

For third culture kids (TCKs), the holidays are often a swirl of cultures and emotions. When they celebrate, what they do, and the foods they eat reflect the cultures they’ve experienced or borrows elements from their childhood homes. Each place adds to their memory bank and to their traditions. Consequently, expatriate families often celebrate the holidays in a way that uniquely blends the cultures to which they’re connected. Read more...

Kenyan Christmas

2007-12-22T11:41:00.000-05:00

By Danigirl

Ah, Christmas in Kenya. I remember we would keep the living room drapes completely closed until we ate brunch - that way, we could pretend it was cold and snowy outside. Then my brother and I would go outside in our t-shirts and shorts to play with our dog or other kids on the street.

For a Christmas tree, we had a small pine-cone one our first year that my Mom had made in Canada. Our second year, we had friends from Canada visiting and our grandma - we found 4 cedar branches and tied them together. Eventually we found a big fake tree at another missionary family's yard sale.

Even though I've been back in Canada now for almost 6 years, a hot, sunny, snowless Christmas still seems like a more realistic Christmas than the cold and snow that keeps you indoors almost the entire time here in Canada. Sigh.

Besides, there aren't any skinny Kenyans in plasticky-Santa outifts and beards here in Canada like there are now in Nairobi!

A Nomadic Life: The loneliness and the restlessness

2007-12-17T23:46:00.000-05:00

By Mark Anderson

My first four years of reintegration were spent in college. I now look back and ask myself how well it went. I have come to the conclusion that reintegration into the American society, as opposed to some other societies I have visited or lived in, can be the easiest as well as the hardest thing. Read more...

Christmas in Kenya

2007-12-17T11:16:00.000-05:00

By Andrea

Having just spent my first Christmas away without my family, it is quite vivid in my memory. My Christmas is a Christmas in Kenya. Our favorite joke was that we spent it by the pool, which was true some years, sunburning ourselves so that we would have something to brag about to the family stuck in snowy Canada.

I remember trying to find Christmas trees, they don't grow them in Africa. One year we made a paper one and stuck it to the wall. The next year we found a tiny little guy at a missionary garage sale, but our field grandparents decided that wouldn't do, so they traded their big one for our little one. We still have it. I remember eating waffles with whipped cream and strawberries christmas eve night by candlelight because that is all my brother likes to eat. I remember a candlelight service outside wearing shorts and t-shirts. I remember singing Christmas carols in church completely off key, or to a new tune entirely, because as everyone knows, Africans don't have tone, they have rhythm. Not that it wasn't nice. I also remember at our church they had a tree that you could take an ornament off with a name of an orphan, and then you would have to buy a present for that orphan. Kind of like operation christmas child, but a lot more personal. The thing that had the biggest impact on me was my moms advent wreath. Kenyans aren't as traditional about christmas as we are, which can be a good thing, but sometimes we missed it, so my mom started the tradition of having an advent wreath at home. It has really helped me in focusing on what christmas was meant to be. I didn't think I had that many memories of Christmas, but there you go. A lot is not Kenyan tradition, but family traditions, adapted to suit the climate.

Christmas in Bangladesh

2007-12-17T11:11:00.000-05:00

By mkpdluv

Well, the holiday season is here and America begins to go crazy with shopping and gift wrapping. I am ever amazed at the hoopla that comes along with the Christmas season. I suppose that growing up in Bangladesh I never had to deal with the hordes of shoppers, being regaled with tales of Santa Claus, the competition for the best decorations.

Our Christmas was always simple. One day was spent at the local shopping complex (but since most Bengali’s didn’t know about Christmas, there was no competition). We’d split up into girls and guys and get our gifts for the others, then meet up a couple hours later and split off again in a different group to shop for the people we had just left. Soon Christmas Eve would come. All the gifts shining under a mini tree in the family room. We’d settle on the couch and Daddy would read the Christmas story and we’d take time for a prayer for all our family and friends and thank the Lord for the true meaning of Christmas, His Son, sent to earth to give us true life with Him. Then it was into the presents. One by one they would disappear from beneath the tree, each person opening his gift with care (we can save the wrapping paper for next year!) Daddy would usually have a surprise gift for Mom of pretty jewelry he’d had made and perhaps a family gift of a new VCR or Stereo! The Christmas music would ring and when we were young perhaps gather around the piano and sing a few carols ourselves. All too soon the night would be spent and with many Merry Christmases and thank yous it was off to bed to rest up for the next day.

In the morning we would sleep as long as we could and then gather again in the living room after breakfast to check out the stockings. “Santa” (a very skinny one!) had been there and each little gift was admired and exclaimed over and kisses given to “Mr. & Mrs. Claus.” But enough of presents, it was Boro Deen (Big Day)! Off to church we’d go for a Christmas service and many cheery Bengali carols and people full of joy to remember our Savior giving up his heavenly home to come to earth for us. After church a big feast was laid out in the courtyard with rice and curry and many other sumptuous treats that my mouth waters for as I write. We would try to eat as little as was polite for we knew a long day of visiting was ahead of us. Tea and cookies were set out at every house we stopped at (and there were many). By the time evening came and we were home our bellies were full to bursting, but so were our hearts. Full of the love we had been shown, full of the true joy of sharing Christmas, full of people who had nothing but felt themselves rich because they knew their Savior cared for them enough to give His life for their own. Did I say simple? I take it back. It was beautiful, thrilling, amazing, and joyous! And when I look back on those days I praise the Lord again for giving me that time back in Bangladesh. I hope that my children’s Christmases are as meaningful. I pray that I can share that pure joy of Christmas with them as my parents and my dear family in Bangladesh did with me. Not with gifts and holiday trappings, but with the love of Christ.

