Third Culture Kids / Global Nomads

History and Goals:

The TCK board was first created in the Fall of 2001. The board meets once a week, and the members serve as advisors who generate ideas and plans that the TCK intern will then set in motion. The board’s main goal is to promote events and advise the TCK intern on projects that they feel will be most effective and support the cause of the TCK group.

Get Involved:

If you are interested in being a member, please e-mail the TCK Intern, Alyssa Kurosu at tck@lclark.edu or come to the International Students and Scholars office located on the 3rd floor of Templeton, above the student government offices!

TCK Board Members 2013-2014:

 

Ksenia Girsova, (‘14) is a senior majoring in International Affairs and minoring in Studio Art. She was born in Russia where she grew up the first six years of her life until fate and her father’s company moved her to Hong Kong. Four years later she was coming to terms with yet another culture and language in South Korea, and eight years later fate again placed her in a foreign place, namely Portland, Oregon. Despite the turbulent changes in setting, several things have not changed: she still loves to order the most interesting-sounding item on the menu and discuss everything under the sun over a hot cup of tea.         

 

 

 

 

     

Clara Murata, (‘14) is a Belgian born Japanese who has lived in Japan, Panama, Belgium, Indonesia, and China. Although she does consider all of these places to be her home(s) for various reasons, her home is and always will be Tokyo, Japan! Although having grown up speaking in English since she was eight years old, she had never lived in a country where English was the primary language prior to coming to LC. Living in America is a dream come true for her. She loves to go downtown and spend all the money she earns from her tutoring job getting delicious food. This year, she hopes to explore more of Portland’s amazing restaurants, drink local beers and wines and enjoy life. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gretchen Ekstrand (‘14)  is a Japanese US passport holder with a German name and Swedish American parents. She spent most of her childhood moving back and forth between the US and Japan. However, in 8th-11th grade, she lived in the beautiful Philippines, moving back to Japan her senior year. After graduating, she spent a year in Albania (with extended stays in Kosovo!!!) and then moved to the US for college where she currently is double majoring in Foreign Languages (Spanish and Japanese) and East Asian studies. Gretchen loves Bollywood, Chinese art, British humor and coffee.  She also is a big fan of the World Cup and listening to people.. This year she hopes to explore Portland and who knows what/where she’ll be next!

 

Alyssa Kurosu (‘15) is a TCK born in San Diego, California where she lived for 9 years until the 3rd grade when her family decided to move to Tokyo, Japan, which she now considers home. She is currently a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Chinese. This is her second time living in the US since she was 9 years old. She is three quarters Japanese and one quarter American, and considers herself to be part of both cultures. She loves to eat, travel, and meet people from different places.Next year, Alyssa hopes to study abroad in Beijing, China so she is currently trying to make the most out of her last fall at Lewis & Clark!

 

 

Brenda Barnum (‘15) was born in Tokyo, Japan and has lived in Tokyo, Singapore, McLean, Virginia and most recently Portland, Oregon. She is a dual citizen of the USA and Japan and strongly identifies with both countries. She is double majoring in Mathematics and Economics. She enjoys traveling, getting to know people, and trying new things. Her favorite sports include volleyball, field hockey, and track & field. An organization that she is passionate about and has worked with a lot is Habitat For Humanity, and she hopes to get more involved with that here. She loves getting to know the city she lives in and hopes to get out and explore Portland more this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ugyen Lhamo (‘15) is an International Affairs and Psychology major. She was born in Thimphu, Bhutan but left for Rome, Italy at the age of six. Six years after that Ugyen began attending Ecole d’ Humanité, a small, international boarding school in the heart of the Swiss Alps. During her time there Ugyen was introduced to snow sports, hiking, theater and cooking. While at boarding school her family moved to Thailand for two years where she fell in love with Bangkok and now frequently takes trips there. Shortly after her 17th birthday Ugyen took her first trip to America in order to attend Lewis & Clark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neil Rutherford (‘16) has flown more than a quarter million miles over the course of his life.  281,462, to be exact.  He feels more at home in airports than he does in any specific place.  You can always count on airports to have the same layout; you can’t with countries.  After about two years of living in a place, Neil feels an uncontrollable urge to leave, to travel, and to discover new cultures and people.  But this comes with the territory: He is a Third Culture Kid (TCK).  He was born in Denver, CO, and lived there up until he finished first grade.  When he finished first grade, his mom decided to uproot his small family and move to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to teach English and to take them on an adventure.  They spent two years in Kyrgyzstan, then moved onto Mexico, then to China.  In China, he began learning Mandarin Chinese and began to identify with the culture.  Neil now considers China to be a second home to me.  After spending four years in China, Neil and his family moved on to Bangkok, Thailand, and then on to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

 

 

Natalie Kuo (‘16) was born in the United States and moved to Saudi Arabia when she was 7. She moved back to the US for boarding school in Austin, TX and one year of college in Santa Cruz, CA, before transferring to her current home here in Portland. She plans to major in Economics and minor in English. She is half Chinese, half American and enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures. One day, she plans to visit all seven continents (with only two remaining!). But in the meantime, she can be found reading a book, listening to music, drinking tea, watching Netflix, and petting cats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simon Anderson (’17) is son of an American father and Japanese mother. He has lived in Sudan, Ethiopia, Italy and the Philippines however he considers home to be where the family is. Having grown up in many countries, he has friends from all over the world including countries such as India, Philippines, South Korea, Colombia, Canada and the Netherlands to name a few.  Simon is a big fan of football (soccer) and is a die-hard Liverpool fan and will wake up very early on weekends (sometimes even at 4:30am) to watch them play. This year at Lewis & Clark, Simon hopes to explore a wide range of subjects in the hopes of finding a passion in a subject area that he can major in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anri Nick Ryan (‘17) was born and raised in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. She has a Japanese mother, an American father, and an older sister. She went to a Japanese school in Tokyo up until high school, except her junior abroad in Loveland, Colorado. Her year in Colorado motivated her to attend college in the US. She is interested in majoring in the sciences, but excited to explore various fields. She draws and paints as a hobby, and enjoys going to art museums.