This July (28th) marks the International Third Culture Kid (TCK) Day. A day which celebrates what it truly means to be a TCK.
What is a TCK?
A TCK is a person who has been raised outside his or her home culture. These people create a Third Culture by borrowing parts from the original culture (home culture) and parts from the second culture (host culture) and then mixing it up to make their own third culture.
What does it mean to be a TCK?
Being a TCK means so much more than just having lived in multiple different cultures. It means to belong to no one culture, as a TCK you are every culture. It means that every culture comes to life in you, which makes you unique. It’s a privilege to travel to different countries and experience a different way of life, but as a TCK you have experienced many rich cultures.
Common struggles of a TCK
Although being a TCK is an incredible blessing, it also makes us different and brings a lot of challenges and obstacles for us to overcome. Unlike individuals who have been brought up experiencing one dominant culture, we struggle to feel a sense of belonging to any one culture, even though we embody so many.
It’s important to remember that with great blessings, also comes great struggles. It’s okay to feel lonely or resentful of your experience. As a TCK it can be difficult to find your place and feel a sense of belonging. One of the most common things that brings a community together is a shared culture, as a TCK this can be hard to relate to. It’s never easy to find new friends, but as a TCK this proves to be even more difficult. Sometimes you might not feel confident enough to put yourself out there, but there is always a community waiting for you.
Celebrating International TCK Day at Chameleon Vibes
Chameleon Vibes is all about empowering TCK and creating communities in which you can thrive and find your people and a sense of belonging. Whether you are searching for love or searching for friendship, the possibilities at Chameleon Vibes are endless, and the offer of belonging is yours.
At Chameleon Vibes, we are so excited to be celebrating International TCK Day this year, and we cannot wait to celebrate with you. Through July we will be sharing an array of topics over on our website and socials focused around what it means to be a TCK, the challenges faced, the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
How can you celebrate International TCK Day?
Want to share in the celebrations this year but not quite sure how? That’s okay, we’ve got a few ideas!
Gearing up for a big celebration can feel overwhelming, the pressure to celebrate the right way and make the most out of the day can often take the fun out of the celebration. The truth is, you don’t need to go overboard, you don’t need to make a massive deal out of trying to get everything done. All you need to do is do something that makes you feel proud to be a TCK.
Whether you enjoy watching cultural movies, visiting a local group, visiting friends, looking back on memories or reminiscing with family about the rich cultures you have experienced. Celebrating International TCK Day is about you, the day is yours to celebrate the way that you want to celebrate it.
Celebration ideas:
- Reminisce with family about cultural experiences
- Meet up with family or friends
- Create a theme for the day of your favourite culture
- Explore a new culture
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