Also, each main section should have at least two to three sub points. The headings for the sub points should be left aligned.

Third Culture Kids: Struggle for Existence; Growing Up Among Worlds

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Executive summary

This research study about Third Culture Kid in UAE was born from the curiosity about how people who lived abroad during their childhood life have come to experience their international experience during their adulthood life. Additionally, this growing interest was reflected upon based on the researcher’s personal experience since the researcher lived abroad during their early childhood life and as such, they experienced a unique transition as an adolescent. The concept of this research is based on Christine Story that went down as the best instance of how people who live abroad as a child under the care of their parents experience re-entry to the country of their parents’ origin. However, in this research report, the most common terminology that is used to describe this culture between is TCKs. Based on this report, it is argued that in their struggle for existence, third culture kids in United Arab Emirates tend to merge and mix the cultures of their birthplace and the adopted ones to form distinct cultures. Based on this report, it is argued that in their struggle for existence, third culture kids tend to merge and mix the cultures of their birthplace and the adopted ones to form distinct cultures

Definition of Key Terms

Third Culture Kids – These individuals part of their formative childhood in a different culture from that of their parents.

Cultural identity– This is a part of an individual’s perception and conception that relates to his/her ethnicity, nationality, social class, religion, locality, and social groups.

Introduction

Outline: Third culture kids: struggle for existence; growing up among worlds

Thesis Statement: In their struggle for existence, third culture kids in UAE tend to merge and mix the cultures of their birthplace and the adopted ones to form distinct cultures

Background information

Growing up among worlds is both challenging and beneficial to children in UAE. Third Culture Kids spend most of their lives away from their homes. Consequently, these children never adapt their home or host cultures. Growing up as a third-culture kid is challenging. However, these children acquire international benefits due to the multicultural background. In fact, third culture kids reach high academic levels. According to research studies, approximately 80% of these children obtain a university degree and 20% proceed to pursue a doctoral or postgraduate degree in UAE (Van Reken, 2010). Researchers assert that third culture kids benefit from the intercultural experiences, which enables them to attain these academic achievements

Third Culture Kids have been around for quite some time as long as individuals have been travelling with their children. However, the realization that there is another growing culture or rather an invisible class of individuals with a multi-cultural upbringing has been acknowledged recently. The demand for the recognition of TCKs around the globe became more evident when Barrack Obama was running as the 44th president of America (Bates, 2013). In this case, the domestic media incurred a tough spell figuring out the ethnicity of Obama because of his complex nurture and in the process, the public had doubts about the legitimacy of his U.S nationality (Van Reken, 2010). However, since the Third Culture Kid culture is known to be an unstable family, it is acknowledged that it is always up to the individuals living around the TCKs to evaluate whether indeed their involvement with them can help bring stability to the world and to the people around them. In the UAE, the TCKs number is increasing predominantly hence putting pressure on the culture and resources of the host country (Sen & Grown, 2013). Therefore, as they strive to exist between different culture, Third Culture Kids always finds themselves intertwined between different cultural values and in the process, they end up developing a mixture of a brand new culture known us the intermediary culture (TCKs).

The Diverse Segment Formed By Third Cultural Kids in the Host Country

Adaptation of TCKs to the Host Country

Third culture kids grow and adjust to the identity and belonging of their host countries (Pollock & Reken, 2010). Besides, differences in customs evidenced by a choice of clothing are an example of a cultural experience that the Third Culture Kids have to deal with when they move to other countries. In other words, the way they dress always makes them feel odd about themselves (Isoke, 2015). As a result, most of them are always confronted by a desire to fit in while at the same time with guilt of being alienated from their family customs (Steiner, 2016). In this case, the desire to change and fit-in described the way human beings perceive themselves while they interact with other human beings. Hence, most of these children end up adopting the dressing mode of the host country.

Transition from the country of their parent’s origin to a new culture is at times a very challenging situation for children (Van Reken, 2010). Additionally, different families help their children deal with stressful events in a number of ways. In this case, the outcomes of potential adverse stressful happenings do not only rely on the event that is causing the stressful activity but rather the family resources and how the family perceives the event of the stress (Mabura, 2012). In essence, when the Third Culture Kids transitions abroad, it can be argued that they are always affected by the actual loss of resources, threat of loss of resources or the failure to gain resources most especially after investing in their resources heavily (Fox, Ulgado, & Rosner, 2015). In this case, they will have to make do without their country of origin resources and adopt new resources in their host country

