Candace Webb

My name is Candace Webb and I just found out, at 21 years of age, that I am a TCK and I AM NOT ALONE!!! I was born in Seattle, WA, but fresh out of my mama's belly my family moved to Singapore. My father is a Field Service Representative for Boeing Aircrafts, so every three to four years we were shipped to a different assignment. I LOVED THAT as a kid! I felt really special, and different. I definitely understood the amazing opportunities that I was able to have while I was living them. I was able to attend some of the finest schools in Asia, and some of the more "corrupt" public schools in the United States. It wasn't until I arrived in High School in the United States, that I realized there was a huge down side to moving around a lot. When I was living internationally it was your duty to be polite and adapt to whatever culture you were around. I was really good at this, and made "friends" easily. But when I returned to the United States, I entered a world in which without a 10 year preliminary friendship with someone in the area… You were pretty much a NOBODY. I was always well liked, and used humor to get through the day. However, at the end of the day is when I really needed, and wanted, someone to truly care about me that wasn’t in my immediate family. Know my story, and understand why I am the way I am. Though I had high hopes for several of the kids I met... there would sooner or later be a plateau in our friendship. I would tire of the same old things and conversations that they were conditioned to relive day after day. In some cases my new friend of the moment would start to exhibit qualities that I did not approve of which I didn't notice when we first met. In my search to find my own "missing link" in friendship I ended up alienating myself from my own past. I was so concerned trying to find someone in each location I was in that I did not dedicate enough time to getting to know my extended family. I was only able to see relatives once every couple years. Unfortunately, the people that I should know better than anyone are actually relative strangers to me. People who I happen to come across every couple of years but whom I have not had a chance to develop a deeper relationship full of caring and understanding with. I now regret this very much, and am trying to correct this dilemma that time and moving has created. My parents always told me as I went to bed crying feeling so strange and alone that all my problems would be solved when I got to college. In college I would meet people from all different places and backgrounds. They would see how mature and intelligent I was. I would finally meet people just like me- Ready to make a difference in the world! However, College turned out to be one of the WORST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE!!! I did not meet ANYONE that I could count on, trust, or talk to. The ambition levels of most people I met feel vastly below anyone I met in High School. There were people who did nothing but party and waste their parent’s money on tuition to a school they never really intended to graduate from. I switched universities three times ( with a brief interlude of Cosmetology School). Each time things getting progressively worse, with the student body and with the frustrated administration who wondered what to do with my “scattered array” of transcripts and credits. During this time in my life I was under a considerable amount of stress. I was living in Indiana with no family within an 8 state radius. My parents were living in Australia. I was working 3 jobs as a Hair Salon Receptionist, Cashier and a Caterer between universities. I had to stay busy at jobs to avoid being thoroughly depressed with disappointing friendships. The excitement of greeting a stranger at work was much more pleasant than trying to hunt for a friend in my age group that could understand the real me. Needless to say, I had discovered that Indianapolis was not the best place for ME to cultivate MY international flair. SO after a brief stint in Stress Therapy I decided to venture back into the international wilds. I am currently finishing university through correspondence courses with my parents in Bratislava, Slovakia. This is where I have finally learned about Third Culture Kids while giving a hair cut to a friend. Upon checking into this website I have discovered a whole new world FILLED with others who can relate to my story. I haven't met any personally yet, but I look forward to exploring more of this phenomena that I am lucky to be a part of. Hopefully I can find some answers, and give some peace to a lot of the problems I have been struggling with for that last few years. **** Here is just a Thought: I am really Fun and Entertaining! I am quite sarcastic and try to find a way to make EVERYTHING fun and enjoyable! I have been a Hair Stylist for 3 years, and after I finish my University work, I am looking to work for Schwarzkopf Company to gain some more experience with hair. My dream is to do Hair and Make-up for Movies! I would LOVE to travel around the world and do ON LOCATION Work with BIG BUDGET FILMS! If anyone has any experience with this field, or suggestions, or a job opening :)- PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! Thanks for Listening, Candace Webb Candacecwebb@gmail.com