TCK Third Culture Kids, aka Global Nomads, expats

Parents Forum
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<p>There are some older, helpful postings about launching children into college from 10,000 miles away. Does anyone have any new ideas, insights, tips on getting the kid settled, or suggestions for what not to do? The best one I've heard is to make sure to get the student registered for International Student Orientation, even if they are a U.S. expat. Also important: make photocopies of all important documents such as passport, health insurance card, parent's overseas contact numbers including the US embassy of the country they are residing in, etc. Give one copy to the student, one for you, and one copy to be kept in a relatives house (that is somewhat near to the student's location). Really helpful if/when the original gets lost.</p>

<p>Any other great ideas?</p>

2

<p>They may enjoy reading over the summer, "Unrooted Childhoods: Memoirs of Growing Up Global." That book by several global nomads including at least one who went to school in the U.S. after spending virtually all of her life abroad might help your kids know what to expect and know that others have shared similar experiences.</p>

3

<p>Thanks, I'll pick it up from Amazon.
BTW, here is an interesting website for International Students:
<a href="http://www.internationalstudent.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.internationalstudent.com/&lt;/a>
I've just started exploring it, but it looks like it has some helpful info.</p>

4

<p>Hi Karen!<br>
Waving at you in commiseration! There are a lot of things to cover about this. When I have more time, I will try to write the lessons we've learned.</p>

<p>Good news is -- it's a lot easier than it used to be, what with cell phones, email, (not that my son uses the aforementioned that often to call his mom, ahem), ATM cards and frequent flyer miles.</p>

<p>You might look back through my posts; I can't remember if I've posted about this before.</p>

<p>Are you guys FS? If so, PM me.</p>

<p>AM</p>

5

<p>I'm stressing out about logistics. We live in the UK and daughter is going to school in St. Louis. It's my first kid in college period so I don't know how people handle things like - clothes? how much room is there for stuff and should she take everything in suitcases or should we ship stuff? I wish we lived 5 hours drive away. It would make things so much easier and less scary for everyone!</p>

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<p>Why not have your D contact admissions and have them get her into contact with upperclassmembers whose homes are abroad. They could give the best advice. The international students association also could help even if she's not an international.</p>

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<p>hey, Amazon, I'm in Europe and my son is in his second year in Wisconsin. He didn't take much and when he came home at Christmas the first year, I had him order online for his room. The "stuff" was shipped direct to the dorm and was waiting after the break. He stays on campus most of the year but moves around from dorm to dorm so having less is much, much better. I wouldn't ship anything to the states from the UK. Your daughter will have a 2 bag allowance (with a payment you may be allowed another bag) with what she must have and then buy bedding etc. online. That is my take on this situation. Make sure she goes with the international check-in at her school if offered which usually happens a couple of days before the regular check-in. Many schools take their internationals shopping before school starts to get necessities.</p>

<p>I remember I worried about all this for naught.</p>

<p>And remember less is better.</p>

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<p>Annuduhmom- (we aren't FS.) I enjoyed reading your previous posts about Germany, miserable freshmen, etc. Got completeley sidetracked on the threads about St. John's as my son loved his visit there. </p>

<p>I'd appreciate any of your tips about having kids in college on the other side of the world. I'm collecting a lot of them. My favorite so far "Don't let your kid buy a futon for his room- they are a pain to store in the summer!"<br>
Amazon- Have you read the recent thread:
New Approach to Moving Into the Dorms?
Lots of good info about packing on that one.<br>
Also, do contact the school. I have been put in touch with another mom with a kid going into the program my son is interested in, and she has been a huge help.</p>

9

<p>Just wondering if I am the only one who had a big of dyslexia with the title(Noble Gonads was how I read it at first, actually nobal but, my mind changed it to noble too).</p>

<p>But that sounds like good advice.</p>

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<p>Sent S1 9000 miles away. Bought a bunch of 'supplies' the first year and left them with my mother to ship up to son. He carried his clothes and skis--when allowable luggage was 32K. It's now 22k--not much. Sending S2 9000 miles too. Sometimes paying to add extra kilos to luggage allowance is less expensive than shipping. Verify online.</p>

<p>Order bedding online
Figure out a money system whereby you can transfer money to her account fairly easily--in case of emergencies.
Make sure you sign up for the school health insurance--and make sure it covers her year round.
If you ship--do so in flat plastic boxes that can be stored under college bed.
She will need a heavy winter coat before xmas, amazon. Warm boots would be a plus too.
Don't ship appliances. Wrong current.
Some schools, like WUSTL, have a pick-up at the airport for intl students--or she can take the tube/metrolink.<a href="http://oisshome.wustl.edu/students/new/AirportToWU.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://oisshome.wustl.edu/students/new/AirportToWU.html&lt;/a>
Clothes are inexpensive in the US--if something gets left behind--it's no biggie.
Leave a day or two for jet lag when booking tickets into school--if dorms are open.
Summer storage is a PITA. I fhse can, tell her to band together with a couple of other students and cart their stuff to a Public Storage facility. Much cheaper than the Student storage services--which are a total ripoff and not secure.
St Louis is not London--but your D should be street smart, esp at night.
Computers can be shipped--as they have a current switch on the back. Might need some adapters.
Memorize the time difference and review it with D so that she doesn't ring at 3 am.
Install Skype.
Buy room furnishings on craigslist if possible. Too cheap for words.
Resell all furniture on craigslist if possible.<br>
Look for apartment listings on craigslist.
Look for job and internships on craigslist.
All luggage must have rollers. I send one backpack and one hockey bag on rollers. So far they have been able to navigate the tubes/subways.
Buy lightweight luggage so that 22k is taken up in clothes weight--not hard luggage weight.</p>

