A Third Culture Paperclip

I had the honor of meeting Ruth Van Reken, author of Third Culture Kids: An Experience of Growing up Among Worlds, thanks to fellow Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs) here in Singapore. Fellow TCK Julia had told me about her book when I first visited her in San Diego in 2005. Reading her book was one of life's biggest a-ha!s: So that's why I'm different... I am a Third Culture Kid!

I had written The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots a year earlier. It's pretty cool how the story is truly a TCK story at heart: a story about belonging, identity issues, diversity, and hellos and goodbyes. I gave Ruth a copy and I really hope that she enjoys my story.

Spending time with Ruth and the other ATCKs reminded me of an idea that was planted in my heart a few years ago: I want to write more stories for us Third Culture Kids! :-)

My Travel Buddy

My "seatmate" on the Amtrak from San Diego to Los Angeles... :-)

Bright Yellow and Blissfully In Love

She always loved sunflowers and their bright happy yellow-ness made the most perfect Spring day even more perfect. Trixy, one of my best friends in high school married Adrian, her best friend, and I'm just so happy that I was there (in my purple outfit!) at their beautiful wedding.

It was also a wonderful reunion: Julia, our other best friend (and the cream to our Oreo), was there with her husband and the lovely Leila, her 1-year old daughter. Spending time with them once again confirmed how our 15-year friendship is such a blessing. I love you both!

Half and Half

Spotted at the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco