A third culture kid is someone who grew up in or spent a significant part of their childhood in a culture outside of the one their parents were raised in. There are a variety of examples that would fit under the broad category of third culture kid or TCK. There are those like my friend from high school who hasn't lived in one country for more than three years. Because of his father's occupation, he and his family have lived all across the globe. Then there are others like me who haven't lived in numerous countries but were raised under more than one culture and therefore identify with more than one culture.
Being a TCK is sometimes very lonely because you are constantly traveling and your place of origin is always a complicated question. But at the same time, we haven't learned how to live any other way.
Here are a couple of things I have learned by being a third culture kid:
1. Remembering time zones is important.
It's always so awkward when you wish someone a happy birthday a full 24 hours early. Even Facebook reminders can't help you out there.
2. Flying 16 hours is not too terrible if you have a couple of fresh Spotify playlists to get you through it.
Sometimes Spotify's US Top 50 just won't cut it, so you're left to your own devices. Don't forget you'll want some mellow tunes for when you're trying to get some sleep.
3. A pre-flight routine will ease you into the flight, and a post-flight routine will help with jetlag.
A gossip magazine is always a safe bet, whether it's to read while waiting for takeoff or at 4 am when you can't sleep. They don't require too much focus and keep you up to date with latest celebrity news!
4. Being up at an odd hour to FaceTime friends and family is always worth it.
Your best friend almost always has something interesting to dish. Plus if you didn't, you wouldn't be able to take cute screenshots of each other doing weird things over FaceTime.
5. The drinking age *winky face*
No comment (in case my parents see this).
6. Delete games on your phone to make space for messaging apps.
Skype, Wechat, Whatsapp, Viber, Line, Kakao Talk, you know what I'm talking about.
7. When someone asks you where you're from, give them the full story if you have the time.
For third culture kids, being asked where they are from can sometimes be a vexing question. They could probably give you an entire list of countries but for the sake of your interest in the conversation, TCK's tend to abbreviate that list. However, in recent years, I've found that people are actually genuinely interested in hearing what I have to say, prompting me to give a fuller explanation when I'm introducing myself.
8. Filling in the "permanent address" box on a form will make you anxious.
You feel like a fraud because you haven't actually lived at that address for a significant period of time, but you stick it out because the box has a red asterisk next to it. The most frustrating thing is when the system does not accept the address you put in because it doesn't fit into the format it provides.
9. Keep your passports, ID cards and other travel documents in a pouch.
Not only will you look more put together, you also won't lose any of your travel documents. You especially wouldn't want to lose your frequent flyer card that sometimes gets you a sweet upgrade.
10. Any school vacation most likely means you won't see any of your friends for that full length of time.
