Third Culture Kids: Aufwachsen in mehreren Kulturen

Ob in der Auslands-Niederlassung einer Firma, einer Missionsstation oder einer diplomatischen Vertretung – jährlich steigt die Zahl der Kinder, die in unterschiedlichen Kulturkreisen aufwachsen. Authentisch und sorgfältig recherchiert beschreibt dieses Buch, was das Leben dieser sogenannten ‘Third Culture Kids’ ausmacht, welchen besonderen Problemen sie begegnen und welche speziellen Chancen sich ihnen eröffnen. Denn unmittelbarer als ihre Altersgenossen lernen diese Kinder sowohl die Freuden des Entdeckens als auch die Erfahrungen schmerzhaften Verlustes kennen. Es gelten andere Gesetze für ihren Reifungsprozess, sie gehen andere Wege auf der Suche nach ihrer Identität und sie sind herausgefordert, jenseits aller Ortswechsel eine Heimat zu finden. In Interviews, Gedichten und Berichten lassen Pollock und Van Reken die TCKs zu Wort kommen. Aus ihren Zeugnissen arbeiten sie die charakterlichen und emotionalen Grundstrukturen heraus, die Kinder mit diesem Hintergrund in der Mehrzahl entwickeln.

This is the German edition of THIRD CULTURE KIDS by David Pollock & Ruth Van Reken

Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids

This TCK parenting book takes a proactive approach to raising children, looking at how early childhood experiences and the emotional health of the parents contribute to raising healthy kids. Lauren Wells emphasizes the very real effects that childhood experiences, especially trauma, exert in adult health.

This book is also very practical. It will teach parents how to address trauma in the moment so that the grief doesn’t pile up and have lasting effects. Different talking points, activities and conversation starters are given for children of different ages so that you have the tools you need to address issues or proactively build resilience throughout your child’s whole growing up.

If I had a complaint about this book it would be that she can focus on one segment of TCK tendencies and ignore the others. For example, she focuses heavily on the “chameleon” nature of TCKs to blend in, and less on “screamers” who refuse to conform or “wallflowers” who try to disappear during transitions. As a screamer myself, I felt rather underrepresented. She also focuses on MKs who get the itch to move every few years but I know many MKs who didn’t experience this at all. For some, they attach themselves to the first place they can settle into and never want to leave again. These TCKs may need a different kind of help.

Overall, this is an excellent book for parents, especially those parents of young TCKs who wish to build a solid foundation for their kids’ emotional health. It’s rather comprehensive without dragging itself out. Highly recommend.

 

Fitted Pieces: A guide for parents educating children overseas

With over 90 essays in this collection for parents educating children overseas, it is indeed a comprehensive guide to TCK educational issues. Covering a large range of topics from choosing a national school to second-language learning to online learning, this volume will answer most questions parents have about educating their child overseas. With the essay format, it’s easy to pick which topics are most relevant to read (because at 667 pages, I doubt most people will finish the whole thing). One downside to this volume is that it is on the older side, being published in 2001, and the overseas educational world has changed in the time since its publication. Here are the essay sections covered:

  1. Basic Pieces
  2. Child Development Pieces
  3. Cross-cultural pieces
  4. Educational Development Pieces
  5. Cross-cultural Education Pieces
  6. Home Education Pieces
  7. National School Pieces
  8. Looking for some other pieces

The Road Home

“Growing up in England, ten-year old Pico never wanted to go to boarding school in the Himalayas, and despite the beauty there, he struggles to fit in. When he’s bullied for insisting he’s British in spite of his Indian heritage, he runs away, determined to return to his home in London. As he journeys through a country foreign to him, Pico encounters others who mistake him for an Indian boy, forcing him to face the painful truth that the world does not see him the way he sees himself.”

This semi-autobiographical film, shot in the Himalayas around Woodstock International School, is a masterpiece. Breathtakingly beautiful, it was shortlisted for the Oscars and nominated for the BAFTAs (Britain’s Oscar equivalent) as well as winning scores of awards at film festivals around the world. But for those who understand the experience of being a Hidden Immigrant – where how you look outside doesn’t fully match how you feel inside – it is more than a lovely movie. It is also heart-stirring. It illustrates that experience with poignancy and humor, evoking laughter and often a few tears.  I have literally watched it over 100 times, and it never gets old.  

The writer and director spent the first 9 years of his life in the UK and Saudi Arabia before returning to his parents’ homeland in India. The film is loosely based on his early days at Woodstock International School.

Read more about the film or watch it online for free at the director’s website

Want your own copy, or want to watch it in another language?  The Collector’s DVD comes with extra features like commentaries, including one that tells the director’s own TCK story and how he came to make this film, *PLUS* subtitles in 14 languages (all translated by fellow TCKs).

Want to use the film in a TCK group, conference or classroom?  The Professional DVD comes with a screening license for groups of any size *PLUS* two professional commentaries, discussion questions, and more.  Purchase it from Amazon here. Parents, caregivers and educators of TCKs can order Professional DVDs at a discount by emailing Heidi Tunberg.

Dialogue:  English & Hindi (with English subtitles for the Hindi)

Subtitles (DVD version):  English (full dialogue), French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Greek, and Arabic

Adelina Aviator

Little Adelina loves to help her father repair airplanes. When her family decides to move to the jungle to be missionary pilots, she has to say goodbye to all the people, places & things she knows & loves. When fear sets in, she finds comfort in her beloved Aviator Bear, and strength in God who gives her “courage bigger than the sky” so she can boldly set out on her new adventure.

This wonderful book for missionary kids has appealing illustrations & a sweet story. The twist at the end brought tears to my eyes.

Reading level: 3 to 7 years

My Very Exciting, Sorta Scary, Big Move: A workbook for children moving to a new home

Though not written specifically about moving overseas, this book does an excellent job addressing kids’ feelings about moving. In full-color with adorable illustrations, it begins by explaining change and goes on to teach kid-friendly strategies for handling emotions like sadness, anger & worry using behavioral therapy techniques. Kids are given ways to try these out and encouraged to put their favorites into their “Sad Sack” “Mad Sack” and “Worry Sack” to pull out when needed. The book also does a good job helping kids say goodbye well, and covers some parts of settling in.

The content is relevant to a broad age range from young children through teens, but the format makes it best suited to elementary kids. Younger children will need parents to assist with the reading. While teens would likely consider this too childish, those with younger siblings could benefit from the strategies it teaches. Parents could orchestrate this by going through the book as a whole family “for the sake of the younger kids.”

Reading level: 6-10 years