Scholarship Program alert!

Clements International, the leading provider of insurance solutions for expatriates and international organizations, announces its 2^nd annual scholarship program for expatriate students.

Clements International’s “Life in a Flying House” 2010 Expat Youth Scholarship will award $10,000 to students ages 12-18 of any nationality who have resided in a foreign country for at least two consecutive years. This year’s theme asks, “Where would you go in your flying house?” The “flying house” is inspired by the idea that students who spend their childhoods moving between different countries and cultures acquire unique life experiences.

The scholarship contest offers expat students a chance to use their experiences living in a foreign country to imagine where their journey might take them next. Entries consist of an essay (500 – 750 words) and creative image or photograph that incorporates their own personalized flying house. A total of six winners will be selected from two age categories (12-15 and 16-18) based on the quality of the essay, how well their image creatively illustrates their answer to the essay question, and overall creativity. The scholarship entry deadline is Thursday, May 13, 2010.

For more information about the scholarship and to submit entries, visit www.expatyouthscholarship.com. Also, connect with the scholarship on Facebook and Twitter to receive important updates and information.

Bulletin Notice!!!

mkPlanet and MKSafetyNet
Present a free screening of the documentary film

ALL GOD'S CHILDREN

Saturday, January 23, 2010
7:00 pm

Queensway Cathedral
1536 The Queensway
Toronto, ON M8Z 1T5

Question & Answer session to follow the documentary

~~~~~~Synopsis~~~~~~

Through the eyes of three families, All God's Children tells the personal story of the first boarding school for children of missionaries to be investigated for abuse at the hands of the parents' missionary colleagues. The survivors and parents share their journey of seeking justice, redemption and healing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Contact:

• Beverly Shellrude Thompson - beverly.shellrude.thompson@cogeco.ca
• Dana Crawford - danamarie@mkplanet.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Film's official website: http://www.allgodschildrenthefilm.com

Greetings to all,

Just to let you know that the Third Culture Kid book revision is now available and you can read the news here:

http://news.tckid.com/book-revision-third-culture-kid/

So just want you know the revision is out and what the updates are, even without messing up the parts that I hope had helped at least some of you find language for your own story.

May you find new joy in your journey each day...

Ruth Van Reken
www.crossculturalkid.org
Check out information for Families in Global Transition conference at www.figt.org

P.S: We have added a chapter on Cross-cultural kids--a larger over-arching category to which we belong with others who also grow up cross-culturally...we feature Brice Royer's story as one of our examples!

Please leave your comments on this blog to have a discussion of the book.

http://news.tckid.com/book-revision-third-culture-kid/

New GN/TCK book - Entries Needed

From Nina:

We are still accepting abstracts for a new book on issues of concern to Global Nomads -- please see Call for Submissions below:

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
We have been approached by a publisher to put together a book on Third Culture Kid/Global Nomad issues that will combine research and academic studies with memoirs and personal essays. We are seeking vivid, compelling narratives of the TCK/GN experience, as well as summaries of your research -- or even a combination, with your personal history interwoven with the subject you are researching. Though we are working with an academic press, the book will be targeted to a general audience as well as experts in the field, and the academic essays and research findings, rather than being too technical, should be presented in a readable manner for people interested in topics related to TCK/GNs.

Essays should be 10-20 pages in length. Any decisions about who or what to include will be made by the editors of this book: Gene Bell-Villada (author of Overseas American: Growing Up Gringo in the Tropics), Elaine Neil Orr (author of Gods of Noonday: A White Girl's African Life), and Faith Eidse and Nina Sichel (co-editors of Unrooted Childhoods: Memoirs of Growing Up Global).

At this point, if you would like to be part of the project, I only ask that you send a working title and short summary of the essay you'd like to contribute for me to share with the other editors.

I'm looking forward to receiving your material. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Nina Sichel
nsichel@verizon.net
nsichel@yahoo.com

March "Roars"

As I type this, the ground outside is turning white. Yes, white - as in "snow-on-the-ground" white. This is Georgia...where it is supposed to be warm and inviting, NOT cold and snowing!

So yes, March has come roaring in like the proverbial lion, but I think it had a major push from behind by February. Confused? Well...let me try to help remove that confusion.

