About: tckid
-
Name:tckid
- Profile
2007-12-12 10:43:44
http://tckid.com
Posts by tckid:
Halloween Celebrations Throughout The World! (Pictures)
Halloween is one of the World’s oldest holidays. The name Halloween is a Scottish contraction, derived from the proper name “All Hallow’s Eve.” It was named such because it falls on the night before the Catholic “All Hallows” day, or, “All Hallowed Souls” day. Halloween is also known as the Day of the Dead. Throughout the world, many countries celebrate Halloween, each in their own unique ways.
Austria
In Austria it was once believed that leaving bread and water on a table with a lit lamp would help welcome dead souls back to Earth on this powerfully cosmic night.
Spain
In Spain, a pastry named Bones of the Holy, shaped like skulls, is eaten on Halloween day. It contains anise seed and is covered with an orange glaze. Children play tricks for treats. Later on, families go to the cemetery to visit deceased family members where they remain, keeping vigil throughout the night. The next day is spent cleaning the family burial plots.
Japan
In Japan, water and food is placed in front of a photo of the dead, then lanterns are lit and set afloat in the water or next to a body of water to light the way of the dead souls back to Earth and to show them where their families can be found. It is called the Obon Festival, and it is a celebration of the memory of the dead.
Germany
German households put away all knives on Halloween night, so that the spirits returning to Earth will not be accidentally hurt during the celebrations. Cemeteries are cleaned and wreaths and lanterns are placed at family grave sites.
Italy
In Italy it is custom to set a bountiful table and then leave the house open while spending the day in church praying for the souls of the dead. They pray, hoping that the dead will return and consume the food that is left for them. One traditional food made for this day is a bread or cookie baked in commemoration of the dead called Fave dei morti (Italian for Bones of the Dead). It is made with almonds, pine nuts, sugar, eggs, and flour and shaped into large beans.
Mexico
In Mexico, Halloween is celebrated with picnics, often had at the graves of dead relatives. Children run in the streets asking for coins and candy shaped as coffins or a skull and crossbones. Lanterns are hung outdoors, fireworks shows add a spectacular glow, and bonfires are ablaze. It is a very happy and festive occasion.
Russia
In Russia, blue cats, such as the Russian Blue, Burmese, and British Blue, are said to bring good luck on this day.
Ireland
Ireland has celebrated Halloween for centuries. It is said that the practice of carving and lighting Jack-o’-lanterns started there. A man named “Stingy Jack” was said to be too mean to be let into heaven, but because he played so many tricks on the devil, he was also not welcomed into the netherworld. With nowhere to go after he died, “Stingy Jack” was destined to walk the earth for all eternity carrying a carved-out turnip with a glowing lump of coal inside. Soon people began making their own Jack-o’-lanterns to sit in front windows and porches to scare away Stingy Jack’s ghost.
Scotland
Scotland also shares the legend of “Stingy Jack.” They hollow out turnips or potatoes and set a lit candle inside. Soul Cakes or Dirge Loaves made out of oat flour are made in hopes of keeping the souls of the dead safe.
North America
The North American Halloween is a popular celebration. Jack-o’-lanterns are made by hollowing out pumpkins, then a face is carved and a candle is set inside. Children dress in costume and go door to door asking for treats by chanting rhymes like “Trick or Treat,” “Halloween Apples,” or “Shell out, shell out, the witches are out.” It was once believed that on this night, souls who had not yet crossed over into the next world would come back to walk the streets, visiting their old haunts.
India
India celebrates Mahalaya, which is a religious ritual believed to awaken dead spirits. Following Mahalaya, it is believed the souls go back to a peaceful rest for the remainder of the year. When night falls, the people pray for help against evil spirits.
With Halloween so near, I would now like to wish you all a Happy Halloween wherever you live in the world.
Sources:
http://studenttravel.about.com/od/coolevents/ss/halloween_6.htm
http://www.socyberty.com/Holidays/Halloween-Celebrations-Throughout-the-World.5087
http://www.novareinna.com/festive/world.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1158788/halloween_around_the_world.
Where In The World Is There Comfort For My Losses? (Free Teleconference for TCKs at TCK Academy)
Where In The World Is There Comfort For My Losses? (Free Teleconference for TCKs)
Have you lived outside your Passport culture and then struggled trying to fit in with people that you have nothing in common with when you returned “home”?
