This
house believes the benefits of being a TCK outweigh the difficulties
Third Culture Kids or
TCKs are children that are creating their own sub-culture. They often
relocate to new homes or countries, being exposed to different people and cultures.
Where is the problem here? Have you an idea all the benefits that this can
bring?
Being a TCK has many
advantages, such as: they know an airport better than most people, they adapt
quickly to unfamiliar countries and people, they are culturally astute,
cross-culturally enriched, and less prejudiced. Imagine being a TCK, is like
being from all countries at the same time.
There are some
problems, like crisis of identity; you can say that a TCK frequently ask: “who
am I?” But you have to think differently: who not am I? If you are a TCK you
can be all you want, you also can to decide. For example, if you lived in the
USA but now you are in Japan, you are from Japan AND the USA, or if the situation
demands it, you can say you are American or you are Japanese.
TCKs are educational achievers,
establish relationships quickly, are excellent observers of other people, can
make great culture bridges, more mature in their social skills, more welcoming
of newcomers into a community, etc. TCKs position themselves by integrating a
huge pool of values, norms, behaviours, beliefs mannerisms and thoughts, and
they have a deep understanding of human rights. Also they speak more than one
language (often they speak three or four); can you imagine all the benefits of
speaking two languages? Imagine four!
Maybe a challenge for
TCKs is that they feel different from others, which is difficult in forming
peer relationships; but they can have relationships with many people, learning
more cultures, that’s the idea of being a TCK. Also some people say that a
difficulty for them is the sense of belonging everywhere and nowhere; but where
is the problem? You belong to everywhere, you are very cultured, and you can
feel at home in different countries or continents.
Finally, I just want to
say, imagine that you are a TCK, the world will be small for you.
