Stories — TCK TOWN

“Where are you from?” Thrill and dread. That question we all prepare a thirty-second elevator pitch for…

(No Longer) In Your Arms

You gave me respite from the most difficult of memories. Other times, you were a source of shame…

Boundaries, Black Lives MatterBy Shannon Irby (From Ramstein, Tucson, Okinawa, Adana, D.C., San Antonio & Houston. Living in Okinawa.)30 January 2021TCK, TCA, boundaries, culture, connection, connected, memories, heart, importance, history, togetherComment

Lupita Nyong'o — Mexican and Kenyan Superstar

She starred in ‘Shuga’, an MTV/UNICEF-backed series looking at sexual relationships among youth in Nairobi, promoting HIV awareness…

Black Lives MatterBy Danish Khan (From Melbourne, Perth, Karachi & Islamabad. Living in Karachi)27 January 2021TCK, TCK TOWN, Third Culture Adult, third culture adult, culture, story, identityComment

One Complimentary Black Friend

When planning a party, my go-to is to mix things up. I’ve found that including a flavorful assortment of people has always guaranteed my most memorable events...

Let's Party, Community, FunBy Nakate Kakembo (From Malaysia, China & Uganda. Living in Melbourne)20 January 2021TCK TOWN, tck, TCK, third culture kid, Let's Party, party, black, friends, friend, event, New Year's Eve, food, culturalComment

Returning to the Ocean's Wave

I know how older people feel, when they return to a country abandoned long ago…

Fear, Moving, Water, AdulthoodBy Shannon Irby (From Ramstein, Tucson, Okinawa, Adana, D.C., San Antonio & Houston. Living in Okinawa.)16 January 2021tck, TCK TOWN, Third Culture Adult, third culture kid, beach, ocean, childhood, resilienceComment

Khadija Gbla's FGM Story Is Changing Africa & Australia

Her voice and her work have shown her local community how important it is to embrace cultural diversity, diverse opinions and outlooks…

Black Lives Matter, Africa, North America, Racism, Resilience, Woman, HeroesBy Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)13 January 2021TCK, TCK TOWN, third culture adult, black lives matter, Arab, Africa, USA, AmericaComment

Omar Ibn Said and American Slavey in Arabic

It is devastating to think that West Africa lost a highly-regarded member of their community, famous for his literacy in Arabic, to North Carolina, where it was illegal for a slave to even be literate in English…

Black Lives Matter, Africa, North America, Racism, ResilienceBy Danish Khan (From Melbourne, Perth, Karachi & Islamabad. Living in Karachi)9 January 2021TCK, TCK TOWN, third culture adult, black lives matter, Arab, Africa, USA, AmericaComment

Keep It Secret

Anger is vicious, and knows not his strength. He wrestles and pulls, until Fear’s out of breath…

Anger, Asia, Black Lives Matter, MovingBy Shannon Irby (From Ramstein, Tucson, Okinawa, Adana, D.C., San Antonio & Houston. Living in Okinawa.)2 January 2021TCK, TCK TOWN, Third Culture Adult, third culture kid, anger, Tck, tck, social, socialize, secret, Korea, South Korea, EnglishComment

Catalyzing World Class Education

We need to be developing global citizens who can engage with ideas and issues, make decisions and enact positive change…

Asia, Education, School, ChangeBy Seth Robinson (From the USA & Australia. Living in Melbourne)30 December 2020TCK, TCK TOWN, Third Culture Adult, third culture adult, culture, story, identityComment

Christmas in the Cold… Again

Most of my Christmases have been summer ones—a concept people outside of Australia take a while to get their heads around…

Food, Traditions & CustomsBy Ashleigh Leyshon (From Melbourne, Tokyo & Nagoya. Living in Kharkiv)26 December 2020TCK, TCK TOWN, Tck, ATCK, stealthing, third culture kid, food, eat, travel, Christmas, holiday, soul food, traditionsComment

Raising The Bar

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

The Ghosts of Hot Chocolate

Our neighbors and my family sat huddled at a table, Bathed in the smoky vapors and light from a kerosene lantern, With the smell of temples, Like mosquito coils from Japan…