Are you a parent, family member, counselor, international school teacher or administrator, relocation specialist or anyone interested in learning more about meeting the needs of the expatriate family and feel like you want to learn more about Third Culture Kids?
Join us for an informative Q & A discussion with Counselor, Therapist and Grief Expert, Tom Query, M.Div, LPC.
Learn valuable tips and strategies to deal with unresolved grief issues, trauma and other emotional impacts connected to expatriate lifestyle.
In Tom Query’s 75-mins interview, you will:
- Learn about Unresolved Grief and “Hidden” Losses
- Discover How to Develop a Sense of Self Without Place
- Learn About The Obstacles and Goals for Healthy Attachment
- Why “Attachment is the Hardest Thing To Do”
- Discover “Take-Away” Strategies and Helpful Suggestions… “The Only Way Through It Is Through It!”.
About Tom Query
Tom Query is a psychotherapist practicing in Roswell, Georgia. He has extensive training and experience with individuals, couples, families and teens. He especially likes working with young adults trying to figure out life, their direction, relationships and how to be and individual.
“More and more our world is a global neighborhood and I believe that TCK’s are our pioneers into this new order. What you are experiencing now is going to help others in the future. There are natural reactions to your experience that do not have to cause problems into your adult life.” - Tom Query
When? Saturday, August 9, 2008.
What time? 6:00 PM Eastern Time.
Topic: Shedding light on unresolved grief, trauma and loss as an ATCK/ACCK. (Third Culture Kids/Adults / Cross Cultural Kids/Adults)
Where? From the comfort of your home or office.
Is it free? Yes, if you decide to listen online. There will be long distance charges if you call outside the U.S. (you can ask questions online or on the phone.)
What if you can’t attend? Sign up to get the MP3 recording.
For those of you who missed TCK Academy’s previous teleconferences, here are what attendees have said:
- “I have tears just falling from my eyes. I hear tears from others too. It is powerful to hear so many others validate my experiences.”
- “These past few weeks of the TCK Academy have been more help in tying so many threads of my life together than years of on & off therapy with a number of therapists.”
- “It makes me feel like a bird happily flapping around in a bird bath. I felt so ‘at home’ with you all yesterday.”
- “What a breath of fresh air to have at last some practical observations and advice on TCK issues.”
- “I would STRONGLY recommend the teleclass to anyone thinking of joining in.”
You can get all the details about this teleconference at this web page:
http://tckacademy.com/class/005?tck1
IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away.
This is a time limited AND space limited event to 200 people.
Kind Regards,
Brice Royer
TCK Academy
P.S: We are trying to spread the word so please forward this email to anyone who might be interested in the event.
Here is the link again to the event:
http://tckacademy.com/class/005?tck1
How old were you when you got married? ATCKs tend to marry late. 41 percent did not wed until after 25.
According to research, ATCKs tend to marry late–41 percent did not wed until after 25.
How old were you when you got married? If you’re planning on getting married, when will that be?
From the research:
“FAMILY AND COMMUNITY: A number of our respondents continue to feel rootless, alienated, and unable to make commitments to people or places. Most, however, marry (80 percent) and settle into their communities. Commitment is suggested by the fact that the divorce rate is lower than the national average; two out of three who marry do so only once. However, ATCKs tend to marry late–41 percent did not wed until after 25. While nearly all married Americans, most (60 percent) in this study married someone who had at least some international experience when they met; a number married other TCKs.
… ATCKs tend to marry late–41 percent did not wed until after 25.
Most of those who marry (80 percent) have children and typically report that their child-rearing is in some way influenced by having lived abroad. These answers are undoubtedly an important way TCKs differ from other globally mobile individuals such as immigrants. Rather than stress a national or ethnic identity, these ATCKs seek ways to introduce their offspring to the diversity of the world’s people and cultures. Their message, overwhelmingly, is one of accepting, respecting, and treasuring differences.
A sense of fitting in, of finding a home, is indicated by the fact that 70 percent say it would be somewhat or very difficult to leave their present community. For some this is a matter of obligations, but for most it is because they are integrated into community or friendship groups, and, as a number pointed out, “I’ve lived here longer than any place in my life.” While saying that they would hate to leave, the TCK background surfaces in many who added that they could move easily and would, in fact, enjoy meeting new people and new challenges.
