The term is more specifically applied when these children return to their "home" country (the country of their citizenship) and often experience all sorts of problems identifying with fellow citizens. They often identify more with where they were raised (and this could be multiple cities, countries, or continents).
These children tend to be open-minded and tolerant of many diverse cultures. They often feel more at home in culturally rich environments and can be "homesick" for their foreign home. Their knowledge of a country and its culture exceeds language fluency. In many cases, these children know more about a particular country, its history, geography, politics, etc. than the nationals of that country. Upon returning to their home country, these children (or adults) will possess unique skills that can be helpful to academics and governments. Some studies have shown that these governments rarely use this resource.
Some statistics put the attrition rate (those who fall away from the faith of their missionary parents) as high as 70-80%.
- Third Culture Kids (TCKs)
- Foreign Service Dependents
- Military brats
- Global Nomads
- Hidden Immigrants
- Internationally Mobile Children
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