text:
In collaboration with Canon Nordic.
Sometimes it feels like you know everything there is to know about the city you live in. Where to go and what to eat. But really, if there's one way to experience the city you live in, in it's full presence, then it's simply through the eyes of a lense. Paying full attention about the moment, wandering off to experience places your own way.
So this is exactly what I've done lately. And the background behind it is that I'm taking part of a large campaign by Canon, created to redefine ordinary with the help of the newly launched EOS M5. And I'll be honest, when I first heard about this small, non full framed, compact camera, I was a bit sceptic. Specially being used to big, heavy DSLR's providing excellent quality. But, fact is, after testing this little mirrorless gem -- it's proven to replace not only my chunky older professional camera, but also my iPhone! (and trust me, I'm married to my smartphone camera). I love the fact that it's light, easy and to a affordable price. Including wifi is a big +, specially when you want a go-to camera for light traveling. I also enjoyed trying out the 15-45mm lense that comes with it.
You'll find all places recommended in my Redefine Stockholm in this Google Map.
This place is a true gem and often forgotten as new upcoming, trendy bars keeps popping up. Pelikan is a 110 year old, rustic, beautiful beer hall with high ceilings, green plants and wood-paneled fairytale. Located on a backstreet to Ringvägen, Södermalm, Stockholm. Beautiful interior.
OK. So if I only had to pick one restaurant to recommend, then Matateljen would be the one. I love not only the simple, terrific and well thought food served here (if there’s poached egg one the menu - try it!), but the whole vibe is worth a visit. Located in an old post office, this place feels relaxed, curious and Instagram-friendly.
There’s no place like this located around Kungsträdgården, the very core of Stockholm surrounded by traffic hustle and bustle. A great Italian restaurant with the most beautiful decor. Vintage pictures and chandeliers served with tasty food. A big plus is the picturesque view offered by the location.
Sticky rice, plants hanging from the ceiling and innovative, delicious Taiwanese bao. Due to the location of this restaurant, Barabao is easy to bypass. But the place is really worth a visit! Steamed buns served with different fillings and the atmosphere of this place, is really all needed to get inspiration and a full stomach during lunch hour.
Easy to just walk by, but go here if you’re looking for a great selection of vintage clothing and accessories! Many pieces are sourced in person from across Europe and you can feel the attention to detail from the staff clerks as well. Good vibe! And a great selection of silk blouses, wide pants and chiffon dresses.
A green dream and a place to inhale clean air. Vinterviken (Winter-cove) is a bay in the Mälaren lake south of Stockholm, located in the most beautiful setting by the water. Walk around and you’ll see small little allotment gardens, café Winterviken and during summertime sun-warmed cliffs.
Take the red line towards Fruängen and you’ll find a ”suburban Södermalm”. That’s what the area of Midsommarkransen/Telefonplan/Aspudden are becoming. Green parks, great food and cute shops. Located here is the Konstfack University Collage, Mimmi Staafs Möbelmakeri, the cool curved kindergarten ’Paletten’ and Aspuddens Bokhandel.
More than the average hotel. A cute, boutique design hotel located pretty right by the water in Stockholm’s island Skeppsholmen. Cosy restaurant, friendly staff and a wonderful terrace in the garden during summer, and eye-catching floral arrangement during wintertime.
Or just ditch the boutique hotels and stay at this unique hostel, the 1800s ship called Af Chapman, located on gorgeous Skeppsholmen island in Stockholm. Wake up surrounded by water and to the view of the royal castle. Enjoy a cold drink on the deck at summertime.
If you're curious to learn more about the new Canon EOS M5 camera, then I suggest you head to their homepage. I also recommend to check out the videos created for this campaign, with tips and inspiration on how to redefine the ordinary with a set of different tutorials (++sweet, talented Nana Hagel is behind making these videos).
Thanks to Canon for having me in this campaign!
something to rest your eyes on.
2. Suede shoes, unknown brand. Tumblr.
3. Magnolia flowers. Beth Kirby, Pinterest.
4. Gorgeous Villa Torrigiani in Lucca, Italien. Photo by Pieter Estersohn via Walls: The Best of Decorative Treatments.
5. Artwork by Yamamoto Masao.
So this is a super late mini-guide to Melbourne. A city that I'm having a little love affair with. If you follow along on Instagram, you might have seen that I changed cold Scandinavian weather to the warmth of Melbs during March this year. A 22-hour flight with the very hectic 9-months baby Leopold.
The flight went well (thank god for night flights).. and I truly loved Melbourne! Spent most of our time in Fitzroy/Collingwood, the most interesting (hipster-ish) area, filled with great places to eat and shop. ++ it's all so green and lush.
I'll share some more photos later on, including Loose Leaf and our trip to Bali.
<3 To our family living in Melbourne. I can't wait to get back again!
..and strenght. All presented into one single flower.

lowercased:
in collaboration with canon nordic.
sometimes it feels like you know everything there is to know about the city you live in. where to go and what to eat. but really, if there's one way to experience the city you live in, in it's full presence, then it's simply through the eyes of a lense. paying full attention about the moment, wandering off to experience places your own way.
so this is exactly what i've done lately. and the background behind it is that i'm taking part of a large campaign by canon, created to redefine ordinary with the help of the newly launched eos m5. and i'll be honest, when i first heard about this small, non full framed, compact camera, i was a bit sceptic. specially being used to big, heavy dslr's providing excellent quality. but, fact is, after testing this little mirrorless gem -- it's proven to replace not only my chunky older professional camera, but also my iphone! (and trust me, i'm married to my smartphone camera). i love the fact that it's light, easy and to a affordable price. including wifi is a big +, specially when you want a go-to camera for light traveling. i also enjoyed trying out the 15-45mm lense that comes with it.
you'll find all places recommended in my redefine stockholm in this google map.
this place is a true gem and often forgotten as new upcoming, trendy bars keeps popping up. pelikan is a 110 year old, rustic, beautiful beer hall with high ceilings, green plants and wood-paneled fairytale. located on a backstreet to ringvägen, södermalm, stockholm. beautiful interior.
ok. so if i only had to pick one restaurant to recommend, then matateljen would be the one. i love not only the simple, terrific and well thought food served here (if there’s poached egg one the menu - try it!), but the whole vibe is worth a visit. located in an old post office, this place feels relaxed, curious and instagram-friendly.
there’s no place like this located around kungsträdgården, the very core of stockholm surrounded by traffic hustle and bustle. a great italian restaurant with the most beautiful decor. vintage pictures and chandeliers served with tasty food. a big plus is the picturesque view offered by the location.
sticky rice, plants hanging from the ceiling and innovative, delicious taiwanese bao. due to the location of this restaurant, barabao is easy to bypass. but the place is really worth a visit! steamed buns served with different fillings and the atmosphere of this place, is really all needed to get inspiration and a full stomach during lunch hour.
easy to just walk by, but go here if you’re looking for a great selection of vintage clothing and accessories! many pieces are sourced in person from across europe and you can feel the attention to detail from the staff clerks as well. good vibe! and a great selection of silk blouses, wide pants and chiffon dresses.
a green dream and a place to inhale clean air. vinterviken (winter-cove) is a bay in the mälaren lake south of stockholm, located in the most beautiful setting by the water. walk around and you’ll see small little allotment gardens, café winterviken and during summertime sun-warmed cliffs.
take the red line towards fruängen and you’ll find a ”suburban södermalm”. that’s what the area of midsommarkransen/telefonplan/aspudden are becoming. green parks, great food and cute shops. located here is the konstfack university collage, mimmi staafs möbelmakeri, the cool curved kindergarten ’paletten’ and aspuddens bokhandel.
more than the average hotel. a cute, boutique design hotel located pretty right by the water in stockholm’s island skeppsholmen. cosy restaurant, friendly staff and a wonderful terrace in the garden during summer, and eye-catching floral arrangement during wintertime.
or just ditch the boutique hotels and stay at this unique hostel, the 1800s ship called af chapman, located on gorgeous skeppsholmen island in stockholm. wake up surrounded by water and to the view of the royal castle. enjoy a cold drink on the deck at summertime.
if you're curious to learn more about the new canon eos m5 camera, then i suggest you head to their homepage. i also recommend to check out the videos created for this campaign, with tips and inspiration on how to redefine the ordinary with a set of different tutorials (++sweet, talented nana hagel is behind making these videos).
thanks to canon for having me in this campaign!
something to rest your eyes on.
2. suede shoes, unknown brand. tumblr.
3. magnolia flowers. beth kirby, pinterest.
4. gorgeous villa torrigiani in lucca, italien. photo by pieter estersohn via walls: the best of decorative treatments.
5. artwork by yamamoto masao.
so this is a super late mini-guide to melbourne. a city that i'm having a little love affair with. if you follow along on instagram, you might have seen that i changed cold scandinavian weather to the warmth of melbs during march this year. a 22-hour flight with the very hectic 9-months baby leopold.
the flight went well (thank god for night flights).. and i truly loved melbourne! spent most of our time in fitzroy/collingwood, the most interesting (hipster-ish) area, filled with great places to eat and shop. ++ it's all so green and lush.
i'll share some more photos later on, including loose leaf and our trip to bali.
<3 to our family living in melbourne. i can't wait to get back again!
..and strenght. all presented into one single flower.


