Let Us Get Acquainted

After many years of struggling and trying to figure out where I belong and of course after talking to my Mother the other night...I decided that I would start a blog. I am by nature a private and very reserved person. But that being said I decided that if I could find help or help someone else with the struggles of Finding Home why not give it a shot, right? What do you mean by Finding Home? Most people know where they are from. The state or country they were born in, the hospital or even for those born at home, the room. But there are others who can't figure out which country we belong to. Those people are considered to be Third Culture Kids. TCK are people who have parents from one country but grew up in a completely different country from the one their parents were raised in. Therefore, having the mannerisms and identification to that particular country and their culture and way of life. And when the time comes that we leave the country we grew up in and identify with, we struggle with living in any other country. It can be confusing, I know. I will give you an example and I took this confusion to the another level. I am Indian. Asian Indian. I lived in India till I was 2 when we moved to California. Then when I was 8 my family moved to Japan. Which is the country I consider Home.

When I was 13 we moved back to the US living there for 4 years before my parents and I moved back to Japan. Which I stayed for a year before moving back to the US when I was 19 where I have lived since then. Confused yet? Me too! Truthfully I was never comfortable and still am not comfortable in the US but this is where I have chosen to live. I have a family here. A wonderful and very understanding husband and three beautiful children. I am thankful for my life that I have been blessed with. For the opportunities to live outside of the normal (whatever normal is) upbringing. As for my wonderful parents? The still live in Japan and will continue to do so until God tells them not to. 

Oh and did I mention the reason for all the moving around is because my parents are missionaries? I live in a confused world in my brain. I suffer greatly from missing my home, my culture, my understanding of how the world should be. I feel lonely and isolated at times. Mostly due to the fact that I actually can't relate to people who have lived in one place their whole life. I can't imagine what is would be like to only have moved one time in your life. To actually be able to go back to the house you grew up in from birth to graduation. To take your children to the house that was once occupied by yourself. Do I wish that I had that? Not really. I am proud that my parents decided that my childhood be filled with adventure for me. I can't imagine having it any other way. But like those around me who struggle with different aspects in their life...this is what I struggle with. But I know I am not alone in this struggle. There are a lot of others out there that may be struggling with finding their home. With finding a way to keep the ever tipping balance between two cultures. How does one actually keep the two straight and is it even possible to even do so?