third culture kids — Taking Route

Confessions of a TCK's Well-Traveled Passport

When I was in college, I lost my passport.

At the time, I studying in the States and my parents were living in Kenya and I was scheduled to fly there for Christmas a few short weeks later. Honestly, looking back now, my parents were way too nice about this, and we got an expedited new one that arrived in time for me to still be able to go. I probably was not as stressed as I should have been about getting the replacement (nor felt as guilty as I should have about losing it in the first place), but I did feel the loss of that passport – the actual object itself – deeply.

Family & TCKsCaroline SwartzMay 29, 2020adult TCK, third culture kids, TCKsComment

10 Ways Expats and TCKs Can Relate to Buddy the Elf

I don’t know about you, but I find it very hard to believe that Elf has been around since 2003. It quickly became one of the Christmas movie classics — right up there with Home Alone, The Santa Claus, and It’s a Wonderful Life. I know I don’t need to convince you to watch that movie (as if you haven’t watched it more than a few times this month alone). But, like any movie that’s watched over and over again because it never gets old, I began to pick up on details I didn’t notice the first two dozen times.

This year, as I sat and watched Elf with my children, I couldn’t help but relate to Buddy on a whole new level. Why was I feeling so seen and understood by this movie? Then it hit me — Buddy is an expat. Even more than that, Buddy is an adult Third Culture Kid.

Holidays AbroadAlicia BoyceDecember 23, 2019TCKs, third culture kids, expat life, buddy the elf Comments