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Third Culture Mama

Raising bridge-builders

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Third Culture

My English name is Jack.

June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 Third Culture Mama

Our oldest son is a cultural chameleon. His language and his behaviour change depending on the cultural environment. The timber in his voice will switch. He’ll count starting from a […]

Multilingualism

Let the Summer of (multilingual) Reading begin!

June 7, 2018June 7, 2018 Third Culture Mama

If there is one thing I miss from our previous life in America, it’s got to be the library system. I’ve written about American libraries before. I remember the kids’ […]

Third Culture

5 wonderful new cross-cultural books well worth your time

May 2, 2018May 2, 2018 Third Culture Mama

Following a stint of abandoned books, I’ve had the pleasure of reading a few phenomenal ones that have really broadened my horizons. What a relief! It made me think of […]

Review

Meet Emily Steele Jackson, author of TCK novel “Home, James”

March 5, 2018March 6, 2018 Third Culture Mama

Last month, I devoured “Home, James“, a brand new novel (Feb. 2018) featuring Third Culture Kid, James, who makes an epic ‘return home’ to the US after growing up in […]

Third Culture

You belong here.

February 8, 2018February 8, 2018 Third Culture Mama

These days, I have been filling my fringe hours preparing for an upcoming Third Culture Kid speaking engagement. In my very early morning researching, there has been a most peculiar […]

Multilingualism

The day they asked me to speak to them in different languages

January 19, 2018January 19, 2018 Third Culture Mama

Some of our family’s best conversations happen around the dinner table. I’ll reassure you, some of our worst happen there too. Dinner in a home of young ones is a […]

Creative

DIY for Cross-Cultural Families: 8 Lightweight Gifts

December 11, 2017December 11, 2017 Third Culture Mama

There are so many clever DIY gifts out there on the internet, but I’ve been on the lookout for DIY, lightweight (weigh less than 100 grams), and upcycled gifts you’d […]

Transition

The not so warm welcome home

November 22, 2017November 22, 2017 Third Culture Mama

The following is a sequel to my last post on our recent trip to America. In that article, I shared how we all went through some adjusting, after being gone […]

Third Culture

Welcome back to America, Third Culture Kids!

November 8, 2017February 8, 2018 Third Culture Mama

The kids were delirious by the time we reached the rental car place in Denver. They kept flipping from giggling to crying, while I tried to make sense of the […]

Guest Post

How families can bridge the academic gap when moving around

September 29, 2017November 9, 2017 Third Culture Mama

I am delighted to feature this guest post written by Christianna Pangalos, Founder and CEO of TwigaTutors. Christianna helps highly-mobile US families scattered across the globe, maintain a consistent US […]

Education

World-schooling… without the camper van!

September 9, 2017September 12, 2017 Third Culture Mama

There’s a LOT of buzz in my circles around “world-schooling”.  While definitions differ, most people use the term world-schooling to talk about using the world as your school. World-schooling families […]

Transition

All in a year’s time

July 25, 2017July 25, 2017 Third Culture Mama

The daily rhythms of life in France have forced us to slow down and take in the unmistakable scent of warm baguette. Although it may sound a bit cliché, we […]

Third Culture

When cross-cultural kids are rejected by their own family

June 9, 2017June 9, 2017 Third Culture Mama

From this side of the ocean, I don’t have a chip on my shoulder. Those little moments of laughter or mimicking or side comments are natural and usually not out […]

Third Culture

Third Culture Kids in marriage: 10 survey results & trends

May 15, 2017May 18, 2017 Third Culture Mama

This past month of focusing on Third Culture Kids in relationships has been a thrilling roller coaster to say the least. It all started when the 2017 EuroTCK consultation invited […]

Third Culture

Third Culture Kids in love: Jackie’s story

May 6, 2017May 6, 2017 Third Culture Mama

Welcome to the third and final part of the “TCKs in Love” interview series. Join me as I interview part Chinese-Malaysian, part Filipino-Chinese Third Culture Kid Jackie who is married […]

Third Culture

Third Culture Kids in love: MaDonna’s story

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 Third Culture Mama

Welcome to part two of the TCKs in love series. Join me as I interview MaDonna, who was raised in small town America and has been married to her German-Taiwanese […]

Third Culture

Third Culture Kids in love: Suzanne’s story

April 23, 2017May 1, 2017 Third Culture Mama

Welcome to a three part series all about married Third Culture Kids and how their Third Culture affects their relationship. For our first interview, I really wanted to hear from […]

Third Culture

TCK love and marriage: survey and giveaway!

