#thirdculture

[cmfrtlvls]

Elizabeth Melsom Okamoto

Basic Background 

1996 Born in England and raised in Australia Mixed parentage Japanese Australian.

I just finished university, I decided to take a gap year to travel a bit before I started work. The main place I wanted to visit was Japan. The reason why I chose Japan is mainly because I wanted to improve my language skills. Which I actually have not done very much of, at all, but it’s been very rewarding in other ways.　

Knowing that everyone has a different upbringing, how is it like growing up in Australia being half and half?

For me it has never really an important part of my identity, being Japanese. Like maybe in primary school, every now and then people pointed out that I was Asian, but I definitely never felt Asian. Melbourne is such a multi cultural city and so by High School, a lot of my friends were Asian Australians. 

It was never a big deal. I never really felt all that Japanese. 

When I was younger, my Australian dad was mainly bringing us up, my Japanese mom worked really long hours and because of that I pretty much got only an Australian influence in my life. We didn’t really eat Japanese food, obviously I never learnt Japanese, or partake in any Japanese traditions, or anything like that. I was very much an Australian child.

I’m not too sure why it was like that, if she [my mum] made the decision to bring us up like that. She has said to me before that she made the decision to not teach us Japanese because she thought it might hold us back from some future opportunities in Australia if we become too Japanese. But she only told me that recently, so I don’t know if she is trying to justify her decision now, to a certain extent. I know that she wanted me to have as many opportunities as possible as an Australian. For me, now, it is a little bit disappointing that I was never exposed to my cultural identity when I was younger. 

How do you feel now that you are finally in Japan? 

It’s been more rewarding than I thought it would be. I never thought it would make me think differently about who I was, or anything like that. I understand my mum a lot more and her mannerisms, her character, because I see so much of that in the Japanese people I know here. 

It’s been eye opening in that sense. I do feel comfortable here, more than I thought it would. Obviously I am still an outsider, Japanese people don’t see me as a Japanese in any way, and I don’t either.  Despite that I still feel like I belong here in a way, as cheesy as it sounds. 

Do you feel a sense of belonging in Japan and Australia, both ways?  Did you have a “I don’t belong here!” moment anywhere?

I’m not patriotic about Australia at all. I don’t resent Australia, but I’m not proud to be Australian for a lot of historical reasons I am not going to go into. I never thought I didn’t belong in that country, but it was just never an important part of who I am. 

Never felt conflicted about nationality? 

Not really, no, it was never really an important part of my identity. I’ve always wanted to travel and live overseas. My nationality has never really played a part of my life. I don’t feel sentimental towards Australia.  

I’m not confused, I’m not in a conflict with myself. Rather I am figuring out how I feel about everything, living in Japan, and it’s not the easiest thing to put into words yet. 

Does this conversation make you feel…? haha

I am open to talk about these things, I just don’t know if I am clear headed in how I feel about all of it. So I am working through how I feel about being Australian, Japanese. If you asked these same questions 6 months ago I would have said “nah I am Australian. I don’t see myself as Japanese at all.” 

I don’t feel like I’m fighting, but I’m learning. I have never felt the need to take any action about being Japanese in my life. I didn’t have to make any decisions based on my ethnicity or anything like that.

Now that I have been here for a while and I have seen myself, not necessarily more Japanese, but I do understand that part of myself a bit more. It’s still a work in progress.

Is there “what if’s?”

Yeah! I would love to live in Japan, but because of the language barrier, I don’t think I’ll ever be accepted as Japanese. I’m sure you can empathize with that [Chiharu]. I’ll always be something of an expat living in Japan. Unless I could nail the language I think that’s all I’ll ever be. I’ll stand out regardless. I won’t be able to conform that easily in a Japanese society. Having said that I would love to come back to Japan to live here, if the opportunities arise. 

What are the perks of living in Japan?

