Ladies and gentlemen,

I present to you, Interaction International’s first YouTube production…

Come on over, and give it a watch!!

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I went to the 5 days of trip with my Mom to NYC….

All I can summarize is that it feels so secure and

happy to be in the cosmopolitan city

because it reminded me of the every places I lived

and visited

I felt that I have found myself and that it’s time to let go

of all the grudges and pain that I have experienced in

my life

The few drawbacks are dirty bathrooms and dirty and hot

subways (It made me miss subways in Asia, but I was

so happy to use public transportation)

I also got offended by the question of

“Do you speak English?”, when thinking about my

friends and the fact that I was already fluent in

English even before the moment I stepped into

the United States…

I guess minorities have still long way to go to

be accepted as an Americans -_-

My Mom teased me that I was ‘Californian country chicken’,

and I argued back that I am still a Seoul person

(Ok, I do admit that I got somehow used to

the suburb, but I’m still a city girl)

Fortunately, my Mom likes NYC so much that

she’s planning to return there to visit again next

year with me to see my brother in Canada

(He will go back to Canada this fall to finish his studies)

Overall, NYC people, especially the people who

were in hospitality industry, were very patient, nice,

and friendly

One time, my cellphone rang at the Metropolitan Museum

and the worker standing next to me danced

to the ringtone…HAHA

My favorite places that I visited were Ellis Island

and UN (Go UN!)

I took “Third Culture Kids” book with me and

read everything in this book…

I love reading, so I read tons of books since I was

a little kid, but this book was the book that made me

cry for the first time in my life

I’m going to post the review about this book next time

NYC and ‘Third Culture Kids’ book, thankyou so much!

I will miss you a lot, NYC!

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Now thats the truth!! Missing In Action- but the world calls more than ever! People come hear to be international but I came here because I am ! Hmmmm -oxox As I put it we have seen tooo many movies! So our minds are open beyond all obviouse– Hooooldd On People I have some great! People on the way here! Just found out about this site! Allll The Best Keeeep Onnn Keeppin Onnnn!

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How do you all deal with the issue of divided loyalties to different countries? For example, when I watch the Olympics on TV, I am just happy for whoever won because that person did well -it does not matter to me which country he or she came from…and I feel don’t really feel that proud when I hear the national anthem of the country I grew up in or my passport country – it is sort of neutral…

Right now I live in my passport country in an area where there are a lot of very conservative people who are very nationalistic and patriotic. I don’t open my mouth much when they talk about national politics because I have a very different opinion…And in this area, people who support the government are very strong and state their opinions very passionately – so I just don’t say much. But inside I feel very uncomfortable. So, the result is that I don’t get very close to these people – at least this part of me I don’t share.

I know some countries you can have dual citizenship, but with the country I grew up in and my passport country, you can’t. And I have lived in my passport country for many years now, but my feelings about my two countries and cultures have really not changed very much over the years.

What experiences have you guys had with this sort of thing?

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The title says it all.

I hate it. Anytime my boyfriend goes out with his friends, it makes me realise how I have no one but him. I can’t relate to anyone and I feel like I have nothing in common with anyone. I can’t take it anymore. And since I have no one to go to, this is my only way of releasing it; typing it on a computer screen alone in my room in tears. Hooray.

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Little bit of myself: I am South Korean who grew up in midwestern America for 8 years and also spent another year in Japan. Now I am back in South Korea, working with bunch of South Koreans at a local university. Usually in midwest there are less than 5% of asian population, and sometimes Asians fall under “the other race.” Fun times. All my parents are Korean-Korean, born and raised and educated in Korea.

Since I came back, working and living with my parents in the same home, there has been some communicational problems with my parents. My mom and I get along alright now, but the communication between my dad and I are not improving (note: the following story is written from my point of view – I have no intention to point my dad and blame everything on him). Basically, whenever we have trouble and get into an argument, I start with stating my status and and what I am feeling clearly. He takes this as “talking back.” Whenever I try to give my opinion on what he says, he replies that all I have to say is yes and nod even if I do not agree. Okay, so I do that. Then frequently he goes that I am not being sincere and that is rude. What should I do?

Let me give you some examples.

