The Winter Issue of 3 magazineis centred around home. Akash Bansal’s article, “Why These Third-Culture Kids Are Making The Decision To Return Home,” highlights an emerging trend of third culture kids making the conscious decision to return to their ancestral homeland, reconnecting with roots they may have once felt detached from. As someone who has lived in eight countries across three continents and has frequently returned to my ancestral homeland, the journeys shared in the article resonate.
We, third culture kids (TCKs), have become the quintessential citizens of everywhere and nowhere in a world increasingly shaped by globalisation. We straddle the lines between cultures shaped by our ancestral heritage through our parents while being swayed by the customs of our host countries and the global influences that define modern life. While this blending of identities gives us a broad worldview and innate adaptability, it can also leave us feeling unmoored—rooted in many places yet fully belonging to none.
We often have to carve out our own unique identities that transcend beyond national boundaries, learning to adapt quickly to almost any environment. These unique identities can manifest in various ways, from a blend of languages and cultural practices to a nuanced understanding of global issues. We become skilled at recognizing nuances, navigating various unspoken rules, and finding common ground across diverse settings. Our capacity to move fluidly between worlds makes us natural global citizens, uniquely equipped to thrive in an ever-interconnected world.
For us TCKs, “home” is often an abstract concept, but as we navigate the complexities of adulthood, we get drawn to the cultures that shaped our parents and families. This isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about seeking authenticity, connection—a sense of purpose and being in an often fragmented world. I especially felt this when I took my kids to Sri Lanka for the first time in the winter of 2023; it made me realize the importance of wanting my children to learn and understand their patrilineal ancestral heritage, culture and language and ensuring that it gets passed down through the generations. Returning to our ancestral homes, we TCKs find a sense of belonging and comfort that is deeply reassuring.
My EIA (Embed, Interpret, Act) method, which I introduce in my recently published book Between Borders, Beyond Boundaries, provides a framework for cultural engagement and success in diverse environments. This involves embedding ourselves in a cultural context, interpreting the cultural nuances we encounter, and acting accordingly to respect and integrate these cultural elements. When we TCKs return to our ancestral roots, we often embody this approach. We embed ourselves in our cultural homeland, immerse ourselves in traditions, histories, and local nuances, interpret these cultural elements in the context of our global upbringing, and act accordingly to respect and integrate them into our identities. Through this process, we gain deeper insights into our own identities and foster a sense of belonging and connection.
We TCKs often experience a cultural duality, being both insiders and outsiders; this tension can feel alienating but also profoundly enriching. This duality is not about feeling like a foreigner in our ancestral homeland or even the countries we were raised in but about the unique perspectives and adaptability it can bring. In my work with diverse businesses and communities, I’ve observed that true success comes from embracing these complexities rather than erasing them. This duality is not a challenge but a source of inspiration and open-mindedness, and it often mirrors the challenges faced by businesses expanding into new markets. A multinational corporation entering a new region must respect local traditions while maintaining global standards—what I describe as the balance of thinking globally but acting locally in my book.
The TCK experience also has broader implications for society. By reconnecting with our roots, we don’t just bridge personal divides; we become significant bridges for cultural understanding in the global context. We often show others how to navigate cultural nuances, an invaluable skill for leaders and entrepreneurs to understand and navigate in our ever-globalising world and marketplace. We have the aptitude to be cultural bridges, a significant role in helping to empower people, and our unique perspective on cultural interactions, often serving as mediators between different cultural groups and fostering understanding and respect.
Each time I return to Sri Lanka, the experience is transformative, allowing me to reinterpret my identity as a Tamil Sri Lankan raised in the West. As I forge my path and experiences when I go back to Sri Lanka, they have taught me that thriving in a globalised world requires adaptation and a deep respect for the local context. While finding my ancestral roots is not unique to me, it likely resonates deeply with many TCKs who seek to reconcile their global upbringing with their ancestral and cultural roots, weaving together the various threads of our identities into something uniquely our own.
In an increasingly interconnected world, where cultures are mixing more freely than ever, the TCK journey home teaches us that honouring our heritage does not mean being bound by it but rather drawing upon it to inform how we engage with the world. However distant or obscured by time and geography, our cultural roots remain vital for strength and clarity, often grounding us and offering a deeper understanding of who we are. For us TCKs, this return to home is not just a personal quest for identity but a reconnection to the cultural legacies that shape our values, perspectives, and sense of belonging.
By reconnecting with where we come from, we develop the tools to better navigate the complexities of a globalised world—tools that enable us to bridge divides, celebrate diversity, and challenge stereotypes. As TCKs, we have a unique ability to integrate the local and the global, weaving together cultures to inspire new ways of thinking and living. In doing so, we find our place in the world and have the collective opportunity to contribute to shaping a more compassionate and inclusive global future.