text:
A few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the 2016 Families in Global Transition Conference in Amsterdam. It’s the third time I attend this conference and every time I find myself re-energized and grateful for this international community. It’s a space where I don’t have to explain myself or my background; I feel welcomed, understood and heard.
This year we had three spectacular keynote speakers, including the founder of FIGT and Third Culture Kid/Cross-Cultural Kid advocate, Ruth Van Reken. Ruth is so much more than that, however, so in her honor I would like to share my interview with her from 2014. That was the first year I attended FIGT and the first time I met Ruth – her warmth, humor and genuine interest in everyone she meets made a lasting impression. It was a privilege to interview her in 2014 and to hear her speak this year.
Certain names immediately come to mind when thinking about Third Culture Kid (TCK) research: Norma McCaig, Ruth Hill Useem, David Pollock and of course, Ruth Van Reken.
It is difficult to find just one word that defines Ruth, who is a missionary kid, an Adult Third Culture Kid, author, teacher, public speaker, and advocate of TCKs, among many other things. She was born in Kano, Nigeria to an American mom born and raised in Chicago, and an American ATCK dad born in Resht, Iran. She spent much of her childhood in Africa, returning to the US. for high school. As an adult, Ruth went to college, became a nurse, and then met and married her husband, David. Also a missionary kid and TCK in his own right, having lived two years in China as a child, David is also a doctor and as he wanted to work overseas, Ruth continued her expat life with her husband, raising three global nomads of her own in Liberia and the US.
As an Adult TCK, daughter, mother and grandmother of TCKs, Ruth knows the impact of this lifestyle and the importance of understanding it. She is dedicated to helping others understand their journey and to spreading the word about this global community. Without Ruth there would be no TCK ‘bible’ (Third Culture Kids: Growing up Among Worlds) and no Families in Global Transition (FIGT) conferences.
The two publications Ruth is most known for, Letters Never Sent and Growing up Among Worlds, were written under very different circumstances, but they both helped Ruth (and others) understand their own TCK background.
Finally writing about her experiences, at 39 years old, helped her process the emotions she had felt growing up as a TCK, especially about leaving home and going to boarding school. Expressing those emotions allowed her to finally address them and cope with them.
“This was not a book about a topic but simply a process of self-discovery,” she explained.
Her story resonated with many readers, and it continues to do so today, having sold over 32,000 copies. But when Ruth first wrote Letters, she had a hard time getting it printed because publishers didn’t believe there would be enough interest in her story.
From there Ruth did the selling herself until her collaboration with author and publisher Jo Parfitt, which allowed her book to receive the exposure it deserved. Jo revamped Letters by adding photos, an epilogue by Ruth, and making it available in print and kindle ensuring Ruth no longer had to sell it herself.
The book initially shunned by publishers would go on to impact people all over the world, who realized they weren’t alone in how they felt. By sharing her experiences and emotions, Ruth has helped others to learn from her lessons and ultimately live better in their understanding.
It was while working on Letters that Ruth and David Pollock first connected. He was preparing a conference on TCKs and she sent him a letter asking if he was doing anything to help adults struggling with their TCK experiences. That one letter led to a great friendship and collaboration.
Working on Growing up Among Worlds was a very different process to writing her journal. David had done much of the research but someone needed to put it in writing and make it available to others. In addition to writing it, there was also a need to clarify the whys of such a lifestyle, which were the challenges Ruth took on. Trying to explain the impact of growing up as a TCK also helped her understand herself better.
FIGT had very humble beginnings in the Midwest USA. While trying to adjust to life in suburban Indiana after living overseas, Ruth realized that not enough help was being given to relocated families. Although relocation packages included nice benefits and practical information, they lacked support in other areas.
In the meantime, Norma McCaig had started Global Nomads and David Pollock was talking about TCKs to international schools and organizations. Ruth’s memoir, Letters Never Sent had been published and people had begun writing to her, sharing their own similar experiences.
“It was apparent that issues related to global family living were real out in the world but they seemed invisible where I was living in Indianapolis,” she recalled. Then one day while sitting at her kitchen table with three friends, discussing the book she was writing with David Pollock, they realized it would be great to spread this information to a wider audience.
And so began the preparation for the first FIGT conference.
They found a venue, set a date (May 16th 1998) and created a logo, which is still used today. They even found a star speaker: David Pollock. At the time he was Executive Director of Interaction International (formerly Manhattan Youth Services), which he had co-founded in the 1960s. Few locals attended the conference, but many people traveled into town to hear David speak and ‘the magic of FIGT began’.
Although that first conference only had two sessions, it was so successful a second one was planned the following year and by 2001 FIGT had become an official organization. The conference was eventually moved from Indianapolis to Houston where there was a larger international community due to the oil industry, before moving to its current home in Washington, DC.
“Throughout the process, incredibly dedicated and capable board members […] have continued to lead the way to making FIGT what it is now,” she said.
Although David Pollock is gone, his legacy continues, not only through the knowledge he has left behind, but also through his son Michael, who led a Concurrent session with Ruth at the 2014 FIGT conference.
Another evolving aspect of FIGT is the bookstore. At the first conference there was no bookstore – there wasn’t even a book table. Ruth’s husband sold them straight from the boxes in the lobby towards the end of the conference.
“No one believed there was enough interest in such a topic to generate many sales,” Ruth recalled.
The main books available at the time were Letters Never Sent by Ruth and Strangers at Home by Carolyn Smith, a US diplomat’s daughter. The following years there were more, including Growing up Among Worlds as well as publications from Jo Parfitt and Robin Pascoe. But unfortunately the choices remained quite limited.
Today there is an online bookstore and a physical bookstore at the FIGT conferences filled with a myriad of expat and TCK-related books.
Ruth is currently working on new research regarding Cross-Cultural Kids (CCK). She wants to see how certain lessons can apply to all children who have experienced a globalized upbringing or some form of displacement from their parents’ home/culture.
Her hope is that by understanding the TCK experience it is also possible to help children from other cross-cultural backgrounds. She hopes to expand our views of who constitutes a global nomad and to use our past lessons to benefit them.
“If we have identified the gifts TCKs often receive from their cross-cultural childhood […] then is it possible those with other types of cross-cultural backgrounds […] have the same kinds of giftings?” she questioned.
She is also hopeful that future generations of TCKs/CCKs will continue to carry the torch for the global community. “Now we are in TCK Phase Two, watching your generation move into its place in the history of the world and build on the past so lessons learned can be applied to the present and prepare others to live well in a future where I believe CCKs of all backgrounds will be the norm and not the exception,” she said.
Although she speaks of passing the torch to the next generation, Ruth is far from done with her work. She continues to travel to conferences and schools speaking about TCKs and how to help them understand and make the most of their experiences.
Meeting Ruth was a highlight of the conference for me – I was immediately won over by her kindness, humor and warmth. She seems to have time for everyone, despite being in constant demand. She is modest and humble, almost to a fault, which only makes her more charming. She has done so much for this community and yet always downplays her contributions, preferring to give the credit to others. Thankfully those around her are willing to sing her praises and give her the recognition she deserves.
Ruth had endless wisdom to share, both when we spoke at FIGT and when I interviewed her after. She knows that growing up as a TCK/CCK is not simply good or bad. There are challenges and sorrow, but there are also amazing opportunities and happiness. Sometimes we forget that the ups and downs are both necessary parts of life.
After these many words of wisdom, she shared one final piece of advice, which she has carried around her whole life.
In an increasingly mobile world, perhaps that is the greatest piece of wisdom.
Je suis consciente que des attentats ont eu lieu dans d’autres pays (Liban, Iraq) avec de très nombreux morts et qu’il y a des victimes tous les jours en Syrie et ailleurs dans le monde. Le but du texte ci-dessous n’est pas de donner plus d’importance aux victimes de Paris, parce qu’aucun pays, aucune famille ne mérite de subir de telles atrocités.
Ce texte est simplement un hommage à une ville que j’aime profondément. Je suis 100% libanaise d’origine et Paris sera mon foyer éternel. Mon cœur est doublement brisé et ma peine est débordante.
Je pleure pour ma ville bien-aimée, mon cœur brisé déborde de tristesse. Paris – ville adoptée, adorée et chérie – tu souffres et je souffre loin de toi. Même si un océan nous sépare, mon cœur est avec toi et mes pensées traversent les distances et les vagues pour se poser à ton seuil.
Enfant du monde, mon âme est un mélange de cultures et mon cœur repose souvent dans plusieurs endroits, mais il ne quittera jamais Paris. Cette ville lumineuse a su bien s’emparer de mon cœur et c’est un amour éternel.
Il y a tellement de choses que je voudrais dire, mais je me retrouve sans mots face à ce tourbillon d’émotions qui remplit mon cœur et mes pensées.
Photo courtesy of Raya F.
This article first appeared in the September 2015 issue of Among Worlds.
Over the past couple of months the topics at #TCKchat have continued to be varied, thought-provoking and insightful. We finished our series of chats on race, culminating with a conversation about cultural and racial identity. We discussed the Third Culture Kid (TCK) ‘label’, and current/ future research topics for TCKs. We looked at how sports can be an important connector and tool to engage in your community. We also shared thoughts, advice and suggestions on creating and maintaining a global career.
As this issue of Among Worlds is focused on new beginnings, however, I would like to jump back a few months to a #TCKchat we had in September 2014 entitled New Kid on the Block.
The saying ‘practice makes perfect’ can apply to many things in life, but not to everything unfortunately. I’ve been the new kid quite a few times and I don’t think it really gets easier or better the more you do it. Sure, you might get more used it and as the years go by you’ll be more mature so you can handle it differently. But, on the flip side, as you get older, feelings get more complex and there’s more to juggle.
Being the new kid at school is never easy. It can be stressful, embarrassing, upsetting and lonely. Throw in a foreign country, a different school system or a new language and it becomes even more daunting. Sometimes there might not even be the comforts of home and personal belongings – they might still be shipping from across the world as you stay in a hotel.
By the time I was eighteen, I had lived in six countries (on four continents) and had gone to five different schools. I attended international/ American schools in Mexico, the Philippines and France; local schools in the U.S. and Australia; and then went on to study in French and British universities. I know all too well how it feels to be the new kid.
Although I was lucky to have supportive parents and a sister who shared the transition struggles, I still had to navigate the school days on my own. I had to talk about myself to unfamiliar faces, through the nervousness and sadness; I had to correct teachers on the pronunciation of my name; I had to find somewhere to sit at lunch and try not to feel too lonely. I don’t think more practice could have made any of that much easier.
Although the first days and weeks were tough, I always settled in eventually. I made friends, found my way around the school and one day, I was no longer the new kid. But I knew how difficult it was to feel so lost and alone, and I learned that the smallest gestures of kindness could make an enormous difference.
I took that lesson to heart and decided I would do everything I could to make the experience easier for other new kids. I initiated conversations with them and asked if I could help out. I looked out for them and if I ever saw someone who looked lost or lonely, I would introduce myself, offer to help them find their way, or simply talk to them and get to know them. Sometimes all you need is to know that someone cares.
Having the right kind of support during these transitions is so important, and I am grateful for those teachers and students who reached out a helping hand. I am even more grateful to have parents who were always supportive and reassuring. They did everything they could to help us navigate the tough parts of these experiences and cope with all the changes in our lives. Having siblings also made things infinitely easier – it was comforting to know I wasn’t alone in how I was feeling and what I was going through. We didn’t need grand gestures to help us through those moments. We simply needed a friendly smile, a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry on, a comforting hug – something that reminded us we weren’t alone and that everything would be alright.
I won’t pretend that moving was (or is) easy. Leaving behind all that’s familiar and starting somewhere new can be daunting and overwhelming. There are bound to be moments of sadness and loneliness. But it is also an exciting adventure, with wonderful opportunities. Being the new kid is never easy and new beginnings are always a little scary. Yet before you know it, you’ll know your way around school, you’ll be giving directions to tourists, and you’ll be calling that strange, foreign place home.
At #TCKchat we discussed being the new kid – sharing thoughts on how to make friends, who helped us through the transition, how we coped with being the new kid and finally offering up some advice for others going through similar challenges.
What type of a TCK were you when you first moved to a new place? Chameleon? Observer? Did you jump right in or have your guard up?
What was your strategy for making new friends?
Who helped you adjust? Teachers? Counselors? Peers and/or classmates?
What advice would you give a kid about to make their first move?
An earlier version of this piece was first published on my blog in June 2013. The version below was published in the September 2015 issue of Among Worlds.
Many things come to mind when thinking of summer: sunshine, ice-cream, vacation, lounging on the beach, late nights, cool drinks, lazy days and evenings with family and friends… But for me, and many other Third Culture Kids (TCKs), summer was also synonymous with change. In the American and/ or international schools we attended, when June came along and the school year ended, there was always someone moving away. Sometimes we had to say goodbye to friends who were leaving and other times we were the ones packing up. Either way it meant change, adapting to yet another new situation and having to figure it out all over again.
When we were moving there were obviously greater challenges and those summers were truly a period of transition. During those summers, we rarely went directly to the new country. Once school would finish in June, we would pack up the house, ship everything off with the moving company and we would head off to spend at least part of the summer with family. That way we could enjoy our vacation as much as possible before having to confront the inevitable challenges awaiting us.
It was a great idea to allow us this transition period, this pause, in between countries. It softened the blow of leaving our home and gave us strength to deal with arriving in a foreign place. Spending the summers with cousins and grandparents – being surrounded by loved ones and familiarity – eased the pain of loss and of sorrowful goodbyes. It reminded us that some things remain constant and steady, even when everything around us seemed to be a whirlwind of change. It also reinforced our belief that time and distance do not alter true friendship and love.
Summers are meant to be a time of joy, fun, laughter and carefree days. For TCKs moving to a new country the summer was much less carefree and relaxed. While others were still enjoying their last lazy days of lounging in the sun or chatting with friends, we were unpacking boxes in an unfamiliar house, trying to find our way in foreign roads and dreading the first day at a new school. It wasn’t always easy, but it was all part of the experience.
And despite all the tough moments, I would do it again, without a doubt. Those summers of change provided valuable lessons that will last me a lifetime and they taught me how resilient I really am. A restful summer is always welcome, but show me the next opportunity for change and my TCK itchy feet are ready for the next adventure!
I hope you all had a great summer, wherever you may be; and good luck to any of you who went through a summer of a change.
Adult Third Culture Kid (ATCK) and writer Kathleen Gamble knows what it means to live a global life. Kathleen has lived around the world – Burma, Mexico, several US states, Colombia, various countries in Africa, Switzerland and Russia. In her first book, Expat Alien, Kathleen takes us through her experiences and her history, starting from her parents’ first meeting and working her way through the many countries and continents since then.
Throughout her book, Kathleen shares personal stories and anecdotes to bring her experiences to life. There is the more harrowing side of global living – political unrest in Burma, earthquakes in Mexico, or stopping at a roadblock in Nigeria and having a soldier jam his gun through the window. But there are also stories of friendships, boarding school in Switzerland, traveling through Europe, card games with family and making home across continents.
Kathleen also delves into the difficulty of repatriation and reverse culture shock. When she returned to the US for college, she realized how different her upbringing was and found herself struggling to fit in and trying to understand the racial issues in the US. Despite the initial difficulties in settling in, Kathleen remained in the US for several more years before heading abroad again with her husband – this time to Russia. She lived nearly nine years in Russia, in six different apartments before returning to the US again. The stories of her time in Russia are fascinating and their unexpected departure following conversations with the FSB reads like a thrilling spy novel.
Even though Kathleen and her son suffered through culture shock upon returning to the US, Kathleen managed to turn things around and create a new life. Despite passing through a few difficult moments in the years since returning, her book ends on an uplifting note of hope.
Expats, TCKs, travelers and anyone interested in learning about various parts of the world through personal stories would enjoy Expat Alien.
You can purchase Expat Alien on Amazon.
Make sure to check out Kathleen’s blog www.expatalien.com to follow her latest adventures and also read more about her experiences growing up. You can also connect with Kathleen on twitter @ExpatAlien.
I never expected that an animated movie could make me feel so much. That it could reach so far into my heart and find emotions and feelings that I thought were either gone or buried deep. Turns out they were just under the surface, waiting to be triggered. And maybe they will always be there.
The movie I’m talking about is the new Pixar film Inside Out, which is about an 11-year-old girl (Riley), moving from her home in Minnesota to San Francisco. A lot of the movie happens in her head, where we see the different emotions (joy, sadness, disgust, fear and anger) personified as individual characters. It is beautifully made and I was blown away by how imaginative, creative and magical it was.
I was equally impressed with how the filmmakers portrayed her emotions, how they dealt with sadness and how they showed the importance of acknowledging all emotions – because they all play a role in shaping who we are and how we live our life. It showed that sadness is not an emotion to ignore; it’s not something bad and shouldn’t be stigmatized. Sometimes all you need is to acknowledge the sadness, sit with it and let it out. Then you are more likely to find comfort and see the beauty and joy around you.
When we ignore sadness or push it down, we don’t address it and often other emotions/ reactions come out instead – fear, disgust and anger. As Riley struggles with her emotions during this new transition she becomes confused, lonely and angry. Confused at how jumbled her feelings are, lonely without friends at her new school and angry that she was dragged away from her home and her friends.
As a Third Culture Kid (TCK), this movie resonated with me in a way no other movie ever has. I felt like I was watching my story on screen. And I know my TCK husband felt the same. We felt the sharp ache of goodbyes; the deep loneliness of having no friends and eating lunch alone while others talked and laughed around you; the anger and confusion of being torn away from everything familiar and loved. But mostly we felt the sadness… And we were both caught by surprise at the intensity of our emotions.
I’m now 30 years old, and I had a very healthy TCK upbringing. My parents were always supportive, they prepared us for every move, gave us closure and allowed us to grieve. So I thought all those emotions were sorted and neatly packed away in ‘long-term memory’ as the movie showed us. I never expected them to resurface so easily and to overwhelm me the way they did. But when Riley finally admits her sadness to her parents and says how much she misses home, the emotion was so raw, so real and so familiar that my heart overflowed… And so did my tears.
But the beauty of the movie, and of life, is that once you acknowledge the sadness you can address it and you don’t have to deal with it alone. From there it’s uphill because you’re not fighting against it anymore and more importantly you’re not fighting alone.
The movie shows that as Riley strengthens her relationship with her parents, makes new friends and slowly finds her place until this new location becomes home. And that’s how it worked every time for us – once you get past the heartache, loneliness and sadness, you make friends and you make a new home… At least until next time.
I don’t regret this life and despite feeling such raw sadness, I loved the movie. It has so much wonderful humor and such poignant, touching scenes. It wasn’t a sad movie, but it also didn’t shy away from the sad moments. It embraced them and showed how they’re an important part of the bigger picture. I’m grateful that someone took the time to make such a movie and to make it so eloquently and beautifully.
Words cannot really do it justice, so I would recommend this movie with all my heart. If you’re like me you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll think, you’ll be amazed by the magic of the movie… You’ll leave feeling inside out, upside down, jumbled up and moved to the core.
But you’ll also leave feeling warm, buoyant and just a little more lit up inside.
This article first appeared in the March 2015 issue of Among Worlds. Minor corrections have been made to reflect the most updated information (dates/times, twitter accounts) and hyperlinks have been added.
In this issue of Among Worlds, we begin a regular column called #TCKchat. Freelance writer and #TCKchat co-host Dounia Bertuccelli provides an introduction to #TCKchat, where to find more information and how to get involved.
When it comes to Third Culture Kids (TCKs), it is complex to find a one-size-fits-all answer. Despite sharing certain similarities, each TCK experience is unique and deserves to be heard. In this day and age of technology and social media, it is easier than ever to share thoughts and ideas with a global audience. Connecting with people across the world in an instant is something many of us do on a daily basis. For TCKs, this can mean keeping touch with family and friends, but also with other TCKs, with whom they feel understood and accepted. Adult TCKs Amanda Bate and Ellen Mahoney understood the importance of those connections and created a space where they could be nurtured and developed: #TCKchat.
What is #TCKchat and Why Was it Developed?
The Third Culture Kid Chat (#TCKchat) is a twitter chat focused on topics related to the experiences of Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and adult TCKs (ATCKs). It is a public discussion forum, providing insight and information to help support current and future generations of TCKs.
As adult TCKs who started their own businesses catered towards supporting TCKs during crucial transition periods, Amanda and Ellen have both the personal and professional experience to lead such a project. They both work with young adult and college age TCKs through their organizations Bate Consulting and Sea Change Mentoring.
Participants are of different generations and backgrounds (personal and professional) and are located across every continent except South America. The nine co-hosts are also from around the world and are currently living in Turkey, U.S.A (various states), Australia and Zimbabwe.
#TCKchat also aims to provide information, tips and insight to adults who work with or are raising TCKs. It can be a difficult experience to understand if you haven’t lived it, but “our discussions can be a tool for those who work with them [TCKs],” Amanda hopes.
Anyone can participate in #TCKchat, as long as they have a Twitter account. There are no restrictions of any kind, and no obligation to answer the questions presented. There is, however, an unspoken understanding that all involved will be respectful.
#TCKchat occurs on the first and third Wednesday/Thursday of each month with 2 sessions: 1st session at GMT 15:00 and 2nd session at GMT +1 3:00.
To make participation easier, use applications like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite. You can find a video on how to install/use these on the #TCKchat website, and the co-hosts are always happy to provide further assistance.
Use #TCKchat in each tweet so everyone in the chat can see/read your tweets.
All questions will be available on the website the Sunday before the chat, but they will also be tweeted out at intervals during the chat.
If you do not have a twitter account but would still like to read what was shared, the #TCKchat team has you covered: highlights of each chat are posted the following day and those are available to everyone.
Identity: How adult TCKs view themselves locally, nationally and globally.
There are a lot of insightful, touching and humorous comments made in every chat, but unfortunately it would be difficult to share highlights from all of them in one article. For this first column, I have included some tweets from topics that align with this issue’s theme of Dating and Relationships.
#TCKchat is steadily growing and we’re always happy to welcome new participants. The hope is that it will continue to reach TCKs across the globe and provide a welcoming environment for thoughts on this transient lifestyle and its impacts. #TCKchat is a community where you are understood, accepted and embraced.
#TCKchat is held on the first and third Wednesday/Thursday of each month with 2 sessions: 1st session at GMT 15:00 and 2nd session at GMT +1 3:00. To figure out when #TCKchat happens in your time zone, visit www.TimeandDate.com On the website, you will find upcoming chat dates and topics, highlights from past topics, a video showing you how to get involved/participate in #TCKchat and information on all of the co-hosts.

