Stories — TCK TOWN

Time Trilogy

When you were on Guam in the 1970s, you were at the edge, staring down into the abyss. We were a 5-hour flight from the West Coast to Hawaii and then another 8 hours till solid ground. Packages took 3 to 4 weeks by shipping if they caught the right boat...

Better Late Than NeverBy Paul Kennedy (From The Western Pacific, South East Asia, Europe & Alaska. Living in Tokyo)31 July 2016TCK, Trees, Church, 1970, 80s, 2016, Christmas, Military, Better Late Than Never, tree, typhoon, Guam, South-East Asia, TCK TOWN, third culture kid, December Comment

The Digestible

This guy really is just passing the time, I deduce from his gestures, intonation, and eye contact. He has bigger fish to fry, women to (attempt to, at the least) seduce, beers to guzzle, joints to roll, greasy kebabs to inhale at ungodly hours, and throbbing Sunday morning headaches to nurse. He would rather talk about prostates and pension funds than hear what I’ve got to say...

Better Late Than Never, Where Are You From?By Danish Khan (From Melbourne, Perth, Karachi & Islamabad. Living in Karachi)24 July 2016TCK, Australia, brother, interaction, Better Late Than Never, Mate, relationship, Perth, society, Pakistan, vulnerability, conversation, TCK TOWN, BroComment

Heartattack And Vine

In Dubai we grew up with a 'working class' - bar and restaurant staff, cab drivers, retail assistants and ushers were nameless, friendly people whose stories often stopped after we had given our orders or our requests were seen to...

Better Late Than Never, AsiaBy Ava Senaratne (From Sri Lanka, Dubai & Melbourne. Living in Sydney)21 July 2016TCK, TCK TOWN, third culture adult, third culture kidComment

Late To The Party

I grew up in Pakistan, where one’s life’s trajectory is comfortably pre-ordained: one must get a tertiary education at a reputable institution, during or following which one must get married and “settle down”, and then, of course, oblige one’s in-laws by producing a strategically interspersed brood of obedient children...

Better Late Than Never, Adulthood, Asia, Relationships, Traditions & CustomsBy Anam Javed (From Pakistan. Living in Melbourne)17 July 2016tck, TCK TOWN, Better Late Than Never, Pakistan, parents, marriage, children, single, Pakistani, aunties, society, desi Comments

But I Don't Have A Footie Team!

I imagine if you're not a third culture kid, the second of hesitation after the question "Where are you from?" must look a little misplaced.

I usually size up the person who's asking...

How Do You Justify Your Customs?

I'd like life to be a big, red, round, spinning Chinese table - take what you want now and keep the rest for later. Unfortunately, it is more like walking through a patch of cold sword-grass on the way out from...

You’re A Kinder Surprise, Too.

Before we go down the rabbit hole together, let’s find a commonality. How about chocolate?...

Home

My sense of belonging fluctuates like an erratic pulse and my nationalistic pride skyrockets when faced with a belligerent non-Pakistani who questions the mess my country has become...

Why Not To Eavesdrop in Guam

"Your worst nightmare," should be the dreamy response - delivered deadpan, low voiced and with super intense scary music in the background. But alas, life is never as Hollywood would have us believe it is, or should be...

Where Are You From?By Paul Kennedy (From The Western Pacific, South East Asia, Europe & Alaska. Living in Tokyo)1 June 2016third culture kid, TCK TOWN, journal, Guam, white, middle class, government, micronesia, west coast, Saipan, Pacific, Spain, Immigration, WASP, Japanese, flight school Comment