In the early stages, dad would call me with some weird, (to me, often not very pleasant,) nicknames. Obviously I always got upset whenever I hear it. Dad keeps saying he’s just joking around. Eventually we got into an argument. I was trying to make it clear that 1) even though he did not intend to hurt me, it makes me upset and 2) I do not think it is appropriate to use such vocabs to a full-grown adult or treat me without considering how I would feel just because he is my dad. My dad’s reaction was I am just overreacting and if I am to overeact on everything he says, he cannot hold a decent conversation with me. And he can do #1 and #2 because he is my dad.

I believe the 1st step of working things out by conversation is stating your position/feeling clearly to the other person. Whenever I do this, he would just go how I am being disrespectful, and don’t dare to talk him back. Sometimes I feel like he is obsessed about keeping his face as a dad, rather than listening to me.

Sometimes I cannot believe the whole situation: this is very recent example. My family came back from a dinner out. Since I plan to take a 15 min rest and then go out for a workout, I was watching TV mindlessly.

(The whole conversation was carried out in Korean)

Dad: You’d better get washed.

I: Oh,no worries, will be back in the outside in 15 min for workout.

Dad: Well, but still, you’d better get washed.

I: Er, but I’ll be dripping sweaty within 15 min…

Dad: *sudden yelling begins* You brat, you always keep talking back to me!! Just wash your hands when I say it!

I: Eh…? Oh, you mean hands! I thought you meant body shower. I see, but again no worries, I always wash my hands with anti-back gel. Thats the 1st thing I do whenever I come back.

Dad: *still yelling* Whatever! Stop talking back to me and do it when I say it!

I: * shrugs, eye rolling*

Next day all of sudden he came to my room, gave me a book and says I should read this. The book is written by some Korean businessman who worked for korean firms about 30 years, listing how to behave in front of your boss and stuff. Of course I was not very happy. Also for the realistic reason, I said “well I have something I am reading, so I’d rather read it after I finish what I am reading.” I could see my dad getting upset again so accepted the book anyway. Only 2 days later, he asked “so did you start on it?” I mean…I don’t even know what to say about this. I feel like he just wants to mold me in a way he wants, rather than listening to me or try to understand that I grew up in US, with very low percentage of Asian population.

Long before the example above happened, I already started sharing all my daily stuff only with my mom. Yes I still interact with my dad but only with some shallow jokes. Whenever he says or asks something I just go “yesss…” because I don’t want to make him all angry again. I’ve been talking with my close friends about this matter and there are lots of different opinions: well he’s man, maybe it’s because he is the parent of different side from you, etc etc. I personally believe it is because him being Asian, familiar with Asian rigid hiearchy system and me growing up in US where you have to state yourself clearly.

So in summary, do other TCKs have this problem too? How did you work it out? Please share your stories – and of course any kind of advice is welcomed.

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Hey all,

wow I haven’t been on here in about a year and it’s changed a lot, looks good brice!

Anyways, to get to the point I just arrived in Nairobi, I’ll be here for a few months, and I don’t really know anyone so I was wondering if anybody here is in Nairobi/Kenya or knows ppl here

Marie

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Hey, check this out guys (video): The Shan + Rozz Show: EP7 – The Singaporean White Boy

“Shan and Rozz meet a Caucasian kid who speaks perfect Singlish! To prove it, he faces-off with Shan in a Singlish showdown, and the results are HILARIOUS.”

Tyler is obviously a TCK. I wonder if Shan is also a TCK (considering how his Singlish is worse than mine.)

So, do any of you speak Singlish or any other accents or languages (that are not your parents’) like Tyler? How did people react to you?

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I don’t want to go home.

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(Hope this one hasn’t been done yet) Most people don’t like it… But I love in-flight food. Smoked salmon, vanilla pudding, fish steaks, desserts by the dozens, chicken strips with rice, mutton and parathas, sushi!, roast beef sandwiches. *drools*. I’ve never really had to use the sick bags they have on planes, because I actually look forward to eating AIRLINE MEALS. Mwahahahahaha.

One of the best meals I ever had was on Emirates: Lamb gravy with vegetable pulao, sauteed vegetables, double chocolate french pastries, and shrimp salad. The other was on Cathay Pacific: smoked salmon with capers and crostini, caesar salad, tiramisu, grilled chicken breasts with rice and vegetables. Yum. I’m not sure, but maybe it’s because I like to think of them as Bento lunches.

Anyone else with me on airline food, or would you rather stay a mile away from the stuff? If you like them, what’s the best meal you’ve ever had while traveling by plane?

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