Round Trip Stories

This is our "Third Culture Kid Advice" episode. Our guests show the variety and diversity of the TCK experience. They come from six continents and spent time as children overseas because of diplomacy, education, missions, or business. They are now in their 20's to 50's, and as adults, they have spent lots of time thinking about their TCK experiences. This episode is a compilation of our twelve TCK...

This episode is Part 2 of our interview with Amanda Bates, employer branding strategist , storyteller and transitions consultant who is also the founder and creative director of theblackexpat.com, a website for black identity and international living. Amanda is also the host of “The Global Chatter” and happens to be a third culture kid who spent her growing up years in Cameroon and then returned t...

Our guest today is Amanda Bates, employer branding strategist , storyteller and transitions consultant who is also the founder and creative director of theblackexpat.com, a website for black identity and international living. Amanda is the host of “The Global Chatter” podcast and happens to be a third culture kid from the United States who spent her growing up years in Cameroon. In this episode, A...

This is Part 2 of our interview with Marie Suazo, host of the podcast “Talks with a TCK friend” and author of Tales of a Diplomat’s Daughter. Originally from the Philippines, Marie grew up in South Korea and Egypt because she was part of a diplomat family. After college in Seoul, Korea, she moved back with her family and eventually returned to the Philippines. Not only was it difficult moving into...

Our guest today is Marie Suazo, host of the podcast “Talks with a TCK friend” and author of Tales of a Diplomat’s Daughter.  Originally from the Philippines, Marie grew up in South Korea and Egypt during her family’s diplomatic assignments.  She loved being part of the expatriate communities in both places, and did not know any difference until she was on a rough home assignment in the Philippines...

This is Part 2 of our interview with Ana Julia Borges, a Brazilian third culture kid who spent seven years of her childhood in Uruguay. Ana Julia is a foodie, sociologist, and curriculum developer for TCK Training. When Ana was eight years old, her parents went to Uruguay to begin university groups for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. When their mission was complete and when A...

Our guest today is Ana Julia Borges, a Brazilian third culture kid who spent seven years of her childhood in Uruguay. Ana Julia is a foodie, sociologist, and curriculum developer for TCK Training. When Ana was eight years old, her parents went to Uruguay to begin university groups for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Those university students became part of her extended family...

Today we're sharing Part 2 of our interview with Major Ben Scott, a US Army Signal Corps Officer who grew up as a Third Culture Kid in Kenya and Germany. He and his wife are now raising his five third culture kids of their own back in Germany where Ben is stationed. At 15 years old, Ben returned to the United States for high school. Despite a smooth first year, he entered a difficult time of negot...

Our guest for this episode is Major Ben Scott, a US Army Signal Corps Officer who grew up as a Third Culture Kid in Kenya and Germany before returning to the United States for high school. As a missionary kid, he says that he always has a story in his pocket. He begins this interview sharing one story of a baby cheetah tackling him and shares another of him running down a U.S. highway with a Germa...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our interview with Amy Burton, a life and mindset coach living in Alaska with her husband and three teenagers. She grew up as a third culture kid in Spain in the 1980’s where her parents were missionaries. After 12 years, Amy’s family was back in the U.S. for a year-long sabbatical. Right before they were supposed to return to Spain, their mission was discontinued. To 15...

Our guest today is Amy Burton, a life and mindset coach who grew up as a third culture kid in Spain. Amy now lives in Alaska and is a mother of three. From the ages of two to 14 she was raised in ancient Madrid and then a brand new city called Tres Cantos as her parents planted a church in the 1980’s. Spain was recovering from the dictatorship under Franco, and Amy tells of the difficulties of beg...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our interview with Jonny Chin, science teacher from San Francisco and Chinese American third culture kid who grew up in Beijing, China for his K-12 school career. He repatriated to California to attend university and began the process of reflecting on his TCK identity in college and beyond. Jonny shares tips on how to reflect and even give back to others going through tou...