The March 2009 issue of Among Worlds was supposed to be delivered on Thursday. Instead, it got moved to Friday afternoon. When 5:00 rolled around and there was still no delivery truck, I called and found out it would be 6:00 before the magazines would arrive at my doorstep. You guessed it, 6:00 came and went and it was 6:20 before the boxes (only 2 boxes) were delivered. Problem is, I was supposed to be somewhere else by 6:15 and here I was waiting for boxes! Because I was in a rush, I did not do what I am supposed to do, and that is, take one of the printed magazines and run a quick proof through it. That didn't happen until Saturday afternoon. Wouldn't you know it...the error JUMPS out at me...one that should NOT have been there. Which means the magazine has to be corrected (which it now has) and a re-run done on that particular sheet. OK...so now I am really pushing the time-line.

The printer then tells me, "well, I don't think I have this in stock right now so will need to quickly get some in - which means this won't get to you until Monday afternoon." Yikes! I leave early-early Wednesday morning for the FIGT conference (see www.figt.org) which leaves me one day to get everything done - and mailed!!!!!

So...I take a deep breath and return to finishing off all the printing that I have to do - you know...the Thank You letters, Gift Subscription letters and the Renewal Invoices. BEEEEP goes my printer - out of Cyan ink. No problem, I reach under the cupboard...nothing there. It is 10:30 at night - no store is open that would carry this brand of ink. Now what?

Well...at 12:00 pm today, knowing the office supply store would be open, I look out and see...snow. Snow in the Atlanta part of Georgia means everything closes (either closes early or doesn't open at all). Thankfully, in spite of everything that seemed to be going wrong, my brave hubby ventured out and purchased the ink(s).

Almost everything is now printed (thank you dear hubby)...and the snow is still falling.

March has roared.

Year of the New...

2009 has started off with a lot of "new":
a new year (yah yah...I know I have a good grasp of the very obvious) which brings in
a new President - who is a fellow TCK who is bringing in
a new staff, of whom many are also TCKs.

This is my first entry for 2009 - so it is "new" in that sense. My apologies for not posting since November, but my life has been turned upside down, outside in, inside out and sideways. I have finally emerged from all that pandemonium with some of my mind still intact and hopefully will show a "new" aptitude in my blogging efforts.

First on the agenda...FIGT! That's right - Families in Global Transition Conference will be held March 5-7 in Houston, TX. If at all possible, try to attend! There are some great workshops being held and I hope to be able to attend some of them! So please, go to www.figt.org and sign-up to attend - and I will see you there!

Second on my list is www.tckid.com - they have been conducting live chats which have been great! I have had a couple chances to participate - and have *met* some great fellow TCKs! Check in at their website to see when the next one is scheduled.

Finally, if you want to know more about the folks being hired to work with President Obama, read Obama's 'Third Culture' Team by Ruth van Reken at http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-26/obamas-third-culture-team. Another article, A Team of Expatriates, is found at Newsweek www.newsweek.com/id/180207 .

Margie

Norma McCaig has taken her final journey...

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.”

The TCK community world-wide has just lost a distinguished advocate for TCKs everywhere.

If you wish to make a contribution, please make it to the Cancer Foundation in her name (Cancer Foundation: http://www.cancer.org/). Norma’s address for condolences is:

1559 SCANDIA CIR.
RESTON, VA 20190
*********************************

Norma was a good friend - one who knew how to challenge, laugh with, and encourage me in my journey as a TCK.

I will miss you, Norma!
Margie

Using Your TCK Skills

Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2008
Kevin Conrad
By By JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ

It was a classic David versus Goliath moment. At the December 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Kevin Conrad challenged the U.S., the sole holdout on a plan for a post-2012 climate treaty. "If, for some reason, you're not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us," he declared. "Please, get out of the way!" Within minutes, the U.S. backed down. The resulting "Bali Action Plan" provides a road map for an international climate treaty that will succeed the Kyoto Protocol. The Bali agreement was significant for Conrad, who was there as Papua New Guinea's Special Envoy for Climate Change, because it contained provisions for which he'd fought for years. For the first time, the U.N. Climate Treaty agreed to recognize the role of tropical forests and deforestation in tackling global warming.

This issue has long been central to Conrad, 40, who was raised in a small village deep in the rain forests of Papua New Guinea. He first addressed deforestation as a graduate student at Columbia University. While there, he sought my assistance on how the international community can provide incentives for conserving rain forests. He knew that without payment for environ-mental services, which have been excluded from current climate-change agreements, countries like Papua New Guinea simply cannot protect their forests.