Source: http://www.tckworld.com/useem/art5.html
mkPLANET’s Book Club: Ultimate Sacrifice: An Intimate Look into Missionary Boarding Schools and the Ultimate Sacrifice of the Children.
mkPLANET’s first official Book Club will be taking a look at: Ultimate Sacrifice: An Intimate Look into Missionary Boarding Schools and the Ultimate Sacrifice of the Children
By Paul R. Friesen
Description: Cross-generational pain, drive to serve, the fear of failure, and chronic systematic problems will grip your heart as the truth unfolds. The story of one Missionary family caught in a cycle of unresolved grief leading to a seemingly fateful ending of a marriage. But was it fateful or a reprieve to break the cycle?
Paul is a missionary child who exposes the truth about the Missionary family during the 60’s and 70’s. His personal experience will make you laugh and weep. The ignorance of the sending community to his plight can make you angry. He is not alone. There are many who do not have the energy to tell their story. Healing is a long road for those who have suffered abuse resulting in broken relationships. Break the cycle. Become informed.
For those who don’t have the book yet but want to join in the discussions, try these links to read Chapter 1 of the book. It’s only two pages long.
Check out Page 6 and Page 7, and click here for more information on MKPlanet’s bookclub.
How do you people stop the restlessness to move?
A question from Jorge, a TCK living in Mexico, who has given us the permission to post his question.
“How do you people stop the restlessness to move? I really would like to settle down somewhere and have some sort of stability in my life. To me it feels like once I have absorbed the “essence” of one place into my life, it’s enough and it’s time to move again, but at the same time I have some long-term goals (including a long-lasting relationship with somebody) that I think are incompatible with a high-mobility lifestyle. But then again, I feel like the driving force of my life becomes stagnant if I stay in one place for too long. Anyway, you all know what I’m talking about. How do you people cope with that or you just don’t?”
My 13 year old won’t talk about the move. How can I help?
An email sent to us on a question we get very often. Let’s hear your thoughts!
“I have special needs now and then. Right now I have a family
moving to Australia with a 13 - soon to be 14 year old, who won’t talk
about the move. I would like to get them the help they need. What kind of help should they need?”
5 Ways Therapists Can Help Third Culture Kids (TCKs)
5 Ways Therapists Can Help Third Culture Kids (TCKs)
Therapists who treat those who have grown up in a cross cultural context can assist these clients by
helping them identify their current stage of cultural identity as demonstrated in the Cross model.
The treatment process might also include the following: helping them to name themselves and their
experience, recognizing problematic behavioral patterns, acknowledging losses and emotional wounds,
identifying the effects of cultural imbalance, and finally, by aiding them in cherishing the many positive
experiences and benefits of a cross cultural upbringing.
1. Naming Themselves and Their Experience
In essence, the individual in therapy must answer some questions. How has the experience of growing
up between or among cultures made them who they are? What values do they hold as a result of their
experience? What can be done to heal unresolved grief and other emotional wounds? For many people
simply discovering that there are legitimate reasons for their feelings not only helps them understand
themselves better, it also normalizes the experience. As Pollock and Van Reken (2001) state, “Instead of
feeling their history is a piece of life’s puzzle that will never fit, they now see it as the key piece around
which so many others fall into place.”
Tip: Read other TCKs stories and how they name themselves and write about their experiences.
2. Naming Behavioral Patterns
If a client identifies certain lifelong repetitive patterns such as not allowing intimacy to develop in
one relationship after another, or constantly moving, some questions might be asked. Is this behavior
related to confusion of identities? Is it an expression of unresolved grief?
Tip: Learn about common TCKs issues and how they handle them.
3. Naming Losses and Emotional Wounds
It is often difficult to look at the past for fear of facing old pain. However, adults can realize that no
matter how badly a certain situation hurts, they have already survived it and that situation is now past. By
facing the pain it can be grieved and resolved and it is important for adults who have grown up between
cultures to periodically reexamine this pain/loss. Journaling may help the client to uncover previously
unrecognized losses. Another effective tool for both client and therapist is the use of a timeline. The
timeline can be used to track where and with whom the client lived during what periods of time between
ages one and 18. It allows both client and therapist to see where the transitions between various cultures
occurred and at what ages in order to better understand specific separations and losses, and proceed to
address areas that need to be healed.
Tip: Write about your losses and examine your unresolved grief.