Common Language Misconceptions and TCKs

There is a growing common misconceptions that claim, acquiring more than one language can lead to brain overload, some languages are easier to learn than others and adults cannot learn foreign languages as fast as children can are false (Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2003). In this case, it can be argued that difference in accent and language is another factor that is so common with the TCKs. Apparently, this growing accent influence in language is a common happening in the modern world since language and culture can be argued to be some of the few elements that are intertwined. In other words, according to Tokuhama-Espinosa, (2003) culture and language are very difficult to separate since language is in culture and culture is loaded with language. In this case, it can be argued that cultural differences such as attire, way of life and the language together with social interaction with other children plays a very crucial part in shaping the identity of the TCKs. According to Bushong, (2013), the hindrance towards understanding the depression of these kids is due to the consequences of their mobile lifestyle. Moreover, she believes that third culture kids have lives with much privilege because they lack traumatic events, historical depressions, or ongoing stress. Hence, Third Culture Kids are able to copy and imitate customs from one another as they experience alienation feeling while perceiving themselves moving away from the culture of the dominant population surrounding them.

According to Tokuhama-Espinosa (2003), most individual in the world are multilingual. In fact, one person in seven UAES uses a different language from Arabic at home. Consequently, the author believes that people who speak multiple languages need information about their variations on learning institutions, linguistic identity, and diverse literacy levels. Subsequently, Tokuhama-Espinosa combines his research with real life examples to bring about information regarding the experiences of individuals who can speak multiple languages. The author tackles the common misconceptions that claim, acquiring more than one language can lead to brain overload. In addition, Tokuhama-Espinosa believes the assertions that some languages are easier to learn than others is false. Lastly, this author argues against the common stereotyping that adults cannot learn foreign languages as fast as children can.

Socialization process plays a very crucial part in the development process of a child and the personality of an individual. In this case, because most of the TCKs socialization process is done in the host country, they will find it easy to learn their language and norms. In essence, it can be stated that, since children interact more with other kids and the fact that most of them move abroad before they actually get absorbed into the culture of the country of their parents origin, it can be argued that most of them find an easy task of adopting to a new culture, values and norms including language of the host. Apparently as much as their parents always incur challenges to adapt to new values, culture and beliefs because of the socialization process they went through when they were still young, it can be asserted that, to be able to learn and speak another language, an individual needs to have gained the much needed experience and ability to learn, it is not about age.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Belonging to the Host Country

Advantages

Third culture Kids are competent as compared to children who belong to a single cultural identity (Moore & Barker, 2012). Whether they are children of missionaries, diplomats of military officers, it is argued that TCKs often experience the entitlement and the perks of international living that is bestowed by the organizations that is sponsoring them. Moore and Barker’s (2012) analysis show that belonging to diverse nations has advantages to the third culture kids. The authors assert that third culture kids are competent than children who belong to a single cultural identity. Additionally, around the globe, most TCKs live a life full of privileges. Nevertheless, as much as they enjoyed life around their circles, they had to deal with the increasing pressures from their sponsoring organizations since most of them were always placed in situation where they had to deal with the fact that they were representing the culture or the agenda of something that is beyond them.

Third culture kids will develop skills regarding cooperation, commitment, and tolerance quicker than their peers do. Hubbard (2010) asserts that third culture kids share perspectives, collaborate, connect with the host kids, and discover similarities. For these reasons, third culture kids will develop skills regarding cooperation, commitment, and tolerance quicker than their peers do. Perhaps one of the most predominant benefits that TCKs experience is the expanded global-view. Additionally, living in different time-zones, climates, geographical settings inhabited by individuals with different philosophies, habits and cultural beliefs makes the TCKs to have a first-hand experience of the word. In other words, most of them are able to acquire knowledge first-hand what other individuals are learning from documentaries, stories, textbooks among others. In so doing, this enhances their lessons in history and makes them to feel and know the weight of new development stories (Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2003). Moreover, an expanded global view empowers those children on most occasions and in this case, if one feels confident about the experiences of their own, it is very difficult for them to succumb to pressure caused by subjectivity and biasness towards them. In simple terms, most of them start viewing the world in a different way such that they don’t just feel different from others but rather start acknowledging and appreciating cultural diversity as a whole. They have an unrivalled opportunity of viewing the world as it is.

Disadvantages

Third culture kids lack a sense of belonging. In this case, the close interaction with the world while at the same time having a closer view of the cultural differences that exists around the globe may as well have a downside implication. The results from Moore and Barker’s (2012) analysis show that third culture kids lack a sense of belonging. Additionally, confused loyalties is believed to be born out of this close interaction with other cultures since most children become confused about the global complexities in the process of their interaction with other cultures. Moreover, values patriotism, politics are some of the aspects of culture that are very confusing for the Third Culture Kids (Zhou, 1997). As a result, most of them always find it difficult to identify the values that they should embrace and be loyal to and some of them even experience difficulties supporting one country between two countries in a particular situation (Moore and Barker, 2012). In fact, this growing level of confusion may make some individuals feel TCKs are being mean, unpatriotic and arrogant to their peers. Furthermore, another challenge that is associated with travelling around the world is the fact that their knowledge about reality is more painful such that no matter where around the globe suffering takes place, they always know that it is real.

