I’m a TCK (Third Culture Kid)…and I love it! Here’s my parents first prayer card pic
ture from 1977, I was five. The other “beautiful girl” is my brother. (The second prayer card picture is from 1986) The day after arriving in Bolivia, South American, I begin 1st grade. I attended several schools over that time, my favorite being the 7 years at Tambo in Bolivia. It was a New Tribes Mission boarding school in the Andes Mountains. It was from there that I graduated in 1990. I loved boarding school…it was my choice. I returned to the US just days later.
My life was turned upside down.
I’ve been enjoying working on the Third Culture Kid (TCK) research. Also known as Global Nomads. They are people who can’t answer the question – “Where are you from?” We have a passport but no driver’s license, speak two or more languages, National Geographic makes us homesick! We know how to pack. We consider parasites, dysentery and tropical diseases to be appropriate dinner conversation. We calculate exchange rates. Our parents scold us in a foreign language. We may have strong opinions about how to cook bugs. I could go on… but this is usually only interesting to other TCK’s!
While preparing for my job in Shepherd Services as the TCK Coordinator for AIM – I’ve been reading books and surfing the web to learn more. Here’s a definition of a TCK according to David Pollock in his book Third Culture Kids.
“A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents’ culture. The TCK builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership of any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging are in relationship to others of similar background.”
If you have spent any time with missionaries, you know the importance of caring for their kids. Here are just a few things TCK’s struggle with…technology, loneliness, identity, social skills and culture shock. We are strangers wherever we go….home is nowhere and everywhere.
I’m thrilled…God has lead me to AIM to care for and love on these kids!
