Dear "I have lived my life in one country" people,

Asking me where I’m from sometimes give me shivers, especially in a group of people. You see the simple answer is Great Britain, but then you ask me where I live in Britain, where my family is from and all these different questions about a country that I haven't lived in since I was 13 years old!

I have moved over 14 times in my life, multiple times of which were in England but also many times in Thailand too. My parents have never owned property, my mother worked in England as a Church of England Minister so we lived in Parish houses. My father was put into the care system as a baby so he doesn't know his family at all. My mum's family live in one place in England and we get to see them maybe every two or three years when we get to go back to England.

I was once like you, I had been to different countries on holiday but had never left the continent of Europe or America. When I moved to Thailand as a teenager it was the first time I had ever been to Asia in my life! You can imagine the culture shock! Now just another clarification from previously received questions, even though I moved as a young girl I still have a British accent because my family does, as well as the fact that your accent is largely shaped at a young age.

When I do things that may seem out of place like putting sugar on noodles, ice in milk or taking off my shoes in random places; when I bow to say thank you or say cutlery instead of utensils or get shy when someone doesn't understand what I'm saying it's probably because it's just become part of my culture. You see, nomadic internationals could be from one place or multiple countries, but we're slightly different and we act with different intentions, emotions and attitudes, often ones that wouldn't be considered the norm.

My intention for this letter isn't to put down those who have stayed somewhere their whole lives or to say that international nomads are better for their crazy adventures, but rather to create an understanding that we are just like you and wanted to be treated the same.

One of the hardest parts of being international is often the fact that you don't always know the lingo or the latest trends, you weren't here when you were a child or a teenager or even into your adulthood. Unfortunately for me, I get this in every country I live in.

In England I only remember my childhood; primary school friends and play dates with cousins constitute my memories there. I never worked a part time job whilst in secondary school or went out with mates to have a pint at the pub, even the political and geographical locations of England can be a blur. Then there's Thailand. Now, despite speaking a decent amount of Thai and calling the beautiful country my home (especially since my family is there), I’m not Asian and not Thai. I am known as the race differentiation known as ferang, foreigner in English. Unfortunately, this word doesn't just label you as a race other than Thai, but also places stereotypes on you: that you're rich or that maybe you came here as a sex tourist or that you are too good for the locals. All of which are not true of every foreigner, of course. Those who fulfill that stereotype, though, tend to stand out more and hence make others put you into a certain bracket simply because of how you look ethnically. America has been an adventure—living on the opposite side of the world from your family at any age is hard, never mind at 18 years old. I had never been to my college before I came, and I knew practically no one. My accent has shifted so that I can put on more of an American twang, yet I still seem to be mimicked and misunderstood when talking to others. I am a politics major and love to discuss politics, yet I don't have the firm foundations in any of the politics from my countries.

So who can I identify as?

I was once made to draw a picture depicting myself, I took to multicolored paper, scissors and glue and made a concoction I think pretty much defines my patriotic tie to each country. There was me at the bottom of the paper with some pictures above me. One cut out of America, one of Thailand and one of England. England had a mouth; referring to my accent but not too much more other than my mother's relatives and childhood memories, Thailand was simple it had a heart; my heart will always be with Thailand, a country I call home, where my family lives and some of my best friends too. A lot of my identity, fond memories of life, and love of Asian food and culture find themselves here too. Lastly was America, there was a book next to it; now I would definitely define my relationship with America as different now than when I made that picture, my old view of America was mainly studying and the memories I had surrounding the school. Now that I have made friends that I hand-on-heart call family and memories that made me into the growing adult that I am, I think I would now add a hand and some glasses. A hand to all the family and dear friends I have made and glasses for the new insights into life that I have now found.

I love the experiences I have had so far whether it's riding an elephant bareback whilst greeting the local tribesman as their children run by, or getting to be part of a BBC audience. Talking to senators in Washington, D.C. or getting to tour America as an artist. Yet it doesn't define me and that's something I really want to emphasize. Sometimes day to day life can be made harder by ignorant questions or accent mimicking, but that shouldn't have to define me. Yes, it's cool, and I wouldn't take it back for a second, but at the same time I am Leah, not the Thai-Anglo-whatever mix you want to know me as. I am a person without my accent and without my experiences, a fundamental being who feels pain and emotions and wants to be accepted and belong just like you do. I love talking about my experiences but also learning about yours, too! Please remember that sometimes internationals just want to be treated like we belong and have a similarity with you at times!

Yours truly,

An international nomad also known as just your normal human being, Leah