When I was little, I never thought that I would live anywhere except for Eindhoven, where I was born. I knew my dad traveled to China many months of the year, but that was work, so it didn't impact me, right? Well, as I found out when I was 7, wrong.
Looking back, I understand how hard it must have been for my parents. How do you tell your 7 year old daughter that you are moving to China? There is no easy way to go about it, sugar coating it won't make much of a difference. After all, you are telling your child you are taking her out of her known environment, away from her friends, school, dance class, and family, and placing her into a culture that is 100% foreign to her. My parents took the approach of bribing. This might sounds bad, but it was probably a smart move. Take you kid to their favorite place, and such big news might seem a little less horrifying.
It happened in one of my favorite places in all of Eindhoven. My parents treated us to a day at the indoor swimming pool. Now, let me just tell you, this place was amazing. It had 5 slides, a wave bath, and as a little kid, it was paradise! So needless to say, when my parents spontaneously took me there, I was ecstatic. Yet, I was too young to be slightly suspicious. After a few hours of running around, trying to go on the slides as many times as possible, my dad took me to the little kids pool for a "chat". I wish I could remember the exact words that came out of his mouth, but it was something along the lines of; "You know how daddy always goes far away for work? To China? How would you feel about going with me, living in China?". And just like that, my world shattered. Well, that's a bit over dramatic, I was 7 after all, but it's safe to say that I was feeling a mixture of confusion, anger, and resentment.
Needless to say, this memory is imprinted in my mind. Every time I see a swimming pool, I think back to that moment; the moment I became a TCK.
Looking back, I understand how hard it must have been for my parents. How do you tell your 7 year old daughter that you are moving to China? There is no easy way to go about it, sugar coating it won't make much of a difference. After all, you are telling your child you are taking her out of her known environment, away from her friends, school, dance class, and family, and placing her into a culture that is 100% foreign to her. My parents took the approach of bribing. This might sounds bad, but it was probably a smart move. Take you kid to their favorite place, and such big news might seem a little less horrifying.
It happened in one of my favorite places in all of Eindhoven. My parents treated us to a day at the indoor swimming pool. Now, let me just tell you, this place was amazing. It had 5 slides, a wave bath, and as a little kid, it was paradise! So needless to say, when my parents spontaneously took me there, I was ecstatic. Yet, I was too young to be slightly suspicious. After a few hours of running around, trying to go on the slides as many times as possible, my dad took me to the little kids pool for a "chat". I wish I could remember the exact words that came out of his mouth, but it was something along the lines of; "You know how daddy always goes far away for work? To China? How would you feel about going with me, living in China?". And just like that, my world shattered. Well, that's a bit over dramatic, I was 7 after all, but it's safe to say that I was feeling a mixture of confusion, anger, and resentment.
Needless to say, this memory is imprinted in my mind. Every time I see a swimming pool, I think back to that moment; the moment I became a TCK.
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