It’s just nice to be in a country that is so different from what I have been brought up in, and yet I feel really comfortable. Almost the sense of it’s okay, I don’t want to say entitlement, to be who I am [being half Japanese], but I know I wouldn’t feel as confident living overseas by myself if it wasn’t in Japan. It’s so different, but it’s comfortable, it’s easy, it makes sense. 

Any positive or negative side to living in Australia?

I am super lucky to live in Australia, I have had a privileged upbringing. Mostly it’s been really positive. But obviously Australia is isolated from the rest of the world, I don’t love that aspect of it. Australia is a massive country but also an island, it’s not part of Asia, not part of Europe or America, it’s kind of its own continent in Oceania. Because of that, you have to make an effort to learn about the world. You need to read about it or watch a documentary in order to educate yourself, or you don’t really learn that much about the world otherwise. I’ve always been curious about traveling and the other countries, so that has been a draw back in Australia. 

You mention that where you are from is very multicultural. Would you say that Japan is multicultural as well?

Melbourne is very multicultural, and some of the other major cities in Australia are multicultural as well. I wouldn't say that’s true of the whole of Victoria, but my experience is that Australia is very multicultural because Melbourne is where I have always lived. Japan, I don’t think is as multicultural. If you are a foreigner, you get stared at, so you might start to feel like there may not be as many foreigners here. Even though I’m half Japanese, I look more caucasian than Asian, and so I get stared at like a foreigner. 

Do you think you would stand out in other parts of the world? 

I have done a bit of travelling around Asia, but I haven’t really been to that many other western countries in Europe or America, so I don’t really know yet. My impression is that I wouldn’t stand out as much, but I might be naive. 

Do you see yourself staying in Japan long term?

No plans yet. It’s hard, my career has set me in Australia for the near future, but I don’t want that to be my forever. I would like to live overseas. I‘d like to live in Japan because I see it as something doable for me with my citizenship here. But I think I would be happy to live in any other country as well. I definitely don’t want to live in Australia my whole life. 

Do you think you think you can define home right now?

Home is Melbourne because that’s where my family, my partner, my friends are, and my whole life. At the same time I don’t feel that attached to Australia. I’m also really happy when I’m overseas, I can see myself building something I guess, even if it seems ambitious now. I could make it home.  This is the first time I have lived overseas, so I can’t really say for sure, but that’s the feeling I get. 

What is your plan after Japan?

Well, yeah. I have to go back and work in 8 months’ time in corporate law as a graduate. This is the first time I will work in this industry, seriously, full time. So for a year and a half I’ll be stuck (no i shouldn’t say that *laughs*) I will be stationed in Melbourne.  After that I’m hoping that I can move to another location so I will be grabbing whatever opportunity I can take. But no concrete plans yet, I definitely need to have a lot of discussions with people when I get home.  

[yangsjournal]

Heimweh

The briny wind on the shore

The blinding sun in the city

Two worlds I've never fully grasped

A mind that muddled

About where do I actually belong

One will never know

But God

And me.

[chiquitck]

Sense of Belonging

Whenever I hear those three words, as if on cue, there’s a sharp pang in my chest.

English class has been hitting way too close to home lately, heh.

I’m sure every TCK has had to ask themselves, early on in their lives, over and over again as it changed, where on this Earth they even belong.

Is there a place for me here? Is this my place, is that my place, are all of these my places, or are none of these my places?

Of course, it isn’t just places. We, as in all human beings, can feel like we belong to a social group, be it a culture, a community, a friend group, or an intimate relationship with a person special to us. And yes, a certain food or flower counts, too.

We as TCKs often associate “belonging” with places, even though it is so much more, because we know that almost everything we feel a sense of belonging to... is tied to a place.

At the same time, we transcend these places.

Our sense of belonging can’t ever be fully tied to one place, now can it?

A long-distance friendship isn’t present in our lives the same way a local friendship is, but either are friendships important to us, and although our immediate surroundings dictate the way we will live our lives at a certain point in time, they do not make up the entirety of our home, or of our sense of belonging:

How much we feel like we belong depends on how connected we can feel to all these, while at the same time feeling connected to the place and the people we are with now.

