TCK (Third Culture Kid) and MK (Missionary Kid)

For those of you who do not know- I am a TCK and a MK. I spent 12 years in Kenya, East Africa and I have spent time traveling all over the world. My #1 goal is to have visited at least half the world. I am often sad because I don't feel "normal" if I am not traveling.

I was thinking about my childhood and how I miss the adventure. There are always things out there that say "You Know You Are..." - Well I am going to make my own one.

You Know You Are a MK (Missionary Kid) and a TCK (Third Culture Kid) When...

0. Camping in the US is so "easy"

1. When people ask where you are from, you don't know how to answer.

2. Grocery stores are scary because there are too many choices.

3. Crisps are chips and chips are fries

4. You are surprised when Church is only an hour and a half long.

5. Bars on the windows seems normal to you and animals noises are soothing at night.

6. Football is Soccer!

7. You read the international section of everything!

8. You have friends all over the world.

9. You hate "loud" Americans.

10. You are offended when someone tells you how to pack or fly

11. You ARE the true flying expert

12. Waiting in line isn't a big deal for you

13. You have trouble understanding why kids cannot sit through Church and have "a nursery" - you grew up sitting on the front row for over 3 hours- These kids have it easy!!

14. You meet a foreigner on the road and you could probably guess what language they are speaking and what area they are from.

15. National Geographic is your favorite magazine.

16. It truly is a small world

17. You had a passport before a license

18. Your life story uses the phrase "Then we went to..." five times (or six, or seven times...)

19. Rain on a tile patio - or a corrugated metal roof - is one of the most wonderful sounds in the world.

20. You automatically take off your shoes as soon as you get home.

I miss the adventures, I miss everything about my life. There is no way I can tell everyone what happened and all the amazing things I have experienced or seen. Some days I feel that spark in me has left and I want to "remember" again. There are not many people who can say

They climbed Mt. Kenya when they were 14

Their first snorkeling experience was when they were 7 or 8 and they were scared because a sting ray shot out at them

They spent their vacations on the Indian Ocean making "pools" with sea creatures

They have scuba dived in the Red Sea

They have seen the Fallen walls of Jericho

They have seen the Hermitage

They have visited Anne Frank's "hiding" place

They have climbed the Eiffel Tower

They have seen Stonehenge and Woodhenge (yes there is a woodhenge)

They looked for the Lochness monster

They have flown over half the world

They almost got stuck in a cave when the tide was coming in

Have had bats fly into their face

Have had bats fly into their beds

Has sunbathed at Manuel Antonio

Has had chameleons, snails, dragonflies, praying mantis, snakes, hedgehogs, and beetles as pets (and no they were not bought at a store)

Camped with Lions and Cape Buffaloes

Had to leave school because there was a war going on.

Seen Miracles from God that could only be from God

Ridden an elephant and a camel

Had their skin rubbed by Africans to see if they turned black

Almost got run over by a bus

Almost got trampled by cows (not really, but it felt like it)

Thinks snakes are cool and has played with black mambas

Walked with their own meal (a goat)

Drank goat blood (cultural thing)

Swam in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic ocean

Was the minority in a school

Knew what it was like to go to school and have no idea what everyone else was saying.

This is only a small glimpse of my life...