I hope that as you read this remembrance of mine that you too will put away for a moment the “Holiday Season.” Remember for a moment the true source of our Christmas joy. Without Christ there is no Christmas. His joy is more fulfilling and more lasting than any gift you will be given or give. I wish you each a Merry Christmas next week, but more importantly I wish you each a Christmas that is everlasting.

Christmas at the Golder House

2007-12-15T07:52:00.000-05:00

By mysteryman

Many people think that being an MK is always boring. How wrong they are! Christmas at the Golder family household is not classified as boring.

Our wonderful family has many traditions around Christmas time. My personal favorite is that we all agree that at least one person has to have a nose pouring like Niagara Falls. Actually that tradition really goes unspoken, but we have never failed to keep it.

Whether the air is fresh and cold or it’s raining like Noah’s Flood, we always celebrate Christmas by inviting people over to our house. They are usually Americans, but we were once graced by the presence of a pure-blood Canadian. Our guests always show up for Christmas Eve and some stay the night while others go home to return the next morning to open gifts.

I have a love-hate relationship with Christmas Eve morning. I am excited because of all the people coming, the games and the (cough)presents(cough), but I am crestfallen when I remember that my mom never heard of child labor laws and will set us to work all day cleaning the house for our esteemed guests. By the time we are done cleaning my mom realizes she did read those laws somewhere and lets us stop working saying, “Well at least you finished.”

Once my mom has released us kids someone goes with dad, to pickup guests. Whenever we reach someone’s house, our eyes are darting everywhere for gifts that they might bring for us. When everyone is at our house then the fun begins. We sit around talking about elections, the weather, and my favorite topic: How to get spaghetti stains out of a blue shirt.

When we are all done talking about boring things we might play a game until it is time for (drum roll please) MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA! The guests all bring their favorite toppings while we supply the basics. The grossest thing I have ever seen for a topping was pineapple. To all of you out there that do put pineapple on your pizza, I’m sure I can forgive you someday. In my family’s book it is a sin to ruin a perfectly good piece of pizza with pineapple.

After people are done eating (and feeling sick from the pineapple on their pizzas) we play a game or watch a movie. Then before anyone leaves for home, we kids each choose to open one present.

That is how the average Christmas Eve goes (with a lot of sniffing from whoever has the runny nose). - original comments by MrsMatt, Dana

Christmas Memories in Thailand

2007-12-08T11:51:00.000-05:00

By bongriff

As a child, I grew up in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains – in a part of Thailand called the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Burma, and Laos all join. We lived in a typical village jungle house…with mud floor, grass roof, and bamboo slit walls. There really was no such thing as “privacy” in this kind of place, but as a kid I didn’t really know that. So people would often “look in” at the strange habits of our white family…between the slits in the wall.

I have warm memories of sitting around an open fire in the living room, wrapped up against the chill on Christmas Eve, opening our presents. Each time someone opened a present, a gasp of awe would go up inside and outside the house!! It didn’t matter what it was…new clothes or a new toy…the WHOLE VILLAGE would know by morning!! I could hear my friends whispering that we’d have hours of fun with that new truck or toy...and I knew they were right!!

What a way to spend Christmas…the intimacy of my close family…but sharing it with ALL the world!!! To this day, I miss the little “eyes” peeking through the walls…and the gasp inside and outside as a present was opened. But I often think back…and wonder if this isn’t what it was like when the shepherds came to Christ in the Manger? What a collective gasp of awe that would have been…

Nomadic Kids (1)

2007-12-06T22:50:00.000-05:00

By Annemie Grosshauser

Today, I want to focus on the identity of your children and examine their nomadic hearts. This term might sound strange to you and you might doubt that your children, as third-culture kids, feel differently than kids who grew up this their home countries. Well, let me start with a poem that our daughter Hannah has written. She has lived for nearly sixteen years overseas in different countries. Read more...

Everything you need to know about... "Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds"

2007-12-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

What is this book about?
"Widely acclaimed as the first and only book to fully examine the legacy of transition and change shared by those who have grown up globally, Third Culture Kids speaks to the challenges and rewards of a multiculural childhood..."

What's inside the book?
Part I — Understanding the World of TCKs
Part II — The TCK Profile
Part III — Maximizing the Benefits

Read the full review...

Adapting

2007-12-01T10:53:00.000-05:00

This is my first year in an American high school. The last 6 years I've lived mostly in Europe--in big cities like Paris and Vienna. Of course, I've lived in America before, but I was only 6 at the time--kindergarten to third grade. Read more...

mkPLANET Blog: We want your feedback!

2007-11-26T19:46:00.000-05:00

Happily we've developed a steady routine of updating mkPLANET's Official Blog with a variety of MK and TCK-related posts, and have received interest from around the world. We've also noticed that some of our readers have subscribed to mkPLANET's blog, which is great! It's nice to know that we're tapping into information of interest to our readers!

Now we want to hear what you think about the stories, reports, counseling materials, news items, and other pieces we post. Our blog needs to reflect our Mission and Vision of course, however within these boundaries is a lot of room to post creative and interesting content, and there's definitely room for growth! So, we'd like to know your thoughts on a few questions/ideas:

Do we offer content reaching a wide enough age range?
Does it cater to readers from a wide range of cultural backgrounds?
Is it inclusive of readers from a variety of educational levels?
We were wondering whether our blog could use some light-hearted touch-ups, maybe a regularly featured recipe from mkPLANET's Community Cookbook, the occasional poem from our Poetry Corner, or a featured MK/TCK resource (e.g. a helpful book or website)?
It might also be interesting to highlight the MK/TCK's perspective on normal, everyday things such as books, movies, music, news items, etc. - our members would be able to write a review about something of interest to them.
What, if anything, are we missing that you'd really like to see here?

Feel free to leave a comment (just click the 'comments' link right below this post) or send an email to Dana. Thank you!

Families on the Move

2007-11-25T21:38:00.000-05:00

By Barbara F. Schaetti

What happens when everyone in the family wants to move -- except one person? What happens when the inevitable stress of moving begins to take a toll on family relationships? Find out what families can keep in mind to alleviate the tension from Barbara F. Schaetti. Bobbie is the President of Transition Dynamics, an international training and consulting firm serving expatriate families. Read more...

Being a Global Nomad: The Pros and Cons

2007-11-25T09:35:00.000-05:00

By Debbie Carlson

A look at the bright side and not-so-bright sides of growing up global. A primer for those who are contemplating an international move (or several) and wondering what long term effects their children may experience. Debbie Carlson began her nomadic voyages at the age of a year and a half and spent over fifteen years of child- and young adulthood living in Japan, Germany and England. Read more...

Deadline looms for TCK writing contest

2007-11-19T08:37:00.000-05:00

TCKid.com, a community blog for TCKs from all backgrounds, is hosting a writing contest with a November 25/07 deadline!

We all have stories. Some are funny, some are interesting, and some are sad. As TCKs, our past can sometimes be misundestood by our loved ones -- we've gathered a rich mosaic of cultural experiences, memories buried and experiences are scattered and possibly even forgotten. There's often a disconnect between our past, and our present...

Contest Info:
* Send a story.
* Vote for your favorite stories.
* Deadline: 25th November 2007.
* A $100 USD Cash Prize for the Winner.

For complete contest details check out TCKid.com!

"...Zzip"

2007-11-17T15:40:00.000-05:00

I slump against my bed and stare into the square belly of my suitcase.

"Just pack," my mind mimics.

My family's been evacuated from our home in Ethiopia. I have one suitcase and two days to pack up 3 years. I pull bulky sweaters out of my bottom bureau drawer and toss them into my bag. It's winter in America. I cross to my desk and sweep all my pictures into my arms. I circle the room, collecting my African carvings, bargained trophies from developing world marketplaces. I take down my theater masks, wrap my grandma's knickknacks, fold my Indian bedspread, and haul them to my bag. The leaning tower of Pisa stands in my suitcase. This used to be easy. Read more...

At Home Abroad / Third Culture Kids: Often more accomplished, but sometimes more troubled

2007-11-17T15:33:00.000-05:00

By Gretchen Lang

Dragan Majetic feels gifted to have been raised abroad. His childhood in India, Africa and Japan opened doors to a world of excitement and opportunity out of reach to his peers back home in Belgrade. But sometimes Majetic wonders at the settled lives of those who stayed behind when his diplomat parents took him along for the ride. Would he have been happier if he had stayed home?

Now researchers are beginning to look at the adult lives of children raised outside of their passport countries to assess the long-term effects. Read more...

Lost and Found: International School Reunions

2007-11-17T14:58:00.000-05:00

By Mikkela Thompson
Attending an international school can provide not only fond memories but a course for the future.

All over the world, every week, there are impromptu international school reunions. Just last month, I had dinner with former students from my school, and this made me think back to my international high school. I sent out a request for stories on a couple of listservs and talked on the phone with other Foreign Service brats and other internationally raised people. I got responses from more than a score of people... Read more... (in pdf format)

Includes sections on...

...searching the WWW for old classmates
...reunion anecdotes
...how to organize a reunion

mkPLANET - November '07 Update

2007-11-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Hello mkPLANET Members! In this update we focus on our Forums and our Blog, two areas of our community that have been the most active since our last update. We're also bringing news about two upcoming MK/TCK events. So here's a look at the topics in your November '07 newsletter:

1. IN FOCUS: CURRENT CONVERSATIONS
- Latest MK/TCK Topics
- Featured Forum: "After Re-Entry"
2. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG
3. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS
4. DONATE TO mkPLANET
5. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!

1. IN FOCUS: CURRENT CONVERSATIONS

Latest MK/TCK Topics
• A question for ex-mono-culturals: For those of you who were older when you first went to the mission field, how did you handle that stage of transition from being mono-cultural to becoming bi-cultural?
• Studying "home" culture: While you were growing up, did you learn, and how did you learn, about your home culture, the one(s) your parents are from?
• do/did our Grandparents provide stability?: Does 'stability' provided by grandparents become more important when one is in a family that moves about a lot?
• Home is...: This thread is about what home is to you right now.

• MKs on YouTube: MKs are increasingly using multimedia tools to tell their stories. Come see what we've found, or share your own!
• Running MK care programs: Considering MK care programs for MKs of all ages and at any stage in their lives, what makes them great? Alternately, what causes them to fall flat? Share your experiences and suggestions!

Featured Forum: "After Re-Entry" - Popular Topics
• What do you miss...?: What do you miss about life in your host culture?
• we can never go home: A discussion for those who miss their childhood 'home'.
• Sensory Flashbacks: Do you ever catch a whiff of something, or see something that instantly reminds you of where you grew up, and you are suddenly, unexpectedly transported back (mentally) to those times and places and memories?

2. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG

• Phoenix Rising: A Question of Cultural Marginality - by Barbara Schaetti
When you grow up in several different countries, where do you call home? Do you identify yourself by country, or family, or religion? What happens when you feel home everywhere and nowhere at once? Barbara Schaetti explores the questions of cultural identity for global nomads.

• Missionary Kids: Out of Africa - by Heather Dunkerton
Four MKs in Kenya answer questions about their lives and the MK lifestyle, including:

What's it like to be a missionary kid (MK)?
Do you like living in a country other than the U.S.?
Do you consider yourself a missionary or just the kid of missionary parents?
What do you think of some of the stereotypes of MKs?
What's the stupidest thing you've ever been asked about being an MK?

• Addictions and Eating Disorders - MKs and Family
If you're the parent or family member of an MK who's struggling with an addiction or eating disorder you'll find some helpful notes in this document, which covers the following topics:

· Recognise the issues relating to addictions and eating disorders
· Identify the triggers/ predisposition to the above
· Positive advice on how to prevent and tackle problems

• Third Culture Kids: For girls living between two cultures, Girl Scouts helps bridge the gap - by Lindsey Pollak
Hope is an American-born 12-year-old Girl Scout who recently moved to Boston, Massachusetts, after spending the past six years in Kazakhstan and Kuwait. Her father's job in the Foreign Service dictated her family's moves. Hope has lived in an Embassy compound in Kuwait, visited American troops at Camp Doha, and made friends from many countries...

• What MKs wish churches knew - by Ron Snell
We're on furlough. Notice I don't say "home on furlough," because as far as we kids are concerned, home is the other country we just came from. But nobody understands that when we walk in the door of the church...

• Home Again - by Donna Haug
In this heartwarming story Donna tells of the time her family left the mission field behind in Brazil to spend one year in Canada, their passport country. An endearing 13-year old at the time, she experienced the adventure, the challenges, and all ups and downs that many MKs do while their families go on furlough...

• These articles and more may be found at the Official mkPLANET Blog at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com
• Now it's easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Interested in Posting Here?"

3. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS

• 21st Annual Snow Camp
• January 18 - 20, 2008 at North Webster, Indiana, United States
• Register by: December 31, 2007
• Contact Kathy Mosher at kmosher@fbcelkhart.org or by phone at: 574-295-4475
• Website: http ://www .mukappa .org /adata /mkevents .asp #11

• North Central Mu Kappa Winter Retreat
• January 25 - 27, 2008 at Westboro, Wisconsin, United States
• Register online - Space is limited!
• Contact Perry Bradford at mukappa@barnabas.org or by phone at: 815-395-1335, ext. 203
• Website: www .mukappa .org

• Details available at the MK/TCK Events Calendar !

• Do you know of any MK or TCK-related events that are missing from our calendar? Please contact Dana with the details, and we'll advertize it for you!

4. DONATE TO mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership, but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise. We want to redesign our website to reflect our mission and vision, just as we have done with our mkPLANET forums, and we need your support. Click HERE to donate using PayPal!
• Fore more specific updates about mkPLANET's upgrade, check out our "Site redesign" thread in the forums, or feel free to contact me at any time; I would be glad to speak with you!

5. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com!

Note: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates, send an email message to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time. Thanks!

Phoenix Rising: A Question of Cultural Marginality

2007-11-12T07:49:00.000-05:00

Barbara Schaetti

When you grow up in several different countries, where do you call home? Do you identify yourself by country, or family, or religion? What happens when you feel home everywhere and nowhere at once? Barbara Schaetti explores the questions of cultural identity for global nomads. Read more...

Missionary Kids: Out of Africa

2007-11-12T07:38:00.000-05:00

By Heather Dunkerton

Four MKs in Kenya answer questions about their lives and the MK lifestyle, including:

What’s it like to be a missionary kid (MK)?
Do you like living in a country other than the U.S.?
Do you consider yourself a missionary or just the kid of missionary parents?
What do you think of some of the stereotypes of MKs?
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever been asked about being an MK? Read more...

MKs on YouTube

2007-11-06T20:29:00.000-05:00

A glimpse into the life of an MK named John-Mark...

Being A Missionary Kid

2007-11-04T08:56:00.000-05:00

By Alicia Goodwin

Nothing my parents told me about Romania could have prepared me for what I have experienced in the last three and a half years. I guess that somewhere in my heart, I knew from the time I was nine years old, that things were going to change. It started with my mom and dads first trip to Romania in 1992. My moms enthusiasm and stories of the poor orphan babies and of her adventures in Romania put a little fire in me from the moment they got back. At that age I began to realize that there was a whole other world that I never knew existed, and I wanted to find it! Read more...

Addictions and Eating Disorders - MKs and Family

2007-11-04T08:18:00.000-05:00

From the Global Connections Member Care Forum: November 2003

If you're the parent or family member of an MK who's struggling with an addiction or eating disorder you'll find some helpful notes in this document, which covers the following topics:

· Recognise the issues relating to addictions and eating disorders
· Identify the triggers/ predisposition to the above
· Positive advice on how to prevent and tackle problems

Access the document in:
- PDF format
- HTML format

Third Culture Kids: Returning to their Passport Country

2007-10-28T00:21:00.000-04:00

By Julie K. Kidd and Linda L. Lankenau

Who is the most recent immigrant to your school? You may be surprised to find that the answer may not be Roberto who immigrated from El Salvador nor Kamini from India, but rather Bobby or Katie who were born to United States (U.S.) citizens and recently moved back to the U.S. from Poland, Santo Domingo, or another foreign country. Every year, there are an estimated 300,000 U.S. students living overseas of whom 100,000 transit back to the U.S. and enter U.S. schools (Gerner, Perry, Moselle, & Archbold, 1992). Because these students, who are known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs), are American citizens and often were born in the U.S., educators are not always aware of who they are, what they might need, and what special gifts they have to offer. Read more...