lowercased:
a few weeks ago i had the wonderful opportunity to attend the 2016 families in global transition conference in amsterdam. it’s the third time i attend this conference and every time i find myself re-energized and grateful for this international community. it’s a space where i don’t have to explain myself or my background; i feel welcomed, understood and heard.
this year we had three spectacular keynote speakers, including the founder of figt and third culture kid/cross-cultural kid advocate, ruth van reken. ruth is so much more than that, however, so in her honor i would like to share my interview with her from 2014. that was the first year i attended figt and the first time i met ruth – her warmth, humor and genuine interest in everyone she meets made a lasting impression. it was a privilege to interview her in 2014 and to hear her speak this year.
certain names immediately come to mind when thinking about third culture kid (tck) research: norma mccaig, ruth hill useem, david pollock and of course, ruth van reken.
it is difficult to find just one word that defines ruth, who is a missionary kid, an adult third culture kid, author, teacher, public speaker, and advocate of tcks, among many other things. she was born in kano, nigeria to an american mom born and raised in chicago, and an american atck dad born in resht, iran. she spent much of her childhood in africa, returning to the us. for high school. as an adult, ruth went to college, became a nurse, and then met and married her husband, david. also a missionary kid and tck in his own right, having lived two years in china as a child, david is also a doctor and as he wanted to work overseas, ruth continued her expat life with her husband, raising three global nomads of her own in liberia and the us.
as an adult tck, daughter, mother and grandmother of tcks, ruth knows the impact of this lifestyle and the importance of understanding it. she is dedicated to helping others understand their journey and to spreading the word about this global community. without ruth there would be no tck ‘bible’ (third culture kids: growing up among worlds) and no families in global transition (figt) conferences.
the two publications ruth is most known for, letters never sent and growing up among worlds, were written under very different circumstances, but they both helped ruth (and others) understand their own tck background.
finally writing about her experiences, at 39 years old, helped her process the emotions she had felt growing up as a tck, especially about leaving home and going to boarding school. expressing those emotions allowed her to finally address them and cope with them.
“this was not a book about a topic but simply a process of self-discovery,” she explained.
her story resonated with many readers, and it continues to do so today, having sold over 32,000 copies. but when ruth first wrote letters, she had a hard time getting it printed because publishers didn’t believe there would be enough interest in her story.
from there ruth did the selling herself until her collaboration with author and publisher jo parfitt, which allowed her book to receive the exposure it deserved. jo revamped letters by adding photos, an epilogue by ruth, and making it available in print and kindle ensuring ruth no longer had to sell it herself.
the book initially shunned by publishers would go on to impact people all over the world, who realized they weren’t alone in how they felt. by sharing her experiences and emotions, ruth has helped others to learn from her lessons and ultimately live better in their understanding.
it was while working on letters that ruth and david pollock first connected. he was preparing a conference on tcks and she sent him a letter asking if he was doing anything to help adults struggling with their tck experiences. that one letter led to a great friendship and collaboration.
working on growing up among worlds was a very different process to writing her journal. david had done much of the research but someone needed to put it in writing and make it available to others. in addition to writing it, there was also a need to clarify the whys of such a lifestyle, which were the challenges ruth took on. trying to explain the impact of growing up as a tck also helped her understand herself better.
figt had very humble beginnings in the midwest usa. while trying to adjust to life in suburban indiana after living overseas, ruth realized that not enough help was being given to relocated families. although relocation packages included nice benefits and practical information, they lacked support in other areas.
in the meantime, norma mccaig had started global nomads and david pollock was talking about tcks to international schools and organizations. ruth’s memoir, letters never sent had been published and people had begun writing to her, sharing their own similar experiences.
“it was apparent that issues related to global family living were real out in the world but they seemed invisible where i was living in indianapolis,” she recalled. then one day while sitting at her kitchen table with three friends, discussing the book she was writing with david pollock, they realized it would be great to spread this information to a wider audience.
and so began the preparation for the first figt conference.
they found a venue, set a date (may 16th 1998) and created a logo, which is still used today. they even found a star speaker: david pollock. at the time he was executive director of interaction international (formerly manhattan youth services), which he had co-founded in the 1960s. few locals attended the conference, but many people traveled into town to hear david speak and ‘the magic of figt began’.
although that first conference only had two sessions, it was so successful a second one was planned the following year and by 2001 figt had become an official organization. the conference was eventually moved from indianapolis to houston where there was a larger international community due to the oil industry, before moving to its current home in washington, dc.
“throughout the process, incredibly dedicated and capable board members […] have continued to lead the way to making figt what it is now,” she said.
although david pollock is gone, his legacy continues, not only through the knowledge he has left behind, but also through his son michael, who led a concurrent session with ruth at the 2014 figt conference.
another evolving aspect of figt is the bookstore. at the first conference there was no bookstore – there wasn’t even a book table. ruth’s husband sold them straight from the boxes in the lobby towards the end of the conference.
“no one believed there was enough interest in such a topic to generate many sales,” ruth recalled.
the main books available at the time were letters never sent by ruth and strangers at home by carolyn smith, a us diplomat’s daughter. the following years there were more, including growing up among worlds as well as publications from jo parfitt and robin pascoe. but unfortunately the choices remained quite limited.
today there is an online bookstore and a physical bookstore at the figt conferences filled with a myriad of expat and tck-related books.
ruth is currently working on new research regarding cross-cultural kids (cck). she wants to see how certain lessons can apply to all children who have experienced a globalized upbringing or some form of displacement from their parents’ home/culture.
her hope is that by understanding the tck experience it is also possible to help children from other cross-cultural backgrounds. she hopes to expand our views of who constitutes a global nomad and to use our past lessons to benefit them.
“if we have identified the gifts tcks often receive from their cross-cultural childhood […] then is it possible those with other types of cross-cultural backgrounds […] have the same kinds of giftings?” she questioned.
she is also hopeful that future generations of tcks/ccks will continue to carry the torch for the global community. “now we are in tck phase two, watching your generation move into its place in the history of the world and build on the past so lessons learned can be applied to the present and prepare others to live well in a future where i believe ccks of all backgrounds will be the norm and not the exception,” she said.
although she speaks of passing the torch to the next generation, ruth is far from done with her work. she continues to travel to conferences and schools speaking about tcks and how to help them understand and make the most of their experiences.
meeting ruth was a highlight of the conference for me – i was immediately won over by her kindness, humor and warmth. she seems to have time for everyone, despite being in constant demand. she is modest and humble, almost to a fault, which only makes her more charming. she has done so much for this community and yet always downplays her contributions, preferring to give the credit to others. thankfully those around her are willing to sing her praises and give her the recognition she deserves.
ruth had endless wisdom to share, both when we spoke at figt and when i interviewed her after. she knows that growing up as a tck/cck is not simply good or bad. there are challenges and sorrow, but there are also amazing opportunities and happiness. sometimes we forget that the ups and downs are both necessary parts of life.
after these many words of wisdom, she shared one final piece of advice, which she has carried around her whole life.
in an increasingly mobile world, perhaps that is the greatest piece of wisdom.
je suis consciente que des attentats ont eu lieu dans d’autres pays (liban, iraq) avec de très nombreux morts et qu’il y a des victimes tous les jours en syrie et ailleurs dans le monde. le but du texte ci-dessous n’est pas de donner plus d’importance aux victimes de paris, parce qu’aucun pays, aucune famille ne mérite de subir de telles atrocités.
ce texte est simplement un hommage à une ville que j’aime profondément. je suis 100% libanaise d’origine et paris sera mon foyer éternel. mon cœur est doublement brisé et ma peine est débordante.
je pleure pour ma ville bien-aimée, mon cœur brisé déborde de tristesse. paris – ville adoptée, adorée et chérie – tu souffres et je souffre loin de toi. même si un océan nous sépare, mon cœur est avec toi et mes pensées traversent les distances et les vagues pour se poser à ton seuil.
enfant du monde, mon âme est un mélange de cultures et mon cœur repose souvent dans plusieurs endroits, mais il ne quittera jamais paris. cette ville lumineuse a su bien s’emparer de mon cœur et c’est un amour éternel.
il y a tellement de choses que je voudrais dire, mais je me retrouve sans mots face à ce tourbillon d’émotions qui remplit mon cœur et mes pensées.
photo courtesy of raya f.
this article first appeared in the september 2015 issue of among worlds.
over the past couple of months the topics at #tckchat have continued to be varied, thought-provoking and insightful. we finished our series of chats on race, culminating with a conversation about cultural and racial identity. we discussed the third culture kid (tck) ‘label’, and current/ future research topics for tcks. we looked at how sports can be an important connector and tool to engage in your community. we also shared thoughts, advice and suggestions on creating and maintaining a global career.
as this issue of among worlds is focused on new beginnings, however, i would like to jump back a few months to a #tckchat we had in september 2014 entitled new kid on the block.
the saying ‘practice makes perfect’ can apply to many things in life, but not to everything unfortunately. i’ve been the new kid quite a few times and i don’t think it really gets easier or better the more you do it. sure, you might get more used it and as the years go by you’ll be more mature so you can handle it differently. but, on the flip side, as you get older, feelings get more complex and there’s more to juggle.
being the new kid at school is never easy. it can be stressful, embarrassing, upsetting and lonely. throw in a foreign country, a different school system or a new language and it becomes even more daunting. sometimes there might not even be the comforts of home and personal belongings – they might still be shipping from across the world as you stay in a hotel.
by the time i was eighteen, i had lived in six countries (on four continents) and had gone to five different schools. i attended international/ american schools in mexico, the philippines and france; local schools in the u.s. and australia; and then went on to study in french and british universities. i know all too well how it feels to be the new kid.
although i was lucky to have supportive parents and a sister who shared the transition struggles, i still had to navigate the school days on my own. i had to talk about myself to unfamiliar faces, through the nervousness and sadness; i had to correct teachers on the pronunciation of my name; i had to find somewhere to sit at lunch and try not to feel too lonely. i don’t think more practice could have made any of that much easier.
although the first days and weeks were tough, i always settled in eventually. i made friends, found my way around the school and one day, i was no longer the new kid. but i knew how difficult it was to feel so lost and alone, and i learned that the smallest gestures of kindness could make an enormous difference.
i took that lesson to heart and decided i would do everything i could to make the experience easier for other new kids. i initiated conversations with them and asked if i could help out. i looked out for them and if i ever saw someone who looked lost or lonely, i would introduce myself, offer to help them find their way, or simply talk to them and get to know them. sometimes all you need is to know that someone cares.
having the right kind of support during these transitions is so important, and i am grateful for those teachers and students who reached out a helping hand. i am even more grateful to have parents who were always supportive and reassuring. they did everything they could to help us navigate the tough parts of these experiences and cope with all the changes in our lives. having siblings also made things infinitely easier – it was comforting to know i wasn’t alone in how i was feeling and what i was going through. we didn’t need grand gestures to help us through those moments. we simply needed a friendly smile, a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry on, a comforting hug – something that reminded us we weren’t alone and that everything would be alright.
i won’t pretend that moving was (or is) easy. leaving behind all that’s familiar and starting somewhere new can be daunting and overwhelming. there are bound to be moments of sadness and loneliness. but it is also an exciting adventure, with wonderful opportunities. being the new kid is never easy and new beginnings are always a little scary. yet before you know it, you’ll know your way around school, you’ll be giving directions to tourists, and you’ll be calling that strange, foreign place home.
at #tckchat we discussed being the new kid – sharing thoughts on how to make friends, who helped us through the transition, how we coped with being the new kid and finally offering up some advice for others going through similar challenges.
what type of a tck were you when you first moved to a new place? chameleon? observer? did you jump right in or have your guard up?
what was your strategy for making new friends?
who helped you adjust? teachers? counselors? peers and/or classmates?
what advice would you give a kid about to make their first move?
an earlier version of this piece was first published on my blog in june 2013. the version below was published in the september 2015 issue of among worlds.
many things come to mind when thinking of summer: sunshine, ice-cream, vacation, lounging on the beach, late nights, cool drinks, lazy days and evenings with family and friends… but for me, and many other third culture kids (tcks), summer was also synonymous with change. in the american and/ or international schools we attended, when june came along and the school year ended, there was always someone moving away. sometimes we had to say goodbye to friends who were leaving and other times we were the ones packing up. either way it meant change, adapting to yet another new situation and having to figure it out all over again.
when we were moving there were obviously greater challenges and those summers were truly a period of transition. during those summers, we rarely went directly to the new country. once school would finish in june, we would pack up the house, ship everything off with the moving company and we would head off to spend at least part of the summer with family. that way we could enjoy our vacation as much as possible before having to confront the inevitable challenges awaiting us.
it was a great idea to allow us this transition period, this pause, in between countries. it softened the blow of leaving our home and gave us strength to deal with arriving in a foreign place. spending the summers with cousins and grandparents – being surrounded by loved ones and familiarity – eased the pain of loss and of sorrowful goodbyes. it reminded us that some things remain constant and steady, even when everything around us seemed to be a whirlwind of change. it also reinforced our belief that time and distance do not alter true friendship and love.
summers are meant to be a time of joy, fun, laughter and carefree days. for tcks moving to a new country the summer was much less carefree and relaxed. while others were still enjoying their last lazy days of lounging in the sun or chatting with friends, we were unpacking boxes in an unfamiliar house, trying to find our way in foreign roads and dreading the first day at a new school. it wasn’t always easy, but it was all part of the experience.
and despite all the tough moments, i would do it again, without a doubt. those summers of change provided valuable lessons that will last me a lifetime and they taught me how resilient i really am. a restful summer is always welcome, but show me the next opportunity for change and my tck itchy feet are ready for the next adventure!
i hope you all had a great summer, wherever you may be; and good luck to any of you who went through a summer of a change.
adult third culture kid (atck) and writer kathleen gamble knows what it means to live a global life. kathleen has lived around the world – burma, mexico, several us states, colombia, various countries in africa, switzerland and russia. in her first book, expat alien, kathleen takes us through her experiences and her history, starting from her parents’ first meeting and working her way through the many countries and continents since then.
throughout her book, kathleen shares personal stories and anecdotes to bring her experiences to life. there is the more harrowing side of global living – political unrest in burma, earthquakes in mexico, or stopping at a roadblock in nigeria and having a soldier jam his gun through the window. but there are also stories of friendships, boarding school in switzerland, traveling through europe, card games with family and making home across continents.
kathleen also delves into the difficulty of repatriation and reverse culture shock. when she returned to the us for college, she realized how different her upbringing was and found herself struggling to fit in and trying to understand the racial issues in the us. despite the initial difficulties in settling in, kathleen remained in the us for several more years before heading abroad again with her husband – this time to russia. she lived nearly nine years in russia, in six different apartments before returning to the us again. the stories of her time in russia are fascinating and their unexpected departure following conversations with the fsb reads like a thrilling spy novel.
even though kathleen and her son suffered through culture shock upon returning to the us, kathleen managed to turn things around and create a new life. despite passing through a few difficult moments in the years since returning, her book ends on an uplifting note of hope.
expats, tcks, travelers and anyone interested in learning about various parts of the world through personal stories would enjoy expat alien.
you can purchase expat alien on amazon.
make sure to check out kathleen’s blog www.expatalien.com to follow her latest adventures and also read more about her experiences growing up. you can also connect with kathleen on twitter @expatalien.
i never expected that an animated movie could make me feel so much. that it could reach so far into my heart and find emotions and feelings that i thought were either gone or buried deep. turns out they were just under the surface, waiting to be triggered. and maybe they will always be there.
the movie i’m talking about is the new pixar film inside out, which is about an 11-year-old girl (riley), moving from her home in minnesota to san francisco. a lot of the movie happens in her head, where we see the different emotions (joy, sadness, disgust, fear and anger) personified as individual characters. it is beautifully made and i was blown away by how imaginative, creative and magical it was.
i was equally impressed with how the filmmakers portrayed her emotions, how they dealt with sadness and how they showed the importance of acknowledging all emotions – because they all play a role in shaping who we are and how we live our life. it showed that sadness is not an emotion to ignore; it’s not something bad and shouldn’t be stigmatized. sometimes all you need is to acknowledge the sadness, sit with it and let it out. then you are more likely to find comfort and see the beauty and joy around you.
when we ignore sadness or push it down, we don’t address it and often other emotions/ reactions come out instead – fear, disgust and anger. as riley struggles with her emotions during this new transition she becomes confused, lonely and angry. confused at how jumbled her feelings are, lonely without friends at her new school and angry that she was dragged away from her home and her friends.
as a third culture kid (tck), this movie resonated with me in a way no other movie ever has. i felt like i was watching my story on screen. and i know my tck husband felt the same. we felt the sharp ache of goodbyes; the deep loneliness of having no friends and eating lunch alone while others talked and laughed around you; the anger and confusion of being torn away from everything familiar and loved. but mostly we felt the sadness… and we were both caught by surprise at the intensity of our emotions.
i’m now 30 years old, and i had a very healthy tck upbringing. my parents were always supportive, they prepared us for every move, gave us closure and allowed us to grieve. so i thought all those emotions were sorted and neatly packed away in ‘long-term memory’ as the movie showed us. i never expected them to resurface so easily and to overwhelm me the way they did. but when riley finally admits her sadness to her parents and says how much she misses home, the emotion was so raw, so real and so familiar that my heart overflowed… and so did my tears.
but the beauty of the movie, and of life, is that once you acknowledge the sadness you can address it and you don’t have to deal with it alone. from there it’s uphill because you’re not fighting against it anymore and more importantly you’re not fighting alone.
the movie shows that as riley strengthens her relationship with her parents, makes new friends and slowly finds her place until this new location becomes home. and that’s how it worked every time for us – once you get past the heartache, loneliness and sadness, you make friends and you make a new home… at least until next time.
i don’t regret this life and despite feeling such raw sadness, i loved the movie. it has so much wonderful humor and such poignant, touching scenes. it wasn’t a sad movie, but it also didn’t shy away from the sad moments. it embraced them and showed how they’re an important part of the bigger picture. i’m grateful that someone took the time to make such a movie and to make it so eloquently and beautifully.
words cannot really do it justice, so i would recommend this movie with all my heart. if you’re like me you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll think, you’ll be amazed by the magic of the movie… you’ll leave feeling inside out, upside down, jumbled up and moved to the core.
but you’ll also leave feeling warm, buoyant and just a little more lit up inside.
this article first appeared in the march 2015 issue of among worlds. minor corrections have been made to reflect the most updated information (dates/times, twitter accounts) and hyperlinks have been added.
in this issue of among worlds, we begin a regular column called #tckchat. freelance writer and #tckchat co-host dounia bertuccelli provides an introduction to #tckchat, where to find more information and how to get involved.
when it comes to third culture kids (tcks), it is complex to find a one-size-fits-all answer. despite sharing certain similarities, each tck experience is unique and deserves to be heard. in this day and age of technology and social media, it is easier than ever to share thoughts and ideas with a global audience. connecting with people across the world in an instant is something many of us do on a daily basis. for tcks, this can mean keeping touch with family and friends, but also with other tcks, with whom they feel understood and accepted. adult tcks amanda bate and ellen mahoney understood the importance of those connections and created a space where they could be nurtured and developed: #tckchat.
what is #tckchat and why was it developed?
the third culture kid chat (#tckchat) is a twitter chat focused on topics related to the experiences of third culture kids (tcks) and adult tcks (atcks). it is a public discussion forum, providing insight and information to help support current and future generations of tcks.
as adult tcks who started their own businesses catered towards supporting tcks during crucial transition periods, amanda and ellen have both the personal and professional experience to lead such a project. they both work with young adult and college age tcks through their organizations bate consulting and sea change mentoring.
participants are of different generations and backgrounds (personal and professional) and are located across every continent except south america. the nine co-hosts are also from around the world and are currently living in turkey, u.s.a (various states), australia and zimbabwe.
#tckchat also aims to provide information, tips and insight to adults who work with or are raising tcks. it can be a difficult experience to understand if you haven’t lived it, but “our discussions can be a tool for those who work with them [tcks],” amanda hopes.
anyone can participate in #tckchat, as long as they have a twitter account. there are no restrictions of any kind, and no obligation to answer the questions presented. there is, however, an unspoken understanding that all involved will be respectful.
#tckchat occurs on the first and third wednesday/thursday of each month with 2 sessions: 1st session at gmt 15:00 and 2nd session at gmt +1 3:00.
to make participation easier, use applications like tweetdeck or hootsuite. you can find a video on how to install/use these on the #tckchat website, and the co-hosts are always happy to provide further assistance.
use #tckchat in each tweet so everyone in the chat can see/read your tweets.
all questions will be available on the website the sunday before the chat, but they will also be tweeted out at intervals during the chat.
if you do not have a twitter account but would still like to read what was shared, the #tckchat team has you covered: highlights of each chat are posted the following day and those are available to everyone.
identity: how adult tcks view themselves locally, nationally and globally.
there are a lot of insightful, touching and humorous comments made in every chat, but unfortunately it would be difficult to share highlights from all of them in one article. for this first column, i have included some tweets from topics that align with this issue’s theme of dating and relationships.
#tckchat is steadily growing and we’re always happy to welcome new participants. the hope is that it will continue to reach tcks across the globe and provide a welcoming environment for thoughts on this transient lifestyle and its impacts. #tckchat is a community where you are understood, accepted and embraced.
#tckchat is held on the first and third wednesday/thursday of each month with 2 sessions: 1st session at gmt 15:00 and 2nd session at gmt +1 3:00. to figure out when #tckchat happens in your time zone, visit www.timeanddate.com on the website, you will find upcoming chat dates and topics, highlights from past topics, a video showing you how to get involved/participate in #tckchat and information on all of the co-hosts.


