Born in S. America, grew up in Southeast Asia, live in the US now | TCKID 2.0

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Born in S. America, grew up in Southeast Asia, live in the US now

I’ve lived overseas my whole life, even to this day although that realization didn’t hit me until a few short years ago. I was born in Peru, as were my parents, and life was going well for my family until the military nationalized the American co. my father had worked for for 15 years. He only worked for the nationalized company a short time before quitting & we found ourselves back in my parent’s hometown of Arequipa, six kids & no job. But my father was offered the opportunity to work in Libya doing the same thing he’d been doing in Peru (thank you Col. Gaddafi, so many military coups, so little time) for the same co. so we left, only to return for brief visits. Kindergarten to 12th grade was spent in American/International schools, mostly in Southeast Asia, and attending college in the US was the only practical choice upon graduation. The past 25 years I’ve lived in the US have flown by but I honestly don’t really feel that much different than when I first moved to the San Francisco Bay area. I’ve lived in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Wisconsin, Iowa, and finally moved to North Carolina (which I like more every day) five years ago. I don’t really feel like in fit in anywhere, can’t really say I’m American (although technically am now), can’t really say I’m Peruvian since I left at such a young age, I’m homeless!! Not really, home is now wherever I am. Hope to learn from & share experiences with others on this forum.

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  • williamUSA
    Hi T, Glad you like North Carolina, I am in the state next to you in Tennessee and I like it although the locals know I am not from here. I have learned to appreciate them even though they are different from me and some have never been farther away from their homes than Atlanta.
  • Zoe
    "I used to say I was from Peru but I don't really say that now, I just say I moved around a lot growing up & let the other person take the lead on what they want to know. "

    XD!! I like this!!

    Me too, I used to say I was from Taiwan, but don't really say that now... (or at least I don't mean it when I say it...)

    Btw, been to Peru, Machuppichu~~ ^^
  • Talareno
    Hi L, I finished college quite a while ago, studied Economics the first time & Mechanical Engineering later (and use my engineering degree today). You have quite a combination of places there; I think it's true it's about people you know since friend/family could easily move to another place but you'll still know the person. I had a good friend who was half Japanese-American & half French & although technically American she had never lived the US; she actually called herself a citizen of the world. Wish I had had a chance to know her longer.
  • L
    I meant to say "that's where my mother and brothers are from" - I only have one mum :)
  • L
    Hey Miguel, :)

    I'd like to say I understand what you're saying about the "where's home" thing. I grew up in Germany, live in Australia but within a very Persian community/ family and have a strong connection to Bolivia because that's where my mothers and brothers are from.

    But I don't identify with any of these and used to get agitated because my passport labels me as "Australian/ German" - but ah well.. I just secretly tell myself that it doesn't matter and that we're all essentially "world citizens".
    But like you said... home is wherever you are at the moment- but also where you feel a connection to the people around you:)

    What are you studying at college?
    Muchos Saludos!
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