Third Culture Kids: For girls living between two cultures, Girl Scouts helps bridge the gap.

2007-10-27T23:15:00.000-04:00

By Lindsey Pollak

Hope is an American-born 12-year-old Girl Scout who recently moved to Boston, Massachusetts, after spending the past six years in Kazakhstan and Kuwait. Her father's job in the Foreign Service dictated her family's moves. Hope has lived in an Embassy compound in Kuwait, visited American troops at Camp Doha, and made friends from many countries. Read more...

What MKs wish churches knew

2007-10-22T09:44:00.000-04:00

By Ron Snell

I sit in the middle of the back seat of a long, green station wagon -- a donated gas guzzler with rather loose steering connections. In the middle of the front seat is my older brother, beside me my younger sisters. Obviously, when it was time to argue for the best seats for our ride to church, I lost.

We're on furlough. Notice I don't say "home on furlough," because as far as we kids are concerned, home is the other country we just came from. But nobody understands that when we walk in the door of the church.

"Welcome home," they say, gushing over their missionaries. Read more...
- with comments by mattalbman, Danigirl

Home Again

2007-10-07T09:32:00.000-04:00

By Donna Haug

In this heartwarming story Donna tells of the time her family left the mission field behind in Brazil to spend one year in Canada, their passport country. An endearing 13-year old at the time, she experienced the adventure, the challenges, and all ups and downs that many MKs do while their families go on furlough. Read more...

When global nomads hanker for a home

2007-09-29T23:33:00.000-04:00

By Anna Esaki-Smith

PARIS: This past summer, in between family visits and manic shopping sprees at Target, my husband and I searched for a home. Although we have not lived in the United States for 14 years and have no near-term plans to return, we perused numerous houses in the suburban counties of New York with the fervor of homing pigeons searching for their lost nests. Read more...

mkPLANET - September 2007 Update

2007-09-28T08:42:00.000-04:00

Hello mkPLANET Members! The past few months at our community have been fantastic! We've had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know some dynamic and fun new members, we've engaged in a wide range of topics in our forums, enjoyed more of our members' poetry, received some insightful member-written blog posts, and discovered new books for our MK/TCK library! With all of this to report on, here's a look at the topics in your September '07 newsletter:

1. Current MK & TCK Conversations
2. New at mkPLANET's Blog!
3. Latest Addition to the mkPLANET Library
4. Upcoming MK/TCK Events
5. Donate to mkPLANET
6. Community Update: Poetry Corner
7. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com!

1. CURRENT MK & TCK CONVERSATIONS
• Arrogance and MK's: Do MKs strike you as being arrogant? If so, what can be done about it? If not, why the bad reputation?
• The Misfit...rantings of a foreigner: Do you ever wish you weren't an MK?
• distant & unresolved: Have you ever moved, leaving behind not only good relationships but broken ones also? If so, what did you do about it?

2. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG!
• Behind Closed Doors - A Lament by Cynthe
• Life's a Journey by Cynthe
• find them at the Official mkPLANET Blog (http://mkplanet.blogspot.com)
• Member posts and guest articles can be browsed by date, by category, and by keyword. And here's even better news: It's now easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Interested in Posting Here?"

3. LATEST ADDITION TO THE mkPLANET LIBRARY
• Sabine Kuegler's Child of the Jungle: The True Story of a Girl Caught Between Two Worlds

From Amazon.com:

Sabine Kuegler's childhood was far from typical. The child of German linguists and missionaries, she spent her youth living among the Fayu tribe in the most remote jungles of West Papua, Indonesia. There, as her family struggled for acceptance among the tightly knit and fiercely loyal community, Sabine spent her time swimming with crocodiles, shooting poisonous spiders with arrows, and chewing on pieces of bat-wing in place of gum. And she was happy. It wasn't until the age of 17 when her world was upended that Sabine experienced true fear for the first time. She was sent off to a boarding school in Switzerland and forced to confront the culture clash of modern Western society--giving her plenty of reason to be afraid. This is her remarkable true story.

• You can find the mkPLANET Library HERE.

4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS
• South Central Regional Mu Kappa Retreat

• Oct 12 - 14 2007 at Camp Ozark in Mt. Ida, Arkansas, US

• Register by: October 1, 2007
• Contact Perry Bradford by email at mukappa@barnabas.org, or by phone at 815-395-1335

• Details from Mu Kappa's website (www.mukappa.org): If you are an MK and live anywhere in the South Central Region of the US...then we want to see you. This year the retreat will be hosted at Camp Ozark in Mt. Ida, Arkansas . Plan to arrive on Friday evening, registration begins around 6 :00pm, but come when you can. This is a great place to connect with other MKs in your region. If you have any questions, drop me a note...but you need to register on line, using the form provide. The cost is only $50, which includes housing and meals. Come and enjoy this MK Connection...a great place to be encourage and enriched .

• Check out the MK/TCK Events Calendar today!