Sometimes I get really jealous of people that have never in their lives moved. I know not everyone finds a stable sense of belonging even then, but from what I’ve gathered, many, most do. I wonder what it’s like, to wake up in a familiar bed in a familiar room in a familiar house in a familiar neighborhood in a familiar town or city, state and country you call your own, to go outside and to have all your past memories flooding back to you as you walk past the places they took place, to be greeted with smiles and recognition by everyone you’ve ever known, and to have all your close friends and loved ones in one place, to actually get to hug them and be hugged and to talk and to be talked to and to spend your lives together. To not be forgotten as you blur in and out of everyone’s lives, only ever halfway present, no matter your efforts to be whole.

Only ever halfway belonging.

When you truly belong to a group, you are accepted by them as one of their own, you have a point of identification and relatability, you feel comfortable and loved being yourself, and you probably wanna stay together - and that sentiment will be returned.

And yet, even though the definition of belonging never varies very significantly from person to person, it is lived out entirely differently as a TCK.

I feel like it isn’t enough to close the gaping hole in my heart when someone says those three words: “sense of belonging”. A sense of belonging. Something I deeply lack, and something that is so essential for mental well-being and happiness, as has been proven by countless psychologists and studies. It makes me wonder if it’s the root of so much loneliness, struggling with self-esteem, and finding a stable social circle or life that many TCKs face.

Even though I lack a true sense of belonging to any one place or group, the concept seems to carry more meaning for me than for anyone who has it.

Maybe it’s taken for granted by them, until they one day feel out of place, too.

Out of place. I think that’s a good way to describe how I chronically feel. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, always kinda out of place. Always something’s in the way.

Maybe it’s who I am on the inside, maybe it’s where I am on the outside, maybe it’s all that I have been and everywhere that I wanna be that stops me from ever truly feeling: This is where I belong. This is who I belong with.

I think many TCKs also feel out of sync with their peers, especially in their “home countries” or outside of international environments, or away from someplace more close to home. It doesn’t help to feel misunderstood and like everyone else’s world here is worlds away from your own, which doesn’t include you or anything else that’s your world, and may not be open for it either, and for your efforts of integration to fail at that realization. It makes belonging in groups hard, and I think for many, shifts the focus to more intimate individual relationships. Here, we don’t feel like we don’t “fit in”, because there’s no mold to fit into but our own individual one, just as our significant other (of any nature, friendship too) does into their own.

How can we belong? Can we belong??

My heart is broken into pieces across the world, and my soul is calling away into a million different directions. That’s the way it is, and always will be, and I won’t give that up for my little fantasy of home that’ll never exist for me.

I still have hope that someday, I won’t feel like I need to depart on the next jetplane in order to have a place on this Earth. I’m trying right now, to establish friendships, to nurture the ones I have all over but especially where I am right now, and to acquaint myself with more of the world - because no matter if it’s imperfect - it’s the ones I love and this planet that I’ll always feel the strongest sense of wanting to stay with.

Maybe global connectedness, the meaningful relationships we harbor with loved ones and human beings all over the world, regardless of physical presence, can contribute to our own sense of belonging in this world - wherever we may be, even if it’s no place in particular, even if we have various places we 5%, quarter, halfway, three-quarters, or 95% belong to. We were born into this world, so here we belong - at least until humanity starts expanding to Mars and the moon.

[angelinewanderland]

The Name Game (Part 1)

Hi! My name is Angel! 

Well actually it’s Angeline, but as long as you can construct any of the letters in my name so that it’s seemingly recognizable (or at the very least, a name you can still Mime out in a game of Charades), you can call me whatever you want. .

Here is a list of my previous and current nicknames to help you out: “Ang” (pronounced “Anj”) “Angie” “Gel” “Jelly” “Linn” “An”(pronounce “Anne” or “Ahn”) “Gee”

And to the extremely lazy ones like myself… “A” ���� I guess it can be pretty fun trying to dissect long names just to see how many short names you can make out of it!

