“Growing Up in Transit” is an academic resource that explores what all goes into creating a sense of belonging at international schools. Tanu gathers her data from fieldwork observation and interviews at an international school. Her ethnographic study argues that the” international” identity that develops there is actually inherently Eurocentric. This feeds into a larger critique of Western-style international culture dominating global conversations on cross cultural issues.
This book is most relevant from an academic anthropological standpoint and may not be the most useful for parents and caregivers who are looking for practical advice on serving TCKs.
The chapters include:
- Being International
- The Power of English
- Living in “Disneyland”
- Chasing Cosmopolitan Capital
- The Politics of Hanging Out
- Invisible Diversity
- Race and Romance
- Whose United Nations Day?
This up-to-date look at all the education options available to globally mobile families is a fairly quick read but surprisingly comprehensive. For parents wanting to know all the options and their pros and cons, I would highly recommend Wrobbel’s book. She takes an honest look at each option and gives her experienced opinion in an unbiased manner. The appendices at the end also offer helpful education resources.
The chapters include:
- So You’re Moving Overseas
- Intentional Planning for Children’s Education Overseas
- International Schools
- Host-Country Schools
- Homeschooling
- Distance Education
- Boarding School
- One-Room School or Homeschool Cooperative
- Special Education Needs
- Transitioning Between Educational Options
- Educational Planning for the Transition to University and Adulthood
- Living and Thriving in the Host Culture
“TCKs: A Gift To Care For” is an excellent addition to comprehensive books about TCKs. I would say this differs from Pollock and Van Reken’s classic “Third Culture Kids” book in that there is a focus on developmental stages, child psychology and it includes many many practical activities for parents to do with their children. These activities help children to integrate experiences and thoughts into their bodies for a holistic approach to TCK care.
This book is on the larger side (405 pages) which may seem daunting, but it’s used best when you pick and choose the chapters that are relevant to you and your kids. You don’t need to read the whole thing at once but look for the information and activities that are best suited to your current needs. And then open the book again later when you want something else!
Included in the chapters sections are:
- A Gift to Care For
- Transitions and Emotions
- Identity and Beliefs
- Relationships and Globalization
- Stress and Structure
- Grief and Joy
- Developmental and Long-term Goals
- Protection and Boundaries
- Debriefing and Storytelling
- The Power of Getting Together
- What Can We Do?
Available in English and Swedish now with Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish coming soon.
This book explores what life is like as a TCK who has left their family of origin and is now on their own, still in the process of “adulting.” The challenges they face can be significantly different than those of Adult TCKs, and it is important for them and those in their lives to be able to address them appropriately.
While it doesn’t replace the classic Pollock and Van Reken TCK book, its narrower focus will help you understand the specific needs of Third Culture Teens. It’s very readable, including some of the author’s own personal experiences, but it also draws from important literature on TCKs.
The following sections are included:
- Third Culture Kid & The Third Culture Teen
- The Issues We Face
- The Life We Are Living
- The Life We Will Live
- Conclusion & Additional Resources
This compilation of essays and blog posts has a refreshing range of topics and authors from differing perspectives. There are some essays from experts like Ruth Van Reken but the majority seem to be from normal TCKs and parents of TCKs, sharing their experiences and insecurities. Rather than giving out facts and advice, the majority of essays are very personal and introduce questions and things to think about rather than answers.
The essays are grouped into these sections:
Discovering Third Culture Kids
Parenting Third Culture Kids
Struggling Third Culture Kids
Transitioning Third Culture Kids
Thriving as Third Culture Kids
This book is rather different from other entries on this site. It’s part autobiographical and part treatise on what it means to belong. Greg Cole’s TCK background of growing up in Indonesia informs his understanding of belonging, since he grew up in a highly mobile community and his third culture-ness makes him different from most “normal” monocultural people. Another large aspect of Cole’s identity that informs his treatise on belonging is his sexual orientation and religion. As a celibate gay Christian, Cole doesn’t fit into the typical stereotypes of the LGBT+or Christian communities. Where does he really belong if he can’t find people who look and think like him? He proposes that similarities are not what tie people to each other, but that we can belong to each other in deeper ways.
I’d recommend this book to MKs and other TCKs who are struggling to “fit in” and find belonging outside the TCK bubble. For those who aren’t Christians, some of the messages about homosexuality may be unwelcome but the main points of the book are not about sexuality or arguing for or against celibacy.
