When I first moved to Bangkok, Thailand, I had an amazing teacher – Mr. Westgate. He was a positive influence who provided me with the insight and acceptance to be confident and proud of who I am - a third culture kid (TCK).
In Bangkok I was privileged to attend an International School where there were students from 62 different countries. For the first time, I felt like I “fit” in and realized that I was different and that it was okay to be different in a number of ways: skin color, accent, language, nationality and experience. Mr. Westgate was instrumental in making me and other students proud of the fact we were different.
The one question that many TCKs find difficult to answer and sometimes dread being asked is “Where are you from?” Most of the time, the answer to that question is a long one. I start answering the question by explaining that I am first a Canadian and from a place that celebrates multiculturalism. My family heritage is Indian, Portuguese, Irish, Scottish, Italian, French Canadian with some other ethnicities mixed in. I was born in Calgary, where I spoke French and then we moved to Bangkok, Thailand where I spent many of my formative years. This provides me with several different “Faces”: Indian, Italian, French and Portuguese.
In Bangkok I was privileged to attend an International School where there were students from 62 different countries. For the first time, I felt like I “fit” in and realized that I was different and that it was okay to be different in a number of ways: skin color, accent, language, nationality and experience. Mr. Westgate was instrumental in making me and other students proud of the fact we were different.
The one question that many TCKs find difficult to answer and sometimes dread being asked is “Where are you from?” Most of the time, the answer to that question is a long one. I start answering the question by explaining that I am first a Canadian and from a place that celebrates multiculturalism. My family heritage is Indian, Portuguese, Irish, Scottish, Italian, French Canadian with some other ethnicities mixed in. I was born in Calgary, where I spoke French and then we moved to Bangkok, Thailand where I spent many of my formative years. This provides me with several different “Faces”: Indian, Italian, French and Portuguese.