Momentum quickly shifted after Conrad secured the support of two visionary leaders, Prime Minister Michael T. Somare of Papua New Guinea and President Oscar Arias Sánchez of Costa Rica. Making the case that deforestation in the developing world accounts for 20% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, Somare and Arias have called for countries that preserve their rain forests to be compensated.

Conrad is at the vanguard of this movement as executive director of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN), an intergovernmental alliance of over 40 countries that has emerged as a formidable force within U.N. climate negotiations. At the CfRN's request, the World Bank established the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, which has raised $172 million to support analytical work and capacity building to reduce deforestation. More recently, Norway has pledged $2.8 billion to combat deforestation. Sparked by Conrad, Somare and Arias, these initiatives may mobilize the largest sums in history to support rain-forest conservation.

Conrad's Bali stand was no mere act of bravado, but evidence of a powerful phenomenon: a giant bloc of developing nations demonstrating more determination in the face of climate change than an industrial giant. Driven by this same sense of urgency, the CfRN represents a vital partnership between developed and developing nations that could significantly mitigate climate change. As Conrad's call to arms reminded us, what we need is precisely this kind of leadership, wherever we can find it.
~~Joseph E. Stiglitz is University Professor at Columbia University and winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics

Find this article at:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1841778_1841779_1841795,00.html

Running on Empty...

Here it is - the end of August - and I have not made any posts on this blogsite! I know there are a few readers out there who are faithful to keep checking back here...and for that, I Thank You!!!

The last teleconference from TCK Academy is tomorrow - you can go to this site (http://tckacademy.com/class/blog/uncategorized/a-live-interview-featuring-kellie-poulin-and-terry-kinnard/) to register. I missed posting one - an important one too - on the subject of *grief* - but I was at a TCK re-entry conference and the internet access was almost nil. I got home Friday night before the Saturday teleconference, and with over 300 emails to catch up on, I missed the notice and of course then didn't get it posted on here!

If you are subscribed to the Among Worlds magazine and have not seen it appear in your mailbox yet, well...it is because it has not been mailed out. My most sincere apologies to all the subscribers to this magazine. I ran out of emotional energy, have been fighting a few memory-fiends from my past, not sleeping well...and just haven't been able to function at full capacity. If it were not for my wonderful friend (and a super graphic artist) Joy Reid, you would be waiting even longer. Joy has stepped in to help me - and hopefully we can get it all pulled together, sent to the printer, and mailed off to you in the next 2 weeks.

*Raising my glass of tea* "Here is a toast to all of you - for your graciousness, understanding and patience!!"

Margie

Daddy Dolls

In the March 2008 issue of Among Worlds magazine, Stephanie Ware wrote a detailed article about a new approach to helping kids who are separated from their parent(s). The article pertained mostly to those families who are in the military and have one (or both) parent serving overseas while their families remain stateside. But, as I told Stephanie, I feel it would be applicable to any kid who is separated from their family - especially those in boarding schools.

Anyway...below is a short video about "Daddy Dolls" (see http://www.hugahero.com/ for further information). The video is an excerpt from the 'Good Morning American' show, televised on June 5th (I believe that is correct).

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=8191182

Yeah - I am so excited that we were able to cover this before any of the big 3 media groups did! Whoohoo!

Way to go Stephanie, Tricia Dyal and Nikki Darnell!

Margie

7 Things Every TCK Should Know

7 Things Every TCK Should Know

Are you a "Third Culture Kid" or adult? Are you a parent, family member or teacher and feel like you want to learn more about this Third Culture way of life?

Just about every TCK we talk to has occasional questions and some frustration when it comes to belonging, their relationships, and the Third Culture way of life.

What do you think Ruth Van Reken, co-author of Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds, and Paulette Bethel, an international transition coach, have discovered over their careers serving expatriate communities through various forms of trainings, on-site workshops, and writing, that can help you?

Plenty. And they're ready to teach you the "7 Things Every TCK Should Know" in the first teleclass ever held for TCKs.

In fact, they have so much material, they will have 90-minute classes to ensure you learn all these important life skills. In addition, there is a free mini-course by Ruth Van Reken to answer ALL of your top questions.

