signs you're a third culture individual

Today I thought I would do something slightly different. My blog is titled "Words from Diana", yet most of my posts are dominantly my photographs with few words. So here's a little post on something that is very near and dear to me.

I thought it would be useful to first explain the concept of being a third culture kid. This term refers to a person that has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. According to Wikipedia (yes, I'm using Wikipedia 'cause it's my blog and I can do that), "the first culture of [these kids] refers to the culture of the country from which the parents originated, the second culture refers to the culture in which the family currently resides, and the third culture refers to the amalgamation of these two cultures." This term usually applies to the children of Foreign Service Officers, military personnel, missionaries, aid workers, and so on, but really, it can refer to any person that has experienced growing up in a foreign culture.

Inspired by outlets like Buzzfeed and Thought Catalog that have discussed the concept of being a TCK, I thought it would be fun and interesting to put together a comprehensive list of seven big indicators you're a third culture individual based on my own personal experiences.

1. Not Knowing Where You're From: "Where are you from?" is the most dreaded question you could ask a third culture kid. To most people, this is a relatively easy question to answer. However, for me, this question has always been a nightmare. I never know if I should answer with the country I am legally from, the country I was born in, or the place I am currently living in. While I was living in places like Switzerland and India, I usually just stuck with saying I'm from Uruguay (even though I was born in the U.S.). But now that I'm actually living in the United States, it has become even more complicated. It's too complicated to explain why even though I was born in New Jersey, I'm not a U.S. citizen. These days, I usually just tell people I've been living in Maryland for a while and try not to go further than that. 
2. Home Doesn't Quite Feel Like Home: I have a deep emotional connection to Uruguay despite the fact that I have only lived there a total six years. Whenever someone asks me the dreaded "where are you from?" my first thought is always Uruguay. It's my passport country and the place I have always associated with home. But the truth is that I always feel like a bit of an outsider when I go back. I specifically remember when my family moved to Montevideo when I was about 10 years old and I began the 4th grade. My friends always treated me a bit like a foreigner because I was born abroad. It was never exactly a negative thing as everyone is quite fascinated with the U.S., but it felt like they were rejecting me in a way. I wasn't one of them. I still made some very close friends there that I keep in touch with to this day, but to most of them I will always be the "American." Cliche as it may sound, to me home isn't a place, it's simply where you are. 
3.  Being Multilingual Isn't Impressive: One of the biggest perks of growing up as a TCK is that I had the opportunity to become multilingual. I was already lucky enough that my whole family on both sides is bilingual (Spanish-English). I don't even know which language I actually learned first. As far as I can remember, I have always spoken both English and Spanish. When I was about 4 years old, we moved to Geneva. Since I was very young, I finished kindergarden and started my elementary education in the public Swiss system. Public school meant that it was taught in the local language which was French. I don't remember the process of learning French, all I know is that within a month of school starting, I was a francophone. When I spoke, no one questioned if I was foreign, they assumed I was Swiss. I get a pretty good feeling when I tell people that I'm trilingual, but this is not all that uncommon in third culture kid circles.
4. You Can Adapt To New Environments Quickly: Change is never easy. However, when you are forced to experience change on a very regular basis from a young age, you become extremely adaptable. Whether it's a new school, a new house, a new social circle, or a whole new country and culture, a TCK is used to adjusting. Although it may sound like an oxymoron, change is the only constant I know. I'm used to the idea that when I get somewhere, I'll be saying goodbye within a few years. Quite frankly, the biggest and more difficult adjustment I had to face every time I moved was starting school in a different language. I started elementary school in Switzerland learning in French. I finished elementary and began middle school in Uruguay where I attended a bilingual Spanish-English school. I began high school while living in India where I attended the International French School. And I finished my education in the U.S. in the American system, speaking in English. All of these experiences have taught me to be very flexible and to never get too comfortable.
5. You're A Specialist In Long Distance Relationships: Growing up in so many different places means having friends and family in many different places. As a TCK, I am most thankful for the invention of Facebook and Skype. It makes keeping in touch with friends around the world so much easier. My best friend is currently living in India, and will be moving to England to continue her studies later this year. Without Skype or Facebook, it would be almost impossible to keep in touch with her to the extent that I do now. But amazingly enough, despite the distance we have remained best friends for ten years now. I actually remember being very little and sending post cards to my friends abroad and anxiously waiting weeks for their replies. Ah, the days before the Internet... Anyway, the key to a successful long distance relationship is commitment on both ends. If you have that, no amount of time or distance can end things. 
6. Your Heart Breaks When You Have To Get A New Passport: My passports are my most valued possessions. My current passport has an incredible collection of stamps from places like France, Egypt, England, Malaysia, and Jamaica, among others. Whenever I pull it out around other people, they are always so fascinated by the amount of pages I have filled up. Every time I have to get it renewed, I have to start from zero. While it makes me a little sad, I also see the new passport as a blank canvas beckoning to be filled with new experiences and adventures.
7. You Never Want This Lifestyle To Stop: I want to continue living my life this way. I have lived in the United States for almost eight years now and it's the longest I have been in one place, ever. As much as I love it here, I am itching for a change of scenery.

Hopefully you enjoyed this and learned a little more about me :-)

- D