Third culture kids

Stefanie found an interesting article from the Christian Science Monitor today. It's an article about a phenomenon called Third culture kids. We had heard about this before doing what amounts to joining the foreign service--but I thought the article was interesting enough to pass along to you all. In that same vein, here's what Sofia and Dylan are up to: Sofia: She's riding at least three times per week—when she gets on it looks like she is an appendage of the horse or vice versa, quite amazing to see. Her teachers and all the other French folks we know tell us that there is not a trace of an American accent in her French—she stumbles on words occasionally, but very rarely. She can read just fine in both French and English. Also, she can read Arabic, but doesn't usually know what she is saying—since she's getting Arabic from Tunisian/French people they transliterate (for pronunciation purposes) using French diphthongs—the end result is that she speaks it with a slight French accent. Violin is going very well, she's really getting a feel for moving the bow across the strings, it's not nearly as scratchy as it was in the beginning. Dylan: He's started riding again--mostly because his buddy Elyes (pronounced El-ee-yes) and his girl-friend (not his girlfriend--don't make that mistake) Cecilia have started riding. Cecilia is Italian, I think Elyes is French/Tunisian. His French is the same as his sisters. He's just about ready to start reading, although we'll wait to work with him in English until after he gets French down (this worked fine for his sister). He is also learning Arabic—can't have a conversation, but he can yell at you to "be quiet". He can play "twinkle-twinkle, little star" —and by extension "the Alphabet song"...on the guitar. His favorite thing though is air guitar with all kinds of grimaces. He has a memory like a steel trap, he remembers lyrics to songs like you wouldn't believe—adult songs I listen to while he's around mind you. Oh, and he lost a tooth last night (24 January), this is the first one he's lost legitimately. I know parents like to brag about their kids—but good grief. It sounds almost unrealistic sometimes when I stop to think about it but I don't want people to think that I think that our kids are somehow morally or otherwise better than any other kids. Believe me, if you saw us at the dinner table with the two of them trying to compete as to who can make the best fake burp (yeah, I know, at the dinner table) or see Dylan making rude noises with his armpits, or see the two of them fight about not wanting to brush their teeth—you would realize that we know perfectly well that kids are kids. But the article made me think about how the perception of having tens of thousands of frequent flier miles before the age of whatever might look to some folks. Anyway, take a look at the article. And by the way, yes, I do think that Stefanie and I have the most wonderful kids in the world. (But yours are too, whoever you might be—and that's the point. :) )