I think the comparison to third culture kids is quite relevant.
My dad was in the military for my first 15 years, which meant we lived in a lot of random places. My parents wanted to expose me to other cultures, so they typically lived off-base and sent me to local schools. The whole experience made my childhood more stressful than most, but looking back I'm very thankful. I admit I'm missing out on some things. I don't have a home town. I don't remember the names of childhood friends, let alone keep in touch with them. I find it hard to care about local sports teams. But the benefits far outweigh the downsides. My view of culture is much less parochial than most. I've seen the same mental algorithms running on different data sets. It's almost like cultures are using one Mad Libs template, but substituting different words. And unlike a lot of people in my demographic, I've been on the receiving end of racism (both explicit and unconscious). I find this helps me empathize with victims of current discrimination.[1]
It's fascinating to hear from someone who first experienced other cultures later in life. The realizations seem similar, but more unpleasant. While reading the grandparent's post, a strange thought popped into my head: "It's as if an adult just discovered the truth about Santa Claus." Writing this, I can still see the resemblance. GP: Please don't take that as an insult. Most people never realize how provincial their worldview is.
1. It also helps me see the perpetrators as victims of their own culture. Obviously, this doesn't excuse their behavior, but it does help one understand it. Had I spent my whole childhood in Alabama, there's a decent chance I'd be an unpleasant bigot. Instead, I see such people and think, "There but for fortune go I."
My dad was in the military for my first 15 years, which meant we lived in a lot of random places. My parents wanted to expose me to other cultures, so they typically lived off-base and sent me to local schools. The whole experience made my childhood more stressful than most, but looking back I'm very thankful. I admit I'm missing out on some things. I don't have a home town. I don't remember the names of childhood friends, let alone keep in touch with them. I find it hard to care about local sports teams. But the benefits far outweigh the downsides. My view of culture is much less parochial than most. I've seen the same mental algorithms running on different data sets. It's almost like cultures are using one Mad Libs template, but substituting different words. And unlike a lot of people in my demographic, I've been on the receiving end of racism (both explicit and unconscious). I find this helps me empathize with victims of current discrimination.[1]
It's fascinating to hear from someone who first experienced other cultures later in life. The realizations seem similar, but more unpleasant. While reading the grandparent's post, a strange thought popped into my head: "It's as if an adult just discovered the truth about Santa Claus." Writing this, I can still see the resemblance. GP: Please don't take that as an insult. Most people never realize how provincial their worldview is.
1. It also helps me see the perpetrators as victims of their own culture. Obviously, this doesn't excuse their behavior, but it does help one understand it. Had I spent my whole childhood in Alabama, there's a decent chance I'd be an unpleasant bigot. Instead, I see such people and think, "There but for fortune go I."