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<p>Karen, has your child already been accepted or are you in the midst of the search process? Evaluating and visiting colleges on a different continent is itself a challenging experience.</p>

<p>We live in SEAsia and our son is in college in rural Western Massachusetts. It is truly a case of you can't get there from here. Not that it would have affected his choice of schools, but a four hour drive on top of a multi-leg 20 hour flight is very demanding.</p>

<p>Book flights way, way in advance. Everybody in Asia is flying at the same time, especially if you need to connect through Europe. Get e-tickets, so they can't get lost.</p>

<p>A credit card is a good idea for emergencies. </p>

<p>Get your child's friends' cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses. You'll most likely never have to call them but it's comforting to have them.</p>

<p>When my son started college he tool very little from home except clothes. We stopped in New York for a few days and bought everything he would need (and then some) loaded it in a rental van and drove it up to the college. If I had to do it again, I'd wait and buy more on-line.</p>

<p>During the summers he leaves his clothes at the local dry cleaning establishment and rents a storage space for the rest of his stuff. They will pick up and deliver. Now, four years later, we're figuring out the reverse logistics. </p>

<p>Skype is really, really valuable. If you're not familar with it, learn now! Otherwise, we find that being on the otherside of the world has actually put us in the same time zone for the first time, considering the crazy hours that college students keep. :)</p>

<p>Talk a lot. It's an indulgence but it's so important to everyone's peace of mind when you're oceans apart.</p>

<p>Visit as soon as you can so you can meet the friends, visualize the dorm room, try the food. </p>

<p>Give your child a digital camera and encourage him/her to e-mail you photos of friends and surroundings. </p>

<p>DSC, Noble Gonads! As Dave Barry would have said, a great name for a rock band. :)</p>

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<p>Thanks to everyone who's posted here. I'm heading off from India to Ohio (brrr... the cold..) and every bit of advice helps!</p>

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<p>Skype with a $35 camera is priceless. We had difficulty reading the mood in our son's email messages: is he happy, sarcastic, moody, distraught? Seeing body language, facial expressions...so reassuring....he was absolutely fine!!</p>

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<p>We are in Europe, D is completing freshman year in Massachusetts. Go with minimal clothing and room furnishings--other posters are right, your student can buy what is needed online and have it sent to college. Good Luck with the new transatlantic phase of your lives!</p>

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<p>Love the phrase Noble Gonads. Next time, I'll use that as the thread title..... Sounds like some of the names of IM softball teams we played on in college...</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. I should have thought about this earlier. We bought lots and lots of clothes on our last 2 trips into the States. Most of you have sons. I'm trying to figure out how big my daughter's closet will be and how we'll fit all the clothes in.</p>

<p>I've heard the tip about International orientation. She's going to summer school at the new college for 5 weeks and really isn't "international" in any sense of the word - we just moved to the UK last August - otherwise she spent her whole life in the US. (It was a good "move" for college admission though!) I wonder if it would be worthwhile going to International student orientation anyway.</p>

<p>BTW we have a vonage phone here so everyone can call us from the States just using a US number so D won't need any special phone.</p>

17

<p>Amazon, I think storage space in the dorms varies. I would check once you know what dorm she will be in. Sometimes they have online information concerning the set up of the dorm rooms. One thing I know for sure, since I helped my son and his girlfriend move to two different dorms during the summer, there most probably won't be much space. She was kicking herself over having brought way too much from home. She can drive home unfortunately. :) My son uses his phone from here to make emergency calls and when he travels. Other than that, he has said he doesn't need a separate phone and doesn't want to spend the money that they cost in the states. </p>

<p>The only plus for international orientation in your daughter's case would be to be able to move in earlier and perhaps be able to partake in shopping "events." The rest of the time the students fill out paperwork for SSN etc. She may also be able to link up with someone from your neck of the woods as well which could be nice. I would check with the school.</p>

18

<p>I live in Buffalo and sent kids to college in Massachusetts, and Ohio, now readying youngest for California. I am in awe of overseas families.</p>

<p>Only can add: SNOWBOOTS, not. Parents love them but most kids don't wear them. Too hot and heavy inside the classrooms, so they prefer shoes. Some carry a change of socks around for unexpected soakings. </p>

<p>After snowfalls, the custodians shovel sidewalks between buildings before anyone wakes up. So on campus, blizzards aren't as bad as they seem from reading the news accounts. </p>

<p>Essential: knit hat, aka "ski-cap" or in Canada, "tuque" Weighs a few ounces but contains the 80% of body heat which escapes via the head.</p>

<p>Other tips, including re: airflights, for moving to northern vs. southern climates, see a thread, "Exchange Tips for Switching Coasts/Climates" from around APril 25.</p>

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<p>I've lived in the US for six years but have been invited to my college's international orientation because I'm not a citizen or permanent resident (I'm a European foreign service kid and therefore technically an "international" student). Does anyone know what sorts of events usually take place during that? I expect they'll cover visas and financial aid, both of which are relevant to me, but going to presentations about "how to adjust to living in the US" and similar things seems a bit silly in my case.</p>