4. Recognizing the Affects of Cultural Imbalance
Therapists should help mixed culture clients to carefully think through the impact of culture on the
client’s developmental process. Some of the feelings adult Third Culture Kids struggle with may be
largely a result of cultural imbalance; the feeling of being off balance, odd, and out of phase with those
around them.
Tip: Learn about uneven maturity and cultural imbalance.
5. Cherishing the Gifts of a Cross Cultural Upbringing
Often those who have had a cross-cultural upbringing may be defensive when asked about the painful
aspects of their past. They frequently feel frustrated when others cannot relate to their life experiences. At
the same time they do not want to negate a way of life that is a core aspect of their identity. It is important
for the therapist to help the client to acknowledge the paradoxical nature of the experience, so that the
many positive aspects and difficult challenges of a cross-cultural childhood can be integrated into a
coherent story, a piece of the puzzle around which so many others fall into place. When the client is
finally able to hold and own all facets of his or her life story together, he or she is likely to say that the
blessings of a cross cultural childhood are many indeed.
Tip: Learn about your strengths and how to use them.
http://www.tckid.com/group/should-my-children-be-tcks/
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Beth Kebschull, LCSW is a TCK, having spent six years of her childhood in Taiwan as the daughter of
missionaries. She is in private practice in Torrance, California. She also works as a staff psychotherapist
at Jewish Family Service Counseling and Resource Center in Torrance.
Maria Pozo-Humphreys, LCSW is a TCK/Global Nomad, having spent much of her childhood in
Taiwan, Japan, and Venezuela as the daughter of a business executive. She continued this lifestyle as an
adult raising her children in Asia and Latin America as well. Maria Pozo-Humphreys is a practicing
psychotherapist with an office in Long Beach.
7 Things Every TCK Should Know (Free Teleclass with Ruth Van Reken!)
7 Things Every TCK Should Know (Free Teleclass with Ruth Van Reken!)
We are very excited to announce our newest offerings for the entire TCK community, kindly sponsored by members of TCKID Private. Since TCKID debuted in November 2007, members have been asking us, “What are some things that you can recommend to help us better understand the TCK experience?
Well, we have been listening to your concerns, and quietly in the background, we have been creating a dynamic program that we hope will excite and encourage provocative dialogue on.
We’ve gathered an impressive list of prominent leaders in the TCK and Cross-Cultural Transition community for a series of intimate and powerful conversations and teleclasses to help you better understand and make practical applications of the gifts of your lived experiences. Adult Third Culture Kids and Cross Culture Kids, Parents, Educators, Counselors or anyone else living and working within our diverse community are welcomed to join us.
These programs will launch in the coming weeks!! In the meanwhile, we are officially announcing them with a special offer of a free 5-part series from our very own, Ruth E. Van Reken, co-author of Third Culture Kids: the Experience of Growing up Among Worlds and Letters Never sent.
To get the full story, visit this website:
http://tckacademy.com/class
Are there any college/student organization for TCKs?
“Is there any college organization for TCK’s so we can find and connect with each other face-to-face on sometimes huge campuses? TCK’s walk past each other constantly and may not even know they have something in common! A student organization can help them connect, especially since some areas of the world have a “mind your own business” mentality that sometimes prevent TCK’s from finding each other.” From Darren B.
New member
Bienvenue. Welkom. 歡迎 . Selamat datang.
New Here? Welcome to the most active TCK and CCK community.
Because we want you to make the most of your time at TCKID, we’ve put this page of helpful tips and information together for you. The internet can be overwhelming! Take your time and read instructions carefully along the way. We’ve tried to make sure that each area of the site is as friendly as possible to navigate.
LOST PASSWORD? Get some help!
ESSENTIAL
1. Read our rules and guidelines which were created to maintain our community online in a kind, supportive manner. You will be able to enjoy your membership knowing what is allowed and what isn’t.
2. Register at TCKID.com to participate to post a question and participate in discussions on our message boards. You will receive an email for address confirmation.
Note: You must *click* the link in the email we send to you for your membership to be activated. Use your correct email address or this process won’t work! Once you’ve registered and finalized, log into the message boards.
Belonging
27 Things Every TCK Should Know
Introduce yourself. Write about your background or say hello to another member!
Categorize your interest: The message boards are organized by topics:
Introduction (Say hello to someone!)
General Forum (Anything TCK-related goes)
Ask Uncle (Ask any questions. Look for answers.)
Fun (fun discussions and games)
Blog (Personal stories)
Meetup (Local meetup posts)
Research (TCK research articles, surveys, etc)
Stories (TCK stories)
Note: To post a new message (thread), you don`t need to click the forum category of your choice, you can pick a category after clicking `Start a New Post`. Follow the simple instructions to post your questions or comments.
Note: If you would like to reply to a thread after reading it, click on REPLY TO POST.
Note: As the guidelines state, we will move, remove, edit posts to make sure they are in the correct category and appropriate for TCKID. Thank you for your cooperation!
4. Edit Profile gives you the opportunity to edit, upload your picture, alter, and configure your membership at TCKID.
Note: If you would like to be notified when someone replies to your post, you can “subscribe to thread” which is at the top of each post or you can “edit options” in your profile to receive email notifications of replies.
5. Search through the discussions by clicking on the SEARCH link found on the top of every page of our website.
1. Click on the SEARCH button at the top-right of any website page.
2. Where it says “Search By Keyword” enter a few terms specific to what you’re looking for.
3. Press the “Perform Search” button near the bottom of the page and wait for the results to appear.
4. Finally, click on the title of the thread you want to read.
5. To return to the list of search results, use your browser’s Back button.
6. Questions/Answers - Website Info, Hints and Articles can be found on the main page of TCKID.com
7. Need help with user and password - We try to provide you with helpful info and answers to most of your questions in easy to follow directions.
Note: If you’ve noticed the added graphics by members names on our message boards, these are one of the benefits of being an upgraded member. Read how you can upgrade your membership too!
Most importantly, we are glad you have found us and we look forward to meeting you on the message boards.
Enjoy!
Write your life story in 6 words
I was reading an interesting suggestion from expat inspirer about writing our life stories in 6 words and thought this would be fun to do!
“I’ve been to the Families in Global Transition conference in Houston and had a wonderful time among friends old and and new, learned a lot, laughed a lot and drank too many margaritas. I was inspired by one of my fellow speakers, Apple Gidley, who suggested we might write our life stories (bear it in mind that those who attended FIGT were ‘global nomads’ like me) in six words.
She gave the examples of:
Roast beef to barbecue via noodles
For sale baby shoes never worn
I guess mine might be:
lakes to canals via sand dunes
what would yours be?
Review of the FIGT Conference
An interesting personal account of the FIGT conference (Families in Global Transition www.figt.org). I wish there was more on the conference itself but I found the following entertaining so I thought I’d share. [ via climach ]
——–
Cherry and apple petals drift past the window. Birds chirp. Sheep go by in the street. All of which makes it difficult to take seriously the speakers at the conference on TCK’s (third-culture kids), and the parents who so urgently discuss universal concerns like, “Keeping our kids away from bad kids”, and “How much TV is OK?” It could be a suburban Midwestern community group, except for the details. For instance, the ancient pagan belief in three genders—men, women, and boys—and the resulting astronomical rate of homosexual pedophilia may mean that your sons are in more danger than your daughters.
And there’s the keynote session on e-bags. E-bags are the carry-on-bag-sized answer to the question, “If you had to leave everything behind immediately and go for an unknown time into an unknown area with a wife and two toddlers, what would you take?”
The weather’s turned beautiful lately: terrorist weather. Several days ago, an embassy friend said, “It’s when, not if.”
I’m stepping down from the podium at the national teacher’s conference when Jamie hands me her cell phone. “It’s Lauren.”
“An embassy had a bomber and a shooting. I don’t know which one. There are reports of shooting by or in one of the bazaars. Roads across the city are closed.”
Start with the bag. Samsonite and American Traveler don’t blend. Pick up something from the bazaar. Light, durable are nice, local is essential. Two feet by two feet by six inches. Two liters of water. Flashlight. First aid. Knife. Copies of passports, visas, marriage license. Dried fruit. Diapers. Keep it small because local airlines have been known to sell standing-room-only tickets.
I hang up the phone and tell the conference organizer. The American and British embassy reps are talking on their cell phones, being hustled out the door by men in suits. “I’ve got to go. You’ll need to find someone else to moderate my sessions.” The conference organizer nods and makes the gesture of calling down God’s blessings. “If God wills.”
