“you have to understand, that no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land” “Home,” by Warsan Shire In the past few years I have had the privilege of meeting and hearing stories from many refugees and displaced people in different parts of the world. From the Sindh … Continue reading #WorldRefugeeDay 2018
Readers – Third Culture Kids 3rd Edition Growing up Among Worlds came out yesterday! I couldn’t be happier about this new edition and the emphasis on today’s TCK that includes information on technology, cultural complexity, and more information for educators and those that work with TCKs. In honor of this new release I am reposting … Continue reading Living Between Worlds
Every year, June 20th is a day set aside to remember the millions of refugees and displaced people in our world. But it’s not just a day to remember – it’s also a day to think about what we can collectively and individually do about the refugee crisis. So in today’s post I want to … Continue reading World Refugee Day – #withrefugees
Around six years ago, an eye doctor named Tom Little was killed in a massacre of 10 international aid workers in Nuristan province in the country of Afghanistan. The story made international headlines as the largest massacre of aid workers during the entire Afghan conflict. Many who didn’t even know this man paused to take inventory of … Continue reading Lenten Journey – Turn the Whole World Upside Down
A Pakistan International Airlines flight headed to Islamabad from a remote mountain area crashed on a mountain slope today. Before the plane hit the ground it burst into flames. There are no survivors. A 6.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia has caused damage and killed over one hundred people. Rescue efforts are underway … Continue reading A Broken World Meets an Advent Season
My heart is reeling. There’s so much I want to write about race and violence and injustice. But that will have to wait. I have no capacity just now. To be honest I find myself without insight or wisdom. I have nothing but lament. The world is wounded. Deeply deeply scarred. This country–among all other … Continue reading Speechless in the face of Our Wounded World
These are ideas for (mostly) free stuff that can happen anywhere in the world. Teenage daughters should take note. Go for a walk. Create a scavenger hunt in your house, backyard or courtyard. Make playdoh. Play with playdoh. Brainstorm strange flavours of pancakes…make the top three strangest even if it means making up the recipes! Make window … Continue reading Summer Fun Ideas that Promote Sanity and Potentially a Wider View of the World
I’m sitting in a Pakistani Restaurant in Los Angeles, just two miles from the airport – because that’s what we do when we are global nomads. We find comfort foods and places wherever we go, places where we can kill the saudade. I arrived just a couple of hours ago from New Zealand and knew … Continue reading A Moment Between Worlds
Last night my parents left for Istanbul. My niece, Sarah, drove them from Rochester, New York, to Toronto. There they embarked on a non-stop flight to Istanbul. They woke up on the other side of the world. I’ve done this many times myself, but I still shake my head in amazement. How is it that our … Continue reading Waking up on the Other Side of the World
He’s in a red shirt and blue shorts, his little body still chubby with the best kind of toddler fat. He has his shoes on, their brown soles pointed toward the camera. This strikes me as odd — because he’s at the edge of the water on a beach. The waves care not that he … Continue reading Will a Dead Toddler Wake a Sleeping World?
Goodreads Book Giveaway Between Worlds Essays on culture and belonging by Marilyn Gardner Giveaway ends August 28, 2015. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway
It was over a year ago when Elizabeth Jones contacted me. She had been reading and interacting with Communicating Across Boundaries for a while at that point, always affirming and entering into discussion in meaningful ways. I am delighted to have Elizabeth guest post today! Elizabeth watched the world come to her through her work … Continue reading When the World Comes to You
Every year around Mother’s Day a report is released from Save the Children called the “State of the World’s Mothers.” And every year, I write about it. Because it is so important to me. If I could spend all day every day with moms and babies, I would. There are so many reasons for this – … Continue reading The Urban Disadvantage – State of the World’s Mothers 2015
I began watching Parenthood for the first time with my younger daughter last night. Those familiar with the show will know it is a television series about extended family – parents, their four adult children, and their children’s families. They all live in Berkeley, California and life is sometimes simple and sometimes desperately complicated. My daughter remarked … Continue reading In My Imaginary World, Family Lives Right Next Door
I entered the bus with relief. It was dark from the early sunset that comes in December and raining hard. Cold wind blew raindrops that stung against faces and bodies as people tried to shield themselves as best they could. But inside the bus was bright with light and warmth. Even though I was one of the … Continue reading Our Shared World
Originally posted on Next Stop:
Between Worlds: Essays on Culture and Belonging by Marilyn R. Gardner When I found out that Marilyn was going to publish a book, I knew it would be great and I was impatient to read it. I first read Marilyn’s writing on her blog, Communicating Across Boundaries, and I was immediately captured…
I went to my closet to pull out clothes to wear, going for the long pants and a warm shirt. “No”they screamed! “Don’t pick us! It’s too soon!” And I screamed back “It’s cold outside you idiots! I’m picking you.” Cold makes me a little crazy as evidenced by the conversation with inanimate clothes detailed … Continue reading When the World Rushes too Fast
For as long as I can remember I have lived between worlds. My first memories of life are from a rooftop in the southern area of Pakistan. The high, flat roof surrounded by walls was a perfect place to keep cool when the hot months came in early May. We slept on rope beds covered … Continue reading A Life Overseas – Living Between Worlds
