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TCKID LeadersUpdated about 5 months ago
Ruth Van RekenCreated on December 16, 2008 at 12:04am
Hi TCKs,
Brice here. I'm a French/Vietnamese and Ethiopian TCK and I help TCKs find a sense of belonging and raise awareness.
I'm afraid I have some really sad news for the TCK community.
I’ve been contacted by Edward Kehring, the husband of Catherine Kehrig who was the Board Chairwoman from 1996 – 2001 of GLOBAL NOMADS INTERNATIONAL (GNI), who have taken it upon himself to relay some very sad news to me.
Norma McCaig, Founder of Global Nomads International (GNI), passed quietly away on Monday night November 10th, 2008 at her home in Reston, Virginia. She died of complications from cancer.
In 1984, Norma McCaig, herself a TCK, coined the term ‘global nomad.’, also known as “third culture kids”, and has tirelessly raised awareness of Third Culture Kids.
Norma writes: “Global nomads are very good mediators. Whenever TCKs move into another culture, they become very good, objective observers. They’re like cultural sponges. Those skills translate into ideal requirements for combating racism and advancing social and refugee work.”
Our stories is part of the larger TCK and global nomad story, and we all owe a debt to all of those who came before us.
Without them, the support and knowledge we TCKs have today would not have been possible. TCKID wouldn’t exist today.
Edward has informed me to let you know not to send flowers. If you wish to make a contribution, please make it to the Cancer Foundation in her name. Norma’s address for condolences is:
1559 SCANDIA CIR.
RESTON, VA 20190
—-----------------—-------
Dear TCKs,
From: Ruth Van Reken
Norma McCaig not only changed our world, she changed my life. I first met her in 1987 when she dared to cross sector lines and attend a conference about missionary kids, even though she had been raised as a business kid, because she intuitively believed there was much we could all learn from one another if we dared to move from our boxes and towards each other.
We sat and talked until the wee hours of that morning. She shared her dream for Global Nomads, an organization that would be for adults who had grown up in any internationally mobile background. Norma borrowed against her own retirement account to make that conference happen in December, 1988…the first time adult TCKs gathered together to explore mutually our convergent journeys.
We had many discussions about who was and wasn’t a TCK. Norma felt if we enlarged the original group that Ruth Useem studied, all research would lose it’s meaning. In one of our discussions, I showed her my “throw away” term I had used to try to get more meaningful discussion going with local teachers who didn’t seem to think TCK issues were relevant to them but lauded their “multicultural” program. When Norma looked at my slides, she is the one who said, “Use that, Ruth, to make a bigger paradigm…” and thus the framework of Cross-Cultural Kid was born.
THis was Norma’s gift to us all..to coin phrases that came from her creative mind that capture the heart of our story..for TCK and all CCKs alike…”hidden immigrant,” “cultural chameleon,” “passport culture,” “global nomad,” and on and on she went.
Sadly, many of today’s TCKs and CCKs never had a chance to get to know this red headed tiny marvel….she packed so much energy and joy and brilliance into her little frame. Since she was first diagnosed with bone cancer several years ago, she has not been front and center on the external scene as she was in earlier days. But for those of us who continued to know her in the quieterness of her battle with cancer and watched her unbelievable strength, courage and hope throughout these last years, our lives were blessed once more by Norma. And she never, ever forgot her passion and love for those she called “Global Nomads” because she preferred not to be called a “kid”!
Yes, iron sharpens iron and Norma sharpened my thinking and outlook. Her vision for cross-sector communication among ATCKs was a foundation stone for the cross-sector aspects of the Families in Global Transition conference still going on. And for the interchange of us all on TCKid.com.
Now, with three major pioneers of this field gone…Ruth Hill Useem, Dave Pollock, and Norma J McCaig…the greatest honor for them all is that each of you in the ‘next generation” build on their gift to us all and continue to see how to take lessons learned and help find ways to bring new understanding of how our global changes affect children everywhere and of all backgrounds.
Personally, I grieve deeply at the news of Norma’s death. But I am also profoundly grateful that I was privileged to know her as a special friend and marvelous mentor and colleague.
Norma is an example for all of us on how one person with a vision, a dream, a heart, and courage can, in fact, change the world.
Norma, dear friend, rest in peace. We, the members of your extended family worldwide, thank you for all your gifts to us.
TRIBUTE TO NORMA MCCAIG (WITH PHOTOS)
http://www.tckid.com/group
From Brice & Ruth
Brice here. I'm a French/Vietnamese and Ethiopian TCK and I help TCKs find a sense of belonging and raise awareness.
I'm afraid I have some really sad news for the TCK community.
I’ve been contacted by Edward Kehring, the husband of Catherine Kehrig who was the Board Chairwoman from 1996 – 2001 of GLOBAL NOMADS INTERNATIONAL (GNI), who have taken it upon himself to relay some very sad news to me.
Norma McCaig, Founder of Global Nomads International (GNI), passed quietly away on Monday night November 10th, 2008 at her home in Reston, Virginia. She died of complications from cancer.
In 1984, Norma McCaig, herself a TCK, coined the term ‘global nomad.’, also known as “third culture kids”, and has tirelessly raised awareness of Third Culture Kids.
Norma writes: “Global nomads are very good mediators. Whenever TCKs move into another culture, they become very good, objective observers. They’re like cultural sponges. Those skills translate into ideal requirements for combating racism and advancing social and refugee work.”
Our stories is part of the larger TCK and global nomad story, and we all owe a debt to all of those who came before us.
Without them, the support and knowledge we TCKs have today would not have been possible. TCKID wouldn’t exist today.