text:
Otjiwarongo lies on the B1, some 50 kilometres west of the Waterberg massif and 250 km north of Windhoek. The Herero, who once settled here, named it "place of the fat cows", and still today some of the biggest cattle breeding enterprises are situated in the Otjiwarongo area. Due to the, in the Namibian context, relatively high rainfall, pastures are good and the soil is fertile.
Otjiwarongo is mainly the supply cenntre for the surrounding farms. The town, with 12 000 inhabitants, looks green, prosperous and neat. There are supermarkets, banks, hotels, restaurants and a popular beergarden. In front of the station you can see the old steam engine No. 41, built in 1912 by the Henschel company in Kassel, Germany. It used to run on the railway line from Swakopmund to Otavi.
Quite a new attraction in Otjiwarongo is the crocodile farm near the eastern border of town, where you can observe and photograph crocodiles at close range and learn about the breeding habits of these reptiles.
Top right: Catholic Church. Bottom left: Old Henschel steam locomotive at Otjiwarongo station.
Situated in the Otjiwarongo area, are some of Namibia's most reputable private game farms and reserves with integrated luxurious lodges. The Okonjati Wildlife Sanctuary with the Mount Etjo Safari Lodge is excellent. Here, you can watch elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions and others animals. On the farm Okonjima, you can view big cats like cheetahs and leopards at close range. Okonjima is the seat of the AfriCat Foundation, which is dedicated to the protection of African big cats. Both game farms are situated south-west of Otjiwarongo, less than an hour's drive from town.
East of town, at the Waterberg Massif, several farms have conglomerated to form the "Waterberg Conservancy"; a game and nature conservation area of more 200 000 hectares in size. The Cheetah Conservation Fund CCF, which is specifically dedicated to the survival of cheetahs, has established an information centre there.

