TCKs
As she came through the front door, Esther said, “I don’t understand. I look like most of the other kids in my class and speak the same language without an accent. But when I talk seriously with them I find that I don’t think the way they do. Some things I believe are important they don’t care about at all. Some of the things they think are important I think are silly.
“Then there’s Chung. She’s from the other side of the world and looks very different from the other kids. When she talks, she’s hard to understand because of her accent. But she and I both think the same way and believe the same things are important.”
“That’s not hard to explain,” said Mom. “That is because you’re a TCK, a Third Culture Kid. We have mentioned TCKs a few times but not really talked about them.”
“Well, let’s talk about them now,” said Esther.
“Good idea,” said Mom. “When everyone gets in from school, let’s get the whole family together and talk about TCKs.”
After everyone got there, Mom said, “Esther has noticed that she’s different from many of the kids in school. Let’s talk about that.”
“Right,” said Paul. “I have noticed that I am too. But I haven’t said anything about it.”
“Well,” said Mom, “it’s because you all are Third Culture Kids, TCKs. So am I.”
“What’s a TKC?” asked Ruth.
“TCKs are people who have grown up in more than one culture,” Mom answered. “They become part of all the cultures they have lived in, not just one of the cultures. You have lived in your passport culture and your host culture.”
“Yes, but when we were in our host culture, the kids who spoke our language and looked like us thought like us,” said Dan. “It’s not that way here.”
“That’s right,” said Dad. “Those kids who looked like you and spoke your language were all TCKs. The ones who look like you and speak your language here have lived in just this one culture. They’re not TCKs.”
“I get it now,” said Esther. “Chung is a TCK too. She has lived in two cultures. Even though she’s from the other side of the world, looks different, and speaks with a different accent, she’s like me. She’s a TCK.”
“That’s right,” said Mom. “It doesn’t make any difference which cultures one has lived in. Just living in two or more cultures makes you a TCK. All TCKs have similar ways of thinking and believe that many of the same things are important.”
“Is it bad to be a TCK?” asked Paul. “Sometimes I see things different from the other kids. Then I feel stupid.”
“You’re not stupid or bad,” said Mom. “You’re just different. You have different strong and weak points.”
“Can you give me an example, Mom?” asked Esther.
“Sure,” said Mom. “You probably have better cross-cultural skills, so you know how to get along in another culture. But your social skills here in your passport culture may not be as good. You can speak two languages, but you do not know the grammar of the language here as well as those who have lived here all their lives and speak only one.”
“Many TCKs were really great people,” said Dad. “In fact, we named all of you after important people who were TCKs or married TCKs. Three of your names are the titles of books in the Bible. The other is named after a TCK who wrote several books in the Bible.”
“The Esther in the Bible became queen and saved the lives of all her people,” said Esther.
“The Daniel in the Bible refused to bow to anyone but God,” said Dan. “Then he lived through being thrown into the lions’ den and became the ruler of much of the world.”
“What did the Paul in the Bible do?” asked Paul.
“He told many people in other cultures about Jesus,” said Dad. “Then he wrote several books in the New Testament.”
“Was the Ruth in the Bible a TCK?” asked Ruth.
“No,” said Mom. “But she married a TCK when he was in her country. After he died, she went to his passport country with his mother—and became great-grandmother of King David. She’s listed in the first chapter of the New Testament as an ancestor of Jesus.”
“There are lots of other important TCKs in the Bible too,” said Dad. “Joseph became ruler of Egypt and saved his family from starving. Moses led his people out of slavery in Egypt and made them into a great nation. Joshua led his people into the land God had promised them.
“Not all TCKs in the Bible were good or great people, but many of them were. The same is true today. TCKs may be good or bad.”
“Well, I’m glad I’m a TCK.” said Esther. “I like both of my cultures.”
Dan, Paul, and Ruth all agreed.
Things to do and think about
Have a great reentry into your passport culture and use your TCK strengths in it. Blessings on you. We wish you the best!