10 Signs You Have Raised Third-Culture-Kids

The life of an expat family does come with extra baggage. I am not talking about the furniture we pick up in Thailand, or the nicknacks from a one-year assignment somewhere else – no, this is about our experience, conceptions, and funny stories which we get to schlepp around.

Our son was born in Japan and  he flew before he could walk. His first flight took him to Seoul/Korea and then to Frankfurt. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that automatic doors were not the given thing around Germany in the mid-90s.  Carrying him in my arms, I walked straight into a door at the Frankfurt Airport. We were both howling.

Habits are hard to break, therefore I stood in front of doors waiting for them to open. But at least, I did not run into one anymore.

Our kids are only partial Third-Culture-Kids (TCKs), but I recognize these symptoms in them, nevertheless.

1)  They think nothing of flying somewhere just for the weekend to go to a concert.

Cool. We are going places. The local airport is my second living room.

2)  Flying to Hawaii during spring break seems quite feasible to them – until I tell them they need to pay for it.

Our then second-grade daughter had a friend who flew to Hawaii during spring break and came back with presents for everyone (!) in the class. Sure, if he can do it, we can too.

3)  They usually run into someone they know at any airport in the world.

They most often run into their teachers going or returning from visiting family.

4)  They are hesitant when asked where they are from.

When the interviewer at St. Andrews College in Scotland asked our son where he was from, he started off with a sigh. The interviewer replied then, “Ah, you’re one of them!” ‘Them’ meaning the ones who find it hard to define where they are from.

5)  They think all kids go on to good universities.

Our children were surprised to learn that only 14.1% of the German population has a university degree. On the other hand, most kids attending an international school go on to college.

6) They always take off their shoes when entering a private home.

We started this habit while living in Japan.

7) Seeing well-off friends getting a Gucci bag for a birthday present is normal.

Our son once mentioned a schoolmate who got a 18 million euro race horse for her 18th birthday. Then I felt a bit bad, but just a bit,  for not getting him the latest iPhone for Christmas.

8) Returning from a trip and repacking for another trip the next day is normal.

Our daughter came back from a school trip to Berlin Friday evening. The next morning, she repacked for her trip to London on Saturday afternoon. I would have panicked, she thought it was cool.

9) Asking “When are we going back to Germany?” while we are in Germany.

When the children were younger, we visited my side of the family in the Bavarian dungeons. At least, their Franconian dialect sounded like that to them. Since I had to translate grandfather’s German, we could not be in Germany anymore.

10) Being upset over friends moving away, but not for the “right” reason.

Our 4-grade son came home rather upset one day and when I asked him about it, he said: “Andrew and his family are moving to London”.  He was upset, because most of his friends ended up leaving sooner or later.  “Why are we still here? I want to move to other countries, too”, he said.

I’m a baby boomer and grew up in a very provincial area of Germany, where most people went to Rimini, Italy by car for their annual vacations. Or some, who had a farm like my parents did, never even left.

In 1970, right after the Frankfurt Airport was made open for the public with a visitors platform, my aunt took me on a chartered bus trip to this very cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt. We got to visit the airport, stood on the Besucherterrasse (visitor platform), and put our noses against the big paneled windows and watched the first Boeings take off.

We were in awe then. And when I look at my kids’ lifestyles today, I have the same look in my eyes.

Until they announce their next trip. Then they have that look in their eyes… because someone needs to pay for it.

 

Vacancy at Frankfurt International School

Posted 19 August 2014

Applications are invited for the following position:

►        Temporary 40% elementary school German and ESL teacher (20/20) effective immediately until 31 July 2015 due to enrollment increase

Applications should be in writing and directed to Peter Baker with copy to Rita De La Cruz within seven working days of this notice.

Rita De La Cruz
Human Resources Manager
Frankfurt International School
61440 Oberursel, Germany
Tel.:         +49 (0) 6171-2024478
Mobile:    +49 (0)172-7602097
Fax.:        +49 (0) 6171-2024384
www.fis.edu

The German School System – Elementary School

Over the years, a frequent question in conversation with ex-patriots is about the complex structure of the German school system.

This short outline covers the main parts of elementary schooling.

* Grundschule

All children from ages six to ten years old must attend a primary school (Grundschule). You cannot choose the school, instead your child will be assigned to the one closest in your district. This is usually in walking distance.

Before school admittance, all children are tested (Einschulungstest). In the old days, if a child could reach with his/her right arm around the head and touch the left ear, the child was often found suited mature enough to start first grade. The criteria has changed a lot since then.

Today, children have to go through various tests to show their physical, mental, emotional, and social capabilities. There are also “Kann Kinder” (capable children) who may start school earlier at the age of five, provided they turn six before 31 Dec in the same school year. There are also “Darf Kinder” (“may start school early” children) who may start school earlier under different guide lines (more bureaucracy).

First day of school tradition: the Schultüte

Schultüte/Zuckertüte

A common practice throughout all 16 states in Germany is giving the Schultüte or also known as Zuckertüte (definition: large cornet of cardboard filled with sweets and little presents given to children in Germany on their first day at school).

This tradition began in Saxony and Thuringia in the 19th century. Today, the average parents spend euro 69,52 on its contents ( with parents in the eastern part of Germany spending more). More parents (54%) in the West make the Schultüte themselves, in comparison to only 16% homemade Schultüten in the East.

The contents are most often school supplies, candy, plush animals, and other small gifts.

In primary school, children are taught to read, write, do maths, and they study local history, geography, and biology. Unlike most other countries, students also have religious instruction classes. In addition to their homeroom teacher (Klassenleiter/in), they have separate teachers for music and sport.

Very little homework is assigned – usually 30 to 40 minutes a day.

In the student’s fourth and final year at primary school, teachers evaluate the child’s next level of schooling in discussion with the parents. If the students seems apt for university education, then he/she will move directly into secondary school (Gymnasium). Those students who need two more years to develop their academic skills can continue middle school (Gesamtschule), where they can choose from three tracks: intermediate schools (Hauptschule or Realschule) or Gymnasium.

My previous post about kindergarten can be read here:

http://www.pension-sprachschule.de/faq-by-expats/the-german-school-system-kindergarten/

 

Vacancy at Frankfurt International School

Posted 23 January 2014:

Applications are invited for the following position:

►        ICT Support Technician 1 August 2014, Tariff Group 5

Applications should be in writing and directed to Gareth Brewster with copy to Rita De La Cruz within seven working days of this notice.

Kind regards,

Beate Nichols
Business Assistant
Frankfurt International School

Tel: #49-6171-2024 479

Vacancy at Frankfurt International School

Posted 21 Jan 2014:

Applications are invited for the following position:

►        Temporary Elementary School German Teacher from 1 August 2014 until 31 July 2015. This will be a parental leave replacement.

Applications should be in writing and directed to Peter Baker with copy to Rita De La Cruz within seven working days of this notice.

Rita De La Cruz
Human Resources Manager
Frankfurt International School

Tel.:         +49 (0) 6171-2024478
Mobile:    +49 (0)172-7602097
www.fis.edu

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