The Means That Make Us Strangers

This novel follows Adelaide, who has lived her whole life in a small Ethiopian village with her anthropologist father, disengaged mother and two younger sisters. When she’s told that her family is moving to South Carolina you can’t help but cringe in thinking about this naive village girl leaving her village for the first time. Adelaide isn’t excited about it either and vows to come back and marry her childhood sweetheart.

Most of the story follows Adelaide’s friendship with the African American students who have enrolled in her white school. It’s 1964 in the South of the US and racial tensions are high. No one can understand why a white girl is friends with the black students and Adelaide can’t understand why it’s such a big deal since she has always been friends with black Africans.

This TCK novel follows some typical themes of culture shock and reentry which were rather extreme for Adelaide as she is basically as sheltered as someone can be. I also loved how Kindberg looked at racism and how white expats can be embracing of other cultures overseas and racist in their own countries. The end of the story also shows how difficult and different it can be to go back to where we grow up as an adult and realize we don’t fit like we used to.

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

Rosie’s Letters

Rosie gets a letter from the boy down the street… then he moves away. But he keeps sending letters, even after Rosie moves to new places, again and again.

One day, it’s time for Rosie to go home. But “Rosie had a problem… Rosie had too many homes.” Which was her REAL home?  In this truly delightful TCK love story (based on the real life story of the writer and her husband), Rosie discovers an important TCK truth – home is not a place but a person. This book relates to people of all ages, from children to adults.

Hidden in My Heart: A TCK’s journey through cultural transition

In a series of very vulnerable journal entries, 14-year-old Taylor processes her emotions of her transition to Japan when she was 9 and the difficulties and joys of life there. While on home assignment in the US, Taylor finally let herself grieve losses and name her emotions. The book is split into 2 sections: the first part is focused on her pain and in the second is able to see the joys in her experiences.

It can be hard to read about her loneliness and how desperately she wanted to fit in with the Japanese people around her. I just wanted to give her a big hug (but I don’t know her and that would be weird!). Seeing how God put caring people in her life even when she couldn’t recognize them as blessings is encouraging and a reminder that God is with all of us in our grief and transition and language learning and every difficulty.

MK 2 MK: In their own words

This compilation of essays, poems and letters from adult MKs from around the world shows the heart of missionary kids. The book is divided into 3 sections, all with about the same number of entries:

  1. Adjusting (with entries like “Furlough,” “Can I Come Home,” and “Alien Planet USA”
  2.  Anecdotes and Adventures (with “To Catch a Plane” and “Lessons from Amazonas”
  3.  Identity ( with “Belonging,” “Pieces of My Heart” and “My Homeland”

This book is difficult to find and I could only locate one seller, in Canada. However, it is a great collection from a broad selection of MK that other MKs can relate to.

Kids Without Borders: Journals of Chinese Missionary Kids

This collection of writings from Asian MKs who have lived all around the world gives insight into the experiences of MKs of all ages. The book is split into three sections: Children, Adolescents and Adults with journal entries from different MKs on a variety of subjects from school to goodbyes to rootedness. Most of the writers have a connection to Hong Kong (where the editor is based) and have at least one Chinese parent but their experiences are varied. Many issues unique to Asian MKs are addressed, like differences in education systems, maintaining Chinese roots, and cultural differences within the family.

This book would be great for Asian TCKs processing their own experiences, Asian missionary parents and those working with Asian MKs. Understanding a TCK perspective other than the Western one is beneficial to all TCK workers, as well.