The funniest one I got so far was in high school when a  friend kept calling me “Hair Gel”. So by keeping the name “Gel”, I suppose he was still in the running.

In some countries like Indonesia, people will give you nicknames based on the last 3 or 4 letters of your name. 

For example, if your name is Angel, they might call you “Gel”.

“David” would be “Vid”

Or if your name is “Ayu”, they will call you “Yu”. 

I’m not kidding. 

“Ayu” is possibly one of the shortest Indonesian girl names you can find and they can still manage to cut one letter out to form a nickname.

But it’s not always that way. Sometimes if nicknaming a person using the last few letters of their first name doesn’t sound so....fitting, the Indonesians also turn to the Western way of nicknaming.That is, instead of taking out the last few letters of your first name, they take out the first 3 or 4. 

So, if you have a name like, “Angeline”, then in most Western countries, you would end up being called “Angel” or “Ang” (pronouned “Anj”)

or most commonly “Angie” (if they’re feeling cute)

I spent most of my life between two countries Indonesia and Australia, so I think it’s pretty fair to attempt to write about How Nicknames are Created in both of these countries. 

By the way, this is a two part blog series. 

Let’s start with Australia! 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Aussies LOVE Nicknames!

Somehow, the people of Australia has managed to generate nicknames for you that somehow still sound like your original name but also isn’t...

Ok bare with me.

Here is how nicknames are constructed in Australia

(according to my 9 year experience living in the Land Down Under)

1. The “aZzaaaaa”

When you go to or if you have gone to the “Land Down Under” you will or may have heard words that sound like “Cazza”, “Bazza”, “Tezza” or “Gazza” being thrown around. 

First of all, let me clarify that these are not slangs. 

These are people’s names. 

What happens is, in Australia, if you have the letter “R” as the third letter of your first name, they will cut that letter and replace it with a “Z” 

Similar to boys names. 

If your name is “Harry”, it is now “Hazza”.

No this isn’t some cute way of giving you a nickname. 

It’s actually the way friends refer to each other. 

So instead of calling you “buddy” for instance or “mate” which they often do, to show that you’re their friend, they will make up another nickname for you based on your already given original name. 

In a way it kind of states that you’re in the group (i.e. they like you) 

But wait! It doesn’t end there!

Well sure there’s more. 

Here’s another one. 

2. And Bingo was his name  “- O”

Sometimes, in Australia, people will also add a vowel to your name. 

Once again they will take the first two or three letters and then simply add a vowel.

Let’s give an example using the letter “O” as a vowel. 

Right then! So If your name is Steven, you would think that your nickname be Steve right?

Well no. 

In Australia, your name would be Ste-vo! 

(pronounced “Stee-Voh”)

And your friend “David” over there? 

He’s not Dave. Nooo. That’s ridiculous. 

He is now “Davo”! 

(pronounced “Day-Voh”).

How about this one?

Can you figure out what the name “Loz��� is short for? (Hint: It’s a girl’s name)

No?

It’s short for Lauren!

Yeah. The “aZZa” doesn’t always apply with the “R” to “Z” exchange. 

Which leads me to number 

3. The “Azza” exception: “Z” or “...ZZie”

Your friend Lauren, can also be referred to as “Loz” or “Lozzie”

(Note that the “A” and “U” in “Lauren” was combined to form an “O”)

And if your name is Barry, perhaps you can choose from the following: 

“Bazza” or “Baz” or “Bazzie”. 

Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it. 

The Name Game isn’t always so difficult and confusing. 

Like this next one for instance...

4. The Easy “S” 

This one’s pretty straight forward. 

Sometimes they just add an “S” at the end of the two to three letters.

Here I’ll give you an easy one to guess. 

"Jules”

If you said “Julia”, Juliette”, “Julie” or really any other names that start with  “J” “U” and “L”, then you’re right! 

