PFO-TCK. What does that mean?

I am mid-way through a two week training conference geared at preparing teachers, administrators, and dorm parents who are about to go teach, administer, or parent at international Christian schools. The training is called PFO-TCK, which stands for Pre-Field Orientation- Third Culture Kids. TCKs are people who spent a significant part of of their formative years in a culture which is not their parents' home culture. TCKs are usually the children of missionaries, international businesspeople, or diplomats. Due to their unusual childhoods, TCKs have special needs and concerns, as well as special giftings and experiences.



As I prepared to come to this conference, I must confess my attitude was a hint on the arrogent side. I have LIVED culture shock and international interaction and such for the past...um...better part of eight years. And on top of that, I just finished a masters degree in intercultural studies.





But I'm happy to say that my experience here has put my pride in my own knowledge to flight. I have really learned a lot of new stuff, and also been reminded of some important stuff that I'd already lived out and/or learned in my times abroad.



Beyond the stellar training that we're being provided, it's been a real blessing to be surrounded with a group of people who have similar goals, desires, passions, and even fears. Most of us are leaving for our respective schools later this summer, so nearly everyone is buying tickets, waiting for visas, trying to sell a house and/or a car, and asking for advice on how best to ship their stuff to their new home. Although my friends and family are excited for me (mostly!) and interested with this whole process, it's nice to be with peers who can relate. Just relate.





We're at Houghton College in New York state. It's in the boonies. I mean, really in the boonies. They're beautiful boonies, though, and we got to go to a state park on Friday night, and then took a day trip to Niagara Falls on Sunday, so I shall leave you with some photos of the fun.

This is me with Annie. She and I met in Spain last summer, when we both taught at the English Camp in Tres Cantos. We were excited to find that we were both slated to attend this conference. Annie's going to teach high school math at Dakar Academy in Senegal, West Africa.

We're having fun in this tree here. It was a nice tree, indeed. I like trees. I think that's a reflection of my mother's influence in my life.

These are my roommates for these two weeks. Annie on the left. Anne, in the pink, is also a graduate of my master's program at Wheaton. She will be teaching ESL at Black Forest Academy in Germany. That tall girl is the middle is me. I'll be teaching middle school ESL at Alliance Academy International in Ecuador. And on the right is Grace, who'll be teaching elementary ESL in China. We decided to cover the globe like that.

Here we are in our apartment, demonstrating how mature and ready to shape the minds of the next generation we are.

Um, nothing much to say about this picture. Except I like it. And that our rommate situation is so fantastic. We bonded in record time.

Here's a shot from a bridge a few miles from the school. It was way prettier than the picture appears. I just wanted to jump right in.





This is the waterfalls at the state park we went to.

This bridge is on the path from our apartment to the main part of the campus. We're looking dignified, in case you couldn't tell.

Here we are, straddling the border between the U.S. and Canada. Sunday was our Niagara Falls day, and we had a great time. It was my third trip to the Falls, but my first time riding on the Maid of the Mist boat ride. We also got caught in a big ole storm and ate supper at Hard Rock Cafe. A good time was had by all.