In this teleclass, you will learn:

1. How do I sort out who I am and where I belong when I can't get past the feeling of belonging "everywhere and nowhere?"

2. How can I make and maintain friendships with non-TCKs and TCKs?

3. How do I deal with the grief I still feel from long ago losses of country and friends?

4. How do I stop restlessness, and the cycles of separation and loss I continue to create for myself because I can't seem to stay in one place more than 2-3 years?

5. How do I learn to recognize and develop fully the gifts I received from this TCK experience?

...and there is more on the site.

This is an exciting event because it's the first teleclass held for TCKs. It has never been done before.

You can ask Ruth and Paulette your questions live by email or on the phone. It's like a conference but without any travel or conference fees -- you can listen to it online or on the phone.

And it's completely free!

You can get all the details about this teleclass (and a list of some of the questions they are going to be answering) at this web page:

http://tckacademy.com/class

IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away. This is a time limited AND space limited event. There is a free mini-course after you sign-up by email - EVEN if you can't attend the event!

Kind Regards,
Margie Ulsh

P.S: We are trying to spread the word so please forward this email and invite your friends, colleagues, and anyone you know who might be interested in the event.

Here is the link again to the event:

http://tckacademy.com/class

High Honors for TCK

http://www.woodstock.ac.in/News/Spring2008/January/080102.htm
Tom Alter '68 honoured

Woodstock School is delighted to report that alumnus Tom Alter '68 has been awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest public honours. He was among just over 100 people singled out for the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards in the announcement on Republic Day, 26th January. Others honoured this year include Hollywood film maker Manoj Night Shyamalan, chess wizard Vishwanathan Anand, mountaineer Edmund Hillary (who died recently) and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. As an avid fan of the game, Tom will surely be delighted to be in the same list as India's cricket maestro. You can read more in the news link below:

http://www.indiaenews.com/bollywood/20080125/93894.htm
India eNews
Friday, January 25, 2008
Multifaceted actor Tom Alter to receive Padma Shri
From correspondents in Delhi, India, 11:02 PM IST

In a career spanning about three decades, Bollywood actor, sports writer and novelist Tom Alter has played a variety of characters both in real life and reel life. The multifaceted actor is now all set to receive the Padma Shri Award for his distinguished contribution in the field of art.

Fondly called the 'true blue Englishman on screen', Alter recently left stage buffs in a thrall in Oman with his solo play on the life, times and scholarship of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.

The 57 year-old actor of American origin has his fingers in many pies - theatre, television, films, sports and literature. However, he is most prominently known for his work in the Hindi film industry.

Born in 1950, Alter, the son of an American missionary, is a native of Mussoorie who spent his early years between Landour and Mumbai, where he now lives. Alter began his career with cameo roles in films like Satyajit Ray's 'Shatranj Ke khiladi' in 1977 and played Lord Mountbatten in the movie on Sardar Patel in 1993.

The versatile actor, who last appeared in low budget blockbuster film 'Bheja Fry', forayed into big-time acting with 'Laila Majnu'. For years he got to play English characters, till filmmakers like Raj Kapoor in 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili', Mukul Anand in 'Sultanat' and Vidhu Vinod Chopra in 'Parinda' created Indian characters for him.

His other celebrated works include 'Charas', 'Parvarish', 'Des Pardes', 'Kranti', 'Gandhi' and 'Khoon Bhari Maang', to name a few.

Uniquely talented for his fluency in Hindi, Urdu and knowledge of the country's culture, he has worked with noted filmmakers like Satyajit Ray in 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi' and Ismail Merchant in 'Sardar', the 1993 film biography of Indian leader Sardar Patel, which focused on the events surrounding the partition and independence of India.

The seasoned actor endeared himself to thousands of television serial buffs with his act in 'Bharat Ek Khoj', 'Junoon' and 'Betaal Pachisi'.

In 1996 he appeared in the Assamese-language film 'Adajya', and in 2007 acted in the theatrical reproduction of William Dalrymple's 'City of Djinns' alongside Zohra Sehgal.

Tom Alter's first cousin Stephen Alter, also born and raised in India, is a notable author and teacher.

Please participate - TCK Survey

TCK Survey

Have you lived part of your childhood or adolescence in a foreign country?