April 19, 2017May 1, 2017 Third Culture Mama

Calling all Third Culture Kids in love, married TCKs or all you brave monoculturals married to TCKs! 🙂 I am collecting some data for a workshop I am hosting for […]

Multilingualism

2017 Top French language resources for kids

April 1, 2017April 6, 2017 Third Culture Mama

A lot of linguists believe that the best language-learning method is through immersion. As in, moving to a place you have to speak it. Sounds dreamy and idyllic, right? But, […]

International Move

10 signs you are (more) at home in your new country… (phew!!)

March 29, 2017March 31, 2017 Third Culture Mama

For quite some time, we will recall the immense strain of our family’s recent move across continents, from Colorado, USA to a village in the Rhône-Alpes in France. The process […]

Travel with kids

A simple tool to help young kids remember their travels

March 7, 2017May 2, 2018 Third Culture Mama

Our tired stroller wheels wobbled from side to side along the uneven cobblestone of the Muttrah corniche. My cousin was leading us across the busy street towards the fish market […]

International Move

So you want to move for language? The cost of an international move.

February 22, 2017February 22, 2017 Third Culture Mama

“Would you have moved to France, knowing how hard it was going to be?“ my husband asked me in the warmth of a so-called ‘green café’ on a blistery cold […]

Third Culture

6 Ways to show some love to a TCK

February 13, 2017February 13, 2017 Third Culture Mama

By now, you know what a Third Culture Kid (TCK) is. It’s highly possible TCKs are all around you. They are the expat kids, military kids, missionary kids, navy kids […]

Motherhood

Why you are unfit to mother, why ADHD doesn’t exist in France (and other BS)

February 6, 2017February 7, 2017 Third Culture Mama

You’ve seen the viral articles on the web. “European vs. American parenting: You may be embarrassed!” “Why African Toddlers Don’t Have Tantrums!” Well intended observations being morphed into gross, shame-on-you […]

Third Culture

Where do I belong? The early years.

January 24, 2017January 26, 2017 Third Culture Mama

Could my young children already be wrestling with their cultural identity? In preschool?? As with many profound reflections, this one came about at the table, where precious friends asked us […]

International Move

The year of the table

January 11, 2017January 13, 2017 Third Culture Mama

There is something about “The Table” that keeps drawing us in. Even before we moved to France, we owned a well-loved dining table that came with a leaf to extend […]

Travel with kids

Geneva & Neighboring France: 5 awesome indoor activities

November 17, 2016November 17, 2016 Third Culture Mama

“My rose bush is still in bloom!” “I was sweating in my jeans!” “My red Christmas Starbucks cup looked so silly!” It was 27c / 80F yesterday in Colorado and […]

Motherhood

The Granny I want to be.

November 1, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

After dropping the kids off at our little village school, I took the right turn that takes me back home. I checked over my shoulder for oncoming cars, and it […]

Travel with kids

Holidays are for world-schooling

October 30, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Well, we’re back from our adventure to Italy. Wow. The film director and family were staying at our place between the London film premiere and a London award ceremonies (yeay!). […]

Transition

The Q&A edition!

October 25, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

In this post, I ask my husband (aka Tall Mountain) to share from his perspective how the transition has affected him.. Alright. Why don’t you start by painting a bit […]

Musings

The five year plan

October 23, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

I’ve been checking out a few of the other #Write31Days participants’ blogs and they are just so varied and fun and engaging. I happened to notice that some writers even […]

Motherhood

Playdate anguish

October 20, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

It happened so fast. I was caught a bit off guard. Our boy was asked if he wanted to come over for a playdate and he excitedly said he’d love […]

Schooling

C’est les vacances!

