Series: 2) parental sacrificeand the ungrateful child

Previously, I briefly mentioned it was for my schooling and education sake that my parents took the family to this new community. Although this is true, there is much more to be stated than simply this statement. Or else I think you would get the wrong idea about my parents who seem like they spontaneously decided to live out in the middle of no where for the sake of their only child. However, even though moving to my Dad's hometown for my educational purposes is true, there is much more to it and I think the rest of series cannot go on without me explaining how we ended up there. What the circumstances were prior to the move, what that led us there of all places and why were the parents crazy enough to sacrifice their lives for then a ungrateful child? Was there not an alternative to the place of residence?

So the story goes like this:

....., I don't know where to even start. I don't want to share my life story, yet I know the story won't add up or even seem logical if it isn't told.

Let's just say I'll think about this dilemma :)

Series: 1) confrontation with the dark past

It's been a while since my last post...school has been quite hectic these days while I also had a difficulty coming up with an idea to share. However, this past week was a week filled with unexpected surprises that made me face my dreaded past; that seems to creep up on me more often as I have come to realize how small this world really is.

I am not sure if I shared this about me or not but I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for two years of my middle school life (7-8 grade), my family moved to my Dad's hometown for the sake of MY education. Talk about loving parents right!? Now, I don't want to take forever explaining where this place is but if any of you have grown in the same community as one of your parents did (especially if it's a small community), you might understand my frustration, difficulties and such as I stepped into this community from a completely different world (Nagoya, Japan to be specific). The hometown my Dad grew up in is where my grandparents still live and was another reason why we moved there. My grandpa was a school teacher who taught all his kids (imagine THAT nightmare of having your DAD as your teacher...talk about embarrassing). Anyway, the majority of this community are also members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and most, if not all of the children then have grown up together not only through school but through church; meaning you would see the same people at least 6 days out of the 7 days of the week. It's also the kind of community where the nearest Walmart is in another city; meaning you'll most likely see at least one person you know every time you go shopping. It's the community that backs up their local high school 100% where the homecoming games are featured in the local paper's front page and engagements and deaths are also reported in the pages following. You get the picture? Now, imagine a 12 year old stepping into this world from one: another country with Asian culture, and two: coming from the city where there was far more than just a single stop light on main street. 

Needless to say, I didn't fit in..AT ALL.

With this said, over the next few posts, I decided I would share my experiences from this foreign place. It's funny because I did visit here fairly often growing up; every Summer my Dad and I would visit;  along with another state but until the visits became residency did I face the reality of the critical eyes of a tight community to an outsider.

Can the week get ANY better? It's not even Friday yet!

So personally, I'm super super excited about this. Sudan will be off the Terrorism support list, and South Sudan will be the newest State hopefully by July.  I pray that this is the answer to the end of conflict and peace may prevail in this area.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/07/sudan.referendum.results/index.html

Another positive story, President of Egypt is stepping down after 30 years of tight grip!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41506482/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/?gt1=43001

This week has been gooood i must say :)

may peace prevail-

What is Culture--Who makes the ultimate rules?

Just thought I'd share with you one of my most favorite youtube video ever.
When I'm down, I watch this and I don't help but smile...and who could hold it after seeing this!?

But from this, you really can see that the American culture is EVERYWHERE and with globalization, its become much accessible as well. But here's the question, who determined that the U.S was going to be the leader and that Hollywood is going to be producing and representing our culture? When in reality, what's shown on T.V and movies are hardly what our everyday lives look like in any sense.

So what is culture? It is made up and quickly changed according to what's 'in' and 'out' or is it authentic across nations, regions, ethnicity and etc?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_241938&feature=iv&v=ErMWX--UJZ4

living out of a suitcase?

Ever feel the more you move, the less "stuff" you seem to have?
Of course there are those years books you've collected over the years from all the different schools you've attended but other than that... how much 'stuff' do you actually keep?
Quite frankly, I don't even know why I keep my year books since I don't even remember half the people in any of them. Maybe it's more the messages and looking through previous crushes and then comparing them to today on facebook...and finding yourself laughing hysterically with your mom about how ridiculous that crush was--seeing what they have become today.

Anyway, back to the main point I want to make. Do you ever feel your whole life can be easily packed away into boxes and suitcases?  Have you ever just felt you live out a suitcase--permanently?

What has helped me over the years to feel less isolated was not only my immediate family who doesn't change over the years but also through following these simple suggestions:

Keep a journal:

It's hard to keep one on a daily basis but I've realized over the years that if you do, even if you feel nothing has happened, down the road when you go back and read it, you will relive the day. So even if you don't have the 'stuff' you can always remember those days. Plus, jotting down your most random, intimate ideas may end up being your ticket to winning a noble prize ;)

Take TONS of pictures

I know I'm personally really bad at this--since I forget to take a camera with me wherever I go...but nonetheless, I definitely recommend it. When your older and begin to forget things, and as I saw with my great grandma, she went through pictures. The ones from her childhood, young adult, married life and then the present. I think it was when she was explaining the pictures to me was happiest I had seen her in her final years here on earth. So take pictures--even the most random things. It will be beneficial when you get old ;)
POST away- share your life with others :)

A way to not feel so isolated is to have a blog or networking site (like facebook) where everyone of your friends everywhere in the world can see what you're up to.


