A few weeks ago I wrote about the dreaded words in a TCK’s life. This video gives you a glimpse of some TCKs trying to answer the “Where’s Home?” question. There answers are insightful and quite typical of their people group.
Grab your favorite beverage, lean back in your chair, and enjoy the honesty of the struggle to answer this question.
What do you think of the video? Monocultural or Third Culture–what are some hard questions you’re asked?
bird house image courtesy of Ayla87 on RGBstock.com
8 responses to “So Where’s Home?”
I liked the term “the gray area” that one of the guys mentioned ~~ that zone between cultures were tck’s kind of float….. I also enjoyed the thought that the airport is home. Agreed — that and Walmart. 🙂 Love your posts, Friend!
I think when people ask me “where’s home”, I find it easy to just say the city that I live in. “Home is where you hang your hat,” you know? But I don’t really have ties in the places that used to be home to make it still feel like home anymore. Painting Pictures of Egypt by Sara Groves seems to be a fitting song for many TCK’s, I think. Anyway, I digress. 🙂 “Where are you from?” seems to be a lot more difficult for me and gets that response, “uh…”
In the recent issue of the Interaction magazine “Among Worlds,” there was a line about a woman’s home where wooden elephants marched across every surface and where tapestries lined the walls. I laughed immediately since it described my home and I could relate, and then inexplicably I teared up.
Home is where the I choose. When I was young and we traveled a lot overseas, my parents created a sense of home by putting on familiar music and popping popcorn. As the sounds and smells wafted through the house, we were home — no matter where we were.
Powerful feelings still invade me at certain songs and smells.
I had an article in that Among Worlds March 2012 edition too entitled “Baboons and Baguettes: Snippets of a Life Shaped in West Africa and France.” All the stories in that issue were poignant though…
Blessings, Sheryl!
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Ahhhh! It does my heart good when I can “hear” what you have to say! Thanks for responding, ladies!
Judy–yes, the airport . . . I thought his titles were brilliant! I think the airport feels so good because as one TCK said, “Your level of grief and your level of anticipation are about the same.” Walmart . . . what America smells like!
Aimee–You’re absolutely saying what I’m thinking. At this point where’s home is where I get my mail (or at least the majority of it). “Where are you from?” is complicated–even for a non-TCK. Though, I kind of think I’m a TCA(dult), I really want to correct what that one guy says about wanting to be a Third Culture Adult. He can’t. He can be an Adult Third Culture Kid, though. The K just says when you became 3rd culture.
Jennifer–So cool that you got published!!! Congrats!!! Yes–those signals that “we’re home” at least for now are so important. I have a friend who always moves her family with a wall hanging and blocks that spell their last name. When those are in place, everyone is home. It’s a great habit to cultivate.
What years were you at ICA? I attended from 1962 to 1973. My college roommate was Deleen Cousineau. Strange connection here!
Marion, I taught at ICA from 88-91 and then 95-02 when we evacuated. What a small world it is! Deleen was my prayer partner. 🙂
This is not a coincidence, but fate. I wrote an article on this topic using the same vimeo clip a week and a half you published yours! Life is funny. Nice to meet you. http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/05/where-are-you-from/
Nice to meet you, too, Seychelles! I’m amazed how God weaves things together at times.