I'm a TCK. (TCK stands for third culture kid. TCKs are kids/teenagers that have traveled and lived in different countries and cultures while they were growing up.) I have had the pleasure of living in several different countries and cultures. I just thought I'd make a list of signs you might be a TCK for those who are TCK's and for those that aren't. If you aren't a TCK, I invite you to read the post anyways so you can learn more about me and other TCK's. Enjoy!
You might be a TCK if...
1. Your eye starts twitching when people ask you where you’re from.
2. You know what it’s like to be stared at.
3. You go to the US and have a hard time finding authentic food from the countries you’ve lived in.
4. You speak more than one language.
5. You’re great at calculating time differences.
6. You have favorite airports and airlines.
7. You don’t know what to do when you come across a form that asks you to give your permanent address.
8. You’ve had to say about a million goodbyes.
9. You’re an expert packer.
10. You can convert currencies in your head.
11. You’re a foodie because you’ve gotten to taste the best, authentic foods from different cultures.
12. You know that fast-food restaurants like Subway, McDonalds, KFC, and Burger King taste very different depending on where you are.
13. You get flustered when you go to the supermarket (especially the candy aisle) in the US because there are so many options.
14. You’re an expert at getting through security at airports. It’s like another routine.
15. You meet a person and get confused with which way to greet them. Do you shake their hand, give them a Spanish kiss on the cheek, hug them….what is it?
16. You’re referred to as “the American”.
17. People have asked you to choose the best place you’ve ever lived.
18. You’ve been asked to teach English hundreds of times.
19. The flight attendant announces that it’s time to board the plane and everyone else rushes to get in line while you just sit there watching people trample over each other to get in line.
20. You have more than one type of currency in your wallet.
21. You get overjoyed when you receive a care package.
22. You had a passport before you had a drivers license.
23. You are not sure what language to greet in when you answer the phone.
24. You put a DVD in your computer and discover it’s from the wrong region.
25. Seeing 20 people in the back of a truck is normal.
26. You have rainy season and dry season not winter, fall, spring, and summer.
27. You have friends living all around the world.
-Amanda
