Resources tagged with: Belonging
In today’s globally mobile world, some families find themselves navigating a social reality far richer and more complex than anything they have imagined. Their children attend international schools or integrate into local systems, learning to switch languages mid-sentence and pick up subtle cues from cultures that aren't their own. These...
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When the Kim family landed in South Korea after six years in the Netherlands, they expected the transition to feel smooth. They had planned well, prepared their children, and returned to the same neighborhood where Jiho grew up. Relatives welcomed them with open arms. The move was, in many ways,...
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When the Rivera Family moved from Costa Rica to the UAE in July, they knew there would be an adjustment period. The heat hit them like a wall the moment they stepped off the plane, and the first few weeks were filled with confusion and trial-and-error. Grocery store aisles were...
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Picture this: You’ve just picked up your child from their new international school. They slam the car door, toss their backpack to the floor, and mutter “I hate it here.” When you ask what happened, they shrug and stare out the window. After a long pause, they add, “No one...
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Kento, an eleven-year-old from Tokyo, had always been cheerful and adaptable. Four months ago, when his family relocated to the UK for his father’s job, he was curious and hopeful about making new friends at his international school. However, over the last few weeks, his demeanor shifted. He stopped talking...
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The holidays were fast approaching. The Sørensen family had moved to Singapore in the middle of summer, but the continued humid air and glowing city lights felt incredibly odd as months went by. While they had started settling into their new lives, they were regularly reminded of how far removed...
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A text exchange between two 16-year old teenagers attending an international school in an Asian expat hub. They went out last night, and are now checking in with each other to find out what transpired. [video width="528" height="480" mp4="https://www.expatvalley.com/wp-content/uploads/story_30_of_52-480p.mp4"][/video] _ _ _ _ _ Each week we publish a short...
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“Mom, where’s my blue jacket?” asked nine-year-old Ben for the third time that week. His mother, Marie, sighed as she shuffled through a few stray boxes in the living room that hadn’t yet found a home, still untouched months after their move from Germany to France. It was late autumn,...
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Moving to a new country was such a blessing for me. My parents never really made it explicit to me, but I was a gifted learner. And I was really bored in school. I was born while my parents were on assignment, I always identified myself as someone from another...
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