Or “Becks”

Which is a nick name for Becky which is also short for “Rebecca”

But that’s nothing new...

Pretty easy right?

Ok last one I promise. 

5. The “Last Name” Game

Sometimes in Australia, people will call you by your last name. I found this one really interesting because what happens if a group of friends has three guys with the same last name? 

You’d have to get creative, wouldn’t you?

For example, the name “Warwick” would be butchered three ways to Sunday so that one guy would be called “Wocka”, the other would be called “Warra” and the third would be called Eric.

Obviously  you need to identify one guy by his first name to make it less confusing…for some reason.

And while we’re still on this topic, I have a little story.

Last time I was in Australia, I tried to break the nicknaming system in my friends group by screwing the norm and calling one of my friends “Evan”. (For privacy purposes, let’s say his name is Evan Michaels.) 

“Evan Michaels” was known to the group as “Michaels”. 

...or rather, until I came into the group one memorable day and started calling him “Evan”. 

The others didn’t have it. 

I didn’t hear the end of it. 

Not only was I often corrected back to his last name, but it’s as though some kind of system malfunctioned.

They wouldn’t have it because they weren’t used to calling him “Evan”. His name is “Michaels”.

I never stopped calling him “Evan” by the way. 

Cause I’m fun like that. 

I can see why some people refer to others by their last name though.

It stands outs.

So clearly, when it comes to nicknames, being original is the way to go.

(P.S. If you’re reading this as an Australian and I’ve missed something out, what other Aussie nicknames can you share that I haven’t yet mentioned? Would love to see what you have!)

Stay tuned for the 2nd Edition of the Name Game!

[patchgame]

New Tees by @thirdculture. [CANON CAMERA OG LOGO] In June, 1934 an advertisement appeared in Japan's Asahi Camera Magazine featuring a camera called the 'Kwanon'. The camera was a prototype built by a company called 'Seiki-Kogaku Kenkyusho' and was to be the first Japanese 35mm rangefinder camera in the world. -⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The camera was auspiciously named 'Kwanon' after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, 'Kwannon', and the lens was named 'Kasyapa' after one of Buddha's disciples, 'Mahakasyapa'. Unfortunately the camera was never developed and released to the public. The company, operating out of a room in Roppongi at the time, eventually went on to become the powerhouse company that you know as Canon Camera. -⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This tee is a a tribute to the real OG Canon and that initial dream & vision they had. Featuring the actual logo which was engraved on the top plate of the camera...the thousand-armed goddess, Kwannon. •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ • • • • #Canon #CanonCamera #Kwanon #35mm #Photobook #Photobookjousting #photozine #photographyzine #Thirdculture #필름카메라 #필름사진 #필름 #필름사진 #フィルムカメラ #フィルム写真 #アナログカメラ #35mmフィルム #フィルムに恋してる #フィルム写真普及委員会 #PhotographyPin #35mmPin #KodakPortra #KodakEktar #KodakTriX #analoguephotography #buyfilmnotmegapixels

[nowiwonderhowwhatsherfacehasbeen]

[pucatronictv]

PucatronicTV [試験放送] ＊ sandnorm  ※削除覚悟の再アップ！！！

2020/5/17 にライブ配信したものの、ブロックされてしまっていた秘蔵のMIXです！！

https://youtu.be/SseqttwvWBY

sandnorm

様々な音楽を巧みにMIXする独特なプレイ・スタイルでOVA、Organic Groove、渚音楽祭など多数のパーティに出演。混沌・融合が過ぎたシーンにくさびを打ち込む新世代の希望。 "Vinylsoyuz"からリリースされたTrial Production「RootsExotica」でもリミックスを手掛け、フロア・ユースで強烈なチューンは様々なDJによってプレイされている。...

https://twitter.com/djsandnorm

https://clubberia.com/ja/artists/714-SANDNORM/

https://soundcloud.com/sandnorm

https://www.mixcloud.com/sandnorm/

[larsminute]