17 Ways to Help Third Culture Kids
How can friends and parents help TCKs? If you want to help Army Brats, Missionary Kids, Third Culture Kids, or Cross Cultural Kids, then you will find those tips useful. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments.
1. Begin a relationship with one—or with a whole family of TCKs. Commit to keeping in touch with them. Many people are in TCK’s lives for only a short time. The long-term people are few and greatly appreciated. Be one of those long-term people.
2. Seek them out when they are “home” visiting your country. Make it a priority to spend time with them when they come back.
3. Learn their names. This may seem small, but many people only know their parents’ names; it is significant to them when people remember their names as well.
4. Listen to them. Ask meaningful questions about their lives.
5. Introduce your kids to them. Encourage them to exchange pictures with each other and send cards and emails to each other when they are apart.
6. Go visit them in their country!
7. Invite a college-age TCK whose parents are overseas to live with you.
8. Invite TCKs who are in your area without their parents to come over for holidays and school breaks. They may need an adopted family.
9. Learn about what it’s like to grow up as a TCK. Visit websites like TCKid.com or TCKworld.com
10. Communicate with their parents and encourage them in their relationship with their parents.
11. Encourage families as they make decisions for educating their children overseas. Many families choose to use local schools so their child can be a part of the culture. Some find that boarding school is the best option for their children. Other families desire to homeschool their children. Consider sharing your resources with them or visiting a homeschooling fair on their behalf.
12. Consider giving them your frequent flyer miles to help with transportation to and from their two countries.
13. Send quality paperback books to TCKs overseas. Books can be like best friends and will be re-read and shared with others.
14. Don’t be surprised if TCKs do not seem to appreciate your culture like you do. TCKs often feel overwhelmed by all the excesses in American culture. For example, they may feel surprised by the size of grocery stores, how often people eat out, the high cost of entertainment and how often people “splurge,” the lack of modest clothing even in the church, the sensuality in TV shows and movies, and how much people eat in one sitting.
15. Get advice right from the source—ask TCKs what makes them feel loved and supported.
For Missionary Kids
16. Pray for the TCKs when you pray for their parents. Pray Scripture for the children. Read some suggestions on how to pray for them.
17. Be encouraging and pray that their children will shine for Jesus in their schools.
*bonus. 18: Learn the common characteristics of TCKs to better understand them. You can read them here.
Got any ideas? Share yours!
I’m a believer that TCKs are in a position to conquer the globalized world
An interesting email sent to us on the topic of xenophilia and TCKs influence.
“I’m the co-founder and executive director of a group called Global Voices (globalvoicesonline.org), a global citizen media site. Something like half our regular contributors are TCKs - increasingly, I’m a believer that TCKs are in a position to conquer the globalized world. I was hoping to participate/lurk in your community as part of my research on xenophilia - I’m interested in approaches to media and politics that focus on fascination and wonder at the rest of the world rather than fear and distance. It’s my belief that TCKs and other global nomads are natural xenophiles and have a great deal to teach the rest of us about cultural encounter and understanding.
Hope those are sufficient reasons to allow me to participate - if not, as I am not an actual TCK (my first overseas experience came at age 20, when I moved from the US to Ghana), I’ll understand.
Best regards,
-Ethan
A question for MKs - where are the TCK ministries?
Hey there,
I am actually a missionary in Peru with a huge heart for TCK ministry. I’m not an MK but am raising two (2 yrs and 7 months). I have been wondering if God will lead me towards doing TCK ministry full time at some point in the future. Since spending last week as the speaker for an TCK ministry here in Lima, I have really not been able to shake this idea. Do you have any advice or are you able to point me towards any orgs that focus simply on TCK ministry or int’l churches that are searching for a youth pastor. Thanks,
Rev. Elliott Innes
Bilingual parenting: my child is not confident enough to engage
A question sent to us by e-mail. “Jack is so reluctant to engage in French at this stage, that this is not an option for now. I’m struggling to find English language clubs for him. What insights can you provide?”
“The website was recommended to me by a fellow member of Message Paris, a bilingual/Anglophone network for parents in Paris. I’m a single mother of Jack, aged 6 and we’ve been in Paris for 6 months. He goes to a bilingual school and I’ve been studying French, so we’re both - slowly - improving in our linguistic skills, although Jack is very hesitant and silent in French class (his English reading and spelling is coming on leaps and bounds, however).
