Culture Club presents an exploration of being a ‘Third Culture Kid,’ an experience that is relatable to many students in our school.
By: Sameera 12.3, Sreya 12.1 and Suhani 12.2
Culture is an essential aspect of one’s identity. It is the very root of how we, as individuals, empathize with, and connect to various human experiences. Yet, many children and young adults find themselves out of sorts when faced with simple questions like “where do you come from?”
Throughout adolescence, we are influenced by our parents, but also the environment of the places we live in. The term ‘Third Culture Kid’ (TCK) refers to children who spent a significant part of their upbringing outside of their parents’ culture(s). A 2013 estimate (according to Pico Iyer, a British essayist) claimed there were about 220 million of these children, and considering the increasingly globalized nature of international society, this number is still very high. Families move abroad for many reasons: work opportunities, better education, different lifestyles and a new start. There is plenty to gain from this experience, both for the parents and children.
Take it from Ruth Hill Useem, the American sociologist who founded and played the main figure in the research of TCKs in dozens of countries across the globe. It all began with two stays in India in the 1950s, her and her husband bringing their three sons along on their research expeditions. Their focus had been on American citizens living in India, as well as Indians who were educated in a Western country. From there, a name and face were given to the unique category for those who did not fit in the rest. At first glance, it may seem that TCKs do not have much in common, as everyone has their own experience with endless possibilities of different overlapping cultures. However, you will find that there are universal commonalities between them.
Being a TCK unfortunately comes with a lot of baggage. Growing up in a foreign place, being exposed to numerous cultures along with your parents’ culture can all become confusing. TCKs are often disconnected from their parent's culture as they lack connections to their culture and traditions. They may even feel like they do not belong to any one place or group of people due to the many new things they are exposed to and the numerous places they move to. All these confusing elements growing up can give the TCK a sense of loneliness due to their lack of stability. It can become isolating very quickly as they feel like parts of them belong everywhere and nowhere simultaneously.
We had the opportunity to interview a student to further understand their experiences as a TCK and how they felt growing up. It is an ongoing problem that TCKs have to deal with their lack of sense of belonging. A fellow TCK we interviewed said, “When I go to my parents’ countries, I cannot speak to the locals or some of my relatives. It often feels isolating.” These days TCKs go through a lot of difficult situations and feelings that other kids might not be familiar with, for example, “I definitely remember feeling a little envious of the other kids proudly showing off their culture or ones who had a deep connection to it.” In addition, the feeling of having no physical sense of home is very isolating but TCKs make up for that by associating home with people instead of a place. “To me, Home is not a set place but instead a feeling of comfort with my family and friends,” said the interviewee. This allows TCKs to think on a deeper level of what home really is for them as well as adapting to their lifestyle despite the feeling of loneliness. This is not a rare feeling among the individuals in our school, seeing as there are a lot of TCKs here.
Being a TCk can be overwhelming at times. The underlying feeling of having no home, no roots and no understanding can build up, making you feel more isolated than ever. But fortunately, that is not all there is to being a TCK. It may feel like a burden but there are advantages that you might not even know you possess. For example, a TCK we interviewed said, “We are more open-minded to other cultures and don’t judge them.” TCKs tend to be more accepting and respectful individuals. Being around several cultures can influence TCKs to be more tolerant and accepting of differences as they explore new norms in new cultures. Next, TCKs are often also more effective in communicating. There are many reasons for this. It can be because they are typically multilingual or because they find alternate ways to effectively communicate with people that speak different languages. It can also be because of the new people they frequently meet, making them more empathetic people. Finally, a TCK has lots of changes to their environment, physically and socially. In turn, this makes them very adaptable people. Overall, these advantages allow them to transition into adulthood with desirable characteristics that make them amazing people to encounter.
At Regents, we recognise the diversity we hold with a mix of 53 nationalities and a multitude of languages taught. This makes our understanding of the ‘Third Culture’ especially important and relevant. It is no doubt that many of our students can relate to these complexities. Although we might not have one physical place to call home, it eases the mind to remember that home can lie elsewhere, as mentioned by the interviewee. Home lies with the people in our lives, so when the time inevitably comes for us to move on to a new place yet again, it is vital to keep friends and family close. However physically distant they may be, we can always keep them close in heart and in mind.
The Culture Club is a project created by us, the writers of this article. Our aim is to bring attention to matters such as this and generate a deeper appreciation of diversity within the school community. This is being supervised by Miss Rooney, who is not only the head of the English department but also has a role in improving equality at school. Our first focus for the year will be on mental health, followed by other topics such as racial discrimination, sexism and LGBTQ+. If this is something of interest to you, contact us on Teams and we’ll be glad to welcome you. Keep an eye out for our future activities!
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