So Many Global Stories Waiting To Be Told

I love stories and I love reading books. I usually have a couple of books on my bedside table. There is something exciting about stories. I truly believe that third culture kids, children who grow up between cultures have many hidden stories in their heart. Last week I challenged you: Dare to be a creative third culture kid. Well the challenge is still on. Join in.

My clogs by  DrieCulturen

Recently I found a nice story on Marilyn R. Gardner's blog: Communicating across boundaries. The title of the post was So Many Stories: The trunk that traveled the world. I like the story because it is told by a fellow Dutch third culture kid Annelies Kanis, who grew up in Pakistan.She lived in New York city and Zambia too. Her trunk tells part of her story. Do you have an article that tells a piece of your story? My old blue Dutch clogs tell part of my story.

There are more third culture kid stories that I read online this week:

• The introverted third culture kid by James R. Mitchener. I quote him: "Thanks to a lifetime of being dragged around the world, this TCK is in constant internal struggle with himself." 

•  Multiculturalism in California was a lie: how my being a hidden immigrant in America killed my self-worth by Hey it's Johnny C. "This is why I hate being in America often: I’m a hidden immigrant for having the blue passport and accent, and because of that, I don’t get the extra level of patience that people offer to foreigners."

• Third culture kid and pregnant: facing the tension by Esther on Libby Stephens' blog. "How on earth I could raise a global-minded child in the middle of America?"

• Transitions: Developing a better understanding of third culture kids by Megzy. " I still find it amazing how much I relate to the majority of everything I read about TCKs." 

•  Inventing the Perfect Country by Melissa Boey. Where's your favourite place to live? "If anything, I have been wonderfully spoiled by all the places I have lived."

This week a new book I had ordered arrived. I have not been able to read it completely but once again it all about the personal stories. It is the book Moving Experience: complexities of acculturation by Jutta König. It's all about her research, her thesis, that explores the inner dialogues and interactions of people with different cultural backgrounds. Jutta König grew up in America, France, Australia, Africa and the Netherlands. I am so glad there are (adult) third culture kids writing books and doing research on the topic. I hope to share more insights from the book with you in the near future.

I want to keep you well-informed, so I want to let you know that there will be a talk on third culture kids in Amsterdam on the 10th July. The talk will be given by Lesley Lewis who has worked with third culture kids for more than 30 years.

Are you ready to share your story? 

I want to end with a quote by Plato “Those who tell stories rule society.”