tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post9046486638424701379..comments2024-02-28T22:43:49.960+00:00Comments on Asia Vu: Expat Life: Musings of an Adult Third Culture Kid (TCK)MsCarolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03623997911568143459noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-5904945462562551372014-04-23T21:56:15.288+01:002014-04-23T21:56:15.288+01:00NVG - You know, #2 has spent his whole life in his...NVG - You know, #2 has spent his whole life in his passport country (at least until he was 14)but we never lived anywhere longer than about 5 years, so he doesn't have much of a sense of 'home' either, at least not in the sense of 'This is where I come from and this is where I go back to." Of course, he has no problems with national identity or culture, but I definitely see that he is going to have a huge cultural gap where that 'typical' American high school experience would fit if he were living back in the USA. Mr. L and I both have found it extremely easy and very comfortable to live overseas. In many ways, it was far easier to move to Seoul than it ever was to move to any of the US states we moved to. The expat community is endlessly welcoming and ideally geared to plugging in new people, and it's so easy to get involved right away. <br /> MsCarolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03623997911568143459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-14483236114087214172014-04-21T14:27:06.457+01:002014-04-21T14:27:06.457+01:00I definitely relate to some of that (although in f...I definitely relate to some of that (although in fact we didn't move around, it was just Hong Kong and then boarding school). But certainly the part about not really knowing where to say I'm from. What I find interesting is that many of my TCK friends have ended up living abroad as well (ie not in their parents' home country). My friends from Hong Kong are as far flung as Bermuda, Australia and California. nappy valley girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788949037047084412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-60172260019683862292014-04-21T09:25:23.817+01:002014-04-21T09:25:23.817+01:00The tragedy has filled our news channels too - con...The tragedy has filled our news channels too - constantly in the first few days. The world is feeling your pain. Just horrific and even more so when stories emerge about errors and delays. Trishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00119443727504215312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-76245954347265368022014-04-21T01:04:15.730+01:002014-04-21T01:04:15.730+01:00Trish - well, in all fairness, both MrL and I grew...Trish - well, in all fairness, both MrL and I grew up the same way, so for us, it's quite normal to go to University on a completely different continent - not that it makes it any easier, though!<br />The ferry disaster (and it really is a disaster) has hit everyone quite hard here in Korea - all regular tv programming last weekend was canceled so news reports could run, and it is in all the headlines constantly. Hard to explain how much a part of the culture a trip to Jeju island is for anyone living in S. Korea - you just don't live here without going there and it used to be pretty much the only place newlyweds went for their honeymoon. Besides the shock and grief at so many young people being lost, I think many of us are thinking - 'that could easily have been me.' So very sad.MsCarolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03623997911568143459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-85268698168814396692014-04-17T18:12:10.833+01:002014-04-17T18:12:10.833+01:00I think of my boy heading off to University this a...I think of my boy heading off to University this autumn (hopefully) and how anxious I am because he may well be five hours drive away. Then I read your post and realise your boys are in a different league altogether with regard to being away from home! <br />Hope all is well with you all. Watching the news about the ferry disaster and all those young Korean students. It must be affecting you and your friends very much. XxTrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00119443727504215312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-21690169578927720332014-04-15T23:31:41.649+01:002014-04-15T23:31:41.649+01:00Nance - to be fair, travel does not always prevent...Nance - to be fair, travel does not always prevent a narrow viewpoint, just as not traveling does not always result in one. However, in general, I think you're probably right. As far as what other nations think of the US; you're also right: it's not very complimentary (at least not very often; since I am both Canadian and American, people seem to speak quite freely in front of me...) Part of it is tied up - just as you say - with the fact that we tend to have a very Amerocentric (if it isn't a word, it should be) perspective and don't always realize when we're being offensive. I can't tell you how often I've sat at a dinner table with a mix of Americans and Koreans, cringing as I listened to some American spout off thoughtless, condescending, cruel, and patronizing commentary - often without realizing how offensive they are being(and the Koreans, of course, are far too polite to indicate that they're offended.) If nothing else, I think both of my kids have developed a sensitivity to this at a pretty young age. And for that, I'm grateful. However, I would like to believe that they would have been the same even if we had spent our whole lives in one place...MsCarolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03623997911568143459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551977354338403876.post-55387463551209734622014-04-15T13:50:44.306+01:002014-04-15T13:50:44.306+01:00What an interesting way to grow up! I'm sure i...What an interesting way to grow up! I'm sure it guarantees them a wider perspective on the world. I think that's excellent; one quality of those of us who live in the US our whole lives seems to be a narrow viewpoint that borders on the ignorant and Amerocentric. (If that isn't a word already, I made it up!)<br /><br />I'm often stunned to hear what other nationals think of the US. Often, it's not exactly complimentary.Nancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17627214346956206283noreply@blogger.com