Beginning to see the joy in it all.

I've recently discovered something deeply affirming... Something which I think I already knew, but had never realized how much it had impacted me. 

You may have heard of the term 'third culture kid' (TCK) Basically, a TCK is a person who has spent a significant part of their developmental years (0-18) in a culture different to that of their parents culture. While these people can come from a range of backgrounds/ life experiences there is so much about them that unites them. 

Until recently I thought I was just odd as no one seemed to really understand or relate to the way I processed things and related to different cultures and places, but as I learn about TCKs, I see it's all there and that I'm not the only one who feels this way. In weird ways, it's been incredibly freeing. 

I've often seen the negative sides of all the moving, the adapting, the goodbyes and the being different... but in the last few days, I've become to be incredibly grateful for it. 

Of my 4 different countries + 2 other brief trips, 8 churches, 6 schools, 4 universities and more houses than I can remember I've had opportunities to meet with and get to know so many different people. People of different ages, abilities, race and vastly different walks of life. People who spoke the same language and those who didn't. You come to the place where people being different to you ceases to weird you out and just becomes the norm. 

I can quickly feel at home in new places and I've learned to be myself in those new places quicker each time. Sometimes when you move, it's like you try to create a new different version of yourself, these people don't know what you used to be like, so they wouldn't notice the change. But after I'd sink back to my same self after the act got tired, so now I just start there instead!

The effects of culture shock have decreased significantly.

I've learnt how God is present and faithful within so much change and disquiet.

You grow to deeply value family and the good friendships and relationships you're blessed with and try hard not to take people for granted.

While goodbyes are tricky when you know you'll unlikely see them again and you never quite fit anywhere (even the place you were born!) and I still kind of wish I could somehow combine all the people I've connected with in one place, just for a while...

I wouldn't switch it for anything!!. 

I love that I've had the chance to sing and dance with over 500 Kenyan youth, ride motor bikes across dried up rivers, barter for second hand shirts and play tag through maize fields. I love that I've had the chance to build houses and play in the mud with kids who didn't speak a word of English. I'm thankful that I've had the chance to be let into the lives of those in Indonesia and to laugh, run and make music, I'm glad I now call a thongs  jandals (cause that's what they are!) and that occasionally I forget where I am and thank people in Indonesian and Swahili. I'm so thankful for all the opportunities I've had to learn, grow, work, love and serve in UK, Australia NZ, Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia. I love that my accent is a weird mix match of cultures and failed attempts to learn second languages.... and so much more!

It's given me an outlook on life that couldn't have been taught in a classroom or in one culture. My heart is somewhat caught in between worlds. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it hurts... but sometimes it brings me such joy!

I wouldn't be who I am without it.