October 19, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Like clockwork, for every six weeks of French school, there’s a two week holiday. Planning for these long breaks takes some clever organization that we don’t yet have down. Ideally, […]

Health

A good place to get sick

October 18, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

I heard a smack, followed by a sound that I never want to hear again for as long as I live. It wasn’t my daughter’s normal cry. It was a […]

Long-distance

Christmas in October

October 17, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Another thing I hadn’t mentioned in my last post about house guests is that they double up as postmen and women. Growing up, not one visitor flew to America or […]

Transition

Visitors: the good and the bad

October 16, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

We don’t know when it happens along the cross-cultural adjustment timeline, but at some point the outsider becomes an insider. You’re developing a sense of belonging in your new home. […]

Schooling

Educational field trip

October 12, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

The kids started their school day with the “earthquake drill”, which seems funny because we aren’t living near any fault lines. Less funny, because “earthquake drill” is actually a preschool […]

Cultural Reflections

Busted by the Swiss police

October 11, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Back in the States, little Red, our trusty VW Passat, pretty much drove itself to the airport. It’s transported too many people to and from Denver International Airport to count. […]

Transition

French-Mex ridiculous

October 10, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Precious friends of ours live on the other side of the lake from us, over in neighboring Switzerland. We had them over on one of those delightful summer evenings where […]

Musings

I’m the third-born

October 9, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Hey, um, excuse me? I’ve been crying here for quite some time. Can you even hear me above the ruckus? Can someone just get me already? I know, I know, […]

International Move

The apple juice party

October 8, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Our day got off to a beautifully slow start. Big kids were up before 6:00 but somehow, they played peacefully together giving us an hour to lie in. We moseyed […]

Cultural Reflections

Not all French people are foodies

October 7, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

France has got to be one of the most romanticized countries on the planet. Foreigners picture men wearing berets kissing kids in knee-high socks as they cycle together to the […]

Multilingualism

How language affects transition

October 6, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

The whole family speaks French, which is a relief. Such a relief. Honestly, I can’t imagine how foreigners do life in France without speaking French. That said, we all speak […]

Transition

‘Yes’ people in a ‘No’ culture

October 5, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

France is a country that will always be part and parcel of our family. I grew up here, Tall Mountain and I dated and got married here. Despite living in […]

Transition

Making friends in a new land

October 4, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

It takes time to develop friendships, you know, the non Facebook type. Local folks have often made their own group of trusted friends over the years. Expatriates are usually the […]

Transition

Our family in global transition: French preschool

October 3, 2016November 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Have you heard about the #Write31Days challenge? The idea is to go deeper into one topic each day for a whole month. It took me until today, October 3, to join […]

Multicultural

Beautiful multicultural books for all ages – French edition!

September 23, 2016September 23, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Surprisingly, one of the most popular articles ever to appear on this blog was a very simple post called: Beautiful multicultural books for children. I had selected six books my […]

Schooling

Adjusting to the village school

September 13, 2016October 3, 2016 Third Culture Mama

I’ve got this goofy grin on my face. It’s like I’m in on a brilliant motherhood hack or something. Following those endless hours that turned into years of rocking and […]

Motherhood

Calming the Rage

September 5, 2016 Third Culture Mama

Papa was on a trip again and the endless day had finally come to a close. I watched the clock closely for the first possible chance to begin our bedtime […]

International Move

Surprised by Culture Shock!

August 30, 2016September 1, 2016 Third Culture Mama

We’ve lived in France for 90 days and it has probably taken several years off my life. We figured our move with little ones trailing behind was going to stretch […]

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  • My English name is Jack.

  • Let the Summer of (multilingual) Reading begin!

  • 5 wonderful new cross-cultural books well worth your time

  • Meet Emily Steele Jackson, author of TCK novel “Home, James”

  • You belong here.

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