环球英语 — 131：Third Culture Kids

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Rachel Hobson.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby¹ Jones. Welcome to Spotlight². This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Luis was born in Lima, Peru³. He lived there with his parents. But one day his life changed completely⁴. His parents got divorced⁵. And his mother moved to the United⁶ States. So Luis went with her.
Voice 2
This move was a big change for Luis. He tried to fit into his new life. He had to go to a new school, learn a new language and make new friends. But Luis felt different from the other children. He felt that he did not belong. He wanted to return to South America. Some years later he had his chance. He was so happy to return to his original culture! But to his surprise he did not feel at home. He said:
Voice 3
“I learned⁸ a lot about South American culture. [I] explored everything about Latin⁹ America. But I still did not belong. All those years spent outside of Latin America had changed me.”
Voice 1
Luis felt troubled. He did not know which country he was from. He said:
Voice 3
“I was not [North] American. And I felt different from my South American friends. So what was I?”
Voice 1
Luis is not the only young person to have these feelings. More and more young people are moving around the world with their parents. Their parents’ work may cause the move. Families may choose to move. They hope for a better life. Such families have new experiences. They learn about other cultures. They have interesting lives. But there can also be a big problem. A lot of people do not understand how moving will affect their children. Parents may not understand their children’s struggles. And they often think it will be easy for their children to return to their home country. They may expect their children to be the same as them, to have the same ideas, and to have the same beliefs.
Voice 2
There is a name for these children who grow up in more than one country - ‘third culture kids’. Third culture kids are not completely part of their parents’ culture. They are not completely part of the other culture they live in. Instead, they are a mix of cultures. This mixed culture is their own culture - a third culture.
Dr⁷. Ruth Hill Useem was the first person who used the term third culture kids or TCK’s. She was an anthropologist¹⁰ - a person who studies human cultures. She was interested in how people behave in social situations. She was particularly interested in children who move between cultures. She researched these children for years. And she found that they all had very similar qualities.
Voice 1
Many of these qualities are very good. For example these children deal with change more easily. They listen to different opinions. They welcome new ideas. And they may speak several languages. Third Culture Kids have become citizens of the world. When these children become adults, they can build understanding between countries.
Voice 2
But many of these TCKs have struggles. They question who they are. They have a hard time deciding what to do with their lives. They may not have roots in a particular place. Some of them feel that they do not belong in any place. Other TCKs love their new country very much. They may feel that this new country is their true home. But usually they do return to their country of origin. They may return when their parents return. Or they may return to go to university.
Voice 1
In their country of origin, life is different for TCKs. They have changed. Their old friends have changed too. Often their friends do not want to hear stories about other countries. They want to talk about local interests. They expect the TCKs to know the same things they know - the same songs, the same television programmes, the same sports and the same games. TCKs have to learn to fit in quickly. And they also learn not to talk about their past experiences.
Voice 2
Norma McCaig is a TCK from the United States. When she was a child she lived in Kodaikanal, India. She was there because of her parents’ work. She grew to love the culture of India very much. When she returned to the United States, she recognized that she was different. But she discovered that there were other people like her. She used a new name to describe young people who move around the world - “global¹¹ nomads¹²”. Nomads are people with no permanent¹³ home. She wanted to help these “global nomads”. So she started a group called Global Nomads International. This group and some others provide resources¹⁴ for TCKs. They provide country information, school guides and recent research on TCKs. They also offer conferences¹⁵ on important subjects that help TCKs.
Voice 1
Norma McCaig not only started Global Nomads International. She also wrote suggestions for parents of TCKs. She told parents how they can support their children when they move between countries.
Norma says there are four main ways parents can help their children. The first is for parents to communicate with their children. Norma tells parents to encourage children to talk about how they feel. Parents should try to listen without judging their children. Then she tells parents to let their children decide some things. The children need to know their ideas are important too.
Voice 2
Next Norma tells parents to try to keep as many things the same as possible. They should try to keep their most important objects. And they should keep family traditions. For example every Sunday night Norma’s family would eat waffles. Waffles are just a simple food, but they represent¹⁶ many memories for Norma. Norma also suggests using a camera to take many pictures of the children, so they have a history of their lives. Finally Norma talks about saying goodbye. It is important to permit¹⁷ children to talk about their sadness about leaving places and friends. If they do not talk about their sadness, it can stay in their hearts for a long time.
Voice 1
Although TCKs have questions and struggles, they also have many good experiences. In fact most of them say they would not change their lives. The test is for parents and teachers to help prepare TCKs for changes. Support groups like Global Nomads International can help TCKs as they become adults. These groups can show TCKs the many things they have to offer the world.
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 Peru   

n.秘鲁(南美洲国家)

参考例句：

• Lima is the capital of peru.利马是秘鲁的首都。
• China and peru are friendly countries.中国和秘鲁是友好国家。

4 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

5 divorced   

adj.离婚的；分开的；不相干的；脱离的v.与…离婚(divorce的过去式和过去分词)；分离；与某人离婚，判某人离婚

参考例句：

• Apparently they are getting divorced soon. 看样子，他们很快就要离婚。
• Many divorced men remarry and have second families. 许多离婚的男子再婚组成了新的家庭。

6 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

7 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。

8 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

9 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

10 anthropologist   

n.人类学家，人类学者

参考例句：

• The lecturer is an anthropologist.这位讲师是人类学家。
• The anthropologist unearthed the skull of an ancient human at the site.人类学家在这个遗址挖掘出那块古人类的颅骨。

11 global   

adj.全球的；球形的；世界的

参考例句：

• A global environmental meeting is going to be held here.一个全球环境会议将在这里举行。
• The report takes a global view of the company's problems.这份报告对公司的问题作了综合性的论述。

12 nomads   

n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活

参考例句：

• For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America. 她在北美游牧民中生活了十年。
• Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 permanent   

adj.永久的，不变的，固定的

参考例句：

• The coat gives permanent protection against heavy rain.这种防雨衣经久耐用。
• It's difficult to find a permanent cure for this disease.这病很难除根。

14 resources   

n.勇气；才智；谋略；有助于实现目标的东西；资源( resource的名词复数 )；[复数]物力；办法；来源

参考例句：

• The world's resources are rapidly diminishing. 世界资源正在迅速减少。
• a policy to equalize the distribution of resources throughout the country 使资源在全国分布均衡的政策

15 conferences   

n.会议( conference的名词复数 )；讨论；（正式）讨论会；[工会、工党用语]（每年的）大会

参考例句：

• The hotel is used for exhibitions, conferences and social events. 这家饭店用于举行展览、大型会议和社交活动。
• Such conferences usually meant the loss of a valuable working day. 这种会晤通常都意味着损失一个宝贵的工作日。 来自辞典例句

16 represent   

vt.表现，表示；描绘，讲述；代表，象征；回忆；再赠送，再上演；vi.提出异议

参考例句：

• I'll represent to him the risk he is running.我要向他指出他所面临的险境。
• We selected her to represent us.我们选她作为我们的代表。

17 permit   

n.许可证，许可，执照；vt.允许，容许；vi.容许

参考例句：

• The doctor will not permit mother up until her leg is better.在母亲的腿好些之前,医生不允许她起床。
• The soldiers had orders to permit no stranger through.士兵们接到命令不许任何陌生人通过。