Melbourne — Stories

A Djinn By Any Other Name

I had felt the presence of Jaini high in the mountains of Iran, along the shores of the Caspian…

Raising The Bar

The scene of a Muslim family decorating a built-in home bar at Christmas felt normal to me at the time…

Sri Lankan TCK Sex

I wasn’t keen on my first time being as awkward and fumbling as the house-party sex stories I was hearing about from my peers…

I Just Want a Matchstick

We were in Costa Rica, two months in, on a year-long adventure of travel, volunteering, and growth…

I Will Carry That Rice Cooker Out Like a Purse

My “real” boyfriend has his family coming from Brazil. He politely tells me to “move out” for the duration of the trip. I pay half the rent…

Moving, Food, RelationshipsBy Cherysh Sullivan (From Hawai'i & Germany. Living in Tokyo)28 December 2019tck, TCK TOWN, TCK, Tck, third language, moving, world, Japanese, Japan, city, station, boyfriend, culture, cultural, divorce, new place, boxes, pack, packing, friend, unpack, Perth, Melbourne, Brazil Comments

Not Just Halloween Pumpkins

Woody persimmons sit on a small Japanese table with dark marker grimaces. Acrid pumpkins from China are baskets for treats...

Stand Out

I have a Chinese-Malaysian mother and a Ugandan father, I’m two parts of two continents, but since most people can’t guess that. I’m a black woman to them...

Monteverdean Skies

I am celebrating my 27th birthday zip-lining along the emerald enclaves of Costa Rica that strangely remind me of the yawning valleys of my own tiny Lebanese chouf village...

Sri Lankans Drink Like Fish

Heading back home with my housemates, we would stop for tsukemen by the station - delicious yellow noodles dipped into a thick, hot broth that was ordered from a little ticket machine at the front of the store...

Let's Party, FunBy Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)6 July 2019Sri Lanka, TCK, Chinese, Melbourne, Victoria, Tokyo, hangover, Sri Lankan, hometown, TCK TOWN, third culture kid, drinking, tckComment

Hopscotch

It's only when we got older that moving got harder and more difficult. Each time it felt as though you've left a little part of yourself behind. I've moved countries 5 times in my lifetime...

Cooking Up The Courage To Move Again

I recognised my discomfort for what it was quickly enough. I love challenging myself by meeting new people and throwing myself into new environments and experiences as often as I can, but that doesn’t mean I find it easy to do…

FearBy Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)1 June 2019TCK TOWN, TCK, Tck, moving, moving countries, disappointment, Australia, Middle East, challenges, judgement, Melbourne, life lessons, cooking, Dubai Comments

Flyway, My Friend

A collaborative project between 20 artists across nine countries came close to that gossamer spirit that has guided me through my travels. That project was The Flyway Print Exchange, coordinated by the Melbourne-based printmaker and artist Kate Gorringe-Smith…

Swallowing the Shame-Anger Pill

Having edited TCK TOWN for two and a half years now, having dated a very, very troubled TCK who was battling with his cultural identity, and through living TCK experiences myself, I could imagine that his past had made him this odd, awkward and uncomfortable rageaholic…

AngerBy Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)27 March 2019TCK, TCK TOWN, third culture kid, anger, relationships, relatives, mother, father, sister, Melbourne, Australia, race, culture, conflict, familyComment

FARAH

I am local. I am multi-local. My childhood is a collection of short stories that flit between Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Australia...

Blood And Water

Declarations such as “shame on them”, “I’d rather my daughter died than bring dishonour to the family”, “she must’ve dabbled in black magic to brainwash that poor boy”, and “I hope they’re found and shamed publicly” were made with great gusto, and to my adolescent brain, conjured up horrific visions which nearly made me throw up my dinner...

The Floods Are Coming

The storm was forecast to be a 10 out of 10 in severity, authorities had warned. Jokes about the apocalypse arriving rang between the desks. I’m sure I even heard someone blaming Trump for the huge weather event that was going to hit...

ResilienceBy Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)5 January 2019TCK, TCK TOWN, Tck, Melbourne, Sri Lanka, storm, trishaws, non-storm, TCK training, took, perspectives, emergencyComment

Sisto Malaspina—Amore Segreto

Every time he would be the absolute best human and make me want to be more like him. Nothing was more important to Sisto than the people he worked with and his loyal customers…

Friendships, HeroesBy Eisha Gupta (from India, Dubai and Melbourne. Living in India.)29 December 2018TCK TOWN, TCK, Tck, Melbourne, Australia, café, Immigration, migrate, cultural icon, Italy, death, beautiful person, mourningComment

The Travelling TCK Tea Towels

It’s a tea towel. Why apologize?

Where Do I Begin?

I became the ‘Pakistani Australian’ or the ‘Australian Pakistani’ depending on whether I was meeting Sam or Sameet…

Water Hopper

From old theatres to laneway bars, I walk the Yarra with boys and cars.
With double tongues, I watch bright lights, as I explore and devour the night…

Where Are You From?By Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)5 September 2018where are you from, TCK TOWN, tck, TCK, third culture kid, Identity, cross cultural, culture, Tokyo, Bahrain, Dubai, Melbourne, Tasmania, Sri LankaComment