“I build a home and wait for someone to tear it down,
Then pack it up in boxes, head for the next town running
I’ve got no roots but my home was never on the ground, I’ve got no roots uh uh uh”
As I sang along to this song, No Roots by Alice Merton, I felt a strange sense of empathy for the singer as her lyrics hit close to home. From a young age, I’ve learned to pack up my boxes and move to the next country, the next school, the “next adventure” as my parents would call it. Because of my dad’s job, our family has adopted this nomadic lifestyle, moving to a new place every three to four years, and traveling the world. But I’m not the only one. In our rapidly globalizing world, more and more adolescents are being raised in cultures and countries different from their own. Hence, the term “Third Culture Kid”.
Now, just like most things in life, growing up in countries different from my own has had its benefits as well as its challenges. That’s the bittersweet truth about the life of a third culture kid.
One of the biggest advantages of growing up as a third culture kid has been the opportunity to experience new cultures, each one significantly different from the previous ones.
New food, new landscape, new languages, new people, new traditions, all teaching me so much about a new way of life; each country influencing me in its own manner.
Growing up in China, mapo tofu and spring rolls became my comfort food.
Spending a few years in Venezuela exposed me to the Spanish language, “mi lengua favorita.”
And the cold winters of Russia and Ukraine are no longer intimidating, but in fact, inviting.
Being able to experience new lifestyles and meet new people has given me, and many other third culture kids, an open mind.
I now find myself able to empathize with other people’s points of view or perspective and can easily see things from a different mindset or context. Since certain behaviors, gestures or actions are greatly influenced by one’s culture and heritage, exposure to different cultures has helped me understand why people act the way they do. In addition, I have also experienced that us, as third culture kids, are more accepting and tolerant of diversity – be it related to nationality, gender, ethnicity, language or sexual orientation.
Another asset of being a third culture kid is its way of developing you into a global citizen.
Some might say I don’t have a clear idea of home, but for me, it’s become the whole world.
Even though I’ve lived in Ukraine for a few years only, this country has now become home, not just for me but for many of my third culture friends as well. Because of the wonderful experiences that we have had here, it now feels like our responsibility to give back. Although we may not hold a Ukrainian passport, we feel concern and empathy for challenges this country faces, like for instance, the issues faced by the Donetsk & Luhansk refugees. Third culture kids around the world are learning to work together to solve global issues, thanks to their unique upbringing.
With the benefits of being a third culture kid also come a few challenges. In the past 15 years, I’ve studied at over eight schools – and it’s never easy being the “new kid”. Having to find a new group of friends, meeting new teachers, and building a whole new life is sometimes quite distressing. However, since most of the students in international schools tend to be third culture kids, I have realized that many of them know and have experienced these challenges themselves. I fully understand the pain of leaving behind friends and favorite hangout spots, but with an optimistic mindset and a little excitement for the future, I have come to realize that there are new relationships and memories waiting to be made.
Being a third culture kid can be hard, no doubt about it. But after having experienced life at close quarters, it is clear to me that, this comes with its own unique advantages. Cross-cultural sensitivity, developing unique interpersonal skills, the ability to thrive even in the face of uncertainty, having the opportunity to be multilingual and to make the world our home are sweet treats that only us, third culture kids, enjoy!