Our humble advent wreath 2017! Decided to go all natural and wove it from our Aussie native bushes / #DIY #thirdculture #advent #wreath (at Greeves St)

[phillipabloom]

Self-portrait September 2019 #whoarewe #identity #thirdculture #childhood #migration #humanism #culture #familyportrait #portrait #womanhood #motherhood #mothering https://www.instagram.com/p/B2izYmJAC9T/?igshid=4478txckb4oh

[japancamerahunter]

In case you didn't know, @thirdculture and I have collaborated to make these dope StreetPan pins. Grab one and represent. #japancamerahunter #thirdculture #pins #pinstyle #streetpan #streetpan400 #jch400 #jchstreetpan400 #jchstreetpan #shootfilm #buyfilm #believeinfilm #filmgrain #filmisalive #analogphotography #onabags (at Musashino, Tokyo)

[monsieurchugh]

The first month living in a new city is always particularly interesting. You have to start afresh, familiarize yourself with new surroundings, a different culture, language and cuisine, and make yourself comfortable with being by yourself. Today I finished my first month here and it's been quite interesting so far. What shocks me is the fact that there are no visible signs of any degree of poverty here or inequalities. Everyone seems to be enjoying a high standard of living and purchasing capacity. It's always so strange entering a space like this when you've grown up in a country of over a billion to now living in a country with less than 10 million people. It's going to be an interesting year ahead. #Geneva #Switzerland #ThirdCulture (at Les Eaux-Vives)

[cali408619]

Yesterday's culinary adventure, donuts and drinks in Berkeley. The donuts🍩 were all awesome but the drinks🥤 not so much. LOL.... Well worth the drive.😉 #thirdculture #berkeley #donuts (at Third Culture Bakery) https://www.instagram.com/noshingninja/p/BtKIJHvnLBeahC3b5vcTfWkTvsTlA8uwS5abA80/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pevx464ws3ke

[redvelvetgirl07031995]

Had to post this one. Working with the gorgeous @amorettecelia and thank you so much for participating in this project 😃 #photography #photoshoot #model #modelling #thirdculture #thirdculturekid #mixie

[angelinewanderland]

Is it a new year already?

In 2017 I vowed to walk into the new year with the right attitude instead of wishing for the year to treat me the way I think I deserve to be treated. I would have hoped that after the disaster of 2016 things would finally start to go back into alignment. But oh how wrong I was. Little did I know the barrage of things that would come with 2018 (starting with January) and later leave me with lessons like humility, patience and perseverance. I was lucky that the previous year had taught me about resilience or I wasn’t sure how I would proceed…

Most of 2018 taught me that life is about accepting where you are and accepting that if you are still required to grow through your journey, you will often times be thrown outside of your comfort zone to keep you on your feet.

While I have no idea what comes with 2019, one thing I hope to do next year is to begin to find out what it is I’ve been called to do in this life and to not give myself such a hard time in the process. 

For too long now have I’ve compared myself with others that I have completely forgotten what it is that makes me who I am and what my greatest qualities are. That’s why this year I vow to focus on my strengths and weaknesses, because I believe that everyone deserves to find out what they’re good at, what makes them happy and how they can contribute their skills to the world.

I often found myself asking, why are we so often comparing our life with others if no one lives the exact same life? Everyone has their own definition of what being “Happy” and “Fulfilled” means and what each person defines as “Success”

For example some people may connect their happiness and success with fame and money. 

Others define happiness as having a 9 - 5 job, buying a house, getting married and building a family. 

Nowadays, Millenials can be found travelling the world, creating their own start up or taking some years off to “find themselves”. They’re becoming more self aware, more innovative, more adventurous and prefer to take the time to find a career doing the things that they enjoy doing. 

All of these are lifestyle choices...

Neither are good nor bad, they’re everyone’s personal choice...

And yet…

We find ourselves comparing our lives to others because somehow we seem to think we all want the same things...