lowercased:
otjiwarongo lies on the b1, some 50 kilometres west of the waterberg massif and 250 km north of windhoek. the herero, who once settled here, named it "place of the fat cows", and still today some of the biggest cattle breeding enterprises are situated in the otjiwarongo area. due to the, in the namibian context, relatively high rainfall, pastures are good and the soil is fertile.
otjiwarongo is mainly the supply cenntre for the surrounding farms. the town, with 12 000 inhabitants, looks green, prosperous and neat. there are supermarkets, banks, hotels, restaurants and a popular beergarden. in front of the station you can see the old steam engine no. 41, built in 1912 by the henschel company in kassel, germany. it used to run on the railway line from swakopmund to otavi.
quite a new attraction in otjiwarongo is the crocodile farm near the eastern border of town, where you can observe and photograph crocodiles at close range and learn about the breeding habits of these reptiles.
top right: catholic church. bottom left: old henschel steam locomotive at otjiwarongo station.
situated in the otjiwarongo area, are some of namibia's most reputable private game farms and reserves with integrated luxurious lodges. the okonjati wildlife sanctuary with the mount etjo safari lodge is excellent. here, you can watch elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions and others animals. on the farm okonjima, you can view big cats like cheetahs and leopards at close range. okonjima is the seat of the africat foundation, which is dedicated to the protection of african big cats. both game farms are situated south-west of otjiwarongo, less than an hour's drive from town.
east of town, at the waterberg massif, several farms have conglomerated to form the "waterberg conservancy"; a game and nature conservation area of more 200 000 hectares in size. the cheetah conservation fund ccf, which is specifically dedicated to the survival of cheetahs, has established an information centre there.


