Someone else gets it.

I was reading an article in Taylor University’s student newspaper by Dr. May Young, one of the Biblical Studies professors.

Dr. Young and I were born in different continents, products of very different places. Still, I felt a strong connection as she wrote about her background.

In the article, Dr. Young described some of her struggles being both Asian (she was born in Hong Kong) and American (she’s spent much of her life in America and views it as home).

While it wasn’t her main point, Dr. Young explained very well how hard it is being a Third Culture Kid -- a person who grew up in a different culture than his or her parents. She noted that having a heritage in two cultures means you feel some allegiance to both, which can be very conflicting.

As a missionary kid -- my family moved to Germany when I was three, moved back to the United States when I was ten -- I’ve felt that conflict a lot. I had a terrible time adjusting when I moved back to America. I had no idea what was cool in American pop culture or what social cues to follow.

At the same time, even though I feel strong ties to anything German, I’ve never paid enough attention to German news to claim that country as my home.

Every six months or so someone will notice my accent and ask if I’m from abroad, and honestly, there are times I’m not sure. I still deal with what Blandine West of The Telegraph calls one of “The 10 biggest struggles for a third-culture kid.”

The simple question, “Where am I from?”

To some extent, being a Third Culture Kid may be harder for me because I have other attributes which classify me as “different.” My parents weren’t just missionaries, they were missionaries to the American military. This means I connect well with “military brats” and sometimes feel I understand them better than I understand other missionary kids.

I was also classified as gifted at a young age, which has been great academically but hard socially. I’ve spent a lot of time just trying to find people my own age who understand my interests.

If I’m not careful, all these frustrations run together. They can easily become a tight ball of confusion, insecurity, and bitterness I carry everywhere. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I so easily forget how valuable being a Third Culture Kid is.

In times like that, I’m really glad for something else Dr. Young mentioned. She called attention to the fact that every culture has its strengths and weaknesses, and conversing with other cultures creates a better perspective. This means being a Third Culture Kid isn’t a burden, it’s a gift that helps me learn and borrow from different cultures.

I owe a lot to people like Dr. Young. They remind me that no culture is perfect, and being a child of multiple cultures is a privilege.

Even though I still carry emotional baggage and I’m sometimes unsure if I’ll ever belong anywhere, my background has been a real gift. As a Third Culture Kid, I can see things many people don’t notice about their own cultures.

If I apply myself, I can borrow from different cultures to achieve balance.