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Unrooted Childhoods: Memoirs of Growing Up Global

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Author:
Isa

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Hi

This is going to be in several sections so please bare with me.

I went to a book sale at my uni today and i came across the book “Unrooted Childhoods - Memoirs of growing up Global.” It is a book of twenty essays by adults such as Pico Iyer, Isabel Allende and ‘our’ very own “RUTH VAN REKEN!

Naturally, i squealed with delight and picked it up.  And i wanted to tell someone who would understand what this meant to me; a book about other TCKs (apart from the TCK book of course). So i thought of you guys. :-)

1.Of course, this got me thinking.  Whenever i think or read something regarding TCKs i become more … conscious of my ‘other-ness’ from the other mono-cultural kids. My culture- hopping is so ingrained in me it comes out in everything i do. The types of music that i listen to — ie. listening to non-English language music pins me as ‘weirds’ here in Australia.

The types of things i wrote about for academia. Example: for an English subject at uni i have to write a series of 5 paragraphs, one starting with “The most important day in my life was…”

What do i write about? The move from the USA to Australia. The next paragraph is on “What i find really annoying is…” And i plan to write about racism and how much i deteste it.

2.. I both hate and love aspects of my TCK identity.  I love the fact that i have gained the skills to be culturally aware and sensitive. In a matter of months i can learn the customs and adapt fairly well.

But i hate how these mono-kids make me feel ashamed. They make me feel as if i should be ‘normal’.  That my only port of call or place of reference should be Australia and the Australian viewpoint. They don’t understand that i categorise my life to what country i was in at the time or what happened in those countries. That my TCK-ness is not something that i can ’switch off’. It is a part of me, wherever i go, whatever i do in life.  The mono kids and the adults here make me feel ashamed because  i am different but i sound the same and i look the same, it unnerves them i think.I just don’t want to feel ashamed anymore. I had no control over my life. I don’t want to hide this huge chunk of my life, the part that influences everything.

Sorry , i just needed to vent.


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February 26, 2008 | Filed Under General Forum 

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Comments

6 Responses to “Unrooted Childhoods: Memoirs of Growing Up Global”

  1. 1
    Ayako
    Ayako Says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 7:00 am

    I can relate to how you feel, Isa…

    The social beating is comparable to an abusive relationship where a spouse who has an inferiority complex emotionally abuses his partner by trying to turn the tables around.

    Just try not to let them get to you and keep your identity well guarded INSIDE you. Don’t have to show off your 10 carat diamond all the time especially when there are people who’d like to steal it by chopping off your finger!

    (Is this spam?)

  2. 2
    Ayako
    Ayako Says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 7:05 am

    In addition…

    There are some things you can show that won’t cause problems and there are some things you’ll have to kind of hide - you’ll just have to figure out what these things are. :)

    (Is this spam?)

  3. 3
    mmmmmm
    mmmmmm Says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 10:19 am

    Venting is ok, I think most TCKs need venting. Cuz we are kind of not allowed to ever get mad or make mistakes because everyone think we are so “privileged and should be more mature than the rest”.

    Personally, I think the number of us has been growing like crazy. I personally idealize a world where everyone is TCK, or at least, the number of us should grow big enough that people will have to recognize us as a real group. For most of the time, I find that TCK tend to get the title of being drama queens and always care more than they should. What we need for them to realize is that, we actually ALWAYS should care, and in fact we are impacted a lot deeper by pretty much all global issues than the mono-cultured people.We are not just a bunch of bored kids who are being too dramatic. WE ACTUALLY CARE.

    (Is this spam?)

  4. 4
    aradhana
    aradhana Says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    Ayako, I absolutley adore the metaphore in your first post!

    (Is this spam?)

  5. 5
    Unregistered
    Isa Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 5:16 am

    Hey

    Thanks Ayako,

    I am so conscious of hiding myself. I do do that — i learnt from an early age that to be accepted here i had to.
    I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come off all ‘whinger’ on you, i just get tired of havin to hide and pretend that i’m ‘normal’ by Aussie standards.

    (Is this spam?)

  6. 6
    Ayako
    Ayako Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 5:31 am

    I did that for quite some time myself and it drove me nuts so believe me - I feel for you :) It’s ok to whine. I just found out that it was much easier in the long run to be discrete about somethings.

    I used to call my childhood friend who was grounded in Sri Lanka sometimes and talk for 4 hours. There was no Skype in those days so imagine my phone bill! But I just had to vent to someone who would understand everything without me having to explain everything.

    After talking to him I’d feel normal and good about myself again.

    So vent if you must!

    (Is this spam?)

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