Aside from the obvious social media culture that we now live and breathe in, I can understand that we are constantly pressured to meet and live up to some kind of global lifestyle expectation.

However, after a few years of moving around trying to settle into one life, one country and one home, I found that, the same shit happens in every place....and at the end of the day, all these expectations are just an illusion...

Life is what you make it

Someone can make a good life for themselves according to their needs and wants, but it doesn’t mean you have to match up to it. Perhaps what is best for them isn’t the best for you. 

In fact, what all this ends up doing is make a lot of people depressed because we can’t all meet those unrealistic expectations...

Why? 

Because we’re not all reaching for the same goal!

When I was 25, I thought we all had to follow some imaginary timeline like get a job, get married and have kids, if you do these things in order you will be happy and successful. Then I turned 30 and 31 and saw couples get divorced or struggle with having kids, people changing their careers, people going back to school after 30 (myself included), unexpected illnesses or early deaths and I realized, boy that was some imaginary bullshit we all had to work hard for just to be disappointed.

So instead of wasting more years of our lives thinking we need to be something special to feel fulfilled, why can’t we be friendlier with our thoughts and needs? Why can’t we ask ourselves instead, what it is that would bring us peace of mind and what is it that will drive us to live our best life? 

By the way, here’s a little hint. 

The answer should never require the approval of someone else. 

I thought that was my life until I realized people change their minds all the time. 

So how can anyone truly make someone else happy when no one can be truly happy because there is no solid definition of happiness? It keeps changing! 

But even more importantly, how can we make anyone happy, if we aren’t even happy with ourselves?

So for those who haven’t found their calling (like me), I hope this year you will get to celebrate you! That you will be kinder with yourself and with your thoughts and needs. I hope this year you will do what you need to do to find out your greatest qualities and strengths so that you can finally shine a light in this world. And finally, I hope this year brings you more at peace with yourself and I hope that this is the year you will find what you have been looking for.

[thatcollegetraveler]

That Third Culture Kid

Though I don't have many followers, I’ll make this post just to put it out there anyway. I made this account called thatcollegetraveler because of how much I have and long to travel. I am not one of those college or recent-college-graduate kids who goes on a 2-3 year traveling spree around a certain part of the world. I am not a kid who lived their whole life in one country, got sick of it and wanted to travel the world. I am not a rich kid who just decided they didn’t know what else to do with their time and life. I am a third culture kid. 

Where are you from? This is the hardest question for me to answer. For most, the response comes to mind immediately, almost as if it’s a mental reflex. But for me, and so many like me, I have to stop and think a little bit. I have lived in 7 different countries, traveled to more than 60 and am descendent from 4. I have never stayed anywhere longer than 4 years. I have friends in every continent and I feel a sense of belonging and loyalty to all these different places. I swear in Serbian, have thoughts in French, and randomly spurt out Russian words in my sentences. I am not fluent in any of these three languages, but because I was brought up with them all around me, these words and thoughts come out automatically without my thinking of it. Naturally, this makes others around me feel confused about where I come from, or wonder if I’m making up who I am. There is always somewhere else I wish I could be, always people and places that I’m missing. I have different stories and whole other lives that I’ve lived in all these different places. I have seen, lived and understand so many different lifestyles and mentalities which has given me such an open mind I am so grateful for. So grateful because it has allowed so many wonderful people to come into my life and make it a little more brighter. 

These are just a few of the thoughts I get when I speak about my lifestyle growing up. My father was a diplomat, and thus I was a diplo-kid. Not from one place, but from many. Answering the question usually with “well it’s complicated;” or “it’s a long story.” But as I have traveled more, as I have met more kids like me who leave this lifestyle to go to college and be somewhere more permanently; I have found that there are more people who understand these thoughts and feelings that I have. In this world that is becoming more and more globalized and interconnected, more and more people have this lifestyle like me. A lifestyle that I think may be becoming a new phenomena of the human experience. 

[bogusmerchandise]

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