More and more Arabs, who are a part of the diaspora, have been finding themselves oscillating between their identity within the context of the cities they grew up in and the strong pull towards their roots — the countries that they’re originally from. Searching for themselves in that blank space merging the culture that raised them, and the culture that runs through their veins, these Arabs are in a constant quest to reconcile the different aspects that make up who they are. The term Third Culture Kid (TCK) was coined in the 1950s by American sociologist, Ruth Hill Useem; it described expat children living outside of their countries of origin during their formative years. As globalisation increased and families continued to move outside of their homelands for economic reasons, the term third culture kid gained popularity, becoming a form of self-identification. But what is their experience? Being raised abroad and exposed to a medley of social norms and tradition, the TCK is a hybrid of cultures with a complex perception of identity. Being brought up outside of their native countries, the TCK doesn’t necessarily define home as one place….
