Global Nomad Glossary

Global Nomad = A term coined by Norma McCaig to define people who were expats as children, due to their parents’ work. However, it does not include children who live outside their passport country as immigrants or refugees or children who go to boarding school outside their passport country. There is no specific term for these people, but they would be considered Cross-Cultural Kids. They are also welcome to join us on this website.

Expatriate or Expat = One who lives outside his/her passport country, regardless of age. This term has a second definition meaning a political exile so I have gotten negative reactions when I identified myself as an expat!

Military Brat = Global Nomads whose parents were abroad because of military posting

Missionary Kid = Global Nomads whose parents were abroad because of missionary work

Diplomat Kid = Global Nomads whose parents were abroad because of diplomatic posting

Corporate Kid = Global Nomads whose parents were abroad because of a business posting

TCK (Third Culture Kid) = Another term for Global Nomad, however I find it ambiguous and will use the term Global Nomad on this website

CCK ( Cross-Cultural Kid ) = a catch-all phrase coined by Ruth Van Reken to describe anyone who has been touched by a multicultural background for a significant period of time during developmental years. A CCK is often more than one of these definitions. Here is a break-down provided by Ruth:

• Traditional TCKs – Children who move into another culture with parents due to a parent’s career choice
• Bi/multi-cultural/ and/or bi/multi-racial children —Children born to parents from at least two cultures or races
• Children of immigrants —Children whose parents have made a permanent move to a new country where they were not originally citizens
• Children of refugees —Children whose parents are living outside their original country or place due to unchosen circumstances such as war, violence, famine, other natural disasters
• Children of minorities —Children whose parents are from a racial or ethnic group which is not part of the majority race or ethnicity of the country in which they live.
• International adoptees —Children adopted by parents from another country other than the one of that child’s birth
• “Domestic” TCKs —Children whose parents have moved in or among various subcultures within that child’s home country.

“Educational CCKs” — People who may never leave their home culture but go to school in a very different cultural environment. (Such as kids who are sent to international type schools in their home country so they can learn English or kids who cross socio-economic lines by going to a school removed from their community.)