text:
When the cold weather hits in our area, everyone is eager for the warmth of a fireplace. For those clients who aren’t renovating, it’s the time of year when we get more requests for electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves. They are compact and self-contained, which means that they can be placed just about anywhere in the home. For those who love Scandinavian design and hygge (the Danish art of creating joy and coziness), electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves are a great way to transform a room. There are as many styles of stoves as there are manufacturers.
Dimplex is a world leader in electric heating, and they offer many styles of electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves. They have even adapted their water-based Opti-myst technology to fit inside the Stockbridge stove, for a very realistic effect.
Dimplex also offers a variety of sizes and finishes in their line of stoves with regular light-based flame effects, for the industry’s largest line-up of electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves.
Dimplex Celeste electric stove in Cream. Also available in black. This is one of the largest stoves available from Dimplex.
Dimplex Traditional stove in Bronze, one of 5 available finishes.
Sierra Flame took a more contemporary approach to the design of their entry into this category. Their stove design is more of a freestanding fireplace.
Sierra Flame FS-26-922 Freestanding Electric Fireplace.
Amantii is best known for their contemporary electric fireplaces. They have one of the newest of the electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves, with their Cube. The Cube takes advantage of Amantii’s Tru-View 3-sided glass design, in a small stove footprint. They also offer several options for mounting: wall-hung, mounted on four legs, or sitting on a speaker base.
Amantii Cube-2025WM electric fireplace on leg base. Also available for wall-mounting.
For ease of set-up and installation, you can’t beat electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves!
Stylish Fireplaces & Interiors specializes in electric fireplaces. Their Toronto-area showroom displays over 50 electric fireplaces in complete walls, with all of the materials you need to complete the project. Their expert staff can advise on design and installation, as well.
This entry was posted in Electric Fireplaces, Fireplace Design and tagged electric fireplaces, electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves, electric stoves, small fireplaces.