Edward has informed me to let you know not to send flowers. If you wish to make a contribution, please make it to the Cancer Foundation in her name. Norma’s address for condolences is:
1559 SCANDIA CIR.
RESTON, VA 20190
—-----------------—-------
Dear TCKs,
From: Ruth Van Reken
Norma McCaig not only changed our world, she changed my life. I first met her in 1987 when she dared to cross sector lines and attend a conference about missionary kids, even though she had been raised as a business kid, because she intuitively believed there was much we could all learn from one another if we dared to move from our boxes and towards each other.
We sat and talked until the wee hours of that morning. She shared her dream for Global Nomads, an organization that would be for adults who had grown up in any internationally mobile background. Norma borrowed against her own retirement account to make that conference happen in December, 1988…the first time adult TCKs gathered together to explore mutually our convergent journeys.
We had many discussions about who was and wasn’t a TCK. Norma felt if we enlarged the original group that Ruth Useem studied, all research would lose it’s meaning. In one of our discussions, I showed her my “throw away” term I had used to try to get more meaningful discussion going with local teachers who didn’t seem to think TCK issues were relevant to them but lauded their “multicultural” program. When Norma looked at my slides, she is the one who said, “Use that, Ruth, to make a bigger paradigm…” and thus the framework of Cross-Cultural Kid was born.
THis was Norma’s gift to us all..to coin phrases that came from her creative mind that capture the heart of our story..for TCK and all CCKs alike…”hidden immigrant,” “cultural chameleon,” “passport culture,” “global nomad,” and on and on she went.
Sadly, many of today’s TCKs and CCKs never had a chance to get to know this red headed tiny marvel….she packed so much energy and joy and brilliance into her little frame. Since she was first diagnosed with bone cancer several years ago, she has not been front and center on the external scene as she was in earlier days. But for those of us who continued to know her in the quieterness of her battle with cancer and watched her unbelievable strength, courage and hope throughout these last years, our lives were blessed once more by Norma. And she never, ever forgot her passion and love for those she called “Global Nomads” because she preferred not to be called a “kid”!
Yes, iron sharpens iron and Norma sharpened my thinking and outlook. Her vision for cross-sector communication among ATCKs was a foundation stone for the cross-sector aspects of the Families in Global Transition conference still going on. And for the interchange of us all on TCKid.com.
Now, with three major pioneers of this field gone…Ruth Hill Useem, Dave Pollock, and Norma J McCaig…the greatest honor for them all is that each of you in the ‘next generation” build on their gift to us all and continue to see how to take lessons learned and help find ways to bring new understanding of how our global changes affect children everywhere and of all backgrounds.
Personally, I grieve deeply at the news of Norma’s death. But I am also profoundly grateful that I was privileged to know her as a special friend and marvelous mentor and colleague.
Norma is an example for all of us on how one person with a vision, a dream, a heart, and courage can, in fact, change the world.
Norma, dear friend, rest in peace. We, the members of your extended family worldwide, thank you for all your gifts to us.
TRIBUTE TO NORMA MCCAIG (WITH PHOTOS)
http://www.tckid.com/group
From Brice & Ruth
What is a Cross Cultural Kid/Adult?
A Cross-Cultural Kid ( CCK) is a person who has lived in—or meaningfully interacted with—two or more cultural environments for a significant period of time during developmental years.”
#
Traditional TCKs --Children who move into another culture with parents due to a parent’s career choice
#
Bi/multi-cultural/ and/or bi/multi-racial children —Children born to parents from at least two cultures or races
#
Children of immigrants —Children whose parents have made a permanent move to a new country where they were not originally citizens
#
Children of refugees —Children whose parents are living outside their original country or place due to unchosen circumstances such as war, violence, famine, other natural disasters
#
Children of minorities —Children whose parents are from a racial or ethnic group which is not part of the majority race or ethnicity of the country in which they live.
#
International adoptees —Children adopted by parents from another country other than the one of that child’s birth
#
“Domestic” TCKs —Children whose parents have moved in or among various subcultures within that child’s home country.
* Special note: Children are often in more than one of these circles at the same time. (e.g. A traditional TCK who is also from a minority group; a child of immigrants whose parents are from two different cultures, etc.) This helps us understand the growing complexity of the issues we face in our changing world .
When you become a fan, you are helping raising awareness and develop better programs to help the TCK and Cross Cultural Community.
A Cross-Cultural Kid ( CCK) is a person who has lived in—or meaningfully interacted with—two or more cultural environments for a significant period of time during developmental years.”
#
Traditional TCKs --Children who move into another culture with parents due to a parent’s career choice
#
Bi/multi-cultural/ and/or bi/multi-racial children —Children born to parents from at least two cultures or races
#
Children of immigrants —Children whose parents have made a permanent move to a new country where they were not originally citizens
#
Children of refugees —Children whose parents are living outside their original country or place due to unchosen circumstances such as war, violence, famine, other natural disasters
#
Children of minorities —Children whose parents are from a racial or ethnic group which is not part of the majority race or ethnicity of the country in which they live.
#
International adoptees —Children adopted by parents from another country other than the one of that child’s birth
#
“Domestic” TCKs —Children whose parents have moved in or among various subcultures within that child’s home country.
* Special note: Children are often in more than one of these circles at the same time. (e.g. A traditional TCK who is also from a minority group; a child of immigrants whose parents are from two different cultures, etc.) This helps us understand the growing complexity of the issues we face in our changing world .
When you become a fan, you are helping raising awareness and develop better programs to help the TCK and Cross Cultural Community.
Cross Cultural Kids Everywhere's Notes
Norma McCaig has passed awayNov 27, 2008
What is a Cross Cultural Kid/Adult?Jul 25, 2008