5. DONATE TO mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership, but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise. We want to redesign our website to reflect our mission and vision, just as we have done with our mkPLANET forums, and we need your support. Click HERE to donate using PayPal!
• Fore more specific updates about mkPLANET's upgrade, check out our "Site redesign" thread in the forums, or feel free to contact me at any time; I would be glad to speak with you!

6. COMMUNITY UPDATE: POETRY CORNER
• Popular topics include Sad & Dark, Spiritual, and MK/TCK.
• Visit our Poetry Corner, or send us your own work!

7. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com !

Note: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates, send an email message to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time. Thanks!

Behind Closed Doors - A Lament

2007-09-13T18:52:00.000-04:00

By Cynthe

Michael Card once suggested that instead of Praise teams at church, we should have Lament teams. I think there is something to be said for this suggestion.

I grew up in a country where slums and beggars were your next-door neighbors. Unlike short-term mission trip experiences or even adult career missions where you go expressly to minister to these people, as an MK, there were just days you had to turn your back to the suffering that so many were experiencing right next door to you. Especially for me as a kid, who didn’t quite have the freedom or resources to minister the way my compassion may have driven me to, and who didn’t speak the language well enough to build relationships or share the Gospel. You couldn’t give to every beggar, and some days it ripped me apart. I hated feeling wealthy, feeling like I had so much more than they, and didn’t deserve any better. Who am, that I was blessed to be born into a middle-class American family? I am no different than they. And yet at some point, I had to shut my heart off to the suffering in front of me because there was nothing I could about it but pray. And somehow when you’re living in a marbled-floor, leather-couch house and your neighbor has a piece of metal as their roof, and sleep in the same room as the rest of their very large 8 person family, prayer doesn’t really seem like very much at all. Read more...

Life's a Journey

2007-09-01T01:34:00.001-04:00

By Cynthe

It struck me today: so much of my time, energy, efforts, have been spent, and wasted, in the pursuit of comfort, pleasure, making myself "at home" in this world out this longing in my heart for a place to rest, a place where I am fully accepted as I am, a place where there is no struggle, no pain, no sorrow. Not that my longing is a bad thing in and of itself. It is not. It reflects my joining with all of creation in groaning "in the pains of childbirth together until now" (Romans 8:?).

But.

This world is not my home.

I've known that for a while now. Actually being raised overseas in a culture not my own, and returning to a culture that is also not my own, I have always felt more keenly that I don't belong. But this year, I've wrestled with more deeply than perhaps any other season of my life with loneliness, discouragement, and even despair at times. Perhaps some of this has stemmed from my transition into "the real world", the distancing of some very dear relationships, and becoming a single adult in a largely-married world and learning to accept that. But whatever the cause, the fact remains. I am lonely and without a place of belonging. Read more...

Privileged White Girls in Africa

2007-08-02T22:56:00.000-04:00

By Valerie Weaver-Zercher

My parents own an old, dog-eared edition of Tenzi Za Rohoni, the hymnal of the Tanzania Mennonite Church. Inside its ripped green cover, the pages are slathered with the large swirls and zigzags of my one-year-old hand. My markings cover the texts of North American hymns, translated into the straightforward vowels and forceful consonant blends of Swahili: Mungu Ni Pendo, Baba Mwana Roho. Later, back in the Mennonite churches of Pennsylvania, I will learn them as For God So Loved Us and Holy, Holy, Holy. Read more...

What Missionaries Ought to Know about Saying Goodbye

2007-08-02T21:36:00.000-04:00

By Ronald L. Koteskey

One missionary said, "I am tired of making friendships and then moving all over; to me it is not worth the effort. On furlough I know I am leaving, so why try?"

Another said, "I don't know how to deal with the changes that surround the arrival and departure of staff members on the field. Especially with short-termers coming and going, it seems like we are always expanding and contracting to include so many different people on our team…. How do we love deeply yet hold lightly?" Read more...

mkPLANET - July 2007 Update

2007-07-29T16:05:00.001-04:00

Hello mkPLANET Members! It has been a while since our last update, and much has changed at our virtual community since then. Here's a look at the topics in this Newsletter:

1. mkPLANET Blog - New!
2. In Focus: MK & TCK Issues Forum
3. mkPLANET Library - New!
4. Current Poll: What feature would you most look forward to at mkPLANET's upgraded website?
5. Community Highlights

1. mkPLANET Blog
We recently unveiled mkPLANET's official blog! You can find it at: http://mkplanet.blogspot.com

Those of you who are familiar with the Stories Archive at mkPLANET may notice that it no longer exists. Our members' stories as well as all of our MK/TCK related guest articles are being moved over to our blog, while new posts are also being added regularly.

Member posts and guest articles can be browsed by date, by category, and by keyword. And here's even better news: It's now easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Interested in Posting Here?"

2. In Focus: MK & TCK Issues Forum
After establishing mkPLANET's Mission & Vision statements last year we took a closer look at our Forums, and as a result we have expanded our MK/TCK section considerably. New forums have been added, and many great topics have since been raised and explored by our members. So check out our Forums and jump into the conversation!

3. mkPLANET Library
We've just launched the mkPLANET Library with a collection of over 60 MK/TCK-related books for all ages! If you know of a book that's missing from this library, send us an email and tell us about it! You can find our library at LibraryThing.com by clicking HERE.

4. Current Poll: What feature would you most look forward to at mkPLANET's upgraded website?
One of the recent topics of discussion at mkPLANET has been an upgrade of the website. We need to work out some bugs that have been hanging around since the beginning, and we also want to expand the services we offer our members. So cast your vote in our poll, and tell us which new feature you would most like to see at our upgraded website!

