Third Culture Kid spotlight: Meet Jesse

Sometimes you meet other TCKs online that have an interesting story to tell. Check out Jesse's story...

What is your name?

Jesse 

Where were you born?

Tokyo, Japan

What is your heritage?

Half Japanese, Half Caucasian 

Where have you lived and how long at each place?

Japan 1 year 
13 years in Seattle 
5 years in Japan by 18/19. 
And then College in US. 
In total: 24 years in US, 6 years living in Japan.

What is your definition of "home" and how is it different from those around you?

I'm now 31. If you asked me that when I was 20 I would have answered entirely different as I had a bad case of reverse culture shock. I slept in my car. The only time I felt "at home," was while in movement. As a musician, that meant feeling at peace while touring around the country. The moment I sat still was the moment I wanted to be somewhere else. Now, home is with my family- my wife and daughter. Anywhere we go will be centered around them and we'll call that place home. So, in essence, people.

Where do you consider "home" and why?

Seattle, Washington is my home because I overcame that part of my life that had such an intense grip on me. I talk about it in my book, but it was a very confusing time to come back to the US. Seattle though is where I met my wife, and we have roots here.

Do you have interests in the following: foreign languages, international relations, travelling, international politics, different cultures of the world, etc...  Yes/No If so, do you think your background has helped you develop these interests?

I used to have far more of an interest to a point where I couldn't really relate to people my age. Now, I still do in international relations, traveling, international politics, and especially cultures. I feel right in place within an international community.

What are your thoughts on globalization? Current political situation?

The current US political situation? Or my thoughts on globalization in general? I am constantly growing. Ask me 10 years ago, my answer would have been entirely different. Ask me 5, and it would have been different as well. Today, I love that we live in a digital world where everyone can connect. That said, there are obvious cultural differences, boundaries, rules of laws- that enable countries to operate in any way they see fit. I really wrestled with the United States for a while, but I've come out loving the US because of my experiences in various other cultures. The way the government is set up, the freedoms that we have, (and often abuse) are beautiful. 

How are your thoughts on world affairs different from those around you?

I have an actual world view, which often separates entirely from those around me. So when someone calls out a certain hot topic issue, my first question is often, "compared to what?" Our world today has shifted it's focus from ideas to surface level things. We want obvious rather than the philosophies of ideas behind them. It's a strange time to be alive politically, because people have a hard time separating emotions from ideas. It's why I've quit music, (for the most part) and become a writer. Writing has the ability to communicate ideas far greater than what music has become in my opinion. In the arts, for example, I find it fascinating that so many artists think exactly the same way on so many issues. As if creatives couldn't think creatively and have separate opinions. Therefore, when I talk to people I often times just observe what they are saying and ask them questions to get to the root of what they are saying. The difference is world experience, but also, being able to both relate and still come up with a take on life that isn't centered around experiences but of ideas.

Do you plan on incorporating a large amount of travel with your career?

My wife has her Masters in Social Work. Our dream is to do plenty of work all across the globe. Our passion centers around Thailand where we want to start coffee farms. I've been there a couple times and also do business there. Besides that, we'd love to have the opportunity to continue to travel. She's Laotian and has traveled more than I. We have a heart for people in South East Asia, but we want to go to other countries such as Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Short answer, yes. 

Follow Jesse on social media and his blog: 

http://www.facebook.com/jesselmcdaniel

http://www.jesselmcdaniel.wordpress.com

If you would like to be featured on this series please drop me an email at ahdancecompany@gmail.com

Third Culture Kid spotlight: Meet Daniel

Its always a pleasure to meet other third culture kids around the world. Daniel is an active member of the TCKid communities on social media and that is how I got to know this globe-trotting TCK (aren't we all global nomads!?) 


What is your name?

Daniel 

Where were you born?

Houston, Texas, USA

What is your heritage?

Both my parents were Vietnamese, and moved to the US essentially as a result of the war, and met there. 

Where have you lived and how long at each place?

Houston, Texas for 3ish years (as a baby though) 

Jakarta, Indonesia for 14 years

Ann Arbor, Michigan for 2 years

Switzerland for about 3.5 years, though alternating between Zürich and Wallis

Fort Lauderdale, Florida for 2 years

Took a few months back in Switzerland, but in Biel. 

Took a little under a year off for backpacking around Asia, of which most of it was spent in Penang, Malaysia. 

Back in Zürich, Switzerland for the past 5 years. 

What is your definition of "home" and how is it different from those around you?

Home for me really depends on the people around me, because places can change. It's not so cut and dry, though. Places are important too, and ultimately home comes from that combination of places that you feel comfortable in, with people you like having around you that help you feel at home. And yes, this can be more than one place. 

Where do you consider "home" and why?

Right now it's Zürich. In contrast to the rest of my adult life, I've lived here consistently for a long time now. It's been long enough to make friends, to become familiar with my surroundings, to acclimatise. It's the kind of consistency I haven't had for a long time, but to be honest it's still tempered by knowing I'm still legally a foreigner here. So while it feels like home, there's a very good chance it can't be home. We'll see. 

I felt more or less at home when I worked in Fort Lauderdale, because of working and the people I had around me. I did realise that as time went on those people largely changed by moving around, and with it the sense of home got lost. In that case, it was very dependent on people. By contrast, Penang felt quite home-like when I was there, though I didn't have many friends there at the time, so it was more tied to the place. 

So basically... it depends. 

Do you have interests in the following: foreign languages, international relations, travelling, international politics, different cultures of the world, etc...  Yes/No If so, do you think your background has helped you develop these interests?

Very much to all of these. I grew up interested in history, which became an interest in politics. While my experience wasn't necessary to create these interests, it definitely helped. Growing up in an Indonesia which was under a dictatorship and transitioned to a more-or-less functioning democracy has, honestly, defined my political perspective and interests. Travelling and being able to compare, first hand, didn't places, cultures, and political systems, has given me a perspective that others I meet still can only learn from media. 

What are your thoughts on globalization? Current political situation?

The reason I had the life I did was because my dad worked for an international company. It has, mostly, been the reason we moved around between the US, Indonesia, and Switzerland. So it's safe to say that we have been beneficiaries of globalisation in a much more tangible way than most can claim. It's likely, however, that the expatriate lifestyle, at least through those means, is probably fading. Developing countries can't really justify bringing foreigners over and giving them the expatriate life. 

One of the benefits of being this kind of TCK though, is that you get to see both sides of globalisation. You get to see how it can make developing countries grow, like Indonesia, you get to see how it can make countries rich, like Switzerland, and you get to see the backlash against it, like in the US. It sort of becomes difficult to look at it in the local terms most people do. 

How are your thoughts on world affairs different from those around you?

This has really varied depending on my company. There's a popular perception that Europeans are more globally aware than Americans, and it sort of correlates, but awareness doesn't necessarily equal wisdom. I have met blind idealists, pragmatic cynics, and everything in between. It's pretty good overall, since at least there's awareness and interest. I can't quite say the same in some other places I've lived. But there are different kinds of ignorance you can find just about anywhere, as well as different kinds of awareness. I find that the best approach is just to look at everyone with an open mind and to listen first and form impressions as you accumulate information, not before. 

Do you plan on incorporating a large amount of travel with your career?

I hope to, but it really depends on how my career works out. And where that ends up being. 

Thank you Daniel! Follow his ongoing TCK journey through social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dbnguyen85

Wordpress: https://uncdan.wordpress.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/umjackd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbnguyen85/

If you would like to be featured on this series please drop me an email at ahdancecompany@gmail.com