An Introduction

Transition. 

It’s a word I am very familiar with. It’s a blend of ups and downs and emotions you don’t know exactly what to do with. Our family has been in the midst of transition for several years now. And if we weren’t in a textbook transition time, we’ve been figuring out other cultures and living a life different from our own.  We’ve spent the last eight years in Japan, China, Hong Kong and the USA. Our children have grown up in Asia, with small glimpses of American life woven into summers of three-day travel, jetlag and family get togethers. And our perspectives about the world have changed rapidly and dramatically with every experience in each culture.

We are currently preparing for our second international move within one calendar year. I’m beginning to feel slightly professional in my “up and move” techniques, but at the same time still feeling like I have no idea what I’m doing. This move is different than our last few moves, however. This move we are headed back to our “home” culture, which we haven’t called home in years. We will be sorting out a new city, where to shop, and how to pay bills…but this time in a place where we look exactly like everyone else. It’s quite overwhelming and deeply exciting all at the same time.

But as this move is different, I have been being nudged by God to share glimpses of our story of transition and life overseas. It’s a reality where parts of us fit into Asia and parts into America, but neither side quite understanding who we are. I have heard God whisper to me in the midst of this beautiful chaos, “share your story.”

And here has been my dialogue with God about this:

“But I can’t think right now, I need to be packing and moving and figuring out life. We still have plane tickets to buy, friends to gather with and places to say goodbye to. It’s really bad timing.”

Share your story.

“But there is no way on earth I could put this on paper for anyone to understand. Let alone help anyone else”

Share your story.

“I just. Can’t. Do it.”

Share your story.

So in the midst of a time that doesn’t make any sense to me, I will share, in the hope that our story will touch others. In the hope that through our words there will be understanding of other cultures and ways of life. In the hope to shed some light on life as a Third Culture Kid. In the hope that someone will say, “I know exactly what you mean.”

So without any more introduction: Our beautiful, broken, life-giving, exciting, heartbreaking, challenging stories of life overseas and transitional ups-and-downs as we transition towards the Land of the Free.