Starting this blog has definitely helped me notice the comforting feeling of jotting my ideas down and realizing my life is much much more than the maximum amount of 'stuff' that can fit into my suitcase. I've always had a hard time letting people into my life....not only because of moving around but feeling a sense of insecurity perhaps--that even if I shared something they would understand me.

The greatest blessing however from all the trials of living out of a suitcase; now even in college is the fact that I'm enriched in my studies all the more. I find myself truly fascinated and engaged in my studies. Yet best of all, it has made me really close to my family. They are truly my best friends--the best anyone can ask for. They have always been there for me even at my darkest hour, and to know they will still be there today, tomorrow and forever.

Families can be together forever <3

http://slackerreform.com/feature/how-to-living-out-of-a-suitcase-101/ something that you might also find interesting :)

Target: the international community

Happy Human Rights Day-


The TCK is a definition I put in was to allow people to know on a broad term who my target is. However, I failed to mention, those I am targeting with my project is way beyond what the TCK represents.
My target are anyone who may be in the international community. Native people attending foreign schools such as the many operating American Schools across the globe.
Examples: The American School Japan/Hong Kong/Singapore/London/Kuwait and many other international schools. There are many individuals who are not TCK, but I know either way, we all have gone or are going through similar situations.

--Sorry of the confusion or if you felt you didn't apply. Bottom line, this blog is for anyone who is interested. Parents involved internationally who have kids who may have struggling, or students who live abroad, or those who spent time attending an international school in your native land or foreign land. Although I don't know much about those who are involved in the military and often move around base to base, it would be great to hear your stories and experiences living on base in a foreign land.

My personal experience:

I know from my experiences that often I couldn't be able to communicate efficiently to my peers because of my lack of experience with the authentic American culture. While living in the States after experiencing an international school in Japan, I was invited to go out for a "cruse".  In my mind, I immediately thought cruse as in boat sailing--but of course it wasn't. After being explained what they meant, I was soon disappointed to learn what they meant by cruse was simply going out in the car....cruising down main street--how boring...lol

We are privileged to have been able to see the world. Yes, at times it was and is difficult. Cultures are different, what is acceptable and what is not differ significantly--even in the same region. Yet most of us have been able to over come the adversity of dramatic change. Know that this unique life you were given is an advantage to you. It makes you standout from the rest of your competitors for a job. Yet more than that, I hope that you take the experiences you've had worldwide to do good in the world. Let your connections in the international community be used for good; to educate, to improve individuals lives, and to being to pass a sense of peace. That is my goal and what I hope to do through my education and experiences.

What do you want to do with your experiences and the education you have been gaining throughout your life?

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”--Saint Augustine

Embrace Change--Embrace your uniqueness <3

Third Culture Kids: how many do you apply to? (join on facebook!)

You know you're a TCK when:

- You've heard this 'textbook' definition of a TCK before: "A third culture kid is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside their parents' culture. The third culture kid builds relationships to all the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the third culture kid's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of the same background, other TCKs."

- "Where are you from?" has more than one reasonable answer.
- You've said that you're from foreign country X, and your audience has asked you which US state X is in.
- You flew before you could walk.
- You speak two languages, but can’t spell in either.
- You feel odd being in the ethnic majority.
- You have three passports.
- You have a passport but no driver's license.
- You go into culture shock upon returning to your "home" country.
- Your life story uses the phrase "Then we moved to..." three (or four, or five...) times.
- You wince when people mispronounce foreign words.
- You don't know whether to write the date as day/month/year, month/day/year, or some variation thereof.
- The best word for something is the word you learned first, regardless of the language.
- You get confused because US money isn't colour-coded.
- You think VISA is a document that's stamped in your passport, not a plastic card you carry in your wallet.
- You own personal appliances with 3 types of plugs, know the difference between 110 and 220 volts, 50 and 60 cycle current, and realize that a transformer isn't always enough to make your appliances work.
- You fried a number of appliances during the learning process.
- You think the Pledge of Allegiance might possibly begin with "Four-score and seven years ago...."
- Half of your phone calls are unintelligible to those around you.
- You believe vehemently that football is played with a round, spotted ball.
- You consider a city 500 miles away "very close."
- You get homesick reading National Geographic.
- You cruise the Internet looking for fonts that can support foreign alphabets.
- You think in the metric system and Celsius.
- You may have learned to think in feet and miles as well, after a few years of living (and driving) in the US. (But not Fahrenheit. You will *never* learn to think in Fahrenheit).
- You haggle with the checkout clerk for a lower price.
- Your minor is a foreign language you already speak.
- When asked a question in a certain language, you've absentmindedly respond in a different one.
- You miss the subtitles when you see the latest movie.
- You've gotten out of school because of monsoons, bomb threats, and/or popular demonstrations.
- You speak with authority on the subject of airline travel.
- You have frequent flyer accounts on multiple airlines.
- You constantly want to use said frequent flyer accounts to travel to new places.
- You know how to pack.
- You have the urge to move to a new country every couple of years.
- The thought of sending your (hypothetical) kids to public school scares you, while the thought of letting them fly alone doesn't at all.
- You think that high school reunions are all but impossible.
- You have friends from 29 different countries.
- You sort your friends by continent.
- You have a time zone map next to your telephone.
- You realize what a small world it is, after all

How many do you completely and must agree to?
Want to share any experiences?
What would you add to the list?