We’ve moved from a school in London in which Jack was extremely active with sports and art, both within the daily curriculum and after-school clubs. Here there is no provision for either for Jack’s age group. Things will improve a bit next year when he gets one swimming lesson a week and can join the Wednesday afternoon football club. I had thought we would use the facilities provided by the mairie, but Jack is so reluctant to engage in French at this stage, that this is not an option for now. I’m struggling to find English language clubs for him - there is one, about 10km outside Paris in Meudon, but you need a car to get there, and we don’t run one of those in central Paris and will not. The American church in Paris has activities targeted to younger children. The Message primary school kids network seems moribund at the moment.
I think Jack would benefit enormously from a wider social network in which he felt confident - it would help the transition to bilingualism, and then a bigger world will open up for us - and for the time being that means English-speaking. I’m concerned that the school curriculum is restricted, both physically and creatively. Again, this will be remedied by out-of-school provision in the longer term, but it’s not an option now. I am doing my best to plug the gaps byh taking Jack swimming, creative play at home with paints and drawing and similar, but it’s not the same as uninhibited activities with his peers.
It’s tough! I’m doing my best to find ways to open our lives out a bit, but I keep drawing blanks, and it’s a bit demoralising.
Anyway, not sure what you can do about any of this, since it’s a very particular situation, but grateful for any insights you can provide.
Best wishes
Kate ”
How can schools help TCKs and secure their identity?
A question sent to us by e-mail. How schools and teachers can assist in the transition process (in and out of school) as
well as helping these kids secure their individual identity?
I am a elementary school counselor at the International School of
Tanganyika and am preparing a workshop about Third Culture Kids for our
faculty, staff, and parents. I am interested in information,
activities, etc that I could use in the workshop. I have the book by
Pollock and Van Reken that I’m basing the presentation on but I was also
hoping for some supplemental resources…specifically on how schools and
teachers can assist in the transition process (in and out of school) as
well as helping these kids secure their individual identity.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Regards,
Kate
Minnesota TCK Meetup
If anyone from Minnesota would like to organize a meetup or would like to exchange e-mails and contact other TCKs in the area, please leave a comment here and leave your contact details if you’re interested. 
I blend in, but no one really knows me. Is this typical of TCKs, or do I just need therapy?
An interesting question sent to us by e-mail. Do you have any advice for this person?
To elaborate…I’ve never lived anywhere for more than 5 years of my life, and now I’m living in a very small town coming up on 6 years, married to a native that will never leave (and I don’t mind staying so far). I struggle with the fact that I always seem to be considered the “outsider.” How many years does it take to be accepted as an “insider”? I find it interesting that only those who have experienced a major move in their life (i.e. like in the middle of High School, etc.) ever ask anything about me. I blend in, get along, people like me, but no one really knows me. Is this typical of TCKs, or do I just need therapy?
What do you love most about TCKID?
What do you love about this community? I’m wondering what you’ve enjoyed most about this community and the e-mails/stories we publish.
If you’ve been helped by TCKID’s programs, feel free to email us a testimonial or call our toll-free number.
Toll-free recording line: 1-800-609-9006. Extension 3775. International callers: 678-255-2174.
- John
- Jan
- Kristine
|
“I’m starting a fantastic obsession with this website. That’s what I’m doing right now. And I’ll keep doing it until I have to leave for work. - Nika
“This place is addicting, you dont know what this place has done to me hahha. i tend to be there a few hours a day. this place is addicting. trust me, once you’re in the chatroom talking to us, you’ll be hooked (understatement)” - Kristine
“This is so exciting… I’m reading some of the posts here and the stories are soo familiar..it’s great! I can’t believe that even after trawling the net for so long I didn’t find this place earlier!” - Kita
“Hey Brice, I really love hearing about things like this happening through these emails because it keeps me up to date when I don’t have the time to spend on Internet. Thanks for emailing me. - Sky”
“Hi Brice,
It’s Nadine.
Thanks for your mail. When I read through it I was kind of relieved,
knowing about others who understand. “
So, what do you love most about TCKID?
-
Top Commentators
- Ayako (781)
- Cynthia (554)
- miyon (505)
- Uncle Dan (500)
- mairabay (368)
- kristine (363)
- MsMerising (279)
- mmmmmm (249)
- marie (229)
- Isa (223)
Polls
Loading ...