Third Culture Kid Spotlight: Rafika

I met up with Rafika and her friend Kimberly in Vienna over Christmas. With TCK meet ups, it was like meeting old friends. In my experience with meeting a lot of TCKs and long time expats, the global connection makes us feel like we "get it". Its a family community of sorts. 

L-R: Kim, Me, Rafika in Vienna

1. What is your name?
Rafika

2. Where were you born?
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

3. What is your heritage?
Both of my parents are Indonesian

4. Where have you lived and how long at each place?
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, 0-2 years old  (2 years)
Geneva, Switzerland, 2-4 years (2 years, I can't exactly recall because I think 

we went to Indonesia for a few months before going to Switzerland)

Depok, Indonesia (kindergarten and elementary, around 2-3 years)

Helsinki, Finland (4,5 years, elementary)
Depok, Indonesia (3, years, junior high school)

Paramaribo, Indonesia (3 years, high school)

Jakarta, Indonesia (4 years, bachelor)

Vienna, Austria (4 years, masters)

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

Home is any situation that can make me feel accepted and content, whether it be the current residence, family, friends, pets, hobbies, passions, and life partner/future family. Some people might define home as their birthplace, parents' countries, or where they grew up. I was born in Tanzania, my parents are from Indonesia, and I grew up in different countries, so either I don't know which to consider as home or I would call all those as my homes.

6. Where do you consider "home" and why?
The whole world is home for me. It is everywhere and the homes that I have lived in before even though it is unlikely I will ever come back. I feel belongingness not only just one specific country. Since my homes are scattered, I see the world as home for all human beings.

7. 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 like learning foreign languages and I would love to use my background for a greater impact, although right now, I am  still searching that one job that can make me feel fulfilled.

8. What are your thoughts on globalization? Current political situation?

I think there is positive and negative consequence. Globalization can emphasize differences of cultures, due to the communication technology that connects the world, allowing internet users to learn different customs without having to be there, but it can also erase diversity since there is a uniformity of cultures through the shared communication culture.

9. How are your thoughts on world affairs different from those around you?
I tend to see it more from an observer, open-minded, global perspective, usually concluding that there needs to be more progress

10. Do you plan on incorporating a large amount of travel with your career?
Yes, would love to.

Laughing while trying to get the selfie stick to work..

Rafika is currently working on gathering TCKs for an anthology to document the diversity of TCK stories from around the world. If you identify as a TCK please fill out her form http://bit.ly/2rZgcIv

The TCK Identity is ambiguous

I have an ambiguous identity of a Third Culture Kid. There's quite a lot of nationalistic pride these days in the world and the more I shy away creating a strong stance on any of the particular countries I have either an affiliation, lived in before, traveled many times to and totally enamoured with because I don't understand nationalistic pride.

As a TCK, I'm ambiguous. Culturally mixed up and adopting cultural traditions that I like along the way. When one has a global stand point of view, it isn't about specific countries and patriotism to one country. It is about feeling torn because why does one need to choose? How does one choose? Should we choose at all...

I have a perverse fascination with people who have strong viewpoints because it means they have decided what they are going to fight for. Fighting for your beliefs is a very Western ideology that I grew up with in my education. I know what I believe in and will question why... just like I am doing now.

I've been interested in hearing both sides of the story lately because to understand a situation is to hear the extreme viewpoints of both sides. Perhaps, I'm optimistic in thinking this would probably solve or come up with a solution that both sides can agree upon. This is how I view disagreements between people.

As a TCK, many of us are used to looking at the world from an Outsider/Insider perspective even if we aren't realising it. This perspective can sometimes frustrate me because what is so clear to me can be clouded when one has a strong extreme stance.

I'm a globalist that believes TCKs and cross-culturals should assert the diplomatic Outsider/Insider perspective. This is the TCK privilege.

I am a TCK and I'm culturally ambiguous.
Straddling between cultures
I watch,
I listen,
I see,
I experience.
Then I talk.

Cultures clash and my mind races.
Trying to navigate a world that is so divided like night and day.

A dramatic world of extremes is a chaotic world.

Chaos.

All I want to do is create, produce, inspire, and love.

Love.

The world needs more love.

Olympics are filled with TCKs

Stock image taken from Pixabay

The Rio Olympics is underway and so many elite and inspiring athletes from around the world are competing at their highest level to be the best in the world. Its been a rising trend that so many of these athletes are globally mobile and travel to get the best training in the world. So many athletes as a result become Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and Expats as a result.

