Third Culture Kids (also referred to as Global Nomads)
“A TCK is a person who has spent a significant part of their development years outside the parents’ culture. The TCK frequently build relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging is in the relationship to others of similar background (they are the THIRD culture).” - David C Pollock
There are a number of advantages and challenges that Third Culture Kids and families face.
"Where are you from?" or "Where is home?" is often a question that stops TCKs in their tracks. It can be confusing to know how to respond or how much someone really wants to hear. A TCK might consider their place of birth, a parents' home country, the place they have lived the longest or their most recent country as "home". Third culture kids may face different cultural traditions, habits, expectations and ways of doing things at home, at school, and in the local community. They are learning to navigate and respond to a range of experiences.
Translanguaging happens when students are bilingual or multi-lingual and switch between languages or linguistic features to fully communicate their ideas. For more on translanguaging, see the article in EAL Journal What is Translanguaging?
Building & Maintaining Friendships is a challenge for kids who move around during their schooling years. Especially in international school environments when students are regularly coming and going it can be difficult for kids to build or maintain relationships. Some kids develop strong interpersonal communication and conversational skills with varied interests and hobbies. Others kids have difficulty opening themselves up to new friendships out of concern that they will not remain very long. It also can be a challenge for kids who have a core group of friends who they know are remaining to want to open up to new or transitional kids. Saying goodbye to good friends is often difficult and emotional for those who are staying and those who are leaving. Remaining in touch with friends who live in different parts of the world has become easier with technology, but still requires time, effort and planning.
Raising Global Nomads: Parenting Abroad in an On-Demand World by Robin Pascoe
Expat Teens Talk by Dr. Lisa Pittman and Diana Smit, published by Summertime Publishing, Great Britain, 2012.
Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken, revised edition published by Nicholas Brealey, Boston, MA, 2009.
Letting Go: A Parent's Guide to Understanding the College Years, by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger, HaperCollins Publishers, 2003.
The difficulty of life as a Third-Culture Kid by InterNations https://www.internations.org/magazine/the-difficulty-of-life-as-a-third-culture-kid-15288