identity

The Global Nomads – Larissa Nugroho

The Gobal Nomads is a spoken word poem written and performed by Larissa Nugroho. Larissa says “As someone who grew up in a multicultural setting and who is currently living abroad – I wanted to capture that feeling of belonging everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”

Text:

Where is home?
Living in a suitcase
Moving from place to place
Restless
Wondering
Trying to find rest and belonging

We are the global nomads
Fitting in everywhere and nowhere
Simultaneously
Changing SIM cards constantly
Saying hi and goodbye cyclically

Though we never do it easily

We are the global wanderers
Adapting like chameleons quickly
Getting raised eyebrows when we don’t assimilate
Asking where we’re from complicates
Things

We are the global vagabonds
Passport stamps in our hearts
Luggage tags on the baggage we carry around
Of the friendships and the losses we found
Ungodly hour calls making up for the time zones
Glad that someone is always awake
On the other end of the phone

We are the eclectic tribe
With constant identity crisis
Trying to grow where we planted
Staying rooted in heritage
While stretching out our leaves
The whole world is our stage

We are the global nomads
The world is not just our oyster
It is our playground
To romp around
And play
For here
Here is our home

By CulTuremiKs, ago

In Unity We Can – bilingual spoken word poem

“In Unity We Can” is a bilingual spoken word poem written and performed by Bertha on her platform, “Being A Third Culture Kid”. The platform seeks to illuminate the experiences and significance of the third culture experience through storytelling. It aims to empower them to take up space in the world and demonstrate to those around them how to discover the beauty that is in every country, culture, and people of the world. After all, global citizenship is the single currency of the world!

Follow the platform here!

By CulTuremiKs, ago

3rd Culture Art store

3rd Culture Art is a 3rd culture community of artists, coming together to showcase their artwork to a wider audience, and have an easy platform for selling their work. Let’s face it, artists love to create but absolutely loathe having to take the time and try to figure out how to get it online in various formats. That is where we come in – partnering with our artists. They send in their artwork to us in digital format, and we take care of the rest – getting it out to you, our fabulous customers!

One of the guiding principles of our shop is that everyone should be able to enjoy art. 3rd Culture Art is a convenient and interactive space for both art enthusiasts and collectors to find pieces that cater to a wide array of tastes. With convenient shipping options and easy to use search options, you’ll easily find your next masterpiece or unique mug.

Check out the website here!

By CulTuremiKs, ago

Gold Bounty – Lanterns in the Dark

Gold Bounty is a poem by Claire Hellar Adderholt. A little about me: I’m a missionary kid who grew up in Papua New Guinea and, after living in California and Colorado, now live with my husband in Birmingham, Alabama. I’m a UCLA grad and love Tolstoy, Taylor Swift, mountain hikes, peonies, and whiskey. My work can be found at The Rabbit Room, Calla Press, Wilderness House Literary Review, and Melusine. I can also be found at @claire_de_luned on Instagram or at Lanterns in the Dark on Substack.

Gold Bounty

Shucking corn:
an oldest of human traditions.

My carpenter husband says
Let’s move to the woods and grow corn
and raise a roof over land that’s ours.

I was raised in a rainforest,
on a mountain
with fields and fields of goldenrod

the color of corn,
and shucking corn, I wonder:
is the movement through fields the same –

fields of corn and goldenrod:
does the brightness of the light
burn so transparent it glows the same the world
over –

and is there anything to distinguish old farm traditions
from the bounty the hills give, miraculous and easy –
or is it all movement, walking through slender stems that rustle,
a bounty of leaves and splendor?

all light, and green leaves,
and everything spread at our feet
for labour, and appeasement of hunger,
and a richness to satisfy
the human soul?

there is a brightness to all this transcendence.

let us go then, you and I,
to the cornfields of gold on high
and harvest, beloved, all this radiant,
given glory

Read more TCK poems here!