Individuals who interact with these kids do not believe that these children could have a cause of depression most especially when it comes to the learning institutions. Education can occur anywhere during any stage of individual’s life, through activities of many families, schools, community, work or other institutions when such interaction is culturally determined. In this case, it can be argued that the school remains one of the most predominant social institutions in the community since its responsibility and role is crucial to the society development because of its increasing development and transition of learners and creation of competencies, values and attitudes that empower them into fulfilling their potential (Cristina, 2016). Nevertheless, the relationship among life values, norms, identity and beliefs are intertwined among the global and a child’s developmental years (Hubbard, 2010). In fact, in the international world, there are also children who possess diverse cultural backgrounds since most of them are more likely to find themselves on the verge or the margin of each host and home culture but in the process, they are members of neither. Therefore, it is important for any educational institutional to take into consideration the fact that TCK identity is a life full of reoccurring experiences, frequent transitions and a lack of culturally belong hence making it one of the most complex upbringing. In this case, individuals should reflect on their teaching methods and how they can embrace the increasing number of cultural diversity into their teaching curriculum that establishes an environment that is capable of promoting positive affirmation of all their students.

Implications of internationally mobile families about their root concepts and root country

Internationally mobile families experience a dynamic process of interaction in foreign countries. Zhou, (1997) argued that when the vision of international scene is imperative, when the attributes and skills in intercultural communities, mediation, ability, linguistic, management of diversity and diplomacy are crucial to the global stage, it can be argued that nomads are equipped well in all areas before they even attain the age of eighteen as compared to many adults. In other words, adaptability to different situations has its virtues. On a daily basis, adapting and fitting in with individuals from different cultural diversities and embracing their ways is one of the few things that TCKs can perform amicably. However, this can as well be challenging on their part since they will struggle to strike a balance between their host values and their adapted values hence making most of them to be torn between values. Some families end up switching allegiance to one of the countries in order to avoid the challenge of being torn between cultures. For instance, in the modern day, there have been cases of Third Culture Kids who have decided to switch allegiance to their host country in order to represent them at the international stage. These are common scenes in the sports Arena.

Most of these families deploy specific strategies to manage the transience and relocation of their children who find challenges in adopting to the new environments (McLachlan, 2005). Globally it is important to acknowledge that TCKs may as well possess beneficial conditions such as hands on approaches on cultural diversity and in the process, they might become bilingual. In this case, it would be granted a waste if the disadvantages that are associated with TCKs cancel out the many benefits that they obtain in the process, TCKs have an advantage most especially if they are children of immigrant parents since having lived in more than three places; they are able to comprehend the fact that the world is rooted in observation and perception (Pollock, & Van Reken, 2010). In this case, these children not only view that there are differences between cultures, but rather they may start trying to understand what culture is and how cultural differences can change.

However, the level to which the TCKs view the global world can be taken as an entirely an open question (Ann McLachlan, 2005). Nevertheless, as beneficial as the experience of the TCKs might be, it can be argued that the cross-cultural experience also causes different frustrations about the alienation from the dominant population and the growing ignorance of home culture (Narayan, 2013). As such some parents establish strategies that will ensure that their children are no stressed in the vent of loosing resources in the root country by promising a better life in the host country. According to Ann McLachlan (2005) these families experience a dynamic process of interaction in foreign countries. However, most of these families deploy specific strategies to manage the transience and relocation of their children who find challenges in adopting to the new environments

Conclusion

Growing up as a third culture kid is both beneficial and challenging. Children who grow up in a culturally diverse environment will find socializing difficult. In addition, these children can experience depression because they lack a sense of belonging. However, most of the third culture kids grow to become successful in their careers and life. This is due to the interaction with diverse ways of life. Nevertheless, research studies should focus on the methods of preventing depression in third culture kids during their formative years. In simple terms, it can be argued that the parents of the Third Culture Kids are believed to move abroad because of several reasons and since these young children depended on their parents, they had also to move along with them and make a transition based on the culture of wherever they went. Therefore, those in their struggle for existence, third culture kids tend to merge and mix the cultures of their birthplace and the adopted ones to form distinct cultures

References

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