Sports has a long history of soft-core diplomacy for countries. The exchange of good sportsmanship between athletes, the inspiration these elite athletes give to budding athletes, the athletic rivalry in competition, and the pride in representing a whole nation.

Wait... Patriotism among TCKs can be a tricky thing.

As a spectator, TCKs are torn between multiple countries. Who do we root for?

I recently asked my mother this question and she responded by saying "I don't have a country to root for"

To which I replied "I root for the winning athletes and the countries they represent"

She responded "So we should have multiple country flags and wave the winning flags"

"YES!"

Its trickier for athletes. Some are third culture kids early on in their childhood and had their training all over the world. Some move because they need to get the highest training they can get to make it to the top of their chosen sport. Some move because they would have a better chance at representing a country at the Olympics.

With global mobility becoming easier, an elite athlete would be able to get the best training she/he needs to make their dreams come true. There are so many critics to this tactic as it may be seen as un-patriotic. But what is patriotism these days for the global nomad? Global nomadic athletes train hard to push themselves to realise their dreams for competing with the best for an Olympic gold.

We should support the athletes and their hard work, sacrifices, and for having the determination that many of us lack to push through many long hours of sore muscles, injuries, etc.

Cheer on for the athletes that moves from Singapore to the USA, from China to Germany, from Greece to Austria, from USA to Georgia, from USA to Sweden, etc.

Celebrate the diversity of cultures mixing and healthy sports competition.

Stock photo taken from Pixabay

Why I travel

Perhaps its the "Third Culture Kid" syndrome that gives us a constant need to travel that is inherent to our existence on earth to be global citizens or simply because we have that "itch". I am always dreaming up of my next trip. Where should I travel next? What do I want to see/experience/do? What do I want from my next trip? Is it a vacation? Is it to escape? Am I going there to scope out a possible future home? What do I want? Who do I want to see? Who do I want to meet? etc. Many questions run through my mind.

I turned to social media and asked my facebook network of friends, colleagues, students, third culture kids, expats, global nomads, family, and employers. These are their responses:

Why do YOU travel?

I travel because __________

"I travel because I want to be free"

"It's the best way to learn about the world."

"I need peace, because I want to feel foreign and misunderstood while bumping into unscheduled adventures with locals and travelers like myself."

"I wanna gtfo of singaboringpore." - LOL!

"I have to for work."

"I want to see. I want to gasp! return awestruck. And then linger on delightful memories knowing there is so much wonder still to experience."

"I seek to scratch The Itch." 

"I travel because it brings me home."

"I want to connect with my mom, my kids and my family."

"I hate this bloody place."

"... a sedentary life is harbinger to the death of delightfully dynamic decisions, discourse and discovery! I apologize for nothing."

" i need it!"

"it is a joy to find a new home everywhere I go ... ?! "

"I can"

"I need to remind myself that there's more to life than just working"

"Because I Enjoy the new spices in life."

"I will see and experience things beyond the pretty photographs"

"I want to see as much as I can before I die"

"Either, I want out of my comfort zone or I want to relax, but always to escape the normal routine."

"I'm no tree."

"its a life worth living..."

"I travel because I'm curious!"          

"i need balance"

"it teaches me humility and gratitude"

"I want to learn!" 

"my soul needs it" 

"I'm curious! and because I love to get lost on purpose."

"i need to get out of Singapore to realize how fortunate i am"
  

I travel because I need to feel alive and discover myself again.   
I've read a lot of travel blogs and articles about why people travel. I think ultimately the reasons that we travel is because the monotony of daily life and the human need to explore the unknown becomes the biggest draw to traveling to new places. I have a bucket list of places I'd like to see that is very personal to me. Its always interesting to read other people's bucket list of places they would like to see in their lifetime. 

The past year has been very difficult for me as you can see from my past posts but there were some positives in my life that have happened in my life like the students I teach and have taught this past year (love you all!), rekindled friendships and made a few new friends, rediscovering the country of my youth, but what I've really LOVED is the traveling (Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, London, Edinburgh) and the year is not yet over! I am approaching my 30th birthday in a month and to celebrate, I have been planning on a ski trip to Switzerland and visiting a couple European cities. I've heard so much about these place but have never visited. I'm looking forward to celebrating my birthday, the holidays, and ushering in the new year with snow, skiing, gluhwein, hot chocolate, fondue, bratwurst, bier, art, culture, history, and new adventures!

I guess you could say that instead of being bitten by the travel bug, I've always had the travel bug since I was a fetus (my parents were traveling all over the world while pregnant with me). I have a travel addiction that is getting better with age!

Photo taken in NYC in 2010 after a big snowstorm right after Christmas and we went sledding in Central Park