By CulTuremiKs, ago

Yvonne McArthur – Migrations

Migrations
– Yvonne McArthur

We began as a
flock of Scots, a
Glasgow-living clan
Eaters of thick oatmeal
Musical brogue speakers

Crossed the Atlantic
Nested by the Speed River
Tossed seeds from the
Heights of Black Bridge

Some took root,
Sprouted into saplings
A forest of cousins,
Great uncles, and grandnieces
A family diaspora
Populating Canada

Others kept their wings
Soared down to Chiapas
Bushwacked through
Jungle, canoed on rivers,
Ate roasted monkey

But the wind currents called.
Drew feathered creatures
South to the highlands
Land of the Maya
To live among growers of
Garlic and onion

I learned to fly here,
Beating back and forth between
The Great Lakes and the
Caribbean Plate
Drawn to stay, become
endemic to one place. But also
Lured to fly onward forever

Yvonne McArthur is a TCK poet who grew up in Guatemala. Find out more about her or read more of her poetry here!

Read more TCK poetry here.

By CulTuremiKs, ago

Third Culture Music – Sam Cronin

In this video, Sam Cronin of Third Culture Music talks about his TCK childhood and how it has impacted his lifestyle, career, and music.

“Country or no country, nationality or not – it was the realisation that a passport means nothing, and this is an ideology that has really inspired my lifestyle today.” ~ Sam Cronin, Third Culture Music

Listen to more of Third Culture Music’s songs here.

Follow Third Culture Music on YouTube here.

By CulTuremiKs, ago

Megan Norton – TCK author and advocate

About Megan Norton:

Hello; Sziasztok; Bonjour; Guten Tag!

As the daughter of a former U.S. diplomat, I identify as a Global Nomad (Adult Third Culture Kid); and with my extensive international experience, I have a global perspective and demonstrate cross-cultural sensitivity. I have lived in ten countries (in order of moves: USA, South Africa, South Korea, Japan, Israel, Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and currently in USA), 5 U.S. states (in order of moves: Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, Washington D.C., Michigan), and have visited over 30 countries.

I am an intercultural communication specialist and trainer. This title and the professional skill sets related to it have been applied in different ways over the past ten years specifically in the Third Culture Kid and transnational education space. I co-founded a nonprofit organization called “Intercultural Transitions” (www.interculturaltransitions.org) in which my co-founder and I envisioned serving our university-bound diplomatic TCK communities worldwide. I am also an independent consultant with several organizations that serve Third Culture Kids.

Find out more about Megan Norton and check out her podcast, her book, and more at her website!

By CulTuremiKs, ago

Where Is Home? – Elliphant

Where Is Home, a song by Elliphant

Lyrics
When the way come, you know we can’t stay
And then blissness is calling out for me
And you flashes pink and life is colour blue
I’m not here, I’m gon’ never die
We got love, we can still survive
And what I feel’s what I gotta do
But can I rest with you?


Where is home?
I’m starting to believe that it is gone
‘Cause I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching
Where is home?
All I want is silence in my soul
But I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching
Yeah, I’ve been searching, searching, searching


Life is drifting so fast, I don’t sleep
I’m afraid to miss a moment where I’m free
With you, we’re both lost, and nothin’ we’d approved
I can jump ’cause I know I land
All I need is to trust your hand
And like the wind, I will blow away
Unless you make me stay


Where is home?
I’m starting to believe that it is gone
‘Cause I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching
Where is home?
All I want is silence in my soul
But I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching


Yeah, I’ve been searching, searching, searching (do I look so sore?)
And I’ve been bursting, bursting, bursting (look at me more)
My mind is rumbling, rumbling, rumbling (is right)
‘Cause I’ve been wondering, wondering, wondering


Where is home?
I’m starting to believe that it is gone
‘Cause I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching
Where is home?
All I want is silence in my soul
But I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching


Where is home?
I’m starting to believe that it is gone
‘Cause I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching
I need peace
All I want is silence in my soul
But I don’t find it
Though I’m looking
Keep searching
Yeah, I’ve been searching, searching, searching

More about Elliphant

By CulTuremiKs, ago

Takunda Muzondiwa – spoken word poet

Takunda Muzondiwa is a cross-cultural kid born in Zimbabwe, who performs spoken word poetry as a way to express her confusion about her cultural identity. In this video she performs a poem as part of her speech at the Race Unity Speech Awards from 2019.

“Yesterday I was African; today I am lost.” ~ Takunda Muzondiwa

Find out more about Takunda

By CulTuremiKs, ago