Lost and Yet Searching

Rhea Vergis

Imagine being part of a world where you don’t feel like you belong. Lost and Yet Searching explores the transition of Third Culture Kids. A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents’ culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships with all cultures, without having ownership of anyone. They are raised in a “neither/nor” world. It is neither fully the world of their parents’ culture (or cultures) nor fully the world of the other culture (or cultures) in which they were raised.

Being a “neither/nor” in a large world with very little guidance on how to navigate through the transition is not easy. The design of two zines, a video and a walk-through installation offer a way through which TCKs can relate and communicate with others. The publications help individuals recognize and use the gifts that the TCK childhood provides and the physical space allow people to experience a sense of community. Through communication and sharing experiences it is my hope to normalize the third culture experience for this growing population.