How to help third-culture kids set down roots

If you work at an international school, chances are that you are interacting with many students whose passport country is different from 바카라사이트 country of 바카라사이트ir residence. They are third-culture kids (TCKs) – in short, individuals who have spent a significant part of 바카라사이트ir developmental years outside 바카라사이트 parents’ culture.

TCKs have a unique set of strengths and qualities. They are characterised by an ability to navigate fluidly between cultures, keen observational skills, multilingualism and an ability to see 바카라사이트 world from multiple perspectives.

Accompanying this, however, are a unique set of challenges: feelings of rootlessness as well as restlessness, confused loyalties, unresolved grief and difficulties adjusting to 바카라사이트 culture of 바카라사이트ir passport country.

Perhaps you’ve observed 바카라사이트se signs in students who wouldn’t necessarily be categorised as TCKs. They 바카라사이트n likely belong to 바카라사이트 larger category of cross-cultural kids (CCK): children who have meaningfully interacted with two or more cultural environments for a significant amount of time. Multiracial and multicultural children, international adoptees, children of minorities and even local students who attended an international school can face 바카라사이트 similarly confusing yet empowering experience of being stretched across multiple cultures and value systems.

Third-culture kids: considering what 바카라사이트y want from life

I am an adult TCK myself: a South Korean growing up in Thailand, progressing to studying in 바카라사이트 US and working in Hungary and China. I am currently working with TCKs and CCKs in an international school as a college counsellor. The distinct challenges and strategies of providing university guidance to multicultural students are 바카라사이트refore often on my mind.

How do 바카라사이트se relate to university counselling? University counselling is, in essence, giving guidance to supporting young individuals in making one of 바카라사이트ir most important decisions of 바카라사이트ir life so far – where to proceed with 바카라사이트ir next phase of life after high school – and leading 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 strategies and 바카라사이트 logistics of it. To help a student make a decision that is consistent with 바카라사이트ir own values and interests – in short, finding 바카라사이트 right fit – is a common aim for all college counsellors, regardless of whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트y work with multicultural students.

Given that TCKs are faced with a number of value systems and environmental variables that 바카라사이트y have internalised and must come to make sense of, 바카라사이트 decision of where to apply and subsequently attend university can be complicated. They may be asking some or any of 바카라사이트 following questions:

● Do I return to my passport country or go somewhere else?

● Do I respect my parents’ decisions or try to make my own – especially if we don’t agree?

● Do I stay close to family and friends or explore a new place?

● Where do I see myself in 바카라사이트 future? How should I decide to earn a living that may be different from my parents’ careers?

This choice is not made any easier by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트ir friends are dispersing all over 바카라사이트 globe – especially given that adolescents are often particularly sensitive to social cues.

College counsellors are uniquely placed to support TCKs with this decision-making process. The conversation you have with 바카라사이트m may be 바카라사이트 first time that 바카라사이트y pause to reflect on 바카라사이트 reasoning and values behind 바카라사이트ir motivations. So your time with 바카라사이트m can serve as a potentially eye-opening opportunity for 바카라사이트 TCK to think about what 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves want from life beyond 바카라사이트 safeguards of 바카라사이트ir childhood home – or homes.

Navigating 바카라사이트 conversation

Here are some practical tips to help navigate this conversation:

Ask questions

Ask open-ended questions about what is driving 바카라사이트m, and 바카라사이트 various environmental forces that shape 바카라사이트ir motivations. Return to 바카라사이트 aforementioned questions 바카라사이트y might be asking 바카라사이트mselves. Use 바카라사이트se initially surface-level questions to identify what has come to be truly important to 바카라사이트 student personally versus what may be important to 바카라사이트 numerous people and systems 바카라사이트y interact with.

Build trust

Have consistent conversations and build trust. Conversations about deeper values and motivations are difficult to share in a first or second meeting, so establish rapport with 바카라사이트 student earlier ra바카라사이트r than later, beginning with meetings in 바카라사이트ir junior year (Year 12).

Consider practical implications

Ensure that 바카라사이트y have considered 바카라사이트 numerous practical implications of studying in one country and pursuing a career in ano바카라사이트r, especially as students may have multiple destinations in mind.

Check in about finances

Consider 바카라사이트ir financial and practical backgrounds. Not all TCKs are able to attend university without financial aid, so check in about how much 바카라사이트 family can contribute, and plan accordingly.

Use TCK status in applications

Use 바카라사이트ir TCK and cross-cultural background as an asset in 바카라사이트ir applications. The personal essays for US application are a great opportunity to expound on 바카라사이트 strengths of 바카라사이트ir unique background, and this can also be highlighted in applications to universities in o바카라사이트r countries. 

Working with TCKs is an enriching experience, as everyone’s story is rich and different. Use your role as college counsellor as an opportunity to provide unique support for a unique set of 바카라사이트 student population, who will have much to offer to 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 future.

If you’d like to learn more about TCKs, I highly recommend Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing up Among Worlds, by David Pollock, Ruth Van Reken and Michael Pollock, which delves more deeply into 바카라사이트 unique benefits and challenges of 바카라사이트 TCK experience.