GlobalA third culture kid or more commonly known as a TCK was the name coined in the 1950’s for kids who grow up in a culture that is not their parents and therefore are exposed to different traditions and cultures and have a hard time finding where they truly belong.
There are many benefits of being a TCK. For example many third culture kids: - Are able to relate to many different nationalities and groups of people. - Establish close friendships faster and are able to let them go as well. - Tend to have a wider view and perspective of the world. - Tend to disregard prejudices or judgments that are common to their parent’s cultures. - Tolerant to other people and religions. - Proven to be more academically achieving as university is seen as a doorway to the world and success. - Multilingual - Tend to be more mature to an extent in the teenage years. - Are more aware of cultures and communities around them. As well as benefits, TCK’s also are challenged by many problems that come with being a “global nomad” and living away from country of origin and in a foreign culture. These include: - Difficulty of defining where “home” really is but can be nationalistic. - Feeling of detachment from own culture and culture of current residence. - Loneliness due to cultural differences and the loss of friendships due to migration (especially in an expat community) - Sometimes find it difficult to go back “home” and become part of the culture again. If insecurities are not addressed, it can lead to depression and a crisis in identity and where they belong. |
Local- Here in Muscat there is a massive expatriate community and many children here are TCK’s, living away from home. Since there is such a mix of nationalities within the expat community, the expatriate culture itself is like a hybrid of cultures, western ideals with a mix of Omani values (for example the way of dressing and public behavior).
- The Muslim culture is dominant here in Oman and so different religious views as well as political views are challenged here in Oman. In school, especially ABA and being an international school, we celebrate many holidays from different cultures such as Christmas, Ramadan, Eid, Easter, St.Patricks, Halloween, Diwali and many more. This shows the positive effect of globalization and the tolerance and open views of people growing up as TCK’s. - Unlike other nations, the interaction and assimilation of other cultures into the Omani culture only goes to a certain extent. Here many expats can live a completely separate lifestyle and rarely interact with the local culture or make friends with the Omanis since the expat community is so large. - Clashes between races, morals, values, religions and cultures occur in an international community but the differences can bring a group of people together to create a “family” away from family. In an international community, not only do you meet a variety of people but you are open to more opportunities to school and work overseas which in some countries is impossibility. |
Personal- I lived in Fiji for the first seven years of my life before coming to Oman when my Dad decided to work here. Since then I have grown up in an international community around a people that don’t speak my language, hold the same beliefs or think the same way. Other factors like physical appearance have also set me apart and in the first few years this proved to be a challenge because I felt so different and lonely like no one could relate to me and vice versa. Going to ABA, I was able to meet other kids who go through the same thing and there my values and outlook on life which at the time was very Fijian began to change and evolve depending on my teachers, friends, experiences and learning at school. In comparison to my parents and family back home I can see the major differences in our thinking and outlook on life especially when it comes to judgments on people. I feel like I am more aware of others around me and am more open and tolerant to new ideas than my parents were. Petty things like racism barely exist in our community because we are a group of people from all over the world, and being racist would guarantee you a lonely life.
In middle school I faced problems with my identity and where “home” was because I felt like I didn’t fully belong in Fiji since I barely remembered anyone there and my childhood friends had grown up and moved on. But eventually I realized that I would always be a Fijian because that was my heritage, my birthplace and a place I would always be accepted but truly “home” became a place where my family was. |