People Like Us

Michael V Pollock co-authored the third edition of Third Culture Kids – Growing Up Among Worlds (the ‘TCK bible’).

Raised between three states in the US, (New York, New Jersey, Vermont) and Kenya, East Africa, Michael  can't easily answer the question “where are you from?”

Listen as we chat about his TCK upbringing and how that influenced both his career and his decisions in where to live (he is a proud parent of TCK children).

In this episode, something a little different!  I am joined by renowned coach and mentor, Sarah Short, who interviews ME, placing me in the guest seat to talk about my TCK life.

Jen Mohindra is not only a Third Culture Kid, but is also an adoptee – a transracial adoptee. She was born in Scotland and grew up in Australia, England, Kenya and Australia (again). When she was 30 she found her birth family and discovered her Scottish/Indian mixed-race heritage (she had wondered why she tanned so well!).

Jen has had a fairly typical TCK career in that she chose to work in industries that facilitated international travel – hospitality and finance – for more than 25 years. She then retrained as a coach who works with TCKs to help them find their place in the world.

I  am so very excited to let you know about today’s podcast guest.  She is  so special that I have extended the podcast from its usual 30 minutes to  a whole hour.  

To we TCKs, today’s podcast guest needs no introduction. Ruth Van Reken  is a giant amongst us. Author of Letters Never Sent and co-author of Third Culture Kids with David Pollock known all over the world as the ‘TCK bible’.  

I have had the absolute privilege of spending an hour chatting to Ruth  about her life, her work and growing up as a TCK.

Ngoc grew up in Russia, Vietnam and the US, with a heavy French influence from having attended a French international school in Vietnam. Ngoc felt that no matter who she was talking too in any given situation – her parents, her school friends etc – that they only ever saw one facet of her, the others being masked by a different culture.

Her unusual upbringing has affected her so profoundly that she has gone the extra mile and written a book Weird Culture Kids, that’s now available on Amazon.

Anna is both a TCK and an international adoptee, having been adopted from India by Swedish parents.   She grew up in the Middle East and South East Asia, with summers spent in Sweden and she now resides in Sweden.  

Listen as she talks about her connections to the many places and cultures that contribute to her identity.

Martina was born in the Netherlands and is a polyglot. She moved to Poland, the US, Switzerland, back to the Netherlands, then on to Mexico and she kept on moving! In this podcast episode Martina mentions the little blue airmail envelopes that I had completely forgotten about!  

Martina is now married to an Argentinian and living in Argentina.

Calvin Widjaja is no stranger to the TCK airwaves, as he hosts his own podcast show at Global CKtizens on which I was his guest earlier this year. 

This week is a cause for celebration as it’s my podcast show’s 20th episode!  

Aida Karabu is a Kenyan TCK who lived in Kenya, Tanzania, Cambodia, Ethiopia, UK, Kenya again and currently resides in Canada.

Tamara Yousry is a TCK with mixed heritage – English and Egyptian who has ended up in Perth, Australia.  Her whole life is one of travel and culture, having lived in Kuwait, Egypt, England, Scotland, Norway, Singapore prior to moving down under.

Tamara has a recently published book - My Patchwork Life: An Intercultural Love Story which is set in Cairo and Singapore.  Just the thing for TCKs (and available now on Amazon!)