Our guest today is Jonny Chin, science teacher from San Francisco and Chinese American third culture kid who grew up in Beijing, China from the ages of 5 to 18. Jonny’s dad was a public health doctor who worked for the World Health Organization and was sent to Beijing. While Jonny learned to wash his hands early during the 2003 SARS pandemic, discovering his Chinese American TCK identity has been...

This Review-Preview episode is an aerial view of where we’ve been in season 3 and where we are going in season 4.  We are in the middle of our two-season series of Third Culture Kid (TCK) guests who have spent some of their childhood living outside their passport country. We review our season 3 TCK guests and share quotes and a few lessons from each of their interviews.  Then we give a preview of...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our interview with Justin Lau, Adult Third Culture Kid who grew up in Japan, originally from Singapore, and now working as a worship leader in London. After finishing up a deep rooted education in his international school in Japan, he had to move back to Singapore for mandatory military service. It was then that he felt more Japanese than anything, and felt comfort in the...

Our guest today is Justin Lau, Adult Third Culture Kid, originally from Singapore, who grew up in Japan and now works as a worship leader in London. Justin made the move to Japan at three months old and thrived in his international school community until he graduated at 17 years old. He shares stories about the warmth he holds for Japan and the deep connections he made with his international schoo...

This is Part 2 of our interview with Maïa Talabard, a third culture kid from France who is a university business school student, artist, cheerleader, and travel lover. In this episode, Maïa shares about her return to France during middle school and the people who made her transition a little easier. She also tells stories about how her experience as a TCK continues to influence her life now and en...

This is part 1 of our interview with is Maïa Talabard, a third culture kid from France who is a university business school student, artist, cheerleader, and travel lover. She spent three years in Korea and three years in China during her childhood before she returned to France for high school. Maïa shares about the freedom, adventure, pollution, and connections during her time in Asia as a TCK. Se...

Melissa and Tracy share their stories about experiencing hospitality when living abroad, and they also share stories from listeners Alwina, Urmi, Monica, and Scott. Whatever the version of hospitality and whatever it looks like in a host country or upon our return, there is no denying the human warmth received and gratefulness produced. Today's stories show that hospitality is sharing food, places...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our interview with third culture kid Shukura Babirye, a travel and nature-lover from the United Kingdom who grew up in the United States and Singapore. Her return to the UK was one she was nervous about, and even arriving at the airport produced anxiety.  Without her mom or twin brother nearby, the transition to her UK university was a lonely one.  Listen to Shukura share...

This is part 1 of our interview with Shukura Babirye, a travel and nature-lover and  adult Third Culture Kid from the United Kingdom.  Shukura and her twin brother attended British schools in the United States and Singapore because their mom worked at their international British schools in those two countries.  Shukura values the global perspective and access to service opportunities at her intern...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our interview with Sam Fisher, adult TCK who grew up in Indonesia and Malaysia as a missionary kid to a local Indonesian mom and an American dad. Returning to the U.S. for college was another huge transition, but his network of relationships from boarding school and all the new university friends helped him feel at home. In this episode, listen to Sam discuss his journey...

This is part 1 of our interview with Sam Fisher, an adult Third Culture Kid who grew up in Indonesia and Malaysia as a missionary kid to a local Indonesian mom and American dad. Returning to the U.S. for college, Sam is now a book seller and dad of four in his forties living near Boston. Sam’s family spent some periods of his childhood in the US, but they primarily lived in Indonesia in a small, t...

This is Part 2 of our interview with adult third Culture Kid Sherene Joseph, a writer and storyteller born in Tamil Nadu, India.  After growing up in Oman from the age of 4 to 17 years old, she moved back to India for university studies.  Sherene later married and moved to the US with her own family.   In this part of her interview, she shares her stories of returning to India after university and...

Our guest today is adult third culture kid, Sherene Joseph, a writer and storyteller born in Tamil Nadu, India. From four to 17 years old, Sherene grew up in the Sultanate of Oman, and then moved back to India at 17 for university studies. Sherene later married and moved to the U. S. with her own family. In part one of her interview with us, she shares her stories of growing up in the Middle East...