5. Community Highlights: Current MK & TCK Conversations
• Class differences: How has your parents' level of education affected your experience of class differences on the field?
• Top 10+ Care Package List: What are the best (or worst) care package items you've received over the years?
• My first...: What are some interesting "firsts" you experienced during re-entry to your passport country?

Community Highlights: Do you love FOOD?
• Take a look at our Recipe section. We also have an Ingredients page where you can check out or write about unique ingredients in some of our recipes!

Community Highlights: Donate to mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership, but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise. We want to redesign our website to reflect our mission and vision, just as we have done with our mkPLANET forums, and we need your support. Click HERE to donate using PayPal!
• Fore more specific updates about mkPLANET's upgrade, check out our "Site redesign" thread in the forums, or feel free to contact me at any time; I would be glad to speak with you!

Note: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates via email, send an email message to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time. Thanks!

Growing Up With a World View: Nomad Children Develop Multicultural Skills

2007-07-21T11:42:00.000-04:00

By Norma M. McCaig

I can still hear the wind from the dust storm that hit Delhi during the waning days of my trip this May. Powerful images of Tamul Nadu, further south, are equally vivid—of 70 picnicking street children from the Madurai and Bethabia orphanage striking unsteady dancing positions and then collapsing in delight around me. Read more...

When no place feels like home

2007-07-07T17:55:00.000-04:00

By Corinna Schuler in The Christian Science Monitor

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Sprawled on the outskirts of Thailand's chaotic capital is an extraordinary school where teenage globe-trotters trade stories of climbing pyramids in Egypt, tracking lions in Africa, and touring art galleries in France.

Many of the 600 Americans attending the International School of Bangkok (ISB) speak at least two languages. They have firsthand knowledge of world geography and foreign cultures. They can smoothly debate international affairs with adults twice their age. Read more...

Third Culture Kids: Prototypes for Understanding Other Cross-Cultural Kids

2007-07-07T16:30:00.000-04:00

by Ruth E. Van Reken and Paulette M. Bethel

As Ruth Useem wrote in an early article describing the Third Culture, “each of these subcultures [community of expatriates] generated by colonial administrators, missionaries, businessmen, and military personnel—had its own peculiarities, slightly different origins, distinctive styles, and stratification systems, but all were closely interlocked.”1

In other words, for all the differences of background, nationality, ethnicity, and purpose for living internationally among the groups, there were some fundamentals they all shared that transcended those differences. It was here in the early days of cross-cultural interchanges that a new way of looking at “culture” began. It was also here that the impact of how such a lifestyle impacted children began as well.

Common characteristics of Third Culture experience (for adults as well as kids) Read more...

A Church Reaching Out to MKs

2007-06-16T15:47:00.000-04:00

Affectionately called MKs, missionary kids may be far away, but they are not forgotten by this loving church! Foothills Bible Church of Littleton, Colorado has a well-developed plan that ministers to children of their missionaries from birth through college. At each stage of growth, the children are reminded that they are loved and important to the church body back home. Read more...

Surviving Culture Shock or Stress

2007-06-16T13:53:00.000-04:00

Globalization: Survival skills for missionaries, foreign exchange students and others working to weather cultural shock as they bridge cultural differences.

This animated diagram illustrates two paths people take during the four phases of long-term cross-cultural encounters. The term "culture shock" was coined by Kalvero Oberg in 1954. It's a good label for the psychological experience of adults during the time of cultural adjustment that accompanies a period of cultural socialization or acculturation (which is different from the enculturation process experienced by children).

The confusion and anxiety brought on by culture stress or shock may cause us to think, do or say things that are contrary to God's purpose.

Read more...

The Itch

2007-06-14T13:28:00.000-04:00

by Cynthe

I’ve got the itch.

It’s like a foot worm that gets into my skin through my toes. (Didn’t your mom ever tell you not to go barefoot outside because of worms? Or was that just a precaution for living in the Philippines, irrelevant to Stateside living?)

The itch is so subtle, you don’t realize it’s there until its crawled all the way through the long, tumultuous tunnels of your blood stream, leaving its trail behind it, and summits to the last standing hair on your head. And then suddenly you wake up one morning, sit straight up in your bed and say to yourself: “I’ve got to get out of here.”

You can’t quench it. You can’t hide from it. It permeates your being.

Your senses begin to lust after the putrid smell of the filthy (although attempted to be sanitized) seats of an airplane. Your mind begins to recite the exit-row warning to the degree that you begin to practice swinging wide open that door on the airplane in case of emergency, and dream of bravely ushering the frightened, inexperienced passengers out the door and onto the wide wing of the plane where they then cheerfully slide down the side of the wing to the ground beneath them in safety.

Oh yes. The itch.

Your roommates, housemates, friends begin to wonder if you’ve gone crazy as you make grand plans for travel to foreign lands. “I’m going to spend my vacation this year in South Africa, and then Timbuktu, and then the Outback.” As one roommate put it, “I won’t believe her until she’s actually on the plane going somewhere.” The plans begin to grow in their extravagance. You even go so far as to buy a travel book and begin your research of places to stay. You put pictures of the places you’re going to visit up on your backdrop on all your computer monitors. You pick out a language guide and begin reciting phrases of foreign languages to your friends who only give you a blank stare, or worse, the-polite-nod-and-smile-turn-the-back-to-you-and-laugh-hysterically.

