Third Culture Kids Profiles

A TCK because: Lived in Cambodia for a total of 10 years while growing up, from ages 2-6 and 10-16.
Finished high school at: Pequea Valley High School; Kinzers, Pennsylvania
Major at EMU: Biology
Now: After college, spent a year as a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer working with people with HIV/AIDS in Papua, Indonesia. Now a Certified Nursing Assistant at a retirement home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
One way that being a TCK has affected me: “There’s the blessing and the curse of fitting in nowhere but everywhere, and of not having a place to call home but being able to make connections easily with different types of people.”
At EMU: Found support and understanding from other TCKs and the larger campus community. “Even if their experiences weren’t similar to mine, they were still interested in hearing my stories. And that really helped me reflect on who I was. EMU was just a really helpful place in my development as a person and as a leader.”

A TCK because: Grew up in inner-city Harrisburg, Pennsylvania & Dominican Republic.
Finished high school at: Carol Morgan School; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Majors at EMU: Biblical studies; history.
Now: Working at Brethren Woods Camp and Retreat Center in Keezletown, Virginia; finishing degree from Bethany Theological Seminary.
One way that being a TCK has affected me: “It’s given me a real passion for intercultural ministry. I feel like I’ve been blessed with the ability to understand different dimensions of people’s lives.”
At EMU: As president of TCK club, organized a panel discussion to raise awareness among entire campus community about the TCK experience. “[People] started to see the value of honoring that experience… I think it definitely has a lot of value for the community. It’s a way we can learn more about and care for people who are different from us.”

A TCK because: Born in France; lived in Mauritania from ages 5 to 9; attended French international school in the United States for four years; lived in Israel/Palestine from ages 16 to 18.
Finished high school at: Anglican International School Jerusalem, Israel
Major at EMU: Peacebuilding and development
Now: After working as a community organizer in Virginia, spending seven months visiting 14 countries to help determine future direction of academic and professional career.
One way that being a TCK has affected me: Given me an understanding that “every single group and country in this world is equally valid, complex, beautiful and flawed as our own. I think TCKs are gifted with being shown that early in life. We sort of know that through experience.”
At EMU: TCKs have much to learn and much to offer. “At EMU I felt a big part of the goal was to [teach students to] think globally, and I admire that. I also felt that was something I could help with. It wasn’t something that I needed to learn. It was something that I could help teach.”

A TCK because: Lived in Nicaragua for the first 10 years of her life.
Finished high school at: Goshen High School; Goshen, Indiana
Major at EMU: Nursing
One way that being a TCK has affected me: “When I say ‘home’ it’s more like a feeling, not so much a place. I still call Nicaragua home, and I call Goshen home, and I call Harrisonburg home. I adapt really quickly, and I think that’s partly due to growing up in a different culture.”
At EMU: Loves the diversity of people on campus. Got involved with the TCKclub her senior year, and wishes that she’d done it earlier. “It was just cool to talk with other people who went through similar things. There’s a connection [with them] that I really valued.”