If you have lived over 2 years before the age of 18 in a country outside the culture of your parents, we invite you to participate in our study about the consequences of living a cross-cultural childhood.

You will have the opportunity to enter a one of eight $50 dollar gift certificate raffles from Amazon.com. Visit: https://web2survey.unt.edu/users/rch0067/ACCE/

User name: user1
Password: user1

Please feel free to forward this email or to others who have the cross-cultural experience mentioned above and may be interested in participating.

You may also email on write either one of us to obtain a copy of the results of the study.

Thank you,
Jennifer Wilson,
M.S. Researcher
jlw0042@unt.edu
(940) 565-2671

Raquel C. Hoersting
Researcher
rch0067@unt.edu
(940) 565-2671

Sharon Rae Jenkins, Ph.D.
Faculty Advisor University of North Texas Psychology Department
jenkinss@unt.edu
(940) 565-2671

This research project has been reviewed and approved by the UNT Institutional Review Board (940) 565-3940. Contact the UNT IRB with any questions regarding your rights as a research subject.

Abuse

I thought I would post this notice on here. I called the # listed below - and yes, they still take calls/emails about abuse (no time limit) that occurred in any CMA-run boarding school. In fact, I was asked specifically to post this notice so everyone would know they could call or email.

Margie
************************************
http://www.cmalliance.org/mkNotice.jsp

Important Notice
To all adult C&MA MKs or other MKs that attended an MK school overseas formerly administered by the C&MA.

In recognition that some adult MKs may not be comfortable reporting past abuse directly to The Christian and Missionary Alliance's (C&MA) Sensitive Issues Consultative Group (SICG), which was established for such purposes, the C&MA's Board of Directors has approved, at the recommendation of the SICG, the establishment of an independent reporting mechanism for those adult MKs who were either children of C&MA missionaries or attended C&MA-administered schools.

This independent reporting mechanism will be available to receive reports for the next six months, and longer if determined necessary. This independent agency, The Ross Group, is set up to receive reports of abuse by e-mail at theguardian@trgidaho.com, by phone at 407-415-3508, or by postal mail at The Ross Group, Box 1191, Pinehurst, Idaho 83850.

The Ross Group will report directly to the C&MA's Board of Directors over the next six months or more, by providing documentation of all reported abuse, along with any recommendations, for the purpose of determining the necessary steps to bring both healing to the victims and discipline to the perpetrators.
The C&MA, and its Board of Directors, takes the matter of abuse and child safety seriously but needs the assistance of those who have been abused in order to address these matters as effectively as possible. The SICG still stands ready, for those who are willing, to receive reports of abuse, both past and present, and to move to investigation of such reports as appropriate.

Conference....and survey!

A while back, I posted about attending the F.I.G.T. conference (www.figt.org). I truly am sorry for those of you who read about it, but did not go to the conference! What an amazing time! I don't know if it is possible to say in a couple of sentences all that is experienced at such a conference. I had a great time - got to meet so many great folks - many of them fellow TCKs - and ended up wishing the conference would last longer so I could have time to get to know more of the fellow attendees. One of the exciting things was the establishment of the TCK Research Team. Most of those on the team are young TCKs - bringing with them new perspectives and ideas.

Another super benefit from the conference is meeting some of the authors who write about TCKs. Robin Pascoe is one of those well-known authors (www.expatexpert.com) and she does an enormous amount of travel and speaking - helping expat families all over the world! While at the conference, when everything at the registration table appeared to be in total chaos, Robin came to the rescue - providing coffee at very crucial moments (saving me from losing my mind).

I would like each of you (who read this blog) to go to Robin's website and participate in a survey which she has posted on there (http://www.expatexpert.com/survey). When you participate in the survey, you are helping me tell Robin "Thank you" - for all her insight into TCKs and their expat parents via her writing, and for those wonderful cups of coffee at the FIGT conference!

Another Famous TCK!

I received an email from the school I attended while in high school (Penang, Malaysia), and in the email was a spotlight on one of the students who had attended the school - but some years before I did. So...I decided to highlight another great TCK! May I present....(drumroll please)........

Tim Ziemer!

Rear Adm. Tim Ziemer, U.S. Malaria Coordinator
R. Timothy ZiemerRear Admiral, United States Navy (Retired)
U.S. Malaria Coordinator

Rear Adm. Tim Ziemer was appointed in June 2006 to lead the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). The PMI is a historic $1.2 billion, five-year initiative to control malaria in Africa. As coordinator, Rear Adm. Ziemer reports to the USAID administrator, with direct authority over both the PMI and USAID malaria programs.