The itch doesn’t go away.

Once you realize you don’t have enough money in your bank account for your extravagant travel plans, you resign yourself to at least finding a new job.

You download the company’s available positions. You begin dreaming of walking up to your new cubicle, with your upgrade in salary lingering in the back of your mind (that will of course enable you to embark on those safaris that you’ve been dreaming of), and leaving your mark on the success of the company.

Your name begins to appear on every job listing on Monster.com, and you end up having to change your cellphone number because of the number of phone calls you’re receiving (and not following up on) from job recruiters.

When no suitable job appears, you resort to moving out of your current residence. You begin to come up with every possible excuse to convince your roommate that you need to move.

“They lowered my salary,” you say.

“No they didn’t,” they knowingly reply.

“I can’t get good parking,” you try.

“You’ve managed this far.”

“Our neighbors are loud.”

“Our neighbors just moved. We have no neighbors.”

When that fails, you write a long-winded email to all your friends and family members, telling them of all the details of your life up to this point, conjuring it up to be these significant events that they most definitely need to be aware of. At least that helps make it feel like your life is moving forward in some way.

And then just as suddenly as it came, it disappears.

And you realize that you’re still sitting at your same desk, staring at the same computer monitor, working the same workload, having bought no plane tickets, filled out no job applications, or ever really learned any language well enough to make a drop of difference on your resume. It’s as if you were taken up in a dream, an out-of-body (out of reality is probably more accurate) experience, only to be dropped rather harshly, no parachute cushioning your landing, back into reality, with no more than a few sleepless nights, and an extra travel book to add to your dusty, unused collection still sitting on your bookshelf to tell of your most recent bout of restlessness.

Contact Us

2007-05-08T16:15:00.001-04:00

Staff can be reached at: (E-mail name)@mkplanet.com. See the email listing below to get the e-mail names.
(Note: Full E-mail addresses are not printed in order to hide them from SPAM crawlers.)

Admin email name: administrator
- use this address to reach either Dana or Suo regarding administrative and management issues.
Dana's email name: danamarie
- this address reaches Dana only.
Joel's (Suo's) email name: suo
- you guessed it, this address reaches only Suo.
Abuse email name: report.abuse
- use only to report instances of abuse (e.g. privacy, harassment, etc.).

Home

2007-03-18T19:41:00.000-04:00

by Cynthe

It’s late. 1 in the morning, to be exact. But I think I finally put my finger on what I’ve been searching for in the last fews hours that kept me up. I’m looking for something to connect myself to. I’m homesick. Longing for that place I feel I belong. Not sure what spawned this feeling, but wow, it aches.

Home. Such a small, familiar, overused, undervalued word. 4 little letters that hold such power over my soul.

They say (I hate that phrase!) all MKs get homesick for that home they never really had. In this strange, ironic sense, I don’t want to share this sentiment with anyone else at the moment. I want to own it. I want it to be mine, and mine alone. Perhaps that’s because I’m lonely at the moment. Perhaps that’s because I’m selfish. Perhaps because it feels like sharing it with anyone else makes it lose its value. Invalidates the feeling. “Cynthe, you aren’t the only homesick MK in the world.”

I don’t even see myself as an MK anymore. That’s a lonely thought. It’s a thing of my past. Now I am a banker, a Grace EV Free member, a girlfriend, roommate, Californian. I don’t live that life anymore.

Funny how much your identity changes over time. At one point, your entire life is made up of being a child, a daughter, a son, to someone. Then you grow into being a student. High School is all about being a student and yet there’s more to you there too. You go away to college, and suddenly you are what you study. I am Cynthe, The Bible Major. Then after college, you become what you do. I am Cynthe, the Banker. Identity is such a tricky thing. One day, I will be a Wife. Then a Mother. I guess none of these aspects of a person’s being ever really disappear. I could pick up the MK lifestyle again in a moment. Once a mother, always a mother, they say. But practical, everyday responsibilities, life circumstances, demand your time and energy: put your attention on certain aspects of your life more than others. They call it Prioritizing.

So then, who am I? MK, artist, singer, worshipper, musician, wannabewriter and poet. But I am also a business employee, a banker, and a Bible Major. I am a Fine Arts Performer (High School), a Soccer player (High School), a runner (of sorts). I am a church-goer, ESL teacher, friend. I am an organizer, aspiring teacher and mentor. I am an academic and I am a soulmate. All, not one, of these things make up who I am.

So where does home fit into all of that? In my loneliness, I am driven to that which I feel relates most to who I am. I long to be known. I can’t explain that longing – the more I’ve been out of college, out of the academic setting, the less I desire to. I only know that some day I will find that place I belong, and I will stay there. Never move again. Never leave the comfort of being known.

Until then, I think at the core of my being, I shall always be a stranger, an exile, a wanderer about the earth, waiting Christ’s return with longing, and wonder. Some day He shall take me Home to be with Him. And then, I shall know as I am known by Him. I shall be freed of the tyranny of sin and hell, sin, guilt and shame, and the lies and deceit that the darkness puts me under. I shall live forever and eternity in a place where light, truth, beauty, glory reign. I shall abide in the presence of the Eternal One, the One who knew me as I was being formed in my mother’s womb, whose presence never left my side, even in my youth, the One who is with me to this day and never will ever leave me or forsake me, the One who knows me. And all those things that kept me all these long, grievous years from truly knowing Him shall disappear forever. And it is there that I shall at last find the place I long to call home.