"In this publication, the authors explore the experiences of those who have become known as 'third culture kids' (TCKs) - children who grow up or spend a significant part of their childhood living abroad."
If you live/d abroad with your children for only a couple of years or if you grew up in different countries or in a country different from your parents, this is the book to read. The authors examine the impact on children moving from their home country (1st culture) to another country (2nd culture) who generate a 3rd one. They look at the challenges of both moving to the new culture and returning to the old one. We found the book insightful and helpful, and it gave some practical advice on how to approach some of the challenges.
Everything in this book is so true for children of our international book club members. Maybe the culture shock isn't as large as if they moved from Asia or Africa to Europe or America. Or is it larger because you don't expect a huge difference between, for example, Germany and England or England and the Netherlands? We agreed that our children are definitely more independent, better equipped for living on their own.
We discussed this in our international book club in September 2007.
See more comments on my ThrowbackThursday post in 2023.
From the back cover:
"Third Culture Kids speaks to the challenges and rewards of a multicultural childhood; the joy of discovery and heartbreaking loss, its effect on maturing and personal identity, and the difficulty in transitioning home."
The authors have set up a website for more information:
TCKWorld: The Official Home of Third Culture Kids (TCKs)
An interesting blog: Language on the Move
I don't think I've heard of this book before but it does sound good! I would wonder how much the experience has changed (if it has at all) from the time this book was written until now, and also how people deal with it these days. I think I'll definitely check this out. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Dini. I doubt that it has changed all that much, it's been only twenty years and that doesn't change people's minds and behaviours that much. Granted, we have more social media nowadays which means you can stay in touch better with kids that move away but we all know about that double-edged sword.
DeleteLet me know if you find and read it, I'd love to hear from someone who has only just read it.