Journal stoolpigeon's Journal: I'm Cross Cultural! 5
So tonight I get commissioned - missionary talk - but the bottom line is my family and I have finished 5 weeks of cross cultural training (from an evangelical perspective) as of tomorrow. It's been a lot of fun. It has been an all hands evolution. At the same time my wife and I were in training, so were our kids. They've been a part of a program called "Missionary Kid to Missionary Kid" (MK2MK). As the name implies, they are being lead in their training by kids who are MKs themselves. They've learned a lot about about transitions and what it means to be a TCK. We also were given training on parenting third culture kids. I'm going to have 3 kids that will all be spending a large chunk of their most influential development time engaged in a culture other than their passport culture.
We did language learning, talked about money and power and contextualization among other things. We covered a lot. One of the more interesting sessions was when a portion of our group that are not U.S. passport holders shared with us how they viewed Americans and some of their experiences in their home cultures with Americans. A lot of it I expected but some still surprised me. I've mentioned this in an older entry but we've got a great mix of folks here. The majority are Americans but we have participants from Germany, Slovakia, Russia, Mexico, Australia, Korea, the Philippines, and Canada. That's made it more fun that in it would have been without them.
All of our trainers spent extensive time living outside the U.S. as well. They are all teaching out of practical experience rather than just theory and I've appreciated that.
One interesting part is that I'm probably the second oldest person in the group of trainees. Most of the participants are younger - probably in their 20s. But I'm used to that kind of thing. Most people that come on staff with CCCI do so right out of university. People like my wife and I that join up mid-career are an exception. We are used to people thinking we are the ones running the training rather than being a participant.
After we wrap up here, we'll start working our way home. We've got a lot to do before we move. I've got to raise a good amount of additional support, we need to plan the logistics of the move itself, we'll need to sell a bunch of stuff, get the kids their passports, etc. Good times.
We did language learning, talked about money and power and contextualization among other things. We covered a lot. One of the more interesting sessions was when a portion of our group that are not U.S. passport holders shared with us how they viewed Americans and some of their experiences in their home cultures with Americans. A lot of it I expected but some still surprised me. I've mentioned this in an older entry but we've got a great mix of folks here. The majority are Americans but we have participants from Germany, Slovakia, Russia, Mexico, Australia, Korea, the Philippines, and Canada. That's made it more fun that in it would have been without them.
All of our trainers spent extensive time living outside the U.S. as well. They are all teaching out of practical experience rather than just theory and I've appreciated that.
One interesting part is that I'm probably the second oldest person in the group of trainees. Most of the participants are younger - probably in their 20s. But I'm used to that kind of thing. Most people that come on staff with CCCI do so right out of university. People like my wife and I that join up mid-career are an exception. We are used to people thinking we are the ones running the training rather than being a participant.
After we wrap up here, we'll start working our way home. We've got a lot to do before we move. I've got to raise a good amount of additional support, we need to plan the logistics of the move itself, we'll need to sell a bunch of stuff, get the kids their passports, etc. Good times.
3d Culture FTW (Score:2)
I think there's a lot to be said for being an American TCK. A TCK's world has more depth and more width than that of your average civilian, who only knows civilian life, American ways, and American weather. I wouldn't trade my upbringing as a milbrat, or my specific childhood experience of Europe, for anything. I hope your and your kids have a blast and that they grow in their understanding of the world. Godspeed and be safe.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
This.
Great start to the adventure (Score:2)
It sounds like you are well-launched on your way. Exciting!