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Top 10 Things People Should Know About TCKs

Top 10 Things People Should Know About Third Culture Kids.

1. Don’t make me pick a culture. I change cultures like a shirt.

2. Don’t hate me if I’m quick to say goodbye. I don’t miss you, but I still love you.

3. I may not always understand your pop culture. Don’t be shocked if I’ve never heard of some celebrities.

4. I’ll say weird greetings and change accents sometimes. Don’t be scared.

5. I may feel restless staying in one place too long. Relax, you can find me on Facebook.

6. I don’t open up easily so keep asking questions. I secretly want to share my experiences if you’re open-minded.

7. Living in a country doesn’t make me an expert. Please just Google it.

8. Don’t assume anything. I don’t necessarily identify with my race, ethnicity and passport country.

9. I’m different, but I’m human just like you. Don’t reject and ostracize me.

10. Please don’t think I’m arrogant if I speak in different languages. I can’t help it.

11.*bonus: Enjoy your time with me while I’m still here. You never know when I’ll leave.

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Posted by Brice at 1:22 pm on November 5th, 2007. Comments
Categories: Feature, General Forum.

  • miyon
    I agree with you Bob.
    You can miss out a lot on pop culture of a country if you didn't live in that place long enough to follow up with it... I think there are people who live in countries outside their passport ones where there is no TV and internet!

    I also agree with you that many people don't realize that you may not know certain things like famous actors/actresses, movies, sports, etc. because you've lived in a different country but the chances are you may know more about them on things like being street smart in a foreign country, which flights to take, etc.
  • Bob
    The pop culture thing is spot on, especially when my peers talk about famous cartoons, sports events, restaurants, and movies from their childhoods. That's when I get left out of the conversation, or they are shocked that I don't know these topics, like I came from a different planet. It's not my fault. They don't realize I spent ten years of my childhood in another country.
  • sameh
    how about when its hot and ppl comment "i thought you would be used to this weather" GRRRRR!!
    or judge u by your name or how u look before you've even opened your mouth!
  • procrastinator
    the google thing should be changed to Wiki, since the first search result is usually Wiki anyway.

    Some ignorances on the part of nonTCKs that I hate..

    Which country is better?
    When they try to imitate a language they will never learn.
    confusing Taiwan with Thailand or vice versa.
    Asking me to teach them swear words in another language
    and many more...

    USA, Malaysia, Hungary, Thailand, USA, China, Taiwan, in that order.
  • connie1
    2. Don't hate me if I'm quick to say goodbye. I don't miss you, but I still love you.

    --> quick to say goodbye but extremely slow to realize it is real goodbye
  • zoe
    Saying goodbye! definitely relevant to me at the moment!

    I'll be leaving university for the summer and I wont be seeing my new friends for 4 months. Talking about saying goodbye, someone randomly asked me if I would cry. Straight away I answered no. Now this seemed kind of strange to them... but to me there was no second thought... 4 months? I havnt seen two best friends in about a year!
  • that's very interesting... just out of curiousity...but are the languages that you speak similar in root?

    no offense but i don't say the wrong language but i would hear the wrong language. ex) when listening to Korean, i would mistake it to English.
  • i totally agree with you Julie.
    oops...I just accidently clicked on the red button and neutralized the +1 that was already there. sorry! i wanted to give you a positive feedback.
  • mmmmmm
    HAHA number1 is way too true.
    but for #2...I definitely miss ppl, just don't miss them enough to be like OMG I will only stay in this place forever and ever and never leave.
    #6...hahaha so honest so true.
  • Shan
    OOPS! I meant to say we are NOT rich. haha... I'm digging myself a hole with that one.
  • Shan
    You nailed it!

    Here's another one:

    - That we rich or snob just because we had servants or body guards..... especially if you grew up as a diplomat or business kid. It's a myth!
  • Angelic
    saying good bye is pretty easy for me..and yeah, I hate it when ppl ask me which country is better. Oh and I always mix up the languages esp. when I've just moved to a new country..i've done it where i absentmindedly say the word three times in different languages till i got it right..lol "thank you" is one that i'm always saying the wrong language too when i'm not tuning in!
  • inigoescalante
    We get used to it... that is what makes it easy as it goes on and on but the not so good part is that as time goes on and on we also get farther with our social skillz and our bonds become tighter so at the same time it becomes harder and in another way easier to say goodbye none the less I can't say it is an easy task...
  • Julie
    I hate the question which country is better or which do you prefer. How can you even compare them? They are so different and they all have things I like and things I don't. When I am not there I miss them and when I am I miss the others.
  • MikeJ
    That's really good. Saying goodbye is really hard for us and at the same time, it's easy.
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