lowercased:
when the cold weather hits in our area, everyone is eager for the warmth of a fireplace. for those clients who aren’t renovating, it’s the time of year when we get more requests for electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves. they are compact and self-contained, which means that they can be placed just about anywhere in the home. for those who love scandinavian design and hygge (the danish art of creating joy and coziness), electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves are a great way to transform a room. there are as many styles of stoves as there are manufacturers.
dimplex is a world leader in electric heating, and they offer many styles of electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves. they have even adapted their water-based opti-myst technology to fit inside the stockbridge stove, for a very realistic effect.
dimplex also offers a variety of sizes and finishes in their line of stoves with regular light-based flame effects, for the industry’s largest line-up of electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves.
dimplex celeste electric stove in cream. also available in black. this is one of the largest stoves available from dimplex.
dimplex traditional stove in bronze, one of 5 available finishes.
sierra flame took a more contemporary approach to the design of their entry into this category. their stove design is more of a freestanding fireplace.
sierra flame fs-26-922 freestanding electric fireplace.
amantii is best known for their contemporary electric fireplaces. they have one of the newest of the electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves, with their cube. the cube takes advantage of amantii’s tru-view 3-sided glass design, in a small stove footprint. they also offer several options for mounting: wall-hung, mounted on four legs, or sitting on a speaker base.
amantii cube-2025wm electric fireplace on leg base. also available for wall-mounting.
for ease of set-up and installation, you can’t beat electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves!
stylish fireplaces & interiors specializes in electric fireplaces. their toronto-area showroom displays over 50 electric fireplaces in complete walls, with all of the materials you need to complete the project. their expert staff can advise on design and installation, as well.
this entry was posted in electric fireplaces, fireplace design and tagged electric fireplaces, electric fireplaces that look like woodstoves, electric stoves, small fireplaces.


text:
We have 25 years of Upholstery experience trading in exceptional quality upholstery products online.
See the great range of fabrics that we have on offer for custom made Sofa cushion covers and backs, as well as our great range of foam products at amazing prices.
We can make to order any size and any shape, whether it’s home cushions, campervan cushions, boat cushions, we’re here to help.
Don’t hesitate to contact us for a quote! We’ll get back to you right away.
Do you think you’d have trouble fitting the cushions in yourself? No problem!
For a small fee of £5 per cushion, you can send your old covers to us and we will fit them for you, then send them back to you ready to put onto the Sofa and ready to go!
We make custom made Sofa Seat covers and backs, to any size, and any shape!
However large your Sofa is, whether’s it’s corner cushions or bull nose cushions, we can do them for you!
All of our fabrics are 100% machine washable, come with zips and are easily removable.
We also make to order Campervan / Caravan / Bench cushions and covers that can be custom made to fit your specific measurements.
Do you have a boat you need cushions for? No problem, we can provide both inside faux leather covers and foam or outside waterproof covers in a variety of fabrics.

lowercased:
we have 25 years of upholstery experience trading in exceptional quality upholstery products online.
see the great range of fabrics that we have on offer for custom made sofa cushion covers and backs, as well as our great range of foam products at amazing prices.
we can make to order any size and any shape, whether it’s home cushions, campervan cushions, boat cushions, we’re here to help.
don’t hesitate to contact us for a quote! we’ll get back to you right away.
do you think you’d have trouble fitting the cushions in yourself? no problem!
for a small fee of £5 per cushion, you can send your old covers to us and we will fit them for you, then send them back to you ready to put onto the sofa and ready to go!
we make custom made sofa seat covers and backs, to any size, and any shape!
however large your sofa is, whether’s it’s corner cushions or bull nose cushions, we can do them for you!
all of our fabrics are 100% machine washable, come with zips and are easily removable.
we also make to order campervan / caravan / bench cushions and covers that can be custom made to fit your specific measurements.
do you have a boat you need cushions for? no problem, we can provide both inside faux leather covers and foam or outside waterproof covers in a variety of fabrics.


text:
When you are entering into an employment contract with a new employer, when you are renewing your employment contract, if you receive a promotion or raise, or if you wish to receive a severance package when your employment is terminated, etc. you may be required to execute a non-compete agreement and/or non-solicitation agreement.
The employer may require you to sign the agreements before you are able to gain employment, continue employment, receive the promotion with that employer, or receive the severance package. But what are non-compete and non-solicitation agreements and are they enforceable? Can employers require you to sign the agreement in consideration for employment?
Non-compete agreements are contracts usually between an employer and an employee. Typically, in a non-compete agreement, the employee agrees not to “compete” with the employer for a given period of time after the employee stops working for the current employer. This can be an agreement not to work for rival companies or competitors. It can also include an agreement that the employee will not contact current clients of the employer in an attempt to solicit business. Finally, a non-compete agreement typically also prevents an employee from starting a business of his or her own, in direct competition with the current employer. This type or portion of a non-compete agreement normally covers a specific area or region of the country.
Limitations on non-compete agreements include both length and scope. The length of time the employee is bound by the non-compete agreement must be “reasonable.” A year is considered a reasonable amount of time for a non-compete clause. Ten years would likely not be considered reasonable by a court. The scope of the agreement is also limited. For example, the non-compete agreement may limit an employee from working for a direct competitor. However, it would be unreasonable (and therefore unenforceable) to include a clause prohibiting the employee from working anywhere in the world in any type of job for a period of one year.
With very few exceptions, non-compete agreements are not enforceable in the state of California. California Business and Professional Code (BPC) § 16600 states that contracts “by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind” is void as to that clause of the contract.
There are certain situations wherein a non-compete agreement will be legal and enforceable in the state of California. For example, if you are selling a business or your ownership interest in a business, you can, as part of the sale, enter into a contract with the buyer agreeing to “refrain from carrying on a similar business within a specified geographic area” which covers the area the business currently operates, as long as the buyer owns the business. California BPC § 16601.
Another situation wherein a non-compete agreement is legally enforceable in California occurs during the dissolution of a partnership or the disassociation of one of the members of the partnership. In that case, the parties can enter into an agreement wherein the partner leaving the partnership will not engage in a similar business within a defined geographical area as long as the other partner or partners continue to carry on the business. California BPC § 16602.
California’s BPC also contains a provision for using a non-compete agreement where there is a dissolution of a limited liability company. Further, if a single person’s interest in a limited liability company is terminated, a non-compete agreement can be used, with terms and conditions identical to dissolution of partnerships or sales of businesses.
A non-solicitation agreement is also a contract. In a non-solicitation agreement, an employee agrees not to solicit the employer’s current customers or clients after the employee leaves the employer. The agreement could prohibit the employee from contacting clients on his or her own behalf, if the employee starts his or her own business, or it could be on behalf of another business, if the employee now work for a competitor.
A non-solicitation agreement can likewise prohibit an employee from soliciting his or her co-workers, and other employees within the current employment, to recruit them to work for the employee’s new business. This would also extend to recruiting for an employee’s new employer.
The short answer to whether non-solicitation agreements are enforceable in California is “maybe.” As a general rule, an employee is bound by a reasonable contract that prohibits an employee from soliciting former clients or employees of the employer. However, there is nothing that would prohibit a former employee from reviewing and considering a former co-worker’s application for employment that arrived unsolicited.
Similarly, depending on the language of the non-solicitation agreement, one may be prohibited from contacting and actively recruiting clients of the former employer. However, there may be a situation where a client contacts the employee’s new business and places an order. These types of agreements can be very fact specific.
In the limited circumstances where a non-compete agreement is allowed, as well as where an employer requests a non-solicitation agreement, these can be signed at any time. Non-solicitation agreements may be included as a matter of course with any new employee, or the employer may request it at some point during the employee’s employment.
Because courts have upheld non-solicitation agreements, it is critical that non-solicitation agreements be reviewed and completely understood before signing. Under no circumstances should you grant an employer’s request to sign a non-solicitation agreement after you have provided two weeks’ notice of termination of employment.
If you have been asked to sign a non-compete agreement, or a non-solicitation agreement, it is a good idea to have an employment attorney review the agreement on your behalf. Employers will naturally write the agreement in a manner that is most favorable to them. Ensuring your rights are protected is critical. Employers should give you the opportunity to have an attorney review the contract prior to signing.

lowercased:
when you are entering into an employment contract with a new employer, when you are renewing your employment contract, if you receive a promotion or raise, or if you wish to receive a severance package when your employment is terminated, etc. you may be required to execute a non-compete agreement and/or non-solicitation agreement.
the employer may require you to sign the agreements before you are able to gain employment, continue employment, receive the promotion with that employer, or receive the severance package. but what are non-compete and non-solicitation agreements and are they enforceable? can employers require you to sign the agreement in consideration for employment?
non-compete agreements are contracts usually between an employer and an employee. typically, in a non-compete agreement, the employee agrees not to “compete” with the employer for a given period of time after the employee stops working for the current employer. this can be an agreement not to work for rival companies or competitors. it can also include an agreement that the employee will not contact current clients of the employer in an attempt to solicit business. finally, a non-compete agreement typically also prevents an employee from starting a business of his or her own, in direct competition with the current employer. this type or portion of a non-compete agreement normally covers a specific area or region of the country.
limitations on non-compete agreements include both length and scope. the length of time the employee is bound by the non-compete agreement must be “reasonable.” a year is considered a reasonable amount of time for a non-compete clause. ten years would likely not be considered reasonable by a court. the scope of the agreement is also limited. for example, the non-compete agreement may limit an employee from working for a direct competitor. however, it would be unreasonable (and therefore unenforceable) to include a clause prohibiting the employee from working anywhere in the world in any type of job for a period of one year.
with very few exceptions, non-compete agreements are not enforceable in the state of california. california business and professional code (bpc) § 16600 states that contracts “by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind” is void as to that clause of the contract.
there are certain situations wherein a non-compete agreement will be legal and enforceable in the state of california. for example, if you are selling a business or your ownership interest in a business, you can, as part of the sale, enter into a contract with the buyer agreeing to “refrain from carrying on a similar business within a specified geographic area” which covers the area the business currently operates, as long as the buyer owns the business. california bpc § 16601.
another situation wherein a non-compete agreement is legally enforceable in california occurs during the dissolution of a partnership or the disassociation of one of the members of the partnership. in that case, the parties can enter into an agreement wherein the partner leaving the partnership will not engage in a similar business within a defined geographical area as long as the other partner or partners continue to carry on the business. california bpc § 16602.
california’s bpc also contains a provision for using a non-compete agreement where there is a dissolution of a limited liability company. further, if a single person’s interest in a limited liability company is terminated, a non-compete agreement can be used, with terms and conditions identical to dissolution of partnerships or sales of businesses.
a non-solicitation agreement is also a contract. in a non-solicitation agreement, an employee agrees not to solicit the employer’s current customers or clients after the employee leaves the employer. the agreement could prohibit the employee from contacting clients on his or her own behalf, if the employee starts his or her own business, or it could be on behalf of another business, if the employee now work for a competitor.
a non-solicitation agreement can likewise prohibit an employee from soliciting his or her co-workers, and other employees within the current employment, to recruit them to work for the employee’s new business. this would also extend to recruiting for an employee’s new employer.
the short answer to whether non-solicitation agreements are enforceable in california is “maybe.” as a general rule, an employee is bound by a reasonable contract that prohibits an employee from soliciting former clients or employees of the employer. however, there is nothing that would prohibit a former employee from reviewing and considering a former co-worker’s application for employment that arrived unsolicited.
similarly, depending on the language of the non-solicitation agreement, one may be prohibited from contacting and actively recruiting clients of the former employer. however, there may be a situation where a client contacts the employee’s new business and places an order. these types of agreements can be very fact specific.
in the limited circumstances where a non-compete agreement is allowed, as well as where an employer requests a non-solicitation agreement, these can be signed at any time. non-solicitation agreements may be included as a matter of course with any new employee, or the employer may request it at some point during the employee’s employment.
because courts have upheld non-solicitation agreements, it is critical that non-solicitation agreements be reviewed and completely understood before signing. under no circumstances should you grant an employer’s request to sign a non-solicitation agreement after you have provided two weeks’ notice of termination of employment.
if you have been asked to sign a non-compete agreement, or a non-solicitation agreement, it is a good idea to have an employment attorney review the agreement on your behalf. employers will naturally write the agreement in a manner that is most favorable to them. ensuring your rights are protected is critical. employers should give you the opportunity to have an attorney review the contract prior to signing.


text:
Produced from the pure premium juice of black currants (Cassis). For spicy dressings, ideal in combination with nut oils, rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil.
Produced from the pure premium juice of black currants (Cassis). Once fermented using acetobacter (up to an acidity of approx. 5 %), the vinegar matures in small oak barrels producing a unique fruity vinegar with the strong and unmistakable aroma of ripe black currants. For spicy dressings, ideal in combination with nut oils, rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil.

lowercased:
produced from the pure premium juice of black currants (cassis). for spicy dressings, ideal in combination with nut oils, rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil.
produced from the pure premium juice of black currants (cassis). once fermented using acetobacter (up to an acidity of approx. 5 %), the vinegar matures in small oak barrels producing a unique fruity vinegar with the strong and unmistakable aroma of ripe black currants. for spicy dressings, ideal in combination with nut oils, rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil.


text:
Review: "Ace the IT Interview"
Any technical recruiter who has guided a technical candidate through the interviewing process for an open IT job knows the importance of interviewing skills. This book serves as a practical guide to landing IT jobs, which is a skill an IT staffer wants to be well-versed in for the purposes of best advising technical candidates. The book provides a bird’s eye view of the IT interviewing process, and how technical employers view candidates and their answers to standard interview questions.
Accordingly, Moreira discusses the power of first impressions, and how technical candidates can make the best possible fist impression. The ability to anticipate re-occuring interview questions is a key skill for a good interviewing impression, so a portion of this book is devoted to key technical interview questions. Any technical employer will be interviewing multiple candidates for any open IT position, so the next step for a candidate who has mastered the skills of fitting in, and presenting according to expectations, is to go beyond that level of interview performance and stand out from the competition in a positive way — a way that will make him or her memorable in an interviewer’s mind. IT staffers will find this book invaluable for giving technical candidates the best possible interview prep for closing an IT job that will last till contract end, or be extended.
This entry was posted on Monday, May 7th, 2012 at 8:00 am and is filed under Advice from IT Recruiters, Applications & Development IT Staffing Services . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

lowercased:
review: "ace the it interview"
any technical recruiter who has guided a technical candidate through the interviewing process for an open it job knows the importance of interviewing skills. this book serves as a practical guide to landing it jobs, which is a skill an it staffer wants to be well-versed in for the purposes of best advising technical candidates. the book provides a bird’s eye view of the it interviewing process, and how technical employers view candidates and their answers to standard interview questions.
accordingly, moreira discusses the power of first impressions, and how technical candidates can make the best possible fist impression. the ability to anticipate re-occuring interview questions is a key skill for a good interviewing impression, so a portion of this book is devoted to key technical interview questions. any technical employer will be interviewing multiple candidates for any open it position, so the next step for a candidate who has mastered the skills of fitting in, and presenting according to expectations, is to go beyond that level of interview performance and stand out from the competition in a positive way — a way that will make him or her memorable in an interviewer’s mind. it staffers will find this book invaluable for giving technical candidates the best possible interview prep for closing an it job that will last till contract end, or be extended.
this entry was posted on monday, may 7th, 2012 at 8:00 am and is filed under advice from it recruiters, applications & development it staffing services . you can follow any responses to this entry through the rss 2.0 feed. both comments and pings are currently closed.