Rear Adm. Ziemer previously served as Executive Director of World Relief, which provides disaster response, community development, child/maternal health, HIV/AIDS, agricultural assistance, and microcredit programs in over 30 countries. World Relief is operational in the United States, resettling refugees and providing immigration services through 24 affiliate offices across the country.

Rear Adm. Ziemer was born in Sioux City, Iowa, but was raised in Asia, the son of missionary parents serving in Vietnam. After graduating from Wheaton College, he joined the Navy, completed flight school, and returned to Vietnam to fly during the war. During this tour, he flew 550 combat sorties in support of the Navy Seals and riverine forces.

During his naval career, Rear Adm. Ziemer commanded several squadrons and an air wing supporting the first Gulf War. As Commanding Officer of Mayport Naval Station, he consolidated two naval bases to achieve efficiencies and reduce support costs.

Rear Adm. Ziemer's last duty assignment was as Commander of the Navy's Mid-Atlantic Region, responsible for the 11 bases providing support to the world’s largest naval complex, including seaport and airport operations, maintenance of facilities, utilities, communications, and environmental programs. (One of those bases was where my husband & I were stationed while in the Navy - another cool connection!)

You can read the full report/bio at: http://www.fightingmalaria.gov/news/bio_ziemer.html

TCKid blog-site

It is 2:45 in the morning and I am finally getting around to making an entry for the blog here! What is with that?

I find that it is very easy to procrastinate, which is something I would never have done in my "younger" days. Instead of working on the final edit of the contents for the next issue of Among Worlds magazine, I find myself spending 2-3 hours reading all the entries at TCKid (www.TCKid.com)and wanting to comment - but deciding instead to read the next entry (more procrastination).

It has been fun, and very interesting, to see the membership growing at TCKid blog-site. When I was invited to join, there weren't very many members - and yet it seems to grow by 10-20 a day (I don't have any actual figures). They have a chatroom that seems to always be in use - and many blog entries. I am just amazed! If you are looking to meet other TCKs, please feel free to join at www.TCKid.com - and tell Brice you heard about it here!

In the meantime, I think I will shuffle off to bed - and finish the final edit tomorrow when my mind is not so ready to procrastinate (again).

Christmas Gift

It is time to be blowing the trumpets; time to boast; time to remind you...Christmas is close at hand!

So...what do you give an ATCK (Adult Third Culture Kid) for Christmas? Well...seems part of that solution is right here on the internet - specifically at the Interaction International website - where you can order a full years' subscription to the Among Worlds magazine - online!!!

Shocked you, eh? :-) Well...we are attempting to "keep up with the times" and offer to all our current subscribers and future (hint, hint) subscribers the ability to renew your subscriptions online, order new subscriptions, or give a gift subscription...all online!

Where do you do this? Well...glad you asked.

Go to: http://www.interactionintl.org/shop.asp and then right click on the image that says "Among Worlds".

Remember - this is a GREAT way to give a wonderful gift!

The Sister Connection

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered another TCK who is involved in a project/organization; one which helps the widows of Burundi, Africa.

Denise Patch has written book reviews for the 'Bookworm Review' section of Among Worlds magazine. Anyway - while on the phone with her, I discovered why I had not heard from her in a long time! She has been spending a lot of time, effort and money putting together the "Sister Connection".

If you know of other TCKs who are involved like Denise is, please pass that information on to me (along with the website). I find it a privilege to be able to shine the "light" on their endeavors!

OK...OK...I admit it...I am envious of what she is doing, and her being able to travel to Burundi!

So without further ado, here is her website.
http://www.sisterconnection.org/index.php

TCK Writing Contest

I have been asked to post this announcement because it pertains specifically to YOU, a TCK! Come on everyone, join in - participate - engage your writing and story-telling skills!

**TCK Writing Contest**

To enter, simply write a story. It can be on your cultural identity, your life as a TCK, relationships, or an interesting or funny experience you have had. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all ... your story.

The winner will receive $100!!!!!
Deadline is 25th November!

To participate and for more details, you can register at, and send